Puzzle for the Lincoln Library: buy robots or rare letters?

I have to laugh at this passage from a story about an important, newly discovered Lincoln letter:
 
Chris Schnell, an assistant editor at the Papers of Abraham Lincoln in Springfield, read a copy of the letter at The Abraham Lincoln Book Shop.  [...] Schnell said "the state of Illinois can't even come close to buying something like that, and our project is not in the business of buying Lincoln items."
 
The state of Illinois has spent its Lincoln budget on animatronics, 3-D special effects, a Lincoln "ghost show," and other neat stuff for the Lincoln Library and Museum. And they did it from their pure love of the heritage tourist.
 
Meanwhile, Schell says he hopes the buyer will allow a copy of the message to be made.