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UNCOLLECTED LETTERS OF 
 ABRAHAM LINCOLN 
 
UNCOLLECTED LETTERS 
 
 OF 
 
 ABRAHAM LINCOLN 
 
 NOW FIRST BROUGHT TOGETHER BY 
 
 GILBERT A. TRACY 
 
 ' WITH AN INTRODUCTION BY 
 IDA M. TARBELL' 
 
 BOSTON AND NEW YORK 
 HOUGHTON MIFFLIN COMPANY 
 
 1917 
 
E4-S7 
 
 COPYRIGHT, I917, BY GILBERT A. TRACY 
 ALL RIGHTS RESERVED 
 
 Published October iqij 
 
 1 S-o 
 
 OCT 20 1317 
 Dci.A47«en7 
 
 V 
 
THIS VOLUME OF LETTERS 
 
 WRITTEN BY 
 
 ABRAHAM LINCOLN 
 
 IS DEDICATED TO 
 
 FIVE NOBLE-HEARTED LINCOLN-ADMIRERS 
 
 JESSE W. WEIK 
 
 JUDD STEWART 
 
 IDA M. TARBELL 
 
 CHARLES W. MCLELLAN 
 
 HUGH MCLELLAN 
 
 IN GRATITUDE FOR VALUABLE ASSISTANCE 
 
 RENDERED TO THE COMPILER 
 
Preface 
 
 THE supreme object in collecting copies of 
 these unpublished and uncollected letters of 
 Abraham Lincoln is to make his published writings 
 — speeches, letters, and state papers — as com- 
 plete as possible, in the belief that they will 
 represent the remarkable character and exalted 
 greatness of the man better than any biography 
 of him possibly can, and will form not only a 
 memorial but a monument to his greatness and 
 renown more enduring than granite or bronze. It 
 has been a passion with the compiler of these 
 letters, most intense and profound, to complete and 
 consummate the work of collecting these valuable 
 letters. Abraham Lincoln in the qualities of mind 
 and heart is the most deeply beloved man the 
 world has ever known; and he stands without a 
 peer in the sphere of his sublime greatness, as an 
 astute politician, sagacious diplomat, and match- 
 less statesman. 
 
 No time or expense has been spared in searching 
 for these letters in private hands, historical so- 
 cieties, autograph catalogues, newspaper files, and 
 magazines; solicitation has been extended to 
 many Lincoln collectors and private persons, and 
 
viii Preface 
 
 none has turned a deaf ear to the appeal except 
 Ex-Governor Richard Yates, who has refused to 
 give copies of the six letters in his possession written 
 by Mr. Lincoln to his honored father, the Civil War 
 governor; on the contrary, the compiler has re- 
 ceived many courtesies and valuable assistance 
 from many collectors and friends of the enterprise. 
 
 This fascinating labor has not been without its 
 compensation and personal enjoyment making it a 
 holiday pastime, and augmenting the circle of my 
 friends whom it is a pleasure and delight to know; 
 and I here acknowledge my personal indebtedness 
 to many private citizens; and especially to Miss 
 Caroline M. Mcllvaine, the efficient secretary and 
 librarian of the Chicago Historical Society; to Mr. 
 Charles W. McLellan and his son, Hugh McLellan, 
 famous Lincoln collectors ; to the noble-hearted bi- 
 ographer of Lincoln, Jesse W.Weik, Esq.; and not 
 the least though the last, to the prince of Lincoln 
 collectors, Mr. Judd Stewart, to whom I owe more 
 than I am able to express in words of gratitude. 
 To all these friends I extend my warmest appreci- 
 ation and heartiest thanks. 
 
 The compiler hopes that some enterprising pub- 
 lisher, at no distant day, will deem it for his 
 interest and that of the reading public to take the 
 Gettysburg Edition of the Complete Works (by far 
 the fullest and most complete), divest it of all 
 pictorial embellishment and extraneous matter, — 
 
Preface 
 
 IX 
 
 eulogies, addresses, etc., — and give to future gen- 
 erations an authorized, standard edition of Lin- 
 coln's Complete Works, with the latest addition of 
 discovered letters, in handsome typography for all 
 coming time. 
 
 Gilbert A. Tracy 
 
 Putnam, Conn., 
 June, 1917 
 
 ^ 
 
Editor's Note 
 
 THE editor of this volume has had little to do 
 but arrange the letters in chronological order 
 and supply the few footnotes that seemed desirable. 
 No attempt has been made in the notes to corre- 
 late the letters with the known facts of Lincoln's 
 life or with the history of the times. The aim has 
 been only to identify so far as possible the less 
 well-known persons addressed or mentioned and 
 to give some information as to the present owner- 
 ship of the letters and, when they have been pre- 
 viously published, the place of publication. Read- 
 ers familiar with the ways of collectors know how 
 constantly Lincoln autographs are changing hands 
 and how impossible it would be to account for the 
 whereabouts of a large number of these letters. 
 
 F. H. A. 
 
Illustrations 
 
 Abraham Lincoln . . . Photogravure frontispiece 
 
 From the painting by Douglas Volk, N.A. 
 
 Facsimile of Letter of June 4, i84I,to Colonel 
 W. H. Davidson 6 
 
 Facsimile of Letter of November 26, 1858, to 
 Dr. B. Clarke Lundy 96 
 
 Facsimile of Letter of May i, i860, to C. M. 
 Allen 146 
 
 Facsimile of Note of May 28, 1862, recommend- 
 ing Ward H. Lamon 208 
 
Introduction 
 
 ALL that concerns Abraham Lincoln is dear and 
 sacred; particularly is this so of his written 
 words. Few men have been able to give to what 
 they set down more clarity and more of personal 
 flavor. Thus the thing that is dear to us because it 
 is his delights us because of its quality. Moreover, 
 nothing that he wrote is without importance. How- 
 ever slight, it may serve as a link ; whatever it is, 
 it adds something to our knowledge of his way of 
 thinking, of his way of dealing with men, of the 
 kind of activities which engaged him. Even a single 
 new piece is sure to attract the attention of the 
 large group that study his life. A collection of new 
 pieces such as Mr. Tracy presents in this volume is 
 as valuable as it is unexpected. 
 
 It is surprising that such a collection should be 
 possible at this date. At least twice before it has 
 been said and believed by publishers, "Here is 
 all he wrote." Nicolay and Hay entitled their two 
 volumes of letters and speeches, published in 1894, 
 Complete Works. The editor of the Gettysburg 
 Edition, published in 1906, claimed, and of course 
 believed, that he was making a final edition of 
 Lincoln's works. The Gettysburg Edition was 
 a prelude to the one hundredth anniversary of 
 
xvi ^ Introduction 
 
 Lincoln's birth. In spite of all of the close and 
 conscientious collecting that had been done, the 
 anniversary brought from hiding letter after letter 
 of which the best-informed students had known 
 nothing. Fortunate, indeed, it is that there was a 
 Lincoln-lover with leisure and inclination at once 
 to take advantage of this new crop. 
 
 Mr. Gilbert A. Tracy, who gives us this volume, 
 was admirably fitted for such a work. A clerk in the 
 War Department from 1863 to 1868, he had watched 
 Mr. Lincoln many a day and many a night as he 
 passed to and fro between the White House and the 
 telegraph offices when news of battle was coming 
 in. He had seen him about the streets of Wash- 
 ington, had heard his second inaugural and his 
 last speech. There had been bom in him, as in so 
 many of those days, an affection and a reverence 
 which time has only enlarged and mellowed. Mr. 
 Tracy left Washington to become a Connecticut 
 farmer, but hard work never prevented his fol- 
 lowing closely everything published concerning 
 Lincoln. Old age gave him leisure. When he re- 
 alized that the anniversary of 1909 was bringing 
 out much that was new he promptly began to 
 gather the pieces. They multiplied on his hands, 
 and he finally decided that he would make it his 
 business to bring together into a supplementary 
 volume everything not to be found in one of the 
 two so-called "complete works" of Lincoln. This 
 
Introduction xvii 
 
 book is a contribution of love to the memory of 
 the most beloved of Americans. 
 
 One might naturally suppose that, coming at so 
 late a date and after so much thorough work from 
 those best placed to know what Lincoln had writ- 
 ten, all Mr. Tracy could do would be to make a col- 
 lection of fragments or of slight and temporary 
 notes — pieces that earlier collectors regarded as 
 having no other value than that of the autograph. 
 This is wrong. There are many letters here of which 
 any historian might be proud to say, " I first pub- 
 lished that." There is no period or activity of Mr. 
 Lincoln's life that they do not illuminate. They 
 add to our knowledge of him as a man, a friend, a 
 lawyer, a politician, and a statesman. They even 
 add two names to the index of his correspondents 
 and friends. 
 
 There is a goodly number of legal letters, several 
 of them emphasizing what we already know, that 
 Lincoln habitually drove law and politics in the 
 same yoke. He was a careful lawyer and a no less 
 careful politician. He let no source of information 
 escape him. He gathered and passed on political 
 news and plans in the same letters in which he re- 
 ported on cases to the various lawyers with whom 
 he was associated in the various towns on the old 
 Eighth Circuit. Of his cleverness, his fairness, and 
 his continued zest in the political game these 
 letters give ample illustration. 
 
xviii Introduction 
 
 The collection is surprisingly rich in letters bear- 
 ing on the important period from 1858 to 1861, the 
 years in which he competed with Douglas for the 
 senatorship and failed, and in which he became a 
 candidate for the Presidency and succeeded. There 
 are some interesting glimpses of his own private 
 opinion of Douglas. " His tactics just now in part 
 is/' he writes a friend in July of 1858, "to make 
 it appear that he is having a triumphal entry into 
 and march through the country; but it is all as 
 bombastic and hollow as Napoleon's letters sent 
 back from his campaign in Russia." 
 
 As fine a contribution as there is in the collection 
 is Lincoln's discussion in the several letters to 
 R. M. Corwine, of Cincinnati, of his (Lincoln's) 
 chances of winning the nomination to the Presi- 
 dency at Chicago. They were written in April and 
 May before the convention. The candor of their 
 introduction is delightful. "Remembering that 
 when a not very great man begins to be mentioned 
 for a very great position, his head is very likely 
 to be a little turned, I concluded I am not the 
 fittest person to answer the questions you ask." 
 With this admission he proceeds in entire frank- 
 ness to tell just what he thinks of the chances of the 
 various candidates in Illinois, himself included. 
 
 A delightful feature of the collection is the addi- 
 tion it makes to our impression of Lincoln's way of 
 life and his relations with his friends. There is so 
 
Introduction xix 
 
 little In his writing about his marriage and his wife, 
 for Instance, that It Interests one to read In one 
 of these letters written In 1842 such a statement 
 as this, "Nothing new here, except my marrying, 
 which to me Is matter of profound wonder"; and 
 one gets a new If slight look at Mrs. Lincoln In read- 
 ing, In a letter to John Marshall, who had sent him a 
 book of fiction, "I am not much of a reader of this 
 sort of literature, but my wife got hold of the vol- 
 ume I took home, read It half through last night, 
 and is greatly interested In it." Marshall had sent 
 him fifty copies of his book, with a request that 
 he see what he could do about placing them In the 
 Springfield bookstore. Mr. Lincoln's immediate 
 attention to his friend's request, his full report, 
 and his closing assurance that his effort had been 
 "rather a pleasure than a trouble," are quite in line 
 with other evidences in the letters of his pleasure 
 in serving people. He held an opportunity to do a 
 favor as a privilege. He was continually considering 
 how this or that would affect the feelings of others. 
 This was true even In politics. There Is an illus- 
 tration of this In a letter referring to Judge Logan's 
 candidacy for the Supreme Bench. He wanted to be 
 sure Logan could succeed before they went too far 
 ahead, "because It would hurt his feelings to be 
 beaten more than it would almost any one else." 
 
 The value that he set on friendship was very 
 high. This comes out again and again In these let- 
 
XX Introduction 
 
 ters and particularly well in the fresh contribution 
 here made to the history of the contest for the 
 nomination to Congress in 1845. Lincoln believed 
 that because of a compact made with his rivals the 
 nomination belonged to him. His friend Hardin 
 was disposed to take it if he could get it. Lincoln 
 was ready to fight for his own, but not to a point 
 where friendship would be broken. He cautions his 
 friends that " it will be just all we can do to keep 
 out of a quarrel " ; nevertheless, " let nothing be said 
 against Hardin," he wrote; "nothing deserves to 
 be said against him. Let the pith of the whole ar- 
 gument be 'Turn about is fair play.'" 
 
 There are a surprising number of letters of the 
 very first class, both in matter and manner. The 
 letters in the Trumbull series are in this class. One 
 letter of 1861 marked "very confidential" gives 
 his full mind about the coming Cabinet appoint- 
 ments. A letter of 1857 to his friend Lemen com- 
 pares the work of Elijah P. Lovejoy and Lemen's 
 father and contains this comment, "Lovejoy's 
 tragic death for freedom in every sense marked his 
 sad ending as the most important single event that 
 ever happened in the new world." There is a let- 
 ter explaining the "house divided against itself" 
 speech ; a letter to Alexander Stephens, of which 
 Lincoln says at the end: "This is the longest letter 
 I ever dictated or wrote. But this is to only you 
 alone, not to the public." Another letter of value 
 
Introduction xxi 
 
 is that to General Steele, Governor Phelps, et. at., 
 where, under date of November i8, 1862, he form- 
 ulates a plan for reconstruction, and presents it 
 in a most conciliatory spirit. All of these may be 
 counted as great contributions, important and in- 
 teresting. 
 
 As a matter of fact, if we had no other collection 
 of Lincoln's letters than these which Mr. Tracy 
 has brought together and is giving to the world, we 
 should know Lincoln as a clear, sound thinker, 
 a wonderful master of direct original expression, as 
 a man of kindest feeling, a man of clever wit, of 
 shrewd action, and in all things and perhaps above 
 all things a believer in fair play. Mr. Tracy has 
 crowned his lifelong devotion to Abraham Lincoln 
 with a noble gift to the people of the country. 
 
 Ida M. Tare ell 
 
UNCOLLECTED LETTERS OF 
 ABRAHAM LINCOLN 
 
 To Ira I. Fenn 
 
 Springfield, Oct. 6, 1836 
 
 /)*■ Sir: By direction of Judge Lockwood, I send 
 you this with its contents. 
 
 Yours &c 
 
 A Lincoln 
 Ira I. Fenn Esq 
 
 [On reverse side of sheet] 
 
 Free A. Lincoln P.M. 
 New Salem III. 
 
 Ira I. Fenn Esq"^ 
 
 Columbia 
 Putnam Co 
 Ills. 
 
2 Letters of Abraham Lincoln 
 
 To Levi Davis 
 
 Springfield April 19, 1837. 
 Levi Davis, Esq., 
 
 Friend Davis — The bearer of this, Dr. A. G. 
 Henry,^ visits you for the purpose of drawing a 
 small amount of money to enable the Commission- 
 ers to commence the erection of a State House. He, 
 as you probably recollect, is one of the Building 
 Commissioners. The Bond for the $50,000. re- 
 quired by the act locating the Seat of Government, 
 has been executed by several of our Citizens and 
 duly approved by the Governor, and will be filed 
 with the Treasurer by Dr. Henry on his Arrival at 
 your Town. The Dr. being a Stranger to you and 
 the Treasurer, and his duties being of a new kind, 
 he has asked me to request you as friends to render 
 him what assistance you conveniently can. We 
 have, generally in this Country, Peace, Health, and 
 Plenty, and no News. Very respectfully, 
 
 A. Lincoln. 
 
 To Levi Davis 
 
 Springfield, March 15, 1838. 
 
 Levi Davis, Esq., 
 Vandalia, III. 
 Dear Sir: We received yours of the 2"^ inst., by 
 due course of mail and have only to offer in excuse 
 for not answering it sooner, that we have been in 
 
 * An intimate friend of Lincoln at Springfield. 
 
To Dresser 3 
 
 a great state of confusion here ever since the re- 
 ceipt of your letter; and also, that your clients can- 
 not suffer by the delay. The suit is merely insti- 
 tuted to quiet a title which has passed through 
 Dr. Stapp, but to which he now lays no claim as we 
 understand — he is a mere nominal party to the 
 proceeding — more than all this, we believe noth- 
 ing will or can be done with the case at this court. 
 We beg your pardon for our neglect in this business, 
 if it had been important to you or your client we 
 would have done better. Yours truly, 
 
 Stuart and Lincoln. 
 
 To Dresser ^ 
 
 Springfield May 30, 1839. 
 Mr. Dresser: : 
 
 Enclosed are the papers to commence a suit for 
 old man Summers against H. Sears. You will find 
 one of Butler's blank summons filled up by me 
 which you can copy and it will be right in this case. 
 It would do itself but for its having the Sangamon 
 seal to it. Also on the other side of this sheet you 
 will find a petition for an order to have the land in- 
 volved in this matter conveyed to Sears. It, to- 
 gether with the bond (also enclosed) you will file 
 and docket among your chancery cases. No process 
 to issue in it. Yours 
 
 A. Lincoln. 
 
 ^ Original owned by Mr. Jesse W. Weik. 
 
4 Letters of Abraham Lincoln 
 To Mrs. Orville H. Browning ^ 
 
 [Probable date: Oct. lo or ii, 1839.] 
 
 To THE Honorable Mrs. Browning: 
 
 We the undersigned, respectfully represent to 
 your Honoress^ that we are in great need of your 
 society in the town of Springfield and therefore 
 humbly pray that your Honoress will repair forth- 
 with to the seat of Government bringing in your 
 train all ladies in general who may be at your com- 
 mand and all Mrs. Browning's sisters in particular 
 [the above was written by A. L.] and as faithful 
 and dutiful petitioners we promise that if you grant 
 this our request, we will render unto your Honoress 
 due attention and faithful obedience to your orders 
 in general and to Miss Brownings in particular. 
 
 In tender consideration whereof we pray your 
 Honoress to grant your humble petitioners their 
 above request and such other and further relief in 
 the premises as to your Honoress may seem right 
 and proper; and your petitioners as in duty bound 
 will ever pray, etc. (K Lincoln 
 
 ,e. jN J O. B. Webb 
 
 (Signed) ^ J. J. Hardin^ 
 
 John Dawson ' 
 
 ^ Mr. Browning, afterwards United States Senator, and Secre- 
 tary of the Interior under Johnson, was at this time a member 
 of the Illinois State Senate. 
 
 "^ John J. Hardin, Member of Congress from Illinois, 1843-45; 
 killed at the head of his regiment at Buena Vista, Feb. 27, 1 847. 
 
 ' One of Lincoln's colleagues in the Legislature. 
 
To 
 
 To 1 
 
 Springfield, Ills., Sept. 26th, 1840. 
 
 Dear Sir: I duly reed, your letter with the enclos- 
 ures dated the 6th inst. which I have had on hand 
 ever since, waiting the return of C. Walker & have 
 not seen him till this moment. You state that 
 some years since M. D. Browning of Quincy, pur- 
 chased a floating Claim & entered therewith cer- 
 tain lands and took an assignment of the Certificate, 
 from me to Jefferson Taliaferro my interest there- 
 in & that an action of ejectment has commenced. 
 Now, I have no recollection of the transaction, and 
 if I did it I have forgotten it, nor do I presume it 
 was done by me in person, but it may have been 
 done by some person that claimed to be my friend 
 in the matter, in that floating claim although in my 
 name I have no interest. If you desire it and can 
 make me safe I have no objection to make such 
 arrangements as we can agree upon. As I am un- 
 acquainted with the transaction I am unwilling to 
 make any conveyance until I see the assignment & 
 original certificate. If Mr. Underbill will bring that 
 Certificate I will do all an honorable man should do. 
 It is not money but safety I desire. I am too much 
 pressed [ V[ professionally to go over but if Mr. Un- 
 derbill will come on & bring the assigned Certificate, 
 I will do all in safety I can or ought. 
 
 Yours very sincerely A. Lincoln. 
 
 ^ In the Frank Logan Collection. 
 
6 Letters of Abraham Lincoln 
 To John T. Stuart ^ 
 
 Springfield, Feb. 5, 1841. 
 
 Dear Stuart: Some of us here have concluded that 
 if it is agreeable, Bat Webb shall be our District 
 Attorney. He would accept the place, but will not 
 enter into a scramble for it. We here, or at least I, 
 know of no other applicant. I will add that I really 
 have my heart set upon Webb's appointment to 
 this place, and that I believe the whole party would 
 be gratified with it. 
 
 What the Locos will do about the Congressional 
 election, no man can tell. I heard Herndon say on 
 yesterday that he was in favor of taking Jersey, 
 Green, Scott, Morgan, Cass, Menard, Sangamon, 
 Logan and Tazewell from your District and add- 
 ing them to Reynolds, and leaving all else in statu 
 quo. Something like this I think more probable 
 than the District system, because our opponents 
 are somewhat afraid of the latter themselves. 
 As ever, your friend, 
 
 A. Lincoln 
 
 To Colonel W. H. Davidson ^ 
 
 Springfield, June 4, 1841. 
 Dear Colonel: Yours of the 23 rd ult. is duly re- 
 ceived and I have most cheerfully complied with 
 
 1 Lincoln's first law partner. 
 
 2 Original owned by Mrs. Frank E. Hay, Carmi, 111. 
 
Fold-out 
 Placeholder 
 
 This fold-out is being digitized, and will be inserted at a 
 
 future date. 
 
Fold-out 
 Placeholder 
 
 This fold-out is being digitized, and will be inserted a 
 
 future date. 
 
To Samuel D. Marshall 7 
 
 the request you make in relation to Colonel Ser- 
 vant. I have written to Mr. Tyler saying all for the 
 Colonel that I could say for the best man on earth. 
 Baker ^ will do the same to-day. 
 
 About the matter you and I spoke of at our last 
 parting, I can say nothing which would be news to 
 you. My feelings, and those of Baker, on that sub- 
 ject, are precisely the same as when we last saw 
 you; but the question is how to effect anything. If 
 you see any way that we can do anything you ought 
 to write us: there is no indelicacy in it. 
 
 Baker and I were with Webb at Vermillion and 
 talked the matter over with him and he will tell you 
 the particulars of what we thought. 
 
 With my best respects to Mrs. Davidson and 
 Mrs. Wilson, I remain, 
 
 Your friend, as ever, 
 
 A. Lincoln 
 
 To Samuel D. Marshall ^ 
 
 Springfield, July 14, 1842. 
 
 Friend Sam : Yours of the 15th June, relative to 
 the suit of Grable vs. Margrave was duly received, 
 
 1 Doubtless Edward Dickinson Baker, then a member of the 
 Illinois Senate, afterwards United States Senator from Oregon. 
 He fell at Ball's Bluff, where he commanded a brigade. 
 
 2 Of Shawneetown, 111., son of John Marshall of the same place, 
 who was one of the Territorial Judges of Illinois. Original owned 
 by Misses Genevieve and Elizabeth Marshall, of Shawneetown. 
 
8 Letters of Abraham Lincoln 
 
 and I have delayed answering it till now, when I 
 can announce the result of the case. The judgment 
 is affirmed. So soon as the clerk has leisure to make 
 out a copy of the mandate of the court, I will get 
 him to do so, and send it to you, by force of which, 
 your clerk will issue an execution. 
 
 As to the fee, if you are agreed, let it be as follows. 
 Give me credit for two years subscription to your 
 paper and send me five dollars, in good money or 
 the equivalent of it in our Illinois paper. 
 
 There is nothing new here. Bennett's Mormon 
 disclosures are making some little stir here, but not 
 very great. 
 
 Ever your friend 
 
 A. Lincoln. 
 
 To Samuel D. Marshall ^ 
 
 Springfield, Nov. nth, 1842. 
 
 Dear Sam : Yours of the loth Oct. enclosing five 
 dollars was taken from the office in my absence by 
 Judge Logan ^ who neglected to hand it to me till 
 about a week ago, and just an hour before I took a 
 wife. Your other of the 3rd Inst., is also received. 
 The Forbes & Hill case, of which you speak has not 
 been brought up as yet. 
 
 * Original owned by Misses Genevieve and Elizabeth Mar- 
 shall. 
 
 * Stephen T. Logan, Lincoln's law partner, 1841-43; formerly 
 a Judge of the United States Circuit Court. 
 
To Richard S. Thomas 9 
 
 I have looked into the Dorman & Lane case, till 
 I believe I understand the facts of it; and I also 
 believe we can reverse it. In the last I may be 
 mistaken, but I think the case at least worth the 
 experiment, and if Dorman will risk the cost, I will 
 do my best for the "biggest kind of a fee" as you 
 say, if we succeed, and nothing if we fail. I have 
 not had a chance to consult Logan since I read your 
 letters, but if the case comes up, I can have the use 
 of him if I need him. 
 
 I would advise you to procure the Record and 
 send it up immediately. Attend to the making 
 out of the Record yourself, or most likely, the clerk 
 will not get it all together right. 
 
 Nothing new here, except my marrying, which 
 to me, is matter of profound wonder. 
 Yours forever 
 
 A. Lincoln. 
 Samuel D. Marshall, Esq. 
 Shawneetowriy 
 Illinois. 
 
 To Richard S. Thomas ^ 
 
 Springfield, Ills., Feb. 14, 1843. 
 Friend Richard ; . . . Now if you should hear 
 any one say that Lincoln don't want to go to Con- 
 gress, I wish you as a personal friend of mine, 
 
 * A lawyer of Virginia, 111.; an old-lme Whig until the organi- 
 zation of the Republican Party. 
 
10 Letters of Abraham Lincoln 
 
 would tell him you have reason to believe he is 
 mistaken. The truth is, I would like to go very- 
 much. Still, circumstances may happen which may 
 prevent my being a candidate. 
 
 If there are any who be my friends in such an en- 
 terprise, what I now want is that they shall not 
 throw me away just yet. 
 
 Yours as ever, 
 
 A. Lincoln. 
 
 To Richard S. Thomas 
 
 Springfield, March 2, 1843. 
 
 Friend Richard: I received yours of the 27th ult., 
 in due course, for which I thank you. The fact men- 
 tioned by you that an impression was being made 
 that I did not wish to be a candidate was precisely 
 the reason of my writing you before. 
 
 The Bill forming the Districts is now a law, and 
 our District is composed of Putnam, Marshall, 
 Woodford, Tazewell, Logan, Mason, Menard, Cass, 
 Scott, Morgan and Sangamon. 
 
 Last night the Whigs of the state, now here, held 
 a meeting and recommended that a convention be 
 held in each District on or before the first Monday 
 of May, to nominate candidates for congress. By 
 this recommendation your county will have two 
 delegates in our convention. Why might you not 
 be one of those Delegates ? 
 
To Richard S. Thomas ii 
 
 You will see the full length proceedings of the 
 meeting in the Journal, The meeting was large, 
 and every resolution passed unanimously; and I 
 do hope the principles and recommendations put 
 forth by them may be responded to with the same 
 unanimity by our friends everywhere. 
 
 If they shall be so responded to, we shall yet, 
 and at no very distant day, be of the majority in 
 the State. 
 
 Write me again, if it is not too troublesome. 
 Yours as ever, 
 
 A. Lincoln. 
 
 To Henry E. Dummer ^ 
 
 Springfield, Jan. 2, 1844 
 
 Friend Dummer : In reply to yours of the 14th 
 ult. I say that if you can get a clean title to the 
 40 acres of land, together with costs, and a reason- 
 able fee to yourself, I reckon you had better do it. 
 Have the deed made to me. 
 
 Yours as ever, 
 
 A. Lincoln. 
 
 To Richard S. Thomas 
 
 Springfield, February 14, 1844. 
 Friend Richard : I am sorry to have to say I can 
 find but one copy of the President's Message in 
 
 * A lawyer of Beardstown, 111. 
 
12 Letters of Abraham Lincoln 
 
 town, and that one belongs to the State Library, 
 and of course cannot be had. 
 
 If alive and well I am sure to be with you on the 
 22nd. I will meet the trio of mighty adversaries 
 you mention, in the best manner I can. 
 No news here. 
 
 Yours forever. 
 
 A. Lincoln 
 
 To 
 
 Springfield, April 24, 1844. 
 
 As to the real estate, we can not attend to it as 
 agents, and we therefore recommend that you give 
 the charge of it, to Mr. Isaac S. Button, a trust- 
 worthy man, and one whom the Lord made on pur- 
 pose for such business. 
 
 Yours &c 
 
 Logan & Lincoln 
 
 To Samuel D. Marshall ^ 
 
 Springfield, Dec^ 6th, 1844. 
 Dear Sam : In your last letter, you incline to com- 
 plain, that in mine, I did not notice what you had 
 said about the case of Stickney vs. Cassell, nor the 
 
 » Original owned by Misses Genevieve and Elizabeth Mar- 
 shall, Shawneetown, 111. 
 
To Samuel D. Marshall 13 
 
 cases against the Shawneetown Bank. The truth is, 
 when I received your letter, I glanced it over, stuck 
 it away, postponed the consideration of the cases, 
 above mentioned, and forgot them altogether. I 
 now give you some account of all your cases, in de- 
 tail. Dorman vs. Lane, stands as it did & I will do 
 the best I can with it according to your instructions. 
 Gatewood vs. Wood & Wood we would have failed 
 entirely to get into court but for an agreement with 
 Mr. Eddy, which saved us. By the agreement we 
 altered the record so as to make it appear that it 
 had been sent to the circuit court, also agreeing 
 that at the next term of the Gallatin Circuit Court, 
 all the papers & orders are to be ahered there ac- 
 cordingly nunc pro tunc. 
 
 Stickney vs. Cassell, I have just examined, & I 
 think I can get the judgement affirmed. I 'U try. 
 The cases against the Bank, neither Logan nor I 
 can engage in with you; we being to some extent 
 standing counsel for Dunlap, & also specially re- 
 tained by him in these cases. Mr. Eddy has re- 
 tained me in a case for your father, for the Supreme 
 Court, which, however, I have not yet examined. 
 
 Give my respects to your Father and believe me 
 
 as ever 
 
 Yours sincere friend 
 
 A. Lincoln. 
 
14 Letters of Abraham Lincoln 
 
 To Samuel D. Marshall 
 
 Springfield, June 20, 1845. 
 
 Dear Sam : I have wondered very much why you 
 never wrote me concerning the Dorman & Lane 
 case since I wrote you, as to the decision of it in the 
 supreme court. I learn this morning at the clerk's 
 office, that Lane has not, as yet, taken out the 
 order remanding it ; and I think it possible, he may 
 have abandoned it. You, perhaps, know his inten- 
 tion. The case of Gatewood vs. Wood & Wood — 
 has that been settled ? or how stands it .? 
 
 At the request of Mr. Eddy, I attended a case in 
 the Supreme Court of Rawlings against Field, your 
 father, Mr. Eddy & some others, and got the judg- 
 ment reversed. This was no business of yours, 
 and I now only ask, as a favor of you, that if Mr. 
 Eddy is well, you say to him I would like to have 
 the Uttle fee in the case, if convenient. 
 
 Please write me on the receipt of this. 
 Yours forever 
 
 A. Lincoln. 
 
 Mr. Samuel Marshall 
 
 To Henry E. Dummer ^ 
 
 Springfield, Nov. i8th, 1845. 
 
 Friend Dummer : Before Baker left, he said to 
 me, in accordance with what had long been an 
 
 ? Bycourtesy of William F. Dummer, Chicago Historical Society. 
 
To Henry E. Dumrner 15 
 
 understanding between him and me, that the track 
 for the next congressional race was clear to me so 
 far as he was concerned; and that he would say 
 so publicly in any manner and at any time I might 
 desire. I said in reply, as to the manner and time 
 I would consider a while and write him. 
 
 I understand friend Delahay ^ to have already 
 informed you of the substance of the above. 
 
 I now wish to say to you that if it be consistent 
 with your feelings, you would set a few stakes for 
 me. I do not certainly know, but I strongly suspect 
 that General Hardin wishes to run again. I know 
 of no argument to give me a preference over him, 
 unless it be "Turn about is fair play." 
 
 The Pekin paper has lately nominated or sug- 
 gested Hardin's name for Governor, and the Alton 
 paper, noticing that, indirectly nominates him for 
 Congress. I wish you would, if you can, see that, 
 while these things are handed about among the 
 papers, the Beardstown paper takes no stand that 
 may injure my chance unless the conductor really 
 prefers Genl. Hardin, in which case I suppose it 
 would be fair. 
 
 Let this be confidential and please write me in a 
 few days. 
 
 Yours as ever, 
 
 A. Lincoln. 
 
 1 Probably Mark W. Delahay, a Whig politician, later of 
 Kansas. See letters on pp. 99, 103, 116, 117, 134, I4i,andjl76. 
 
i6 Letters of Abraham Lincoln 
 
 ToB. F.James 1 
 
 Springfield, Ills., Dec 6, 1845. 
 
 B. F. James Esq. 
 
 Dear Sir : To succeed, I must have 17 votes in 
 convention. To secure them, I think I may safely 
 claim Sangamon 8, Menard 2, Logan i, making 11, 
 so that if you and other friends can secure Dr. 
 Boal's ^ entire senatorial district, that is, Tazewell 4, 
 Woodford i, and Marshall i, it just covers the 
 case. . . . 
 
 Upon the whole, it is my intention to give him 
 the trial, unless clouds should rise, which are not 
 yet discernible. This determination you need not, 
 however, as yet, announce in your paper, at least 
 not as coming from me. . . . 
 
 In doing this, let nothing be said against Hardin 
 . . . nothing deserves to be said against him. Let 
 the pith of the whole argument be "Turn about 
 is fair play." 
 
 Yours very truly, 
 
 A. Lincoln. 
 
 P.S. . . . 
 
 A.L. 
 
 ^ See five other letters to James written during this campaign, 
 in Works, Nicolay and Hay, 1894, i, 82-85, and same, Tandy's 
 ed., 1905, 1, 278, 282, 285, 286. 
 
 « Robert Boal. See letter of Jan. 7, 1846, to him in Works^ 
 Nicolay and Hay, Tandy's ed., 1905, i, 280. 
 
To McNamar 17 
 
 To Samuel D. Marshall 
 
 Springfield, Dec' 30, 1845. 
 Friend Sam : I learned today that Lane, to avoid 
 paying the cost of taking the case between Dorman 
 and him back from the Supreme Court, has com- 
 menced a new proceeding in your Circuit Court. 
 Write me, if this is so; and I, together with Judge 
 Logan, will try to frame a plea either in bar or in 
 abatement, out of the fact of the pendency of the 
 old case, that shall blow them up with their new 
 case. 
 
 By the way, if they fail for more than [a] year 
 (which they have nearly done already) to take the 
 old case down from here, I think we can plead 
 limitation on them, so that it will stick for good 
 and all. Don't speak of this, lest they hear it, and 
 take the alarm. 
 Write me on receipt of this. 
 
 Yours as ever, 
 
 A Lincoln. 
 
 To McNamar ^ 
 
 [1845] 
 Friend McNamar: You see the object of the 
 above letter as it speaks of the tax of 1842. I had 
 
 * John McNamar, or John McNeill, as he called himself in 
 New Salem, was the man who had been engaged to Anne Rut- 
 
i8 Letters of Abraham Lincoln 
 
 supposed the land was already sold, but so far as 
 the Returns in the Auditor's Office shows, it has 
 not. It may be that James meant the year 1843. 
 I wish you would examine, and if the taxes have 
 been paid up to this year, apply the inclosed money, 
 or enough of it, to the payment of the tax of this 
 year and send me the receipt by mail. 
 Write the condition in which it stands at any 
 
 rate. 
 
 Yours as ever, 
 
 A. Lincoln. 
 
 ToB. F.James 1 
 
 Springfield, Feb. 9, 1846 
 Dear James: You have seen, or will see what 
 I am inclined to think you will regard as rather an 
 extraordinary communication in the Morgan Jour- 
 nal. The "excessive modesty" of its tone is cer- 
 tainly admirable. As an excuse for getting before 
 the public, the writer sets out with a pretence of 
 answering an article which I believe appeared m 
 
 ledge before Lincoln's engagement with her and whose apparent 
 ahhlessness brought about her fatal illness. Th.s letter may 
 refer to property abandoned by him when he left New Salem in 
 iS^r According to Mr. Henry C. Whitney, Lmcoln procured 
 jaLts McNan.fr (apparently brother of John) to correct the 
 English of his first political address, m 1832. 
 
 I At Tremont, 111. From Proceedings c4 the Massachusetts 
 Historical Society, xlii, 83. Oan., 1909.) The original xs m the 
 Washburn collection in the manuscripts of the bociety. 
 
To B. F. James 19 
 
 the Lacon paper some time since taking the ground 
 that the Pekin convention had settled the rotation 
 principle. Now whether the Pekin convention did 
 or did not settle that principle, I care not. If I 
 am not, in what I have done, and am able to do, for 
 the party, near enough the equal of Gen^ Hardin, 
 to entitle me to the nomination, now that he has 
 one, I scorn it on any and all other grounds. <- 
 
 So far, then, as this Morgan Journal communica- 
 tion may relate to the Pekin convention, I prefer that 
 your paper shall let it "stink and die" unnoticed. 
 
 There is, however, as you will see, another thing 
 in the communication which is an attempt to in- 
 jure me because of my declining to recommend 
 the adoption of a new plan, for the selecting a can- 
 didate. The attempt is to make it appear that I 
 am unwilling to have a fair expression of the whigs 
 of the District upon our respective claims. Now 
 nothing can be more false in fact; and if Gen'l 
 Hardin had chosen to furnish his friend with my 
 written reason for declining that part of his plan ; 
 and that friend had chosen to publish that reason, 
 instead of his own construction of the act, the false- 
 hood of his insinuation would have been most 
 apparent. That written reason was as follows, to 
 wit: 
 
 "As to your proposals that a poll shall be 
 opened in every precinct, and that the whole shall 
 take place on the same day, I do not personally 
 
20 Letters of Abraham Lincoln 
 
 object. They seem to me to not be unfair; and I 
 forbear to join in proposing them, only because I 
 rather choose to leave the decision in each county, 
 to the whigs of the county, to be made as their own 
 judgment and convenience may dictate." 
 
 I send you this as a weapon with which to de- 
 molish, what I cannot but regard as a mean insinu- 
 ation against me. You may use it as you please ; I 
 prefer however that you should show it to some of 
 our friends, and not publish it, unless in your judge- 
 ment it becomes rather urgently necessary. The 
 reason I want to keep all points of controversy out 
 of the papers, so far as possible, is, that it will be 
 just all we can do to keep out of a quarrel — and I 
 am resolved to do my part to keep peace. 
 
 Yours truly 
 
 A. Lincoln 
 
 To Samuel D. Marshall 
 
 Springfield, March 3, 1846. 
 
 Dear Sam: I herewith send you the draft of a 
 plea for our case. By consultation with Judge 
 Logan, I draw it in the form I do, to compel Lane, 
 in order to get round it, to reply that the case has 
 been brought to, and reversed & remanded by the 
 Supreme Court, upon his doing which, you join 
 issue with him, and that will compel him to pay 
 the cost in the Supreme Court in order to get the 
 
To Samuel D. Marshall 21 
 
 Record to prove his replication with. If I were to 
 set out the whole facts in a plea in abatement, 
 we should have to pay the Supreme Court cost, in 
 order to get the record to prove the plea with. This 
 we wish to avoid. This that I send, is a plea in 
 bar. You will, of course, put in all, and all man- 
 ner, of other pleas in bar, particularly as to lapse 
 of time. 
 
 Yours, as ever — A Lincoln. 
 Dorman & Wife 
 
 vs Petition to sell real estate — 
 
 Lane, Adm'" &c 
 
 And the said defendants come 
 and defend, when, where &c. and say, that the 
 said Petitioner to have and maintain his petition, 
 or to have the prayer thereof granted by said court, 
 ought not, because they say, that heretofore to wit, 
 on the day of a.d. the said peti- 
 
 tioner filed his petition in this court, against these 
 defendants, praying an order for the sale of the 
 identical same land, for the purpose of paying the 
 identical same debt, as in the petition herein; 
 and that such proceedings were had on that peti- 
 tion, that at the term of said court, the 
 final order was made by said court, directing the 
 sale of said land, for the object in that petition 
 stated; and this the said defendants are ready 
 to verify; wherefore they pray judgment &c. 
 
 Marshall p.d. 
 
22 
 
 Letters of Abraham Lincoln 
 
 To Orville H. Browning 
 
 Springfield, June 24th, 1847. 
 Dear Browning:— Yours of the 19th inst. is re- 
 ceived, and I have filed a plea for you in the case 
 of Moore vs. Latourette. 
 
 Don't fret yourself about the trouble you give 
 me ; when I get tired I '11 tell you. 
 
 I am glad you sent this letter, because it re- 
 minds me to write the result of your two cases of 
 Moore vs. Brown & God knows who all, the charge 
 of which you sent to Logan, and into which he 
 drew me with him. 
 
 We tried one of them, in which, after the plain- 
 tiff proved title, we offered the Auditor's deed, as 
 the first link of connected title and seven years 
 possession, which was objected to, and the judges 
 divided in opinion, which division is certified for 
 the Supreme Court. The other case stands over to 
 
 abide &c. 
 
 Indeed, indeed, I do not know what they are do- 
 ing in the Convention. It is considered as almost 
 settled that they will not prohibit Banks, that they 
 will establish a poll tax, will restrict the number of 
 members of both Houses of the Legislature to 100; 
 will limit their per diem to $2.00 or ^2.50 and make 
 it still less after the first forty days of the session. 
 So far as I have mentioned, I am pleased. Some 
 other things I have fears for. I am not easy about 
 
To Orville H. Browning 23 
 
 the Courts. I am satisfied with them as they are, 
 but shall not care much if the judges are made 
 elective by the People, and their term of office 
 limited. I fear, however, something more, and, as 
 I think, much worse than all this, to wit "A Puppy 
 Court,'* that is a Judge in each county, with civil 
 jurisdiction in all cases up to a thousand dollars, 
 and criminal in all cases not capital. " A Migratory 
 Supreme Court" and salaries so low as to exclude 
 all respectable talent. From these — may God 
 
 preserve us. 
 
 As to what I, Baker, and everybody else are 
 doing, I am preparing to go to the Chicago River 
 & Harbor Convention. Baker has gone to Alton, 
 and is thought to be Colonel of the South Regiment, 
 and everybody is doing pretty much what every- 
 body is always doing. 
 
 I hope this may find you well, and Mrs. Brown- 
 ing recovered from her hurt. I don't believe Mary 
 and I can visit Quincy, although it would be very 
 pleasant to do so. ^^ 
 
 My Chicago trip and "several other gentlemen 
 (Bob & Ed) are very much in the way of it. Our 
 love to Mrs. Browning and yourself. 
 
 A. Lincoln. 
 
24 Letters of Abraham Lincoln 
 To Converse & Priest 
 
 October ist. 1847. 
 Messrs. Converse 1$ Priest : If you will let Mr. 
 E. G. Johns have any amount of oil not exceeding 
 ten dollars in value, I will pay you the money for it 
 in three months from date. 
 
 A. Lincoln 
 
 To Morris & Brown 
 
 Springfield, Oct. 19, 1847. 
 
 Friends Morris and Brown. Your letter of the 
 15th was received this morning. The Governor 
 is not here, and will not be, it is thought, for about 
 ten days. Unfortunately for my attending to the 
 business you sent, I start for Washington by way 
 of Kentucky, on next Monday. 
 
 I will try, however, to have the only objection 
 that can be made presented to the Governor. I 
 suppose it is the true construction of the act of 
 Congress for the Governor, on whom the requisi- 
 tion is made, to look to the sufficiency of the affi- 
 davit; otherwise the provision of the act, that a 
 copy of the enactment or affidavit shall accom- 
 pany the requisition is mere foolishness. What 
 view, however, our Governor will take no man can 
 tell. 
 
 If he shall make the order surrendering the de- 
 
To Morris & Brown 25 
 
 fendants, you will have then to do the best you 
 can by a Habeas Corpus. 
 
 Yours in haste, 
 
 A. Lincoln. 
 
 To Morris & Brown 
 
 Springfield, October 21, 1847. 
 
 Messrs. Morris and Brown. 
 
 Gentlemen .—Your second letter on the matter of 
 Thornton and others, came to hand this morning. 
 I went at once to see Logan, and found that he is 
 not engaged against you, and that he has so sent 
 you word by Mr. Butterfield, as he says. He says 
 that some time ago, a young man (whom he knows 
 not) came to him, with a copy of the affidavit, to en- 
 gage him to aid in getting the Governor to grant 
 the warrant ; and that he, Logan, told the man that, 
 in his opinion, the affidavit was clearly insufficient, 
 upon which the young man left, without making 
 any engagement with him. If the Governor shall 
 arrive before I leave, Logan and I will both attend 
 to the matter, and he will attend to it if he does not 
 come till after I leave; all upon the condition that 
 the Governor shall not have acted upon the matter 
 before his arrival here. I mention this condition, 
 because I learned this morning from the Secre- 
 tary of State that he is forwarding to the Gover- 
 nor, at Palestine, all papers he receives in the case, 
 
26 Letters of Abraham Lincoln 
 
 as fast as he receives them. Among the papers 
 forwarded will be your letter to the Governor or 
 Secretary of, I believe, the same date and about the 
 same contents of your last letter to me ; so that the 
 Governor will, at all events have your points and 
 authorities. The case is a clear one on our side; 
 but whether the Governor will view it so is an- 
 other thing. 
 
 Yours as ever, 
 
 A. Lincoln. 
 
 To Richard S. Thomas 
 
 Washington, January i, 1848. 
 
 Dear Richard: Your letter of the 23rd Dec. is 
 received, as also the petition you mentioned. 
 
 When documents become plenty, which they 
 have not yet, I will send them to you. There is 
 a good deal of diversity among the whigs, as to 
 who shall be their candidate for the Presidency, 
 but I think it will result in favor of General 
 Taylor. 
 
 As to Mr. Graham's ^ application for a Lieuten- 
 ancy, I have already submitted it to the President 
 in the best way I could think of to give it chance 
 of success. I wrote him about it ; and do not know 
 anything more that I can do for him. You know I 
 
 * Perhaps Menton Graham, schoolmaster at New Salem, and 
 an early and helpful friend of Lincoln. 
 
To Andrew McCallen 27 
 
 can have no intimacy with the President, which 
 might give me personal influence over him. 
 In great haste, yours as ever 
 
 A. Lincoln. 
 
 To Samuel D. Marshall ^ 
 
 Washington, Jan. 22, 1848. 
 Dear Sam: Your letter of the 15th is received. 
 Your letter to me concerning our Dorman Case was 
 also received, while I was very busy preparing to 
 start on here. I handed the letter to Judge Logan 
 and extorted a special promise from him to ex- 
 amine the case & write you. Although I know the 
 Judge to be growing somewhat negligent, I did not 
 doubt that, from the peculiarity of this case, and 
 his very assuring promise, he would attend to it. 
 I know he intended to do it; but I suppose he has 
 forgotten it. I know nothing that I can here do 
 
 in the matter. t -n 1 1 
 
 As to the matter of your lost horse, I will look 
 into it, & do something if I can. 
 
 Yours truly A. Lincoln. 
 
 To Andrew McCallen ^ 
 
 Washington, Feb. 4, 1848. 
 Frie7id McCallen : Yours of the 20th January is 
 received. There is now some probability of peace, 
 
 1 Original owned by Misses Genevieve and Elizabeth Mar- 
 shall, Shawneetown, 111. ' A lawyer in Shawneetown, 111. 
 
28 Letters of Abraham Lincoln 
 
 but should the war go on, I think volunteers with 
 the right of electing their own officers will be voted, 
 but that no more regulars will be voted. Until 
 congress shall act, of course nothing can be done 
 toward getting your Regiment into the service. 
 Whenever it shall act I shall be happy to assist 
 you in any way I can. 
 
 Yours truly 
 
 A. Lincoln. 
 P.S. Don't pay postage on letters to me. I am 
 entitled to them free. 
 
 A.L 
 
 To Richard S. Thomas 
 
 Washington, March i, 1848. 
 
 Friend Richard: Your letter of the 12th Feb. to- 
 gether with the petition for a mail route was re- 
 ceived last night. Strange it was on the road so 
 long. I shall present the petition, and give it my 
 best attention. 
 
 Your second letter was received, and I thought 
 I had answered it. I am not a candidate for re- 
 nomination or election. 
 
 Excuse the shortness of this letter; I am really 
 very much hurried. 
 
 Yours as ever 
 
 A. Lincoln. 
 
 R. S. Thomas, 
 Virginia, Ills. 
 
To Richard S. Thomas 29 
 
 To Richard S. Thomas 
 
 Washington, March 30, 1848 
 Dear Richard : Having a few leisure moments, I 
 employ them to say a word about your petition 
 concerning school lands. The petition was referred 
 to the Land Committee of which I am not a mem- 
 ber; so that while in Committee, I can have no 
 direct agency in the matter. McClernand of our 
 state is on that committee; and he told me yes- 
 terday, or the day before, that the Committee had 
 unanimously determined to do nothing in the mat- 
 ter, so far as concerns the townships which have 
 entire sixteenth sections, but which are of little 
 or no value ; because to enter upon this, would be to 
 break up the entire present system of school lands 
 throughout the United States, which would be 
 immensely inconvenient, and which, after all, could 
 never result in anything much nearer equality than 
 the present system. He says the Committee are 
 for the petition so far as concerns fractional town- 
 ships, which have no sixteenth section, or only 
 fractional ones, containing less than a thirty- 
 sixth of the land of the township. He says they 
 think there is already an old law concerning the 
 case; and that they are investigating it, and if 
 necessary to effect the object, they will report a 
 bill accordingly. Yours as ever, 
 
 A. Lincoln. 
 
30 Letters of Abraham Lincoln 
 
 To Rev. Henry Slicer 
 
 Washington, June i, 1848. 
 Rev. Hy. Slicer. 
 
 Dear Sir : Your letter of the 30^ ulto. was re- 
 ceived last night. I very cheerfully comply with 
 your request, so far as I am able. 
 
 As I remember, the House ordered the raising 
 of two committees, one of Arrangements, number 
 indefinite, the other, thirty in number, to attend 
 the remains of Mr. Adams to Massachusetts. By 
 some mistake, as I understood, a committee of 
 thirty was appointed by the Speaker, as a commit- 
 tee of Arrangements, of which I was a member. At 
 our first meeting, the mistake was discovered, and 
 the committee being much too numerous for con- 
 venience, we delegated our authority to a sub- 
 committee, of a smaller number of our own body, of 
 which sub-committee, I was not a member. What- 
 ever was done in the matter about which you en- 
 quire, I presume was done by the sub-committee ; 
 at all events, I have no knowledge of it whatever. 
 Mr. Hudson was chairman of both the general, 
 and the sub-committee, and who were the other 
 members of the latter I do not certainly recol- 
 lect. 
 
 To your first special interrogatory, to wit : "Were 
 you consulted in regard to my exclusion from the 
 services ?" I answer, I was not — perhaps because 
 
To Richard S. Thomas 31 
 
 the arrangement I have stated excluded me from 
 consuhations on all points. 
 
 To the second, to wit: "Was objection made 
 to me, and if so, on what ground was it placed?" 
 I answer I know nothing whatever on the point. 
 To the third, to wit: "Did my exclusion meet with 
 your consent or approval ? " I answer, I know nothing 
 of the matter, and, of course, did not consent to, or 
 approve of, it ; and I may add, that I know nothing 
 which should have justified me in any attempt to 
 put a mark of disapprobation upon you. 
 
 So entirely ignorant was I, in relation to your 
 having been excluded from the funeral services of 
 Mr. Adams, that, until I received your letter, I 
 should have given it as my recollection, that you 
 did actually participate in those services. 
 Yours respectfully, 
 
 A. Lincoln. 
 
 To Richard S. Thomas 
 
 Washington, June 13, 1848. 
 
 Friend Richard : In my anxiety for the result, I 
 was led to attend the Philadelphia convention ; and 
 on my return, I found your letter of the ist. I have 
 entered the names you sent me on my book, and 
 commenced sending documents to them. 
 
 In relation to the school land questions, the land 
 committee of both Houses are of opinion the law 
 
32 Letters of Abraham Lincoln 
 
 is already ample in relation to fractional townships. 
 To make sure of the matter, I shall go to the Gen- 
 eral Land Office to-morrow morning, enquire into 
 the whole matter, and write you again. As to the 
 report you saw in the Baltimore paper, on inquiry 
 I think it must have been a report of the Senate. 
 No such bill has passed the House; but Breese ^ 
 says he reported such a bill to the Senate, which he 
 supposes has passed that body. I think I wrote 
 you once before, that I thought no such bill 
 could become a law, and gave my reasons for the 
 opinion. Lest I am mistaken in my recollection, 
 I now give you those reasons briefly. The jus- 
 tice of such a law rests upon the principle that 
 every township should have a section of equal 
 value with every other township, in proportion to 
 its capacity for population. Now, to adopt this 
 principle, and practically apply it, would entirely 
 break up the present system, in relation to school 
 sections, and require an amount of agencies and 
 labor, more than equal in expense to the whole 
 expense of the present land system. Seeing this, 
 members of congress are disinclined to do a very 
 little, and leave undone very much of a matter all 
 standing on the same principle. 
 
 It is now obvious, that in the beginning of our 
 land system, one thirty-sixth of the proceeds of 
 the land should have been given for school purposes, 
 
 * Sidney Breese, Senator from Illinois, 1843-49. 
 
To Hogan 33 
 
 instead of giving the land itself; and then the states 
 could have distributed the fund or the interest of 
 it equally. 
 
 Wisconsin, on coming into the Union has man- 
 aged to adopt this plan substantially. Should the 
 bill from the Senate come up in the House, of 
 course I shall not use the above argument, or any 
 other argument against it; but on the contrary, 
 shall do what I can to have it passed. Still, I doubt 
 its ultimate success. 
 
 Yours forever A. Lincoln. 
 
 To Richard S. Thomas 
 
 Washington, June 19, 1848. 
 Friend Thomas: Do you know any democrats 
 who will vote for Taylor ? and if so, what are their 
 names ? Do you know any Whigs who will not vote 
 for him ? and if so, what are their names ? and for 
 whom will they vote ? 
 
 Please answer this just as soon as it is received. 
 Yours as ever, 
 
 A. Lincoln. 
 
 To HoGAN ^ 
 
 Washington, July 14, 1848. 
 
 Friend Hogan : Soon after I received yours, I 
 went personally to the General Land Office, for 
 
 * Copy furnished by the courtesy of Mr. Judd Stewart. 
 
34 Letters of Abraham Lincoln 
 
 the information you desired. Judge Young ^ took a 
 memorandum, and promised to do what he could. 
 Last night he sent me what accompanies this, 
 which I suppose is all the information can be 
 had. 
 
 Taylorism seems to be going right for which I 
 am very glad. Keep the ball rolling. 
 Yours as ever, 
 
 A. Lincoln. 
 
 To William Schouler ^ 
 
 Washington, August 8, 1848. 
 
 Friend Schooler [sic]y — I am remaining here for 
 two weeks to frank documents. Now that the 
 Presidential Candidates are all set, I will thank 
 you for your undisguised opinion as to what New 
 England generally and Massachusetts particularly 
 will do. Your opinion as to the nomination of 
 Taylor held so good that I have confidence in your 
 predictions. 
 
 Very truly Yours 
 
 A. Lincoln 
 
 * Richard M. Young, Commissioner of the General Land 
 Office, 1847-50. 
 
 ' Editor and publisher of the Boston Daily Atlas. Original 
 owned by Mr. James Schouler. Printed in Proceedings of the 
 Massachusetts Historical Society , xlii, 80 (Jan., 1909). 
 
To William Schouler 35 
 
 To William Schouler * 
 
 Washington, August 28, 1848 
 
 Friend Schooler [sic], — Your letter of the 21®* was 
 received two or three days ago, and for which 
 please accept my thanks, both for your courtesy 
 and the encouraging news in it. The news we are 
 receiving here now from all parts is on the look- 
 up. We have had several letters from Ohio to-day, 
 all encouraging. Two of them inform us that Hon. 
 C. B. Smith, ^ on his way here, addressed a larger 
 and more enthusiastic audience, at Cincinnati, than 
 has been seen in that city since 1840. Smith himself 
 wrote one of the letters ; and he says the signs are 
 decidedly good. Letters from the Reserve are of 
 the same character. The tone of the letters — free 
 from despondency — full of hope — is what par- 
 ticularly encourages me. If a man is scared when 
 he writes, I think I can detect it, when I see what 
 he writes. ^ 
 
 1 would rather not be put upon explaining how 
 Logan was defeated in my district. In the first place 
 I have no particulars from there, my friends, sup- 
 posing I am on the road home, not having written 
 me. Whether there was a full turn out of the 
 
 ^ Original owned by Mr. James Schouler. Printed in Pro- 
 ceedings of the Massachusetts Historical Society, xlii, 80 (Jan., 
 1909). 
 
 2 Caleb Blood Smith, Whig Representative from Indiana, 
 1843-49, and later Lincoln's Secretary of the Interior. 
 
36 Letters of Abraham Lincoln 
 
 voters I have as yet not learned. The most I can 
 now say is that a good many Whigs, without good 
 cause, as I think, were unwilling to go for Logan, 
 and some of them so wrote me before the election. 
 On the other hand Harris^ was a Major of the war, 
 and fought at Cerro Gordo, where several Whigs 
 of the district fought with him. These two facts 
 and their effects, I presume tell the whole story. 
 That there is any political change against us in the 
 district I cannot believe; because I wrote some 
 time ago to every county of the district for an 
 account of changes; and in answer I got the 
 names of four against us, eighty-three for us. I 
 dislike to predict, but it seems to me the district 
 must and will be found right side up again in 
 November. 
 
 Yours Truly 
 
 A Lincoln. 
 
 To Walter Davis 
 
 Washington, Jan. S, 1849. 
 Friend Walter: Your letter is received. When 
 I last saw you, I said, that if the distribution of 
 the offices should fall into my hands, you should 
 have something, and I now say as much, but 
 can say no more. I know no more now than I 
 
 1 Thomas L. Harris, Democratic Representative from Illi- 
 nois, 1849-SI, 1855-58. 
 
To C. R. Welles 37 
 
 knew when you saw me, as to whether the present 
 officers will be removed, or if they shall, whether 
 / shall be allowed to name the persons to fill 
 them. 
 
 It will perhaps be better for both you and me, 
 for you to say nothing about this. 
 
 I shall do what I can about the Land claim on 
 your brother Thomas* account.* 
 Yours as ever 
 
 A. Lincoln 
 
 To C. R. Welles 
 
 Washington, Feb. 20, 1849. 
 
 C. R. Welles, Esq. 
 
 Dear Sir: This is Tuesday evening, and your 
 letter enclosing the one of Young & Brothers to you, 
 saying the money sent by me to them had not been 
 received, came to hand last Saturday night. The 
 facts, which are perfectly fresh in my recollection, 
 are these: You gave me the money in a letter (open 
 I believe) directed to Young & Brothers. To make 
 it more secure than it would be in my hat, where 
 I carry most all my packages, I put it in my trunk. 
 I had a great many jobs to do in St. Louis; and by 
 the very extra care I had taken of yours, overlooked 
 
 * See letters in reference to Davis's appointment as Receiver 
 of the Land Office at Springfield, 111., in Works, Nicolay and Hay, 
 1894, 1, 152, 155, 157, and same, Tandy's ed., 1905,11, 112, 115, 122. 
 
38 Letters of Abraham Lincoln 
 
 it. On the Steam Boat near the mouth of the Ohio, 
 I opened the trunk, and discovered the letter. I 
 then began to cast about for some safe hand to 
 send it back by. Mr. Yeatman, Judge Pope's son- 
 in-law, and step-son of Mr. Bell of Tennessee, was 
 on board, and was to return immediately to St. 
 Louis, from the Mouth of Cumberland. At my re- 
 quest, he took the letter and promised to deliver it, 
 and I heard no more about it till I received your 
 letter on Saturday. It so happens that Mr. Yeat- 
 man is now in this City; I called on him last night 
 about it ; he said he remembered my giving him the 
 letter, and he could remember nothing more of it. 
 He told me he would try and refresh his memory, 
 and see me again concerning it today, which, how- 
 ever, he has not done. I will try to see him to- 
 morrow and write you again. He is a young man, 
 as I understand, of unquestioned, and unques- 
 tionable character; and this makes me fear some 
 pickpocket on the boat may have seen me give 
 him the letter, and slipped it from him. In this 
 way, never seeing the letter again, he would, natur- 
 ally enough, never think of it again. 
 Yours truly, 
 
 A. Lincoln. 
 
To John M. Clayton 39 
 
 To Thomas Ewing, Secretary 0/ the Interior 
 
 Washington June 22, 1849. 
 
 Hon. Secretary of the Interior. 
 
 Sir: Please transmit to me the papers on file in 
 your Department, recommending me for Commis- 
 sioner of General Land office, if not inconsistent 
 with the rules of the Department. 
 Your obedient Servt. 
 
 A. Lincoln. 
 
 To John M. Clayton, Secretary of State 
 
 Springfield, III., 
 July 28, 1849. 
 
 Hon. J. M. Clayton. 
 
 Dear Sir: It is with some hesitation I presume to 
 address this letter — and yet I wish not only you, 
 but the whole cabinet, and the President too, would 
 consider the subject matter of it. My being among 
 the People while you and they are not, will excuse 
 the apparent presumption. It is understood that 
 the President at first adopted, as a general rule, to 
 throw the responsibility of the appointments upon 
 the respective Departments; and that such rule is 
 adhered to and practised upon. This course I at 
 first thought proper; and, of course, I am not now 
 complaining of it. Still I am disappointed with the 
 effect of it on the public mind. It is fixing for the 
 President the unjust and ruinous character of being 
 
40 Letters of Abraham Lincoln 
 
 a mere man of straw. This must be arrested, or it 
 will damn us all inevitably. It is said Gen. Taylor 
 and his officers held a council of war, at Palo Alto 
 (I believe); and that he then fought the battle 
 against unanimous opinion of those officers. This 
 fact (no matter whether rightfully or wrongfully) 
 gives him more popularity than ten thousand sub- 
 missions, however really wise and magnanimous 
 those submissions may be. 
 
 The appointments need be no better than they 
 have been, but the public must be brought to un- 
 derstand, that they are the President's appoint- 
 ments. He must occasionally say, or seem to say, 
 "by the Eternal," "I take the responsibility.'* 
 Those phrases were the " Samson's locks " of Gen. 
 Jackson, and we dare not disregard the lessons of 
 experience. 
 
 Your Ob't Sev't 
 
 A. Lincoln 
 
 To Peter Hitchcock 
 
 Cincinnati, Dec 24, 1849. 
 
 Peter Hitchcock, Esq., 
 
 Judge Iffc at Columbus. 
 
 Dear Sir: Mr. Fox informed me this morning 
 
 that I had better write to you in reference to the 
 
 case of Lewis Logan and Steamboat Chipper now 
 
 on the docket. We have been ready at any time to 
 
To S. Emmons 41 
 
 take up the case but have waited for the brief of the 
 other side. We have not yet received it, but it is 
 promised us to-day. 
 
 Judge Coffin left here yesterday saying that he 
 would have the case put down for Friday. If I get 
 the brief to-day or to-morrow I presume we can be 
 ready to hear it then and will be at Columbus for 
 that purpose. 
 
 We are very anxious to have it heard on ac- 
 count of our clients in this case and because the 
 same question presented in the record is now be- 
 fore the Courts of this county, in several cases. 
 Some cause, I am not fully aware what, has pre- 
 vented the counsel from furnishing the brief &c. I 
 hope the case will not be continued. 
 
 ^ Yours respectfully, A. Lincoln. 
 
 To S. Emmons 
 
 Springfield, Feb. 9, 1850. 
 
 S. Emmons, Esq. 
 
 Dear Sir: Yours of the 2"^ was not received till 
 yesterday. I shall be entirely satisfied for you to 
 receive the appointment you desire; still I know by 
 conversation with the Marshal that he will look 
 to the wishes of the people of your county, rather 
 than to mine, as to who shall have the appointment. 
 
 Therefore as your friend, I advise you to get 
 the recommendation of some of your prominent 
 
42 Letters of Abraham Lincoln 
 
 whigs — Dummer, Dick Thomas, Arenz and such 
 men, and I will most cheerfully present them to 
 the Marshal when he shall be here. 
 Very truly your friend 
 
 A. Lincoln 
 
 To Richard S. Thomas 
 
 Springfield, June 27, 1850. 
 
 Dear Thomas: I am ashamed of not sooner an- 
 swering your letter, herewith returned; and my 
 only apologies are, first, that I have been very busy 
 in the U.S. court ; and second, that when I received 
 the letter I put it in my old hat, and buying a new 
 one the next day, the old one was set aside, and 
 so the letter lost sight of for a time. 
 
 Either of the forms you gave (the latter rather 
 preferable) would do, I think, if it were proper to 
 frame a suit on the bond, in which sureties as well 
 as principal are to be held, on the 27th section. 
 But after a good deal of reflection, I think suits 
 under the 27th section are to be brought only 
 against the offender himself for penalties incurred, 
 and not against him and his sureties on his bond. 
 If you sue on the bond, you can go for nothing 
 but what is covered by the condition of the bond ; 
 and what is so covered ? " that the applicant will 
 keep an orderly house, and that he will not permit 
 any unlawful gaming or riotous conduct in his 
 
To Richard S. Thomas 43 
 
 house/' Now look quite through the chapter and 
 find what penahy is given for "disorderly house/* 
 "unlawful gaming" or "riotous conduct," or for 
 all three together. The first eight sections say 
 nothing about grocery keepers ; the ninth provides 
 for granting the license and taking the bond; the 
 tenth, eleventh, twelfth, thirteenth and fourteenth 
 give no penalty or penalties; the fifteenth cannot 
 apply to this case, because it relates to selling with- 
 out license; the sixteenth gives a penalty, but not 
 for any of the causes covered by the bond; the 
 seventeenth has nothing to the purposes ; the eight- 
 eenth goes to the causes covered by the bond, but 
 no pecuniary penalty is given by it; the 19th, 20th 
 and 2 1 St do not touch the causes covered by the 
 bond, and with those sections the chapter ends as 
 to grocery keepers. Now I think you are to bring 
 just such a suit on the bond taken under the ninth 
 section, as you would bring, if the 27th section had 
 no existence. 
 
 Bring the suit in the name of whoever, on the 
 face of the bond, is made the obligee, and for the 
 use of whoever is entitled to the money when col- 
 lected ; that is, if the bond is given to the people of 
 the state of Illinois, your first leading, which I mark 
 (A), is right; if the bond is given to an individual, 
 let his name stand in place of that of the People. 
 Yours as ever, 
 
 A. Lincoln. 
 
44 Letters of Abraham Lincoln 
 
 To Thomas Corwin ^ 
 
 Springfield, III., Sept i [1850?] 
 
 Hon Thomas Corwin: This will introduce to your 
 acquaintance my friend Simeon Francis, editor of 
 the Illinois Journal. He will desire an interview 
 with the new Secretary of the Interior, with whom 
 I am not acquainted. I shall be greatly obliged if 
 you will procure him a favorable introduction to 
 that gentleman, and show him any other attention 
 which the press of your duties will permit. 
 Your Ob'^ Serv't, 
 
 A. Lincoln 
 
 To D. M. Irwin ^ 
 
 D. M. Irwin. 
 
 Dear Sir: Above is the Bill as you requested me 
 to send you. Logan only attended the first trial in 
 the Circuit Court. I alone, that is without any 
 partner, attended the case in the Supreme Court. 
 In the Chancery case Mr. Herndon was my part- 
 ner. I mention all this to explain the three separate 
 bills. 
 
 Yours &c 
 
 A. Lincoln 
 
 * Mr. Corwin had resigned as Senator from Ohio, July 22, 1850, 
 to become Secretary of the Treasury under President Taylor. 
 
 * At bottom of a bill against "The Heirs of Payne" divided 
 into $20, ^10, and $10, and covering 1844-50. 
 
To Andrew McCallen 45 
 
 To Wilson, Hotel Proprietor 
 
 Springfield Illinois 
 January 1851 
 
 Mr. Wilson : 
 
 Take care of this boy * until to-morrow, or longer 
 if the weather is bad, and send the bill to me. 
 
 A. Lincoln. 
 
 To Wallace 
 
 Springfield, III. 
 Jan. 1851. 
 
 Mr. Wallace, Peoria: 
 
 Dear Sir: This boy wants to reach the Rock 
 
 River country somewhere near Beloit. If he needs 
 
 any assistance so you can help him in any way, it 
 
 will be appreciated, and I will be responsible. 
 
 Yours, A. Lincoln 
 
 To Andrew McCallen 
 
 Springfield, III., July 4, 1851 
 
 Andrew McCallen, 
 
 Dear Sir: I have news from Ottawa that we zvin 
 our Gallatin and Saline county case. As the Dutch 
 justice said when he married folks, "Now vere ish 
 my hundred tollars " ? 
 
 Yours truly, A. Lincoln 
 
 * The boy mentioned in this note and the next was Gilbert 
 J. Greene, who set type in the New York Tribune office. 
 
46 Letters of Abraham Lincoln 
 
 To L. M. Hays 
 
 Mount Pulaski, Logan Co. Ills 
 Sept. 8, 1853. 
 
 Mr. L. M. Hays, 
 
 Dear Sir: Court is in session here now, and on 
 yesterday I got a judgment against G. W. Tenley 
 for $116, 90 cents. The reason the amount was no 
 larger was that the defendant proved by two wit- 
 nesses — a Wm. Dodd, and a Dr. Mershow — that 
 T. P. Taylor, in his hfetime, told them that Tenley, 
 in 1837, had offered to pay him the money on the 
 note, and that he refused to take it, saying he never 
 intended to collect it, and would give up, or de- 
 stroy, the note ; on which proof the court decided, 
 and I think correctly, that interest could not be 
 allowed between the offer to pay and the bringing 
 of the suit. This cut off all the interest but the 
 ^16.90 as a fee, and will send you the ^100 in any 
 way you may direct. I am following the Circuit 
 and shall be at Bloomington, Ills., two weeks, 
 ending on the 24th of this month, from which place 
 I will send you the money, if you will have a letter 
 to reach me there on or before the last named day. 
 I can buy an Eastern draft at Bloomington, or at 
 Springfield after my return there, which I suppose 
 will be the best way of remitting the money. 
 Yours etc. 
 
 A. Lincoln. 
 
To T. R. Webber 47 
 
 To T. R. Webber 
 
 Bloomington, Sept 12, 1853. 
 
 T. R. Webber, Esq. 
 
 My dear Sir: On my arrival here to court, I find 
 that McLean county has assessed the land and 
 other property of the Central Railroad for the 
 purpose of county taxation. An effort is about to 
 be made to get the question of the right to so tax 
 the Co. before the court and ultimately before the 
 supreme court, and the Co. are offering to engage 
 me for them. As this will be the same question I 
 have had under consideration for you, I am some- 
 what trammelled by what has passed between you 
 and me, feeling that you have the first right to my 
 services, if you choose to secure me a fee some- 
 thing near such as I can get from the other side. 
 
 The question in its magnitude to the Co. on 
 the one hand and the counties in which the Co. 
 has land on the other is the largest law question 
 that can now be got up in the State, and therefore 
 in justice to myself, I can not afford, if I can help 
 it, to miss a fee altogether. If you choose to release 
 me, say so by return mail, and there an end. If 
 you wish to retain me, you better get authority 
 from your court, come directly over in the stage 
 and make common cause with this county. 
 Very truly your friend, 
 
 A. Lincoln 
 
48 Letters of Abraham Lincoln 
 
 To L. M. Hays ^ 
 
 Springfield, Illinois, 
 Nov. II, 1853. 
 
 L. M. Hays, Esq. 
 
 Dear Sir: Inclosed is the draft for one hundred 
 
 dollars. Absence from home prevented my receiving 
 
 your letter of the 12th October until yesterday. 
 
 Yours truly, A. Lincoln. 
 
 To Henry E. Dummer 
 
 Springfield, Nov. 17, 1853. 
 
 Dear Dummer : While I was at Beardstown I 
 forgot to tell you that William Butler says if you 
 will give him charge, and full discretion, of a claim 
 in your hands, against George G. Grubb, late of 
 Springfield, now of Chicago, he knows how, and 
 can and will make something out of it for you. 
 Please write him. 
 
 Yours truly, A. Lincoln. 
 
 To Henry E. Dummer 
 
 Springfield Dec 26, 1853. 
 
 H. E. Dummer, Esq. 
 
 My dear Sir: Butler has just shown me your letter 
 to him concerning the Grubb debt ; and in relation 
 to your intimation that you might be induced to 
 
 * Original owned by Mr. Judd Stewart. 
 
To John Marshall 49 
 
 sell it, he desires me to say to you that in a few days 
 over three months, he is sure to get the principal 
 of the debt (without interest) and that after you 
 shall have received this information, he will enter- 
 tain any proposition you may make to sell. 
 Please write him again. 
 
 Yours as ever, 
 
 A. Lincoln. 
 
 To John Marshall ^ 
 
 Springfield, Feby. 8, 1854. 
 
 Hon. John Marshall 
 Shawneetown, Ills. 
 My dear Sir: Your letter of the ist inst. was re- 
 ceived yesterday. I went at once to the Express 
 Office, got the books, placed twenty-three of them 
 at one Book-Store, & twenty-four at another, for 
 sale, at a commission of ten per cent, and took 
 their receipts. Of the other three books, I took one 
 to the Register, one to the Journal, and took one 
 home with me. I found that the editors and book- 
 sellers had all previously seen favorable notices 
 of the work; and one of the booksellers had sent 
 an order to Cincinnati for some copies of it. I am 
 not much of a reader of this sort of literature ; but 
 my wife got hold of the volume I took home, read 
 
 * One of the Territorial Judges of Illinois and the founder of 
 the first bank in the State. Original owned by Mrs. H. H. 
 Hayes, a granddaughter of Judge Marshall. 
 
50 Letters of Abraham Lincoln 
 
 it half through last night, and is greatly interested 
 in it. When the papers here shall have noticed it, 
 I will send you copies. The charge at the Express 
 office was only $1.50; I return herewith one dollar, 
 & hold fifty cents subject to your order. 
 
 My attention to the matter has been rather a 
 pleasure than a trouble. 
 
 Yours truly, A. Lincoln. 
 
 ToO. L.Davis 1 
 
 Springfield June 22, 1854. 
 
 0. L. Davis, Esq. 
 
 Dear Sir: — You, no doubt, remember the en- 
 closed memorandum being handed me in your office. 
 
 I have just made the desired search, and find 
 that no such deed has ever been here. Campbell, the 
 auditor, says that if it were here, it would be in his 
 office, and that he has hunted for it a dozen times, 
 and could never find it. He says that one time and 
 another, he has heard much about the matter, that 
 it was not a deed for Right of Way, but a deed, 
 outright, for Depot-ground — at least, a sale for 
 Depot-ground, and there may never have been a 
 deed. He says, if there is a deed, it is most probable 
 General Alexander, of Paris, has it. 
 Yours truly, 
 
 A. Lincoln. 
 
 * A lawyer of Illinois. Printed in Writings, Lapsley ed., vii, 381. 
 
To Richard Yates 51 
 
 To Richard S. Thomas 
 
 Springfield, Aug. 24, 1854. 
 Hon. R. S. Thomas. 
 
 Dear Sir: Your letter of the 19th was received 
 day before yesterday. The payee of the note did 
 write me that he had written AUard on the subject 
 of the note in your hands; so that when Allard 
 shows you the letter, you need not doubt its gen- 
 uineness. 
 
 If the letter does unconditionally, or only with 
 the condition of any consent, agree to take $110. 
 and my fee, settle the matter that way. As to the 
 amount of my fee, take ten dollars, which you 
 and I will divide equally. 
 
 Yours as ever 
 
 A. Lincoln. 
 
 To Richard Yates ^ 
 
 Naples, Oct. 30, 1854. 
 
 Dear Yates : I am here now going to Quincy, to 
 try to give Mr. Williams a little life. I expect to be 
 back in time to speak at Carlinville on Saturday, if 
 thought expedient. What induces me to write now 
 is that at Jacksonville as I came down to-day, I 
 
 * The future War Governor of Illinois was at this time run- 
 ning for Congress, and Lincoln was stumping for him. Original 
 owned by Governor Edward F. Dunne, of Illinois. 
 
52 Letters of Abraham Lincoln 
 
 learned that the English in Morgan county have 
 become dissatisfied about No-Nothingism. Our 
 friends, however, think they have got the difficuhy 
 arrested. Nevertheless, it would be safe, I think, 
 to do something on the subject which you alone 
 can do. 
 
 The inclosed letter, or draft of a letter, I have 
 drawn up, of which I think it would be well to 
 make several copies, and have one placed in the 
 hand of a safe friend, at each precinct where any 
 considerable number of foreign citizens, German 
 as well as English vote. Not knowing exactly where 
 a letter will reach you soonest, I fear this can not be 
 very promptly attended to ; but if the copies get 
 into the proper hands the day before the election, 
 it will be time enough. 
 
 The whole of this is, of course, subject to your 
 own judgment. 
 
 Lincoln. 
 
 To Jacob Harding ^ 
 Clinton, DeWitt Co., Nov. ii, 1854. 
 J. Harding, Esq. 
 
 My dear Sir : I have a suspicion that a whig has 
 been selected to the Legislature from Edgar. If 
 this is not so, why then *'nix cum arous/' but if it 
 is so then could you not make a mark with him for 
 
 * At Paris, 111. Original owned by Mr. Jesse W. Weik. 
 
To Orville H. Browning S3 
 
 me for U.S. Senator? I really have some chance. 
 Please write me at Springfield, giving me the names, 
 post offices and political positions, of your repre- 
 sentative and senator whoever they may be. 
 Let this be confidential. 
 
 Yours truly, 
 
 A. Lincoln 
 
 To Orville H. Browning 
 
 Springfield, Nov. 12, 1854. 
 
 Dear Browning : At daylight this morning after 
 the election, I had to go to court at Dewitt county, 
 and I then had nothing of any account to write 
 you. On my return last night, I found your letter. 
 Yates is beaten from 100 to 150. The whole thing 
 was done in Morgan and Scott counties ; in all the 
 rest of the District we did better than we expected. 
 The quarrel over the Insane Asylum and the turn- 
 ing of about 200 English whigs in the two counties 
 against him, because of Know-Nothingism was 
 what did the work for him. He now has in the two 
 counties only about 100 majority, whereas two 
 years ago he had 521. 
 
 We now understand here that Mr. Williams is 
 beaten also. Schuyler and Brown are said to have 
 played thunder. 
 
 It looks as if Anti-Nebraska will have the H.R., 
 the senate doubtful. By the returns in, Miller 
 
54 Letters of Abraham Lincoln 
 
 appears to have beaten Moore for Treasurer. The 
 only thing that throws doubt upon this is, that 
 there is not much in from the South yet ; and among 
 the Httle that is in, there are some favorable signs 
 to Moore. For instance, in Green, Hains beats 
 Yates over 400 while Moore beats Miller over 
 900. Also in St. Clair Moore has over 900 ma- 
 jority, while on the contrary Trumbull and Anti- 
 Nebraska generally have about 900 majority. 
 
 In all other places heard from Moore is getting 
 along about like Nebraska. From what I see I 
 think he must be beaten an average of 2500 in 
 each of four Northern Congressional Districts. 
 Washburn,^ Woodworth, Norton and Knox are 
 certainly elected. It is believed Norton has a ma- 
 jority in every county of his District — in Ver- 
 million alone 11 20. Trumbull's election is sure 
 by a very large majority. The Democrats here 
 claim that Allen is reelected; and I fear it is so, 
 though it is not quite certain. In the four North- 
 ern counties, old Col. Archer gains over 400 on 
 him ; and I can hear nothing from any other county, 
 though it is probable that the dems. have some- 
 thing. 
 
 I believe this is all I know. 
 
 Yours truly, 
 
 A. Lincoln. 
 
 » Elihu B. Washburne, who, unlike his brothers, spelled his 
 name with an e. 
 
To Henry E. Dummer 55 
 
 To Leonard Swett ^ 
 
 Springfield Dec. 17, 1854. 
 
 L. SwETT, Esq., 
 
 Z)^«r Sir; I cannot learn of a single copyot the 
 Revised Codes being here for sale. Sorry but it 
 
 seems to be so. 
 Does the Rev. John S. Barger occasionally cross 
 
 your path? 
 
 Yours truly 
 
 A. Lincoln 
 
 To Henry E. Dummer 
 
 Springfield, March 10, 1855. 
 
 H. E. Dummer, Esq. 
 
 My dear Sir : A firm of lawyers in New York 
 have sent me a money bond of $2000. for collec- 
 tion.'* Both the parties to the bond reside in New 
 York but the obligor has a farm of 330 acres within 
 about a mile of Rushville in Schuyler county, out 
 of which by an attachment sent the obligor wishes 
 collection to be made. As I do not practice in 
 Rushville,! have concluded to send you this job, 
 if you will write me saying you will take it. What 
 
 » A distinguished trial lawyer of Illinois. 
 
 « See letter of the same date to Sanford, Porter & Striker, the 
 law firm referred to, in Works, Nicolay and Hay, Tandy's ed., 
 1905, II, 278. 
 
S6 Letters of Abraham Lincoln 
 
 say you? The attorneys who send me the claim 
 say their client is a good responsible man. 
 Yours as ever, 
 
 A. Lincoln 
 
 To Henry E. Dummer 
 
 Springfield March 19, 1855. 
 
 Dear Dummer: Yours of the 11^^ is just received. 
 Herewith are the bond and both of the letters of 
 my correspondents in relation to it. The letters 
 contain all the information I have on the subject. 
 I wrote them the same day I wrote you that I 
 was going to send you the claim if you would 
 take it. 
 
 Logan is willing to take the vacant seat on the 
 Supreme Bench, but he is very anxious to not be 
 beaten, if he is put on the track as a candidate. 
 Our friends here, and ever3rwhere so far as I have 
 heard, are for him ; but it behooves us to be wide 
 awake. At the last congressional election there 
 was a small majority against us in the middle 
 Division. I am quite anxious for Logan's election, 
 first because he will make the best Judge, and 
 second because it would hurt his feelings to be 
 beaten more than it would almost any one else. 
 Your friend as ever 
 
 A. Lincoln. 
 
To Jacob Harding 57 
 
 To Jacob Harding ^ 
 
 Danville May 25, 1855. 
 
 Friend Harding: I have been reading your paper 
 three or four years, and have paid you nothing for 
 it. Herewith is a receipt of Sylvanus Sandford 
 for two claims amounting to ten dollars. If he 
 has collected the money, get it from him, and 
 put it into your pocket, saying nothing further 
 about it. 
 
 And now, if you please, I should be glad for you 
 to put in your paper of this week the names of 
 Stephen T. Logan as a candidate for Judge of the 
 Supreme Court; and of Stephen A. Corneau, for 
 clerk of the Supreme Court. 
 
 Please also print, and distribute a suitable num- 
 ber of tickets for them; and we at Springfield will 
 pay the reasonable charge. 
 
 As the sir-name [sic] of our candidate for clerk 
 is rather an uncommon one, I try to write it very 
 plainly — Corneau, the last letter being, not an 
 "N"butanU. 
 
 Very truly yours, 
 
 A. Lincoln. 
 
 » Original owned by Mr. Jesse W. Weik. 
 
58 Letters of Abraham Lincoln 
 
 To P. H. Watson ^ 
 
 Springfield, III., July 23, 1855. 
 
 P. H. Watson, Esq., 
 
 Washington^ D.C., 
 
 My dear Sir: At our interview here in Juno, I 
 understood you to say you would send me copies 
 of the Bill and Answer in the case of McCormick ^ 
 vs. Manny ^ and Co. and also of depositions, as 
 fast as they could be taken and printed. I have 
 had nothing from you since. However, I attended 
 the U.S. Court at Chicago, and while there, got 
 copies of the Bill and Answer. I write this particu- 
 larly to urge you to forward on to me the addi- 
 tional evidence as fast as you can. During August, 
 and the remainder of this month, I can devote 
 some time to the case, and, of course, I want all 
 the material that can be had. 
 
 During my stay at Chicago, I went out to Rock- 
 ford, and spent half a day, examining and studying 
 Manny*s Machine. 
 
 I think you ought to be sworn before the evi- 
 
 * A prominent patent lawyer, afterwards Assistant Secretary 
 of War under Lincoln and Stanton. Edwin M. Stanton was also 
 associated with Lincoln in the defense of the case referred to in 
 this letter, while Reverdy Johnson and E. N. Dickinson acted for 
 the plaintiff. The defense won the case. This was the beginning of 
 Lincoln's acquaintance with Stanton. Original owned by Mr. J. 
 L. Smith, Ashtabula, O. 
 
 ' Cyrus H. McCormick. 
 
 8 John H. Manny, of Rockford, III. 
 
To Owen Lovejoy 59 
 
 dence closes : of this however I leave you and others 
 to judge. Very truly Yours, 
 
 A. Lincoln. 
 
 To Owen Lovejoy 
 
 Springfield, August ii, 1855. 
 
 Mr. Owen Lovejoy, 
 
 My dear Sir : Yours of the 7th. was received the 
 day before yesterday. Not even you are more 
 anxious to prevent the extension of slavery than L 
 And yet the political atmosphere is such, just now, 
 that I fear to do anything, lest I do wrong. Know 
 Nothingism has not yet entirely tumbled to pieces. 
 Nay, it is even a little encouraged by the late elec- 
 tions in Tennessee, Kentucky and Alabama. Until 
 we can get the elements of this organization there 
 is not sufficient material to successfully combat the 
 Nebraska democracy with. We cannot get them 
 so long as they cling to a hope of success under 
 their own organization; and I fear an open push 
 by us now may offend them and tend to prevent 
 our ever getting them. About us here, they are 
 mostly my old political and personal friends, and 
 I have hoped this organization would die out with- 
 out the painful necessity of my taking an open 
 stand against them. Of their principles I think 
 little better than I do of those of the slavery ex- 
 tensionists. Indeed I do not perceive how any 
 
6o Letters of Abraham Lincoln 
 
 one professing to be sensitive to the wrongs of the 
 negro, can join in a league to degrade a class of 
 white men. I have no objection to "fuse" with 
 any body provided I can fuse on grounds which I 
 think right. And I believe the opponents of slav- 
 ery extension could now do this if it were not for 
 the K.N.ism. In many speeches last summer I ad- 
 vised those who did me the honor of a hearing to 
 "stand with" any body who stands right, and I 
 am still quite willing to follow my own advice. I 
 lately saw in the Quincy Whig the report of a 
 preamble and resolution made by Mr. Williams, as 
 chairman of a committee, to a public meeting and 
 adopted by the meeting. I saw them but once, and 
 have them not now at command, but so far as I 
 can remember them they occupy the ground I 
 should be willing to "fuse" upon. As to my per- 
 sonal movements this summer and fall, I am quite 
 busy trying to pick up my lost crumbs of last 
 year. I shall be here till September; then with 
 Circuit till the 20th, then to Cincinnati awhile, 
 after a Patent Right case, and back to the Cir- 
 cuit to the end of November. I can be seen here 
 any time this month and at Bloomington at any 
 time from the loth. to the 17th. of September. As 
 to an extra session of the Legislature, I should 
 know no better how to bring that about than to 
 lift myself over a fence by the straps of my boots. 
 Yours truly, A. Lincoln. 
 
To Isham Reavis 6i 
 
 To Manny & Co.^ 
 
 Springfield, Sept. i, 1855. 
 
 Messrs. Manny and Co. 
 Rockford, III. 
 Since I left Chicago about the i8th of July, I 
 have heard nothing concerning the Reaper suit. I 
 addressed a letter to Mr. Watson, at Washington, 
 requesting him to forward me the evidence, from 
 time to time, as it should be taken, but I have re- 
 ceived no answer from him. 
 
 Is it still the understanding that the case is to 
 be heard at Cincinnati on the 20th inst. ? 
 Please write me on the receipt of this. 
 Yours truly, 
 
 A. Lincoln. 
 
 To Isham Reavis ^ 
 
 Springfield, Nov'r 5, 1855. 
 
 Isham Reavis, Esq. 
 
 My Dear Sir : I have just reached home, and 
 found your letter of the 23rd ult. I am from home 
 too much of my time, for a young man to read law 
 with me advantageously. If you are resolutely 
 determined to make a lawyer of yourself, the 
 
 1 See note on p. 58. Original owned by Mr. J. L. Smith, Ashta- 
 bula, O. . „. . , 
 
 2 From a copy in the possession of the Chicago Historical 
 
 Society. 
 
62 Letters of Abraham Lincoln 
 
 thing is more than half done already. It is but a 
 small matter whether you read with any body or 
 not. I did not read with any one. Get the books, 
 and read and study them till you understand them 
 in their principal features; and that is the main 
 thing. It is of no consequence to be in a large town 
 while you are reading. I read at New Salem, which 
 never had three hundred people living in it. The 
 books, and your capacity for understanding them, 
 are just the same in all places. Mr. Dummer is a 
 very clever man and an excellent lawyer (much bet- 
 ter than I, in law-learning) ; and I have no doubt 
 he will cheerfully tell you what books to read, and 
 also loan you the books. 
 
 Always bear in mind that your own resolution 
 to succeed, is more important than any other one 
 thing. Very truly your friend, 
 
 A. Lincoln. 
 
 To A. L. Brewer 
 
 Springfield, Ills., Nov 5, 1855. 
 
 A. L. Brewer, Esq. 
 
 Would have answered sooner, but was absent. At 
 the September term, the defendant made fight, with 
 apparent confidence, but the court decided for us, 
 and we got judgement for the amount of the old 
 judgement and interest. The main point taken in 
 defence was that a bar on a short Act of Limitations 
 
To G. U. Miles 63 
 
 we have here, had been completed after the claim 
 was filed, in the Probate Court, but before a formal 
 suit was brought. The court held that the filing of 
 the claim saved the statute's bar. They took excep- 
 tions and talk of going to the supreme court. That 
 court sits in January and I have thought it best to 
 wait till after the first term before I begin to press 
 for payment. 
 
 A. Lincoln 
 
 To G. U. Miles 1 
 
 Springfield, Feb. 14, 1856 
 
 G. U. Miles, Esq. 
 
 Petersburg^ Ills. 
 
 Dear sir : Major Harris left a letter with me, in 
 order that I might do something for you, in regard 
 to your Goodman, or McAtee land. I understand 
 the facts of the case to be as follows — 
 
 Dec. 25, 1840. Christian Goodman gave his note 
 and a mortgage on this land (S. E. fr. 1/4 of Sec: 
 22-17-1) to William W. Vigal, to secure $112 with 
 twelve per cent. 
 
 Jany. 7, 1842. Note credited ^50. 
 
 Jany. 7, 1842. Note assigned by Vigal to Thomas 
 Lewis. 
 
 Aug. 20, 1842. Note assigned by Lewis to F. T. 
 King. 
 
 ^ Son-in-law of William H. Herndon, Lincoln's partner. 
 
64 Letters of Abraham Lincoln 
 
 Jany. 2, 1843. Note assigned by King to Webster 
 and Hickox. 
 
 In 1850 or 1 85 1 I commenced a foreclosure suit 
 on the note and mortgage, in the Circuit Court of 
 Sangamon county, for Webster and Hickox. 
 
 While this suit was pending, Goodman sold the 
 laTid to McAtee, and Webster and Hickox also sold 
 the note and mortgage to McAtee ; and Mr. Hickox 
 directed me to do no more with the suit for him and 
 Webster, but to hold it up subject to the direction 
 of McAtee. So the suit has stood ever since, and 
 still stands. 
 
 I now learn from Major Harris' letter that Mc- 
 Atee died, and that the land has since been sold 
 (by the administrator of McAtee, to pay debts) to 
 John Baker; and that Baker has since sold to you. 
 The reason I write you is, that I cannot understand 
 from the Major's letter precisely what your diffi- 
 culty is. He tells me that McAtee bought the land 
 of Goodman; and if this is so, and Goodman deeded 
 it to him, I do not perceive that you are in any 
 difficulty at all. Did McAtee pay Goodman for the 
 land ? Did Goodman deed it to McAtee ? If either 
 of them is true, Goodman's heirs have no right to 
 the land, though his widow would have dower, if 
 she did not join in the deed. Please write me ; and 
 return me this letter, as it will save me hunting up 
 the facts again. Yours &c, 
 
 A. Lincoln. 
 
To Gustave Koerner 65 
 
 To G. U. Miles 
 
 Springfield, Ills. Feby 17, 1856. 
 G. U. Miles — 
 
 But, my dear Sir, I understand the land is worth 
 $1200 or ^1500. Now deduct credit, and count in- 
 terest on the note and you will find that ^203.41 is 
 the utmost a decree could be rendered for up to 
 Jany 7, 1856. 
 
 Suppose I foreclose, you will bid the same; if 
 nobody bids more all will be well; but somebody 
 will bid more ; and then how will you stand ? 
 
 You will have to let the land go for that sum ; or 
 bid higher and advance the cash for all above that 
 sum. Don't you see ? 
 
 A. Lincoln. 
 
 To Gustave Koerner ^ 
 
 Springfield, Feb. 18, 1856. 
 Hon. G. p. Koerner. 
 
 My dear sir : You left here sooner than I ex- 
 pected; else I should have asked you on what 
 terms you settled your fee in the case in connection 
 with which we met at Carlinville last fall. I think 
 you said you had no objection to tell me. If you 
 have not please write me at once, as I wish to 
 regulate my claim somewhat by yours. 
 
 Very truly yours, A. Lincoln. 
 
 ^ Lieutenant-Governor of Illinois. 
 
66 Letters of Abraham Lincoln 
 
 To George P. Floyd ^ 
 
 Springfield, Illinois, 
 February 21, 1856. 
 
 Mr. George P. Floyd, 
 
 Quincyy Illinois. 
 Dear Sir: I have just received yours of i6^\with 
 check on Flagg & Savage for twenty-five dollars. 
 You must think I am a high-priced man. You are 
 too liberal with your money. 
 
 Fifteen dollars is enough for the job. I send you 
 a receipt for fifteen dollars, and return to you a 
 ten-dollar bill. 
 
 Yours truly, 
 
 A. Lincoln. 
 
 To Lyman Trumbull "^ 
 
 Springfield, June 7, 1856 
 
 Hon. Lyman Trumbull 
 
 My dear Sir : The news of Buchanan's nomina- 
 tion came yesterday; and a good many Whigs, of 
 conservative feelings, and slight pro-slavery pro- 
 
 * Mr. Floyd had leased a hotel at Quincy, 111., and had em- 
 ployed Lincoln to draw up the papers. Reprinted from an ar- 
 ticle by Floyd in McClure's Magazine, xxx, 303 (Jan., 1908). 
 
 2 This and the letters on pp. 69, 82, 83, 87, 96, 98, 100, 119, 
 122, 136, 137, 140, 142, 144, 147, 151, 153, 168, 171, and 173 
 are from an article entitled "A Lincoln Correspondence," by 
 William H. Lambert, in th.Q Century Magazine, iv, 17 (Feb., 
 1909). 
 
To Lyman Trumbull (:^ 
 
 cllvities, withal, are inclining to go for him, and 
 will do it, unless the Anti-Nebraska nomination 
 shall be such as to divert them. The man to effect 
 that object is Judge McLean ; and his nomination 
 would save every Whig, except such as have al- 
 ready gone over hook and line, as Singleton, Mor- 
 rison, Constable, & others. J. T. Stuart, Anthony 
 Thornton, James M. Davis (the old settler) and 
 others like them, will heartily go for McLean, but 
 will every one go for Buchanan, as against Chase, 
 Banks, Seward, Blair or Fremont.? I think they 
 would stand Blair or Fremont for Vice-President — 
 but not more. 
 
 Now there is a grave question to be considered. 
 Nine tenths of the Anti-Nebraska votes have to 
 come from old Whigs. In setting stakes, is it safe to 
 totally disregard them? Can we possibly win, if we 
 do so ? So far they have been disregarded. I need 
 not point out the instances. 
 
 I think I may trust you to believe I do not say 
 this on my own personal account. I am w, and 
 shall go for any one nominated unless he be ''plat- 
 formed " expressly, or impliedly, on some ground 
 which I may think wrong. Since the nomination of 
 Bissell we are in good trim in Illinois, save at the 
 point I have indicated. If we can save pretty 
 nearly all the Whigs, we shall elect him, I think, by 
 a very large majority. 
 
 I address this to you, because your influence in 
 
68 Letters of Abraham Lincoln 
 
 the Anti-Nebraska nomination will be greater than 
 that of any other Illinoian [sic]. 
 Let this be confidential, 
 
 Yours very truly 
 
 A. Lincoln. 
 
 To B. Clarke Lundy and Others^ 
 
 Springfield, July 28, 1856. 
 
 B. Clarke Lundy & Others: 
 
 On reaching home day before yesterday, I found 
 your letter of the 15th. I regret to say I can not be 
 with you on the 4^^ of Sept. I am under prior obli- 
 gation to attend a meeting of our friends at Gales- 
 burg on that day, if I can possibly leave our 
 courts, which will then be in session. 
 
 Stand by the cause, and the cause will carry you 
 through. 
 
 Yours truly, A. Lincoln. 
 
 To John M. Palmer ^ 
 
 Springfield Aug I'S 1856. 
 
 Hon. J. M. Palmer. 
 
 Dear sir: It is our judgement that whether you 
 do or do not finally stand as a Candidate for Con- 
 
 * Dr. B. C. Lundy was the son of Benjamin Lundy, the Aboli- 
 tionist, of Baltimore. 
 
 2 A major-general of volunteers in the War and Governor of 
 Illinois, 1869-73. 
 
To Lyman Trumbull 69 
 
 gress, it is better for you to not to publicly decline 
 for a while. It is a long time to the Election, and 
 what may turn up no one can tell. 
 Yours truly, 
 
 A. Lincoln 
 Richard Yates 
 W. H. Herndon 
 Wm. Jayne 
 
 To Lyman Trumbull ^ 
 
 Springfield, Aug: ii. 1856 
 
 Hon: L. Trumbull: 
 
 My dear Sir: I have just returned from speaking 
 at Paris and Grandview in Edgar County — & 
 Charleston and Shelbyville, in Coles and Shelby 
 counties. Our whole trouble along there has been 
 & is Fillmoreism. It loosened considerably during 
 the week, not under my preaching, but under the 
 election returns from Mo., Ky., Ark., & N.C. I 
 think we shall ultimately get all the Fillmore men, 
 who are really anti-slavery extension — the rest 
 will probably go to Buchanan where they right- 
 fully belong; if they do not, so much the better 
 for us. The great difficulty with anti-slavery 
 extension Fillmore men, is that they suppose 
 Fillmore as good as Fremont on that question; 
 and it is a delicate point to argue them out of 
 
 / See note on p. 66. 
 
70 Letters of Abraham Lincoln 
 
 it, they are so ready to think you are abusing 
 Mr. Fillmore. 
 
 Mr. Conkling showed me a letter of yours, from 
 which I infer you will not be in Ills, till nth Sept. 
 
 But for that I was going to write you to make 
 appointments at Paris, Charleston, Shelbyville, 
 Hillsboro, &c — immediately after the adjourn- 
 ment. They were tolerably well satisfied with my 
 work along there; but they believe with me, that 
 you can touch some points that I can not ; and they 
 are very anxious to have you do it. 
 
 Yours as ever A. Lincoln. 
 
 To R. M. EwiNG 
 
 Springfield, Nov. 12, 1856 
 
 R. M. EwiNG, Esq. 
 Petersburg, Ills. 
 
 Dear Sir : Yours of the 8th inclosing the forged 
 article from the "New York Tribune" published 
 in the Menard Index was received yesterday. Al- 
 though the getting up of the thing was intended to 
 deceive, and was very malicious and wicked, I do 
 not think much could be made by exposing it. 
 When you shall have exposed it, they will then say 
 they merely meant it as a "take off" and never 
 intended it to be understood as genuine. 
 
 If you have a local paper there to simply de- 
 nounce it as a forgery, that would be well enough ; 
 
To Rev. James Lemen 71 
 
 but I doubt whether any thing else can be done 
 with it to advantage. 
 
 1 am truly glad you are determined to fight on. 
 In the next struggle I hope we shall be able to pull 
 together. Let us all try to make it so. 
 
 Yours respectfully, A. Lincoln. 
 
 To Rev. James Lemen ^ 
 Springfield, Illinois March 2, 1857. 
 Rev. James Lemen, 
 
 Friend Lemen : Thanking you for your warm ap- 
 preciation of my view in a former letter as to the 
 importance in many features of your collection of 
 old family notes and papers, I will add a few words 
 more as to Elijah P. Lovejoy's case. His letters 
 among your old family notes were of more interest 
 to me than even those of Thomas Jefferson, written 
 to your father. Of course they [the latter] were 
 exceedingly important as a part of the history of 
 the " Jefferson-Lemen Anti-Slavery Pact," under 
 which your father, Rev. James Lemen, Sr., as Jef- 
 ferson's anti-slavery agent in Illinois, founded his 
 anti-slavery churches, among which was the pres- 
 ent Bethel church, which set in motion the forces 
 which finally made Illinois a free state, all of which 
 was splendid; but Lovejoy's tragic death for free- 
 dom in every sense marked his sad ending as the 
 
 2 From W. C. MacNaul's Jefferson-Lemen Compact, 1915. 
 
72 Letters of Abraham Lincoln 
 
 most important single event that ever happened in 
 the new world. 
 
 Both your father and Lovejoy were pioneer 
 leaders in the cause of freedom, and it has always 
 been difficult for me to see why your father, who 
 was a resolute, uncompromising, and aggressive 
 leader, who boldly proclaimed his purpose to make 
 both the territory and the state free, never aroused 
 nor encountered any of that mob violence which 
 both in St. Louis and Alton confronted or pursued 
 Lovejoy, and finally doomed him to a felon's death 
 and a martyr's crown. Perhaps the two cases are a 
 Httle parallel with those of John and Peter. John 
 was bold and fearless at the scene of the Crucifix- 
 ion, standing near the cross receiving the Savior's 
 request to care for his mother, but was not annoyed ; 
 while Peter, whose disposition [was] to shrink from 
 public view, seemed to catch the attention of 
 members of the mob on every hand, until finally to 
 throw public attention off, he denied his master 
 with an oath; though later the grand old apostle 
 redeemed himself grandly, and like Lovejoy, died a 
 martyr to his faith. Of course, there was no similar- 
 ity between Peter's treachery at the Temple and 
 Lovejoy's splendid courage when the pitiless mob 
 were closing around him. But in the cases of the 
 two apostles at the scene mentioned, John was more 
 prominent or loyal in his presence and attention to 
 the Great Master than Peter was, but the latter 
 
To Jesse K. Dubois 73 
 
 seemed to catch the attention of the mob ; and as 
 Lovejoy, one of the most inoffensive of men, for 
 merely printing a small paper, devoted to the free- 
 dom of the body and mind of man, was pursued to 
 his death ; while his older comrade in the cause of 
 freedom. Rev. James Lemen, Sr., who boldly and 
 aggressively proclaimed his purpose to make both 
 the territory and the state free, was never molested 
 a moment by the minions of violence. The madness 
 and pitiless determination with which the mob 
 steadily pursued Lovejoy to his doom, marks it as 
 one of the most unreasoning and unreasonable in 
 all time, except that which doomed the Savior to 
 the cross. 
 
 If ever you should come to Springfield again, do 
 not fail to call. The memory of our many " evening 
 sittings" here and elsewhere, as we called them, 
 suggests many a pleasant hour, both pleasant and 
 helpful. 
 
 Truly yours, A. Lincoln. 
 
 To Jesse K. Dubois ^ 
 
 Springfield, April 6, 1857. 
 
 Hon. J. K. Dubois, 
 Auditor 
 Dear Sir: — In answer to your queries in rela- 
 tion to the fourth, eighth and ninth sections of the 
 
 * Illinois Auditor of State. 
 
74 Letters of Abraham Lincoln 
 
 bank law of February 14, 1857, and the other provi- 
 sions of law therein referred to, I give as my opin- 
 ion, First : That no stocks whatever can be received 
 by you at any greater rate of valuation than ten 
 per cent less than the market price of said stocks, 
 such market price to be ascertained, according to 
 the old law. 
 
 Second : That no non-interest paying bonds can, 
 in any event, be received by you at any greater 
 rate than fifty cents to the dollar and not even for 
 that much, unless that market price shall be as high 
 as sixty, the old law not being altered by the new, 
 in this respect. 
 
 Third : That in relation to the banks already in 
 existence no new duty is imposed on you by the 
 eighth section of the new law, unless such banks 
 apply for the issuing of new circulating notes, in which 
 case, it is your duty to be satisfied that they have 
 the fifty thousand dollars actual cash capital, be- 
 fore you issue such new notes. 
 
 Note. As to the old law, I would follow [?] the 
 construction of the old Auditor, till further advised. 
 
 Fourth: That in relation, both to old and new 
 banks, in the very language of the ninth sec- 
 tion of the new law "No more circulating notes 
 shall be issued, under any circumstances to any 
 bank or association organized under said act until 
 the Auditor shall be satisfied that such bank or 
 association has such actual capital as is required 
 
To Joseph W. Brackett 75 
 
 in the first" (eighth really meant) "section of this 
 act." 
 
 This opinion is given as to your duty under the 
 new law after it takes effect, and is not intended 
 to apply to the time of between passage and its 
 taking effect. 
 
 Yours truly, 
 
 A. Lincoln. 
 
 To Joseph W. Brackett^ 
 
 Springfield, May i8, 1857. 
 
 Joseph W. Brackett, Esq. 
 
 Dear Sir : Your three letters, two dated April 
 28th and the other May ist were received by me 
 on the 9th of May, when I returned home after 
 an absence of two weeks. I went immediately to 
 the Land Office to file the Declaration of Jacob 
 Warner and Cyrus Conklin and failed to get the 
 thing consummated in consequence of there being 
 nothing in the Office showing the quantity of land 
 in the tracts sought to be preempted. I think the 
 Register's intentions were correct, but he was per- 
 plexed as to what he ought to do, because of the 
 peculiarity of the case and consequently he put 
 me off from time to time till now. Herewith I send 
 you the certificates bearing date May 9th, being 
 the day I first presented the Declarations. 
 
 1 At Rock Island, 111. 
 
76 Letters of Abraham Lincoln 
 
 I shall be ready to assist further in the cases 
 when occasion arises. One of your letters had one 
 dollar in it, and another ten. I paid two to the 
 Register and pocketed the other nine. 
 Yours, etc. 
 
 A. Lincoln 
 
 To Cornell, Waite l^ Jameson 
 
 Springfield, June 2, 1857. 
 
 Messrs. Cornell, Waite & Jameson, 
 Chicago^ III, 
 
 Gentlemen : Yours of the 29th was duly received. 
 This morning I went to the Register with four 
 hundred dollars in gold in my hand and tendered 
 to the Register of the Land Office a written appli- 
 cation to enter the land as you requested, all which 
 the Register declined. 
 
 I have made a written memorandum of the facts, 
 deposited the gold with J. Bunn (who furnished it 
 to me on the draft you sent) and took his Certifi- 
 cate of deposit, which certificate and memoran- 
 dum I hold subject to your order. 
 
 Now, if you please, send me ten dollars as a 
 fee. 
 
 Yours truly, 
 
 A. Lincoln 
 
To Gustave Koerner ^^ 
 
 To Gustave Koerner 
 
 Springfield, July lo, 1857. 
 
 Hon. G. Koerner. 
 
 Dear Sir : Your letter of the 8th to Lincoln and 
 Herndon was received and opened by Mr. Hem- 
 don in my absence; but finding it relating to busi- 
 ness with which I was more familiar he laid it by 
 till my return which was only yesterday. ^ 
 
 The judgement to Page and Bacon against the 
 Ohio and Miss. Railroad Company in the United 
 States court here, was taken, by confession on a 
 cognovit, at the March term, 1856, for the sum 
 of $312,413.74 including costs. Execution issued 
 April 1 6th, 1856, which was by order of the plain- 
 tiffs returned unsatisfied, sale having been post- 
 poned June 6, 1856. While it was in the hands of 
 the Marshal it was levied on the entire property 
 of the Road (as I suppose, a large amount at any 
 rate) which levy remains undisposed of. 
 
 Will you please remember that our Sangamon 
 Circuit Court commences Aug. 10, when I suppose 
 our Quo Warranto cases will come up, and when 
 I shall be glad to have the benefit of your legal as- 
 sistance. 
 
 Yours very truly, 
 
 A. Lincoln. 
 
78 Letters of Abraham Lincoln 
 
 To Dr. B. Clarke Lundy ^ 
 
 Springfield, Aug. 5, 1857. 
 
 Dear Sir : Some time ago you wrote me express- 
 ing the opinion that something should be done 
 now, to secure the next Legislature. You are per- 
 fectly right and I now suggest that, from the poll- 
 books in the county clerk's office, you have made 
 alphabetical lists of all the voters in each precinct 
 or Township (I believe you have Township or- 
 ganizations) the lists to be in separate letter-books, 
 and to be corrected by striking off such as may 
 have died or removed, and adding such as will be 
 entitled to vote at the next election. This will not 
 be a heavy job, and you see how like a map, it lays 
 the whole field before you. You know, at once, 
 kozo, and with zvhom to work. 
 
 You will have no trouble to carry your county 
 of Putnam, but you are (as I remember) part of the 
 Peoria Senatorial District, and that is close and 
 questionable, so that you need every vote you can 
 get in Putnam. 
 
 Let all be so quiet that the adversary shall not be 
 notified. 
 
 Yours truly, 
 
 A. Lincoln 
 
 * Original owned by Charles W. McLellan, Champlain, N.Y. 
 
To Samuel Briggs 79 
 
 To Hannah Armstrong ^ 
 
 Springfield, III., 
 
 Sept., 1857. 
 
 Dear Mrs. Armstrong : I have just heard of your 
 deep affliction, and the arrest of your son for mur- 
 der. I can hardly believe that he can be capable 
 of the crime alleged against him. It does not seem 
 possible. I am anxious that he should be given a 
 fair trial at any rate ; and gratitude for your long- 
 continued kindness to me in adverse circumstances 
 prompts me to offer my humble services gratui- 
 tously in his behalf. 
 
 It will afford me an opportunity to requite, in a 
 small degree, the favors I received at your hand, 
 and that of your lamented husband, when your 
 roof afforded me a grateful shelter, without money 
 and without price. 
 
 Yours truly, 
 
 A. Lincoln. 
 
 To Samuel Briggs 
 
 Springfield, Sept. 29, 1857. 
 
 Samuel Briggs, Esq. 
 
 Dear Sir : Your letter in regard to organizing 
 the town of Delevan, and also inclosing five dollars, 
 
 * Mother of Duff Armstrong, whom Lincoln defended on a 
 charge of murder, obtaining a verdict of acquittal. 
 
8o Letters of Abraham Lincoln 
 
 has been received. I have examined the statute and 
 considered your questions, and am of opinion that 
 the original election, having gone beyond the Town 
 plot to the extent of a square mile, is lawful and 
 valid. I think the Trustees can not exceed a mile 
 square, as boundaries of the town, but may lessen 
 them, within the mile square. 
 The five dollars is a sufficient fee. 
 Yours truly 
 
 A. Lincoln 
 
 To GUSTAVE KOERNER 
 
 {Confidential) 
 
 Springfield, Oct. 25, 1857. 
 
 Hon. G. Koerner 
 
 My dear sir: Our Sangamon Circuit Court is 
 now in session, and will continue in session for two 
 or three weeks yet. By agreement with Logan, 
 I can fix up your Quo Warranto case, at any 
 time during the term, for the Supreme Court this 
 ensuing winter. Now for the object of this note. 
 I want your authority, at my discretion, to pass 
 the case over the next term of the Supreme 
 Court. I cannot mention the reason now ; but there 
 is a reason which I believe you will appreciate, 
 when you come to know it. The reason is precisely 
 the same to you and to me, not being of any pe- 
 
To Joseph W. Brackett 8i 
 
 cuniary interest to either. I write like letters to 
 Brown and Yates. Please answer at once. 
 Yours very truly. 
 
 A. Lincoln 
 
 To O. Bailey 
 
 Springfield, Nov. 14, 1857. 
 
 O. Bailey, Esq. 
 
 Dear Sir : Your letter in relation to Railroad 
 suits was duly received. I regret to say it is impos- 
 sible for me to attend the courts in Coles or Edgar 
 or any of the counties in Judge Harlan's circuit. 
 I should be pleased to oblige you if I could. 
 Yours truly, 
 
 A. Lincoln 
 
 To Joseph W. Brackett 
 
 Springfield, Nov. 27, 1857. 
 
 J. W. Brackett, Esq. 
 
 Dear Sir : Yours of the 7th was received in due 
 course. I have been to the Land Office two or three 
 times about it and for the last time, this morn- 
 ing. The Register will not receive and file the pre- 
 emption proofs as you desire. He conceives it to 
 be his duty to refuse. 
 
 Yours, &c 
 
 A. Lincoln 
 
82 Letters of Abraham Lincoln 
 
 To Lyman Trumbull ^ 
 
 Chicago, Nov. 30. 1857. 
 
 Hon : Lyman Trumbull. 
 
 Dear Sir : Herewith you find duplicates of a no- 
 tice which I wish to be served upon the Miss 
 French, or now Mrs. Gray, who married the late 
 Franklin C. Gray. You understand what per- 
 son I mean. Please hand her one copy, and note 
 on the other that you have done so, the date of 
 service, and your signature & return it to me at 
 Springfield. 
 
 What think you of the probable "rumpus" 
 among the Democracy over the Kansas Consti- 
 tution? I think the Republicans should stand 
 clear of it. In their view both the President and 
 Douglas are wrong ; and they should not espouse 
 the cause of either, because they may consider the 
 other a little the farther wrong of the two. From 
 what I am told here, Douglas tried, before leav- 
 ing, to draw off some Republicans on this dodge, 
 and even succeeded in making some impression 
 on one or two. 
 
 Yours very truly, 
 
 A. Lincoln. 
 
 • See note on p. 66. 
 
To Lyman Trumbull 83 
 
 To Lyman Trumbull * 
 
 Springfield, Dec. i8. 1857 
 Hon : L. Trumbull : 
 
 Dear Sir : Yours of the 7th telling me that Mrs. 
 Gray is in Washington, reached [me] last night. 
 
 Herewith I return the notices which I will thank 
 you to serve and return as before requested. . 
 
 This notice is not required by law ; and I am giv- 
 ing it merely because I think fairness requires it. 
 
 Nearly all the Democrats here stick to Douglas ; 
 but they are hobbling along with the idea that 
 there is no split between him and Buchanan. 
 Accordingly they indulge the most extravagant eu- 
 logies on B., &his message; and insist that he has 
 not indorsed the Lecompton Constitution. 
 
 I wish not to tax your time ; but when you return 
 the notice, I shall be glad to have your general view 
 of the then present aspect of affairs. 
 Yours very truly 
 
 A. Lincoln 
 
 To Lyman Trumbull ^ 
 
 Bloomington, Dec. 28. 1857. 
 Hon. Lyman Trumbull. 
 
 Dear Sir: What does the "New York Tribune" 
 mean by its constant eulogising, and admiring, 
 * See note on p. 66. • See note on p. 66. 
 
84 Letters of Abraham Lincoln 
 
 and magnifying Douglas ? Does it, in this, speak 
 the sentiments of the Republicans at Washington? 
 Have they concluded that the Republican cause, 
 generally, can be best prompted by sacrificing us 
 here in Illinois? If so we would like to know it 
 soon; it will save us a great deal of labor to sur- 
 render at once. 
 
 As yet I have heard of no Republican here going 
 over to Douglas; but if the "Tribune" continues 
 to din his praises into the ears of its five or ten thou- 
 sand Republican readers in Illinois, it is more than 
 can be hoped that all will stand firm. 
 
 I am not complaining — I only wish a fair un- 
 derstanding. Please write me at Springfield. 
 Your Obt Servt. 
 
 A. Lincoln 
 
 To Andrew McCallen 
 
 Springfield, June 19, 1858. 
 
 Hon. a. McCallen. 
 
 My dear Sir: Yours of the 12th by the hand of 
 Mr. Edwards was duly received. I conversed sev- 
 eral times freely with Mr. Obey, and I do not 
 perceive that we here or the general convention 
 here could rightfully determine anything between 
 Messrs. Olney and Wiley. You in the District must 
 fix that. 
 
 Let me make a remark not suggested by your 
 
To Orville H. Browning 85 
 
 letter. I think too much reliance is placed in 
 noisy demonstrations, importing speakers from a 
 distance and the like. They excite prejudice and 
 close the avenues to sober reason. The "home- 
 production'* principle in my judgement is the best. 
 You and Sexton and Olney and others whose hearts 
 are in the work should quietly form your plans 
 and carry them out energetically among your own 
 neighbors. You perceive my idea; and I really 
 think it the best. 
 
 Yours very truly 
 
 A. Lincoln. 
 
 To Orville H. Browning 
 
 Springfield, June 22, 1858. 
 O. H. Browning, Esq. 
 
 My dear Sir: Mrs. Macready has appeared here 
 again this morning; and it now occurs to me as 
 strange that I did not think to ask you whether 
 you can surely be on hand at the next term, if we 
 continue the case till then. Can you? Answer 
 as soon as possible after receiving this. If you can 
 possibly be here at this term say so, and about 
 what day; but I understood you that probably 
 you cannot be here again at this term. 
 Yours truly, 
 
 A. Lincoln. 
 
86 Letters of Abraham Lincoln 
 
 To John L. Scripps ^ 
 
 Springfield June 23, 1858. 
 
 John L. Scripps, Esq. 
 
 My dear Sir : Your kind note of yesterday is 
 duly received. I am much flattered by the esti- 
 mate you place on my late speech; and yet I 
 am much mortified that any part of it should be 
 construed so differently from any thing intended 
 by me. The language, "place it where the public 
 mind shall rest in the belief that it is in course 
 of ultimate extinction," I used deliberately, not 
 dreaming then, nor believing now, that it asserts 
 or intimates any power or purpose, to interfere 
 with slavery in the states where it exists. But to 
 not cavil about language, I declare that whether 
 the clause used by me will bear such construction 
 or not, I never so intended it. I have declared a 
 thousand times, and now repeat that, in my opinion, 
 neither the General Government, nor any other 
 power outside of the slave states, can constitution- 
 ally or rightfully interfere with slaves or slavery 
 where it already exists. I believe that whenever 
 the effort to spread slavery into the new territories, 
 by whatever means, and into the free states them- 
 selves, by Supreme Court decisions, shall be fairly 
 headed off, the institution will then be in course of 
 
 * A Chicago journalist, author of the first biography of Lin- 
 coln, New York Tribune Tracts^ No. 6 (i860). 
 
To Lyman Trumbull 87 
 
 ultimate extinction; and by the language used I 
 meant only this. 
 
 I do not intend this for publication; but still 
 you may show it to any one you think fit. I think 
 I shall, as you suggest, take some early occasion 
 to publicly repeat the declaration I have already 
 so often made as before stated. 
 
 Yours very truly, 
 
 A. Lincoln 
 
 To Lyman Trumbull ^ 
 
 Springfield, June 23, 1858 
 
 Hon. Lyman Trumbull 
 
 My dear Sir : Your letter of the i6th reached me 
 only yesterday. We had already seen, by telegraph, 
 a report of Douglas' general onslaught upon every- 
 body but himself. I have this morning seen the 
 "Washington Union," in which I think the Judge 
 is rather worsted [worried ?] in regard to that on- 
 slaught. 
 
 In relation to the charge of an alliance between 
 the Republicans and Buchanan men in this State, 
 if being rather pleased to see a division in the ranks 
 of the Democracy, and not doing anything to pre- 
 vent it, be such alliance, then there is such alliance, 
 — at least that is true of me. But if it be intended 
 to charge that there is any alliance by which there 
 
 * See note on p. 66. 
 
88 Letters of Abraham Lincoln 
 
 is to be any concession of principle on either side, 
 or furnishing of the sinews, or partition of offices, 
 or swopping of votes, to any extent ; or the doing 
 of anything, great or small, on the one side, for a 
 consideration, express or implied, on the other, no 
 such thing is true so far as I know or believe. 
 
 Before this reaches you, you will have seen the 
 proceedings of our Republican State Convention. 
 It was really a grand affair, and was, in all respects, 
 all that our friends could desire. 
 
 The resolution in effect nominating me for Sena- 
 tor I suppose was passed more for the object of 
 closing down upon this everlasting croaking about 
 Wentworth than anything else. 
 
 The signs look reasonably well. Our State ticket, 
 I think, will be elected without much difficulty. 
 But, with the advantages they have of us, we shall 
 be very hard run to carry the Legislature. 
 
 We shall greet your return home with great 
 pleasure. 
 
 Yours very truly 
 
 A. Lincoln. 
 
 To Robert Moseley 
 
 Springfield, July 2, 1858. 
 
 Robert Moseley, Esq. 
 
 My dear Sir : Your letter of the 29th is received, 
 and for which I thank you. Herewith I send a little 
 
To Gustave Koerner 89 
 
 article which I wish you would have published in 
 the "Prairie Beacon" next week. 
 
 Besides my own recollection I have carefully 
 examined the journals since I saw you and I know 
 the editor will be entirely safe in publishing the 
 article. Get it into the first paper. 
 Yours very truly, 
 
 A. Lincoln. 
 
 To Gustave Koerner ^ 
 
 Springfield July 15, 1858. 
 Hon. G. Koerner. 
 
 My dear Sir : I have just been called on by one 
 of our German republicans here, to ascertain if 
 Mr. Hecker could not be prevailed on to visit this 
 region and address the Germans, at this place, and 
 a few others at least. Please ascertain and write 
 me. He would of course have to be paid something. 
 Find out from him about how much. 
 
 I have just returned from Chicago. Douglas 
 took nothing by his motion there — in fact, by 
 his rampant endorsement of the Dred Scott deci- 
 sion he drove back a few republicans who were 
 favorably inclined towards him. His tactics just 
 now, in part is, to make it appear that he is hav- 
 ing a triumphal entry into, and march through 
 the country; but it is all as bombastic and hollow 
 
 * Original owned by Miss Sophia M. Rombauer, St. Louis, Mo. 
 
90 Letters of Abraham Lincoln 
 
 as Napoleon's bulletins sent back from his cam- 
 paign in Russia. I was present at his reception in 
 Chicago, and it was certainly very large and im- 
 posing; but judging from the opinions of others 
 better acquainted with faces there, and by the 
 strong call for me to speak, when he closed, I 
 really believe we could have voted him down in 
 that very crowd. 
 
 Our meeting, twenty-four hours after, called 
 only twelve hours before it came together and got 
 up without trumpery, was really as large and five 
 times as enthusiastic. ^ 
 
 I write this for your private eye, to assure you 
 that there is no solid shot in these bombastic pa- 
 rades of his. 
 
 Yours very truly, 
 
 A. Lincoln. 
 
 To Henry E. Dummer 
 
 Springfield July 20, 1858. 
 
 Henry E. Dummer, Esq. 
 
 My dear Sir : When I was in Beardstown last 
 spring. Dr. Sprague said if I would leave a bill, he 
 would pay it before long. I do not now remember 
 that I spoke to you about it. I am now in need of 
 money. Suppose we say the amount shall be $50. ? 
 If the Dr. is satisfied with that, please get the 
 money and send it to me. 
 
To Henry E. Dummer 91 
 
 And while you have pen in hand, tell me what 
 you may know about politics down your way. 
 Yours as ever, 
 
 A. Lincoln. 
 
 To Henry C. Whitney ^ 
 
 Springfield, August 2, 1858. 
 
 Dear Whitney : Yours of the 3 1^^ is just received. 
 I shall write to B. C. Cook^ at Ottawa and to 
 Lovejoy himself on the subject you suggest. 
 
 Pardon me for not writing a longer letter. I have 
 a great many letters to write. I was at Monticello 
 Thursday evening. Signs all very good. 
 Your friend as ever 
 
 A. Lincoln. 
 
 To Henry E. Dummer ^ 
 
 Springfield, Aug. 5 1858. 
 
 Friend Dummer: Yours, not dated, just received. 
 No accident preventing I shall be at Beardstown 
 
 ^ A close legal and political associate of Lincoln and a personal 
 friend; author of Life on the Circuit with Lincoln and a posthumous 
 Life of Lincoln (1908). This letter was reproduced in facsimile 
 in Life on the Circuit with Lincoln, p. 492. 
 
 2 Burton C. Cook. For a letter of this date referring appar- 
 ently to Whitney's letter, see Works, Nicolay and Hay, Tandy's 
 ed., 1905, in, 198. 
 
 ^ By courtesy of William F. Dummer, Chicago Historical 
 Society. 
 
92 Letters of Abraham Lincoln 
 
 on the 1 2th. I thank you for the contents of your 
 letter generally. I have not time now to notice the 
 various points you suggest, but I will say I do not 
 understand the Republican party to be committed 
 to the proposition "No more slave States." I 
 think they are not so committed. Most certainly 
 they prefer there should be no more, but I know 
 there are many of them who think we are under 
 obligations to admit slave States from Texas, if 
 such shall be presented for admission ; but I think 
 the party as such is not committed either way. 
 Your friend as ever, 
 
 A. Lincoln. 
 
 To GUSTAVE KOERNER 
 
 Springfield, Aug. 6, 1858. 
 
 Hon. G. Koerner. 
 
 My dear Sir : Yesterday morning I found a drop 
 letter from Governor Bissell ^ urging, partly in 
 consequence of a letter from you, that my late 
 speeches, or some of them shall be printed in 
 pamphlet form both in English and German. Hav- 
 ing had a good many letters to the same effect, I 
 went at once to the Journal office here, and set 
 them to work to print me in English fifty dollars 
 worth of my last speech at Springfield, July 17th, 
 that appearing, by what I hear, to be the most 
 
 * William H. Bissell, Republican Governor of Illinois. 
 
To Norman B. Judd 93 
 
 "taking" speech I have made. For that sum they 
 will furnish about 7000; they will, at the same time, 
 print some more, on their account, and keep the 
 type standing for a while. I also wrote to Judd 
 yesterday to get the same speech done up there in 
 German. When I hear from him I will write you 
 again. 
 
 Some things are passing strange. Wednesday 
 morning Douglas* paper here, the "Register," 
 went out crowing over the defeat of Blair at St. 
 Louis, and Blair's paper, the "Missouri Demo- 
 crat," comes back the next day puffing and en- 
 couraging Douglas ! 
 
 Please write me on receipt of this and let me 
 know if you have any news from Madison. Every 
 place seems to be coming up to my expectations 
 except Madison. 
 
 Your friend as ever, 
 
 A. Lincoln 
 
 To Norman B. Judd ^ 
 
 ASHVILLE, Oct. 20, 1 858. 
 
 Hon. N. B. Judd, 
 
 My dear Sir : — I now have a high degree of con- 
 fidence that we shall succeed, if we are not over 
 
 ^ Chairman of the Illinois delegation in the Republican Con- 
 vention of i860; Minister to Prussia, 1861-65; and Congress- 
 man, 1867-71. Original owned by Mr. Frederick M. Steele, 
 Highland Park, III. 
 
94 Letters of Abraham Lincoln 
 
 run with fraudulent votes to a greater extent than 
 usual. On alighting from the cars and walking the 
 square at Naples on Monday, I met about fifteen 
 Celtic gentlemen, with black carpet sacks in their 
 hands. 
 
 I learned that they had crossed over from the 
 railroad in Brown county, but where they were 
 going no one could tell. They dropped in about the 
 doggeries, and were still hanging about when I left. 
 At Brown County yesterday, I was told that about 
 four hundred of the same sort were to be brought 
 into Schuyler, before the election to work on some 
 new railroad, but on reaching here I find Bagly 
 thinks that is not so. What I most dread is that 
 they will introduce into the doubtful districts num- 
 bers of men who are legal voters in all respects 
 except residence and who will swear to residence 
 and thus put it beyond our power to exclude them. 
 They can and I fear will swear falsely on that point, 
 because they know it is next to impossible to con- 
 vict them of perjury upon it. 
 
 Now the great reassuring fact of the campaign, 
 is finding a way to head this thing off. Can it be 
 done at all ? 
 
 I have a bare suggestion. When there is a known 
 body of these voters, could not a true man, of the 
 ^'detective" class, be introduced among them in dis- 
 guise, who could, at the nick of time, control their 
 votes ? Think this over. It would be a great thing, 
 
To Gen. Eleazar A. Paine 95 
 
 when this trick is attempted upon us, to have the 
 saddle come up on the other horse. 
 
 I have talked, more fully than I can write, to 
 Mr. Scripps, and he will talk to you. 
 
 If we can head off the fraudulent votes we shall 
 carry the day. 
 
 Yours as ever, 
 
 A. Lincoln. 
 
 To John Moses 
 
 Blandonville, Oct. 24, 1858. 
 
 Hon John Moses 
 
 My Dear Sir : Throw on all your weight. Some 
 things I have heard make me think your case is 
 not desperate as you thought when I was in Win- 
 chester. Put in your best licks. 
 Yours in haste 
 
 A. Lincoln. 
 
 To Gen. Eleazar A. Paine ^ 
 
 Springfield, Nov. 19, 1858. 
 
 Gen. Eleazar A. Paine. 
 
 Dear Sir: . . .Well, the election is over; and, in 
 the main point, we are beaten. Still my view is 
 that the fight must go on. Let no one falter. The 
 
 1 A lawyer of Monmouth, 111. This letter probably enclosed 
 one from Dr. A. G. Henry to Lincoln. See letter to Henry in 
 IForks, Nicolay and Hay, 1894, i, 521, and same, Tandy's ed., 
 190S. V, 94. 
 
96 Letters of Abraham Lincoln 
 
 question is not half settled. New splits and divi- 
 sions will soon be upon our adversaries, and we shall 
 fuse again. 
 
 Yours as ever 
 
 A. Lincoln 
 
 To Dr. B. Clarke Lundy ^ 
 
 Springfield, Nov. 26, 1858. 
 Dr. B. C. Lundy: 
 
 My dear Sir : Your kind letter with enclosure 
 is received, and for which I thank you. It being 
 my own judgement that the fight must go on, it 
 affords me great pleasure to learn that our friends 
 are nowhere dispirited. 
 
 There will be another "blow up" in the democ- 
 racy, Douglas managed to be supported both as 
 the best instrument to break dozvn, and to up-hold 
 the slave power. No ingenuity can keep this de- 
 ception — this double position — up a great while. 
 Yours very truly, 
 
 A. Lincoln. 
 
 To Lyman Trumbull 
 
 Springfield, Dec. 11, 1858. 
 Hon. L. Trumbull. 
 
 My dear Sir: Your letter of the 7th enclosing 
 one from Mr. Underwood is received. I have not 
 
 ^ Copied from a facsimile. 
 
1^^ vU 
 
To Lyman Trumbull 97 
 
 the slightest thought of being a candidate for Con- 
 gress in this District. I am not spoken of in the 
 connection; and I can scarcely conceive what has 
 misled Mr. Underwood in regard to the matter. 
 
 As to what we shall do, the Republicans are a 
 little divided. The Danites^ say if we will stand 
 out of the way, they will run a man, and divide 
 the democratic forces with the Douglasites; and 
 some of our friends are in favor of this course. 
 Others think such a course would demoralize us, 
 and hurt us in the future; and they, of course, 
 are in favor of running a man of our own at all 
 events. This latter view will probably prevail. ^ 
 
 Since you left, Douglas has gone South, making 
 characteristic speeches, and seeking to reinstate 
 himself in that section. The majority of the demo- 
 cratic politicians of the nation mean to kill him ; 
 but I doubt whether they will adopt the aptest 
 way to do it. Their true way is to present him with 
 no new test, let him into the Charleston conven- 
 tion, and then outvote him, and nominate an- 
 other. In that case, he will have no pretext for 
 bolting the nomination, and will be as powerless 
 as they can wish. On the other hand, if they 
 push a Slave Code upon him, as a test, he will 
 bolt at once, turn upon us, as in the case of Le- 
 compton, and claim that all Northern men shall 
 make common cause in electing him President as 
 
 1 The anti-Douglas faction of Administration Democrats. 
 
98 Letters of Abraham Lincoln 
 
 the best means of breaking down this Slave power. 
 In that case, the democratic party go into a mi- 
 nority inevitably; and the struggle in the whole 
 North will be, as it was in Illinois last summer 
 and fall, whether the Republican party can main- 
 tain its identity, or be broken up to form the tail 
 of Douglas's new kite. Some of our great Repub- 
 lican doctors will then have a splendid chance 
 to swallow the pills they so eagerly prescribed for 
 us last spring. Still I hope they will not swallow 
 them; and although I do not feel that I owe the 
 said doctors much, I will help them, to the best of 
 my ability, to reject the said pills. The truth is, 
 the Republican principle can in no wise live with 
 Douglas ; and it is arrant folly now, as it was last 
 spring, to waste time, and scatter labor already 
 performed, in dallying with him. 
 
 Your friend as ever, 
 
 A. Lincoln. 
 
 To Lyman Trumbull * 
 
 Springfield, Jany 29. 1859 
 
 Hon: L. Trumbull 
 
 Dear Sir: I have just received your late speech, in 
 pamphlet form, sent me by yourself. I had seen, 
 and read it, before, in a newspaper; and I really 
 think it is a capital one. 
 
 * See note on p. 66. 
 
To Mark W. Delahay 99 
 
 When you can find leisure, write me your present 
 impressions of Douglas' movements. Our friends 
 here from different parts of the State, in and out 
 of the Legislature, are united, resolute, and deter- 
 mined; and I think it is almost certain that we 
 shall be far better organized for i860 than ever 
 before. 
 
 We shall get no just apportionment ; and the best 
 we can do, (if we can even do that) is to prevent 
 one being made worse than the present. 
 Yours as ever 
 
 A. Lincoln. 
 
 To Mark W. Delahay * 
 
 Springfield, Ills. Feb. i, 1859. 
 
 M. W. Delahay, Esq. 
 
 My dear Sir : Yours of the 22nd of January is 
 received. I do expect to visit Council Bluffs 
 some time between this and next summer; and 
 I should be pleased if I could arrange it so as to 
 meet a Republican mass convention at your city. 
 Until the Legislature shall adjourn, no one can 
 tell what will be the time of holding court in any 
 county — a thing I must keep my eye on this year, 
 as I lost pretty nearly all of the last. When I can 
 speak more definitely I will write again. Let me 
 say now, however, that I think the later in May the 
 
 * Original owned by Mr. Jesse W. Weik. 
 
100 
 
 Letters of Abraham Lincoln 
 
 better, unless you could defer until the last half of 
 June, which would be the very best for me. I am 
 obliged to be here the first half of June. 
 Yours, very truly, 
 
 A. Lincoln. 
 
 To Lyman Trumbull ^ 
 
 Springfield, Feb. 3. 1859 
 
 Hon. L. Trumbull 
 
 My dear Sir: Yours of the 29th is received. 
 The article ^ mentioned by you, prepared for the 
 "Chicago Journal," I have not seen; nor do I wish 
 to see it, though I heard of it a month, or more, 
 ago. Any effort to put enmity between you and 
 me, is as idle as the wind. I do not for a moment 
 doubt that you, Judd, Cook, Palmer, and the 
 Republicans generally, coming from the old Dem- 
 ocratic ranks, were as sincerely anxious for my 
 success in the late contest, as I myself, and the 
 old Whig Republicans were. And I beg to assure 
 you, beyond all possible cavil, that you can 
 scarcely be more anxious to be sustained two years 
 
 ^ See note on p. 66. ^ t t i. 
 
 2 This was " an article said to have been prepared by Col. John 
 Wentworth ... the object of which evidently is to stir up bad 
 feeling between Republicans who were formerly Whigs and those 
 who were Democrats, and more especially to create prejudice 
 against myself [Trumbull] and the Democratic portion of the 
 party." The article had been refused publication but had been 
 circulated privately. 
 
To P. H. Watson loi 
 
 hence than I am that you shall be so sustained. I 
 can not conceive it possible for me to be a rival of 
 yours, or to take sides against you in favor of any 
 rival. Nor do I think there is much danger of the 
 old Democratic and Whig elements of our party 
 breaking into opposing factions. They certainly 
 shall not, if I can prevent it. 
 
 I do not perceive that there is any feeling here 
 about Cuba ; and so I think, you can safely venture 
 to act upon your own judgment upon any phase 
 of it which may be presented. 
 
 The H. R. passed an apportionment bill yester- 
 day — slightly better for [us] than the present in 
 the Senate districts; but perfectly outrageous in 
 the H. R. districts. It can be defeated without 
 any revolutionary movement, unless the session 
 be prolonged. 
 
 Yours as ever 
 
 A. Lincoln 
 
 To P. H. Watson ^ 
 
 Chicago, March 2, 1859. ^ 
 P. H. Watson, Esq., 
 
 My dear Sir : At last I am here to give some 
 attention to the suit of Haines and Haines vs. 
 Talcott and others. I write chiefly now to get up 
 a correspondence with you by which, if possible, 
 
 * Original owned by Mr. J. L. Smith, Ashtabula, Ohio. 
 
I02 
 
 Letters of Abraham Lincoln 
 
 the labor may be lightened, and the time shortened, 
 in getting the case ready for trial. I have looked 
 over your answer, and filed a Replication. By the 
 Answer you lay a foundation to take, and, I sup- 
 pose, intend to take a great deal of proof, all which 
 must be by depositions. We will have to take some 
 on our part to begin with, besides rebutting yours 
 as well as we may be able. In all this it is desirable 
 that we agree upon times and places, without the 
 labor and delay of formal notices. 
 
 Besides this, it occurs to me that we might man- 
 age to get the opinion of the Court on our branch 
 of the law, even if that be for you, it would save 
 all the labor as to the other. I mean for us, with 
 the consent of the Court, to first make the question 
 of infringement, if our right be as it apparently is, 
 on the face of the patent, have you infringed it ? If 
 this be decided for you, it is an end of the case. If 
 for us, we can then enter upon the larger and more 
 laborious plan of trying whether our apparent right 
 is or is not a real one — whether it is substantially 
 the same as are now on older things. 
 
 Consider this and write me, at Springfield, as 
 soon as you conveniently can. Make any sugges- 
 tions of your own with the same frankness as I 
 
 have done. 
 
 Yours truly, 
 
 "" A. Lincoln. 
 
To Mark W. Delahay 103 
 
 To Haden Keeling ^ 
 
 Springfield, March 3, 1859. 
 
 Haden Keeling, Esq. 
 
 Dear Sir: Yours of Feb. 28th 1859 is received. 
 I do not think there is the least use of doing any 
 more with the law suit. I not only do not think 
 you are sure to gain it, but I do think you are sure 
 to lose it. Therefore the sooner it ends the better. 
 Yours truly, 
 
 A. Lincoln. 
 
 To Mark W. Delahay^ 
 
 Springfield, March 4, 1859. 
 
 M. W. Delahay, Esq. 
 
 My dear Sir: — Your second letter in relation 
 to my being with you at your Republican conven- 
 tion was duly received. It is not at hand just now, 
 but I have the impression from it that the conven- 
 tion was to be at Leavenworth; but day before 
 yesterday a friend handed me a letter from Judge 
 M. F. Conway in which he also expresses a wish for 
 me to come, and he fixes the place at Ossawatomie. 
 This I believe is off of the river, and will require 
 more time and labor to get to it. It will push 
 me hard to get there without injury to my own 
 
 > Original owned by Mr. Jesse W. Weik. 
 * Printed in Writings, Lapsley ed., v, 22. Original in the pos- 
 session of the Illinois State Historical Society. 
 
104 Letters of Abraham Lincoln 
 
 business ; but I shall try to do it, though I am not 
 yet quite certain I shall succeed. 
 
 I should like to know before coming, that while 
 some of you wish me to come, there may not be 
 others who would quite as lief I would stay away. 
 Write me again. 
 
 Yours as ever 
 
 A. Lincoln 
 
 To Thomas J. Pickett ^ 
 
 Springfield, March 5, 1859. 
 T. J. Pickett, Esq. 
 
 My Dear Sir : Yours of the 2nd inst. inviting me 
 to deliver my lecture on "Inventions" in Rock 
 Island, is at hand and I regret to be unable, from 
 press of business to comply therewith. 
 
 In regard to the other matter you speak of, I 
 beg that you will not give it a further mention. 
 Seriously, I do not think I am fit for the Presi- 
 dency.^ Very truly. 
 
 Your Obt servt 
 
 A. Lincoln 
 
 ^ A newspaper editor of Rock Island, 111. During the War 
 he was a quartermaster's agent there. See letter of Apr. 20, 
 1863, to C. Truesdale in Works, Nicolay and Hay, 1894, 11, 326, 
 and same, Tandy's ed., 1905, vin, 251. Transcript furnished by 
 Mr. Pickett to Mr. Herndon, Nov. 29, 1866. 
 
 * Mr. Pickett wrote again urging Lincoln to run for the 
 Presidency, and Lincoln replied in the same strain, Apr. 16, 
 1859. See Works, Nicolay and Hay, 1894, i, 533, and same, 
 Tandy's ed., 1905, v, 127. 
 
To William A. Ross 105 
 
 To P. H. Watson 
 
 P. H. Watson, Esq., 
 
 My dear Sir: Reaching here the 14th, I found 
 yours of the 7th. I have not heard from Haines 
 for some time, and until I do hear from him I can 
 say nothing definite about taking evidence. When 
 I hear from him I will write you. 
 
 Yours truly, A. Lincoln. 
 
 To William A. Ross 
 
 Lincoln, Logan Co., Ills. 
 March 26, 1859. 
 
 Wm. a. Ross, Esq: 
 
 My dear Sir: Yours of the i8th was received a 
 week ago. I would really be pleased with a publi- 
 cation substantially as you propose. But I would 
 suggest a few variations from your plan. I would 
 not include the Republican platform; because that 
 would give the work a one-sided party cast, unless 
 the democratic platform is also included. 
 
 I would not take all the speeches from the Press- 
 Tribune; but I would take mine from that paper; 
 and those of Judge Douglas from the Chicago 
 Times. This would represent each of us, as re- 
 ported by his own friends, and thus be mutual, and 
 fair. I would take the speeches alone; rigidly ex- 
 cluding all comments of the newspapers. I would 
 include the correspondence between Judge Douglas 
 
io6 Letters of Abraham Lincoln 
 
 and myself which led to the joint discussions. I 
 would call the thing "Illinois political canvass of 
 1858"; and, as faUing within the title, I would 
 select and include half a dozen of the National 
 Democratic speeches. Last autumn and winter I 
 got up a scrap-book precisely on the plan I have 
 stated. The parts stand in the order following — 
 
 My speech at Springfield, at the RepubUcan 
 convention, June 16, 1858. 
 
 Douglas' speech at Chicago, July 9, 1858 
 
 My speech at Chicago July 10, 1858. 
 
 Douglas' speech at Bloomington July 16, 1858 
 
 Douglas' speech at Springfield, July 17, 1858 
 
 My speech at Springfield July 17, 1858. 
 
 The correspondence which led to the joint dis- 
 cussions. 
 
 The joint discussions, in the order in which they 
 occurred. 
 
 The National Democratic speeches, to come in 
 after the others, in the order among themselves 
 in which they were delivered. 
 
 In my own speeches I have corrected only a few 
 small typographical errors. The other speeches 
 I have not touched; but merely pasted them in 
 from the papers in which they were reported. 
 
 Judge Douglas would have the right to correct 
 typographical errors in his, if he desires; but I 
 think the necessity, in his case, would be less than 
 in mine ; because he had two hired reporters travel- 
 
To Gustave Koerner 107 
 
 ling with him, and probably revised their manu- 
 scripts before they went to press; while I had 
 no reporter of my own, but depended on a very 
 excellent one sent by the Press-Tribune; but who 
 never wanted to show me his notes or manu- 
 scripts; so that the first I saw of my speeches 
 after delivering them, was in the Press-Tribune 
 precisely as they now stand. 
 
 My scrap book would be the best thing to print 
 from; still, as it cost me a good deal of labor to get 
 it up, and as I am very desirous to preserve the 
 substance of it permanently, I would not let it go 
 out of my control. If an arrangement could be made 
 to print it in Springfield, under my own supervision, 
 I would allow the scrap-book to be used, and would 
 claim no share in any profit that could be made 
 out of the publication. 
 
 I am here now, attending court ; and seize a mo- 
 ment to answer yours, which I ought to have done 
 sooner. Let me hear from you again. 
 Yours with respects 
 
 A. Lincoln 
 
 To Gustave Koerner 
 
 Springfield, April ii, 1859. 
 
 Hon. G. Koerner 
 
 My dear sir : Reaching home last night, I found 
 your letter of the 4th. The meeting of the Central 
 
io8 Letters of Abraham Lincoln 
 
 Committee was at Bloomington, and not here. I 
 was there attending court, and, in common with 
 several other outsiders, one ^of whom was Judge 
 Trumbull, was in conference with the Commit- 
 tee, to some extent. Judd privately mentioned 
 the subject of which you write, to me, and requested 
 me to prepare a resolution, which I did. When I 
 brought in the resolution and read it to the com- 
 mittee, and others present, in an informal way, 
 Judge Trumbull suggested that it would be better 
 to select some act of our adversaries, rather than 
 of our friends, upon which to base a protest against 
 any distinction between native and naturalized 
 citizens, as to the right of suffrage. This led to a 
 little parley, I was called from the room, the thing 
 passed from my mind, and I do not now know 
 whether anything was done about it by the Com- 
 mittee. Judge Trumbull will be in Belleville when 
 this reaches you, and he probably can tell you all 
 about it. Whether anything was done or not, some- 
 thing must be, the next time the Committee meets, 
 which I presume will be before long. 
 
 I am right glad the Committee put in operation 
 our plan of organization which we started here last 
 winter. They appointed Mr. Fell of Bloomington 
 as Secretary. 
 
 Yours as ever 
 
 A. Lincoln 
 
To Salmon P. Chase 109 
 
 To Salmon P. Chase ^ 
 
 Springfield, III., 
 April 30^^ 1859. 
 
 Hon. S. p. Chase, 
 
 Dear Sir : Reaching home yesterday I found your 
 kind note of the 14^^, informing me that you have 
 given Mr. Whitney the appointment he desired; 
 and also mentioning the present encouraging as- 
 pects of the RepubUcan cause, and our lUinois 
 canvass of last year. 
 
 I thank you for the appointment; allow me also 
 to thank you as being one of the very few distin- 
 guished men whose sympathy we thought we had 
 reason to expect. 
 
 Of course I would have preferred success; but 
 failing in that, I have no regrets for having 
 rejected all advice to the contrary, and resolutely 
 made the struggle. Had we thrown ourselves into 
 the arms of Douglas as re-electing him by our votes 
 would have done, the Republican cause would 
 have been annihilated in Illinois, and, as I think, 
 demoralized and prostrated everywhere for years, 
 if not forever. As it is, in the language of Benton, 
 *we are clean,* and the Republican star gradually 
 rises higher everywhere. 
 
 Yours truly, A. Lincoln. 
 
 » Original in the archives of the Pennsylvania Historical So- 
 ciety. Printed in H. C. Whitney's Lije of Lincoln, New York, 
 1908. 
 
no Letters of Abraham Lincoln 
 
 To Charles Ambos ^ 
 
 Spgfield Ills June 21, 1859. 
 
 Charles Ambos, Esq., 
 
 Dear Sir : I have had two or three letters from 
 you recently in regard to the claim of your Com- 
 pany against T. A. Barret. Mr. Barret has been 
 telling me for the month past that there is some 
 money at Christian Co. of the claim assigned to 
 your Company as security which can be had when 
 he and I can go there together to release a portion 
 of the land involved; but I have been unable to 
 get off at any time when I could [get] Barret to 
 go with me. 
 
 I now think I will get off in a few days. It is so 
 very much better to get the debt reduced by actual 
 payments than to push forward in sole reliance 
 upon the law, that I am loth to lose any oppor- 
 tunity of this sort. 
 
 I would now very gladly surrender the charge of 
 the case to any one you would designate, without 
 charging anything for the much trouble I have 
 already had. 
 
 Yours &c 
 
 A. Lincoln 
 
 * See letters of July 27, 1859, to Samuel Galloway in Works, 
 Nicolay and Hay, 1894, i, 536, and same, Tandy's ed., 1905, v, 
 134- 
 
To Nathan Sargent iii 
 
 To Nathan Sargent ^ 
 
 Springfield, III., 
 June 23, 1859. 
 
 Hon. Nathan Sargent. 
 
 My dear Sir: Your very acceptable letter of the 
 13^^ was duly received. Of course I would be 
 pleased to see all the elements of opposition united 
 for the approaching contest of i860; but I confess 
 I have not much hope of seeing it. You state a 
 platform for such union in these words "Opposi- 
 tion to the opening of the Slave-trade ; and eternal 
 hostility to the rotten democracy .'^^ You add, by 
 way of comment "I say, if the republicans would 
 be content with this, there will be no obstacle to 
 a union of the opposition. But this should be dis- 
 tinctly understood, before Southern men are asked 
 to join them in a National convention." Well, 
 I say such a platform, unanimously adopted 
 by a National convention, with two of the best 
 men living placed upon it as candidates, would 
 probably carry Maryland, and would certainly 
 not carry a single other State. It would gain 
 nothing in the South, and lose everything in 
 the North. Mr. Goggin has just been beaten in 
 
 ^ Judge Sargent had been a prominent member of the Whig 
 Party, to which he had given its name. He was afterwards 
 Commissioner of Customs under Lincoln, Johnson, and Grant. 
 Reprinted from Harper's Weekly, Feb. 13, 1909, where it was 
 printed in an article by Henry Oldys. 
 
112 Letters of Abraham Lincoln 
 
 Virginia on just such a platform. Last year the 
 Republicans of Illinois cast 125,000 votes; on such 
 a platform as yours they can not cast as many 
 as 50,000. You could not help perceiving this, if 
 you would but reflect that the republican party 
 is utterly powerless everywhere, if it will, by any 
 means, drive from it all those who came to it from 
 the democracy for the sole object of preventing 
 the spread and nationalization of slavery. When- 
 ever this object is waived by the organization, they 
 will drop the organization; and the organization 
 itself will dissolve into thin air. Your platform 
 proposes to allow the spread and nationalization of 
 slavery to proceed without let or hindrance, save 
 only that it shall not receive supplies directly from 
 Africa. Surely you do not seriously believe the 
 Republicans can come to any such terms. 
 
 From the passage of the Nebraska bill up to date, 
 the Southern opposition have constantly sought 
 to gain an advantage over the rotten democracy, 
 by running ahead of them in extreme opposition 
 to, and vilification and misrepresentation of black 
 republicans. It will be a good deal, if we fail to 
 remember this in malice, (as I hope we shall fail to 
 remember it ;) but it is altogether too much to ask 
 us to try to stand with them on the platform which 
 has proved altogether insufficient to sustain them 
 alone. If the rotten democracy shall be beaten in 
 i860, it has to be done by the North; no human 
 
To Editor of Central Transcript 113 
 
 invention can deprive them of the South. I do 
 not deny that there are as good men in the South 
 as the North; and I guess we will elect one of 
 them if he will allow us to do so on Republican 
 ground. I think there can be no other ground of 
 union. For my single self I would be willing to 
 risk some Southern man without a platform; but 
 I am satisfied that is not the case with the Repub- 
 lican party generally. 
 
 Yours very truly 
 
 A. Lincoln 
 
 To THE Editor of the Central Transcript ^ 
 
 Springfield, July 3, 1859. 
 Editor or the Central Transcript. 
 
 Dear Sir: Your paper of the ist which I presume 
 you sent me is received. Put me on your sub- 
 scription list, and I will pay at fall court. 
 
 I cut a slip from the number and return it with 
 a word of comment. I shall heartily support for 
 Governor whoever shall be nominated by a Rcr 
 publican state convention ; and no one more heart- 
 ily than any one of the five you name. But is not 
 the fling you make at our Northern brethren both 
 unjust to them, and dangerous to our cause ? You 
 open by saying, "A strong controversy is going 
 on between the Chicago papers as to who shall 
 
 ^ Found in Mr. Herndon's papers. 
 
114 Letters of Abraham Lincoln 
 
 be the next Republican nominee for Governor." 
 I was unaware of this. I have not seen in any Chi- 
 cago paper, a man named or pointed to, whom such 
 paper do declare for as its candidate for Governor. 
 Have you? Again, ought you to say, as you do, 
 that "the matter will be entirely controlled by 
 the Central and Southern portions of the state"? 
 Surely, on reflection, you will agree that the matter 
 must be controlled, in due proportion, by all parts 
 of the state. Again, you say, "The defeat of Mr. 
 Lincoln may be attributed to the course pursued 
 by these Northerners in putting none but the 
 most ultra men on the track, as candidates for the 
 more important state and Federal offices &c.'' 
 This statement is indeed strange. The Republi- 
 can party, since its organization in Illinois, has 
 gone through two general elections — in 1856 
 and 1858; and "these Northerners" have not 
 even had a single candidate for a state office, or 
 a Federal office commensurate with the state, 
 either residing within their section, or hold- 
 ing their supposed ultra views. In 1856 they put 
 on the track, Bissell of Belleville for Governor, 
 Hatch of Pike Co. for secretary of state, Dubois, 
 of Lawrence Co. for Auditor, Miller of Bloommg- 
 
 ton for Treasurer, etc 
 
 Another very marked fact is that these North- 
 erners," in the two past elections, gave nearly all 
 the votes that carried them; and that the next elec- 
 
To D. J. Powers 115 
 
 tion will be lost unless "these Northerners" do the 
 same thing again. Your fling about men entangled 
 with the "Matteson Robbery" as you express it, — 
 and were indicted for stealing niggers and mail 
 bags, I think is unjust and impolitic. Why manu- 
 facture slang to be used against us by our enemies ? 
 The world knows who are alluded to by the men- 
 tion of stealing niggers and mail bags. . . . Have 
 candidates by agreement, and not by force, help 
 one another instead of trying to hurt one another. 
 I do not write this for publication, and would not 
 have written at all, had I expected a chance to see 
 and talk with you soon. 
 
 Yours very truly, A. Lincoln. 
 
 To D. J. Powers ^ 
 
 Springfield, Ills. Aug. i8, 1859. 
 D. J. Powers, Esq., 
 
 Dear Sir : — Reaching home after an absence [of] 
 nine days I have yours of the 12th. 
 
 I have also received that of July 27 ; and, to be 
 plain, I dislike to decline the honor you tendered 
 me. Two difficulties were in the way — first, I 
 could not well spare the time from the Courts ; and 
 secondly, I have no address of the sort prepared, 
 and could scarcely spare the time to prepare 
 one; and I was waiting, before answering you, to 
 
 ^ Original owned by Mr. Frederick M. Steele, Highland Park, 
 111. 
 
ii6 Letters of Abraham Lincoln 
 
 determine whether the difficulties could be sur- 
 mounted. I will write you definitely on the ist day 
 of September, if you can safely delay so long. 
 Yours very truly, 
 
 A. Lincoln 
 
 To Peter Zinn ^ 
 
 Springfield, Ills., Sept. 6, 1859. 
 
 Peter Zinn, Esq. 
 
 Dear Sir : Yours of the 2nd in relation to my ap- 
 pearing at Cincinnati in behalf of the Opposition is 
 received. I already had a similar letter from Mr. 
 W. J. Bascom, Secretary of the Republican State 
 Central Committee at Columbus, which I answer 
 to-day. You are in correspondence with him, and 
 will learn all from him. I shall try to speak at 
 Columbus and Cincinnati, but cannot do more. 
 Yours truly, 
 
 A. Lincoln. 
 
 To Mark W. Delahay ^ 
 
 Springfield, October 17, 1859. 
 Dear Delahay : Your letter requesting me to drop 
 a line in your favor to Gen. Lane was duly received. 
 I have thought it over, and concluded it is not the 
 
 1 Copy furnished by Mr. Judd Stewart. 
 
 * This letter and the following are from Horace White's Life 
 of Lyman Trumbull, Boston, 1913, p. loi. Originals in the col- 
 lection of Mr. Jesse W. Weik. 
 
To Mark W. Delahay 117 
 
 best way. Any open attempt on my part would 
 injure you; and if the object merely be to assure 
 Gen. Lane of my friendship for you, show him the 
 letter herewith enclosed. I never saw him, or cor- 
 responded with him ; so that a letter directly from 
 me to him, would run a great hazard of doing harm 
 to both you and me. 
 
 As to the pecuniary matter, about which you 
 formerly wrote me, I again appealed to our friend 
 Turner by letter, but he never answered. I can but 
 repeat to you that I am so pressed myself, as to be 
 unable to assist you, unless I could get it from him. 
 
 Yours as ever, 
 (Enclosure) A. Lincoln. 
 
 To Mark W. Delahay ^ 
 
 Springfield, October 17, 1859. 
 
 M. W. Delahay, Esq., 
 
 My Dear Sir: I hear your name mentioned for 
 one of the seats in the U.S. Senate from your new 
 state. I certainly would be gratified with your suc- 
 cess; and if there was any proper way for me to 
 give you a lift, I would certainly do it. But, as it is, 
 I can only wish you well. It would be improper for 
 me to interfere ; and if I were to attempt it, it would 
 do you harm. 
 
 Your friend, as ever, A. Lincoln 
 
 P.S. Is not the election news glorious .? 
 
 * Enclosed with the preceding letter. 
 
ii8 Letters of Abraham Lincoln 
 
 To William Dungy ^ 
 
 Springfield, November 2, 1859. 
 
 Wm. Dungy, Esq.: 
 
 Dear Sir: — Yours of October 27 is received. 
 When a mortgage is given to secure two notes, and 
 one of the notes is sold and assigned, if the mort- 
 gaged premises are only sufficient to pay one note, 
 the one assigned will take it all. Also, an execution, 
 from a judgement on the assigned note, may take 
 it all ; it being the same thing in substance. There 
 is redemption on execution sales from the United 
 States Court just as from any other Court. 
 
 You did not mention the name of plaintiff or 
 defendant in the suit, and so I can tell nothing 
 about it as to sales, bids, etc. Write again, 
 Yours, etc., 
 
 A. Lincoln. 
 
 To P. Quinn Harrison^ 
 
 Springfield, Nov. 3, 1859. 
 P. QuiNN Harrison, 
 
 Dear Sir: I have no reason to doubt that our 
 friends are doing the best they can about the 
 election. 
 
 * First printed in Joseph H. Barrett's Abraham Lincoln and 
 his Presidency, i, 208; reprinted in Writings, Lapsley ed., v, 1 13. 
 
 * Original owned by Mr. Jesse W. Weik. 
 
To Lyman Trumbull 119 
 
 Still, you can do some more if you will. A young 
 man before the enemy has learned to watch him, 
 can do more than any other. Pitch in and try. 
 Palmer is good and true, and deserves the best vote 
 we can give him. If you can make your precinct 20 
 votes better than it was last we probably shall 
 redeem the county. Try. 
 
 Yours Truly, 
 
 A. Lincoln 
 
 To Jesse A. Pickerel ^ 
 
 Springfield, Nov. 3, 1859. 
 Dear Jesse .— I am never done asking for favors. 
 I shall be much obliged if you and William and 
 your sons will do what you can to get as good a 
 vote for Palmer as possible. He is a good and true 
 man; and we possibly may elect him. Get all our 
 voters out you can. 
 
 Yours as ever, 
 
 A. Lincoln. 
 
 To Lyman Trumbull ^ 
 
 Springfield, Nov. 28, 1859 
 
 Hon. L. Trumbull. 
 
 My dear Sir: Yours of the 23rd is received. I 
 agree with you entirely about the contemplated 
 
 » Original owned by Mr. Jesse W. WeiL 
 « See note on p. 66. 
 
120 Letters of Abraham Lincoln 
 
 election of Forney.^ Nothing could be more short- 
 sighted than to place so strong a man as Forney in 
 position to keep Douglas on foot. I know nothing 
 of Forney personally; but I would put no man in 
 position to help our enemies in the point of our 
 hardest strain. 
 
 There is nothing new here. I have written 
 merely to give my view about this Forney business. 
 Yours as ever 
 
 A. Lincoln 
 
 To John J. Crittenden ^ 
 
 December 22, 1859. 
 Address^ Springfield, Illinois. 
 
 Hon. J. J. Crittenden, 
 U.S. Senate. 
 My Dear Sir: I should not care to be a candidate 
 of a party having as its only platform "The Con- 
 stitution, the Union and the enforcement of the 
 laws." "The Constitution," as we understand it, 
 has been the shibboleth of every party or malcon- 
 
 * John W. Forney strenuously supported Douglas in his oppo- 
 sition to the Kansas policy of President Buchanan, was clerk of 
 the National House of Representatives in 1851-55, and again 
 in 1859. He became an ardent Republican and was Secretary of 
 the Senate in 1861-68. 
 
 ^ United States Senator from Kentucky. From a pamphlet en- 
 titled Some Lincoln Correspondence with Southern Leaders before 
 the Outbreak of the Civil War, from the Collection of Judd Stew- 
 art, 1909. The letter was there printed from a copy. 
 
To John J. Crittenden 121 
 
 tent from the Hartford Convention that wanted to 
 secede from slave territory and the "Blue Light" 
 burners who were in British sympathy in 18 12, to 
 John C. Calhoun and South Carolina Nullifica- 
 tion. 
 
 The Union, we intend to keep, and loyal states 
 will not let disloyal ones break it. Its constitution 
 and laws made in pursuance thereof must and shall 
 remain, "the supreme law of the land." The en- 
 forcement of what laws ? If they are those which 
 give the use of jails & domestic police for masters 
 seeking "fugitives from labor" that means war in 
 the North. No law is stronger than is the public 
 sentiment where it is to be enforced. Free speech 
 and discussion and immunity from whip & tar 
 and feathers, seem implied by the guarantee to 
 each state of "a republican form of government." 
 Try Henry Clay's "gradual emancipation" scheme 
 now in Kentucky, or to circulate W. L. Garrison's 
 Liberator where most men are salivated by the 
 excessive use of the Charleston Mercury. Father 
 told a story of a man in your parts required to give 
 a warrantee bill of sale with a horse. He wrote, " I 
 warrant him sound in skin and skeleton and with- 
 out faults or faculties." That is more than I can 
 say of an unmeaning platform. Compromises of 
 principles break of their own weight. 
 Yours very respectfully 
 
 A. Lincoln 
 
122 Letters of Abraham Lincoln 
 
 To Lyman Trumbull ^ 
 
 Springfield, Dec. 25, 1859 
 
 Hon. Lyman Trumbull 
 
 Dear Sir: About the 15th by direction of Mr. 
 Judd, I sent a letter and inclosures to him, ad- 
 dressed to your care; and I have not yet learned 
 whether he received it. 
 
 I have carefully read your speech; and I judge 
 that, by the interruptions, it came out a much bet- 
 ter speech than you expected to make when you 
 began. It really is an excellent one, many of the 
 points being most admirably made. 
 
 I was in the inside of the Post-Office last evening 
 when a mail came bringing a considerable number 
 of your documents ; and the Post-Master said to 
 me "These will be put in the boxes, and half will 
 never be called for. If Trumbull would send them 
 to me I would distribute a hundred to where he will 
 get ten distributed this way." 
 
 I said, "Shall I write this to Trumbull?" He re- 
 plied, " If you choose you may." I believe he was 
 sincere; but you will judge of that for yourself. 
 Yours as ever 
 
 A. Lincoln 
 
 1 See note on p. 6S. 
 
To Alexander H. Stephens 123 
 
 To Fernando Jones 
 
 Springfield Jan. 15, i860. 
 
 Fernando Jones, Esq. 
 
 My dear Sir : Yours of the 10^^ was received two 
 or three days ago ; and being much engaged, I have 
 postponed attending to it until now. 
 
 Our Republican friend, J. W. FelV of Bloom- 
 ington, Illinois, can furnish you the material for 
 a brief sketch of my history, if it be desired. 
 
 I shall be happy to receive a letter from you at 
 any time. 
 
 Yours truly, 
 
 A. Lincoln 
 
 To Alexander H. Stephens ^ 
 
 Springfield, Illinois, 19 January, i860. 
 Duplicated for Senator J no. J. Crittenden 
 
 Honorable A. H. Stephens 
 
 Dear Sir : Your letter and one from Hon. J. J. 
 Crittenden, reached me at the same time. He 
 wants a new party on the platform of "The Union, 
 the constitution and the enforcement of the Laws" 
 
 » Mr. Fell was one of the first to urge Lincoln to seek the Re- 
 publican nomination for President. 
 
 2 From a pamphlet entitled Some Lincoln Correspondence with 
 Southern Leaders before the Outbreak of the Civil War, from the 
 Collection of Judd Stewart, 1909. The letter was there printed 
 from a copy certified as correct by Mr. Stephens. 
 
124 Letters of Abraham Lincoln 
 
 — not construed. You from your retirement at 
 Liberty Hall complain of the bad faith of many in 
 the free states who refuse to return fugitives from 
 labor, as agreed in the compromise of 1850, 1854: 
 but I infer that you agree with Judge Douglas that 
 the territories are to be left to "form and regulate 
 their own domestic institutions subject only to the 
 Constitution of the United States." I remember 
 the letter of the Whigs in Congress in 1852 which 
 defeated Gen'l Winfield Scott on the ground that 
 he did not present your view of States' rights. 
 Also that your letter destroyed the Whig party and 
 it is said that you and Toombs voted for Webster 
 after he was dead. You are still "harping" on "my 
 daughter" and you supported Zach Taylor as a 
 sound Kentuckian. If I understand you, here are 
 two constructions : Crittenden being willing for the 
 Henry Clay gradual emancipation, I think. The 
 rights of local self-government as defined by 
 Webster, also including state determination of 
 citizenship, are clearly in the Constitution. When 
 we were both Members of the Young-Indian Club 
 in Washington you then argued for paramount 
 state Sovereignty going very nearly to the extreme 
 of state nullification of Federal laws with John C. 
 Calhoun: and of secession at will with Robert 
 Toombs. The Colonies were subject up to July 4, 
 1776, and had no recognized independence until 
 they had won it in 1783 : but the only time they 
 
To Alexander H. Stephens 125 
 
 ever had the shadows of separate sovereignty was 
 in the two }/ears before they were compelled to 
 the articles of Confederation July 9, 1778. They 
 fought England for seven years for the right to 
 club together but when were they independent of 
 each other ? Let me say right here that only unani- 
 mous consent of all of the states can dissolve this 
 Union. We will not secede and you shall not. Let 
 me show you what I think of the reserved rights of 
 the states as declared in the articles of Confedera- 
 tion and in the Constitution and so called Jeffer- 
 sonian amendments; suppose that I sold a farm 
 here in Illinois with all and singular the rights, 
 members and appurtenances to the same in any 
 wise belonging or appertaining, signed, sealed and 
 delivered : I have now sold my land. Will it at all 
 change the contract if I go to the clerk's office and 
 add a post script to the record ; that all rights not 
 therein conveyed I reserve to myself and my chil- 
 dren .? The colonies, by the Declaration of July 4, 
 1776, did not get nationality, for they were leagued 
 to fight for it. By the articles of Confederation of 
 July 9, 1778, under stress and peril of failure with- 
 out union, a government was created to which the 
 states ceded certain powers of nationality, especially 
 in the command of the army and navy, as yet sup- 
 ported by the states. Geo. Washington was Com- 
 mander in Chief and congress was advisory agent 
 of the states, commending but not enacting laws 
 
126 Letters of Abraham Lincoln 
 
 for the thirteen, until empowered. This proved in- 
 sufficient and the peril of failure was great as 
 ever, at home and abroad. Alexander Hamilton 
 and others of New York were first to urge that a 
 government with no revenues, except state grants, 
 could have no credit at home or abroad. Three 
 years later Virginia led the states in urging con- 
 cessions of power, and then by twelve states — 
 Rhode Island objecting — was framed our original 
 Constitution of 1787 fully three and a half years 
 after the peace that sealed our United national 
 Independence. The post-script erroneously all at- 
 tributed to Thomas Jefferson, came in three in- 
 stallments. The first ten (10) proposed in the first 
 session of the Congress of the United States 25th 
 September 1789 were ratified by the constitutional 
 number of states 15 December 1791, New Jersey 
 20 November 1789 and Virginia 15 December 1791, 
 eleven states only, Georgia and Connecticut dis- 
 senting. The eleventh amendment, proposed 5 
 March 1794, Third Congress, was then declared 
 duly adopted by a President's message of 8 Jan- 
 uary, 1798, eleven states consenting & finally 
 all consenting. The twelfth amendment was pro- 
 posed in congress 12 December 1803 and declared 
 ratified through the secretary of state 25 Septem- 
 ber 1804 by the constitutional quorum of states. 
 The first ten articles are the Bill of Rights and each 
 set of amendments had a preface. The eleventh 
 
To Alexander H. Stephens 127 
 
 limited the Federal Judiciary. The twelfth regu- 
 lated general elections for President and Vice- 
 President of the United States. Do any or all of 
 these retract the fee-simple grant of great and per- 
 manent powers to the Federal Government ? There 
 are three great Departments: I, the President com- 
 manding the Army and Navy and with a veto upon 
 a plurality of Congress. II, the Congress coining 
 all moneys ; collecting all imposts on imports, regu- 
 lating all interstate as all external commerce ; mak- 
 ing all subordinate Federal Judiciary as appointed 
 of the President with power to have a ten mile 
 square seat and to take grants or to buy for Forts, 
 Dock yards and Arsenals ; having post offices and 
 post roads under laws executed by the President, 
 and to frame supreme constitutional laws and set 
 up courts and Judges. Ill, The supreme court 
 set as arbiter and expounder of the constitution and 
 of all differences of states and with states or of 
 them with the Federation; no loop hole left for 
 nullification, and none for secession, — because 
 the right of peaceable assembly and of petition 
 and by article Fifth of the Constitution, the right 
 of amendment, is the Constitutional substitute for 
 revolution. Here is our Magna Carta not wrested 
 by Barons from King John, but the free gift of 
 states to the nation they create and in the very 
 amendments harped upon by states rights men 
 are proposed by the Federal congress and approved 
 
128 Letters of Abraham Lincoln 
 
 by Presidents, to make the liberties of the Republic 
 of the West forever sure. All of the States' Rights 
 which they wished to retain are now and forever 
 retained in the Union, including slavery; and so I 
 have sworn loyalty to this constitutional Union, 
 and for it let me live or let me die. But you say 
 that slavery is the corner stone of the south and if 
 separated, would be that of a new Republic ; God 
 forbid. When a boy I went to New Orleans on a 
 flat boat and there I saw slavery and slave mar- 
 kets as I have never seen them in Kentucky, and I 
 heard worse of the Red River plantations. I hoped 
 and prayed that the gradual emancipation plan of 
 Henry Clay or the Liberian colonization of John 
 Q. Adams might lead to its extinction in the United 
 States. Geo. Washington, the Massachusetts 
 Adams, Presidents James Madison and Monroe, 
 Benj. Franklin opposed its extension into the 
 territories before I did. The ordinance of 1784, 
 1787 for the North West territory ceded by Vir- 
 ginia, was written by Thomas Jefferson and signed 
 only by slave-holders and that prohibited forever 
 slavery, or involuntary servitude not imposed for 
 crime. Your grandfather. Captain Stephens, suf- 
 fered at Valley Forge and bled at Brandywine 
 for the principles of the men of 1 776-1 783. Your 
 Uncle, Justice Grier of the Supreme Bench has 
 recently expounded the Supreme Law as I hon- 
 estly accept it. Senator Crittenden complains that 
 
To Gustave Koerner 129 
 
 by the device of party conventions and nomina- 
 tions of candidates for Presidents and Vice-Presi- 
 dents the Federal plan of separate and unbiased 
 Electoral Colleges is taken away and the popular 
 feature of elections is restored to the people. I 
 reckon they wanted it so. What are you agoing to 
 do about it? To abolish conventions you must 
 abolish candidates. In your Oxford College ora- 
 tions, you say "I love the Union and revere its 
 memories ; I rejoice in all its achievements in arts, 
 in letters and in arms." If it is a good thing, why 
 not just keep it and say no more about it ? 
 
 I am not in favor of a party of Union, constitu- 
 tion and law to suit Mr. Bell or Mr. Everett and 
 be construed variously in as many sections as there 
 are states. 
 
 This is the longest letter I ever dictated or wrote. 
 But this is to only you alone, not to the public. 
 Your truly, 
 
 A. Lincoln. 
 
 To Gustave Koerner 
 
 Springfield, Jan 20, i860. 
 
 Hon. G. Koerner, 
 
 My dear Sir: Yesterday the Judge decided the 
 demurrer against us on all the points. On looking 
 over your memorandum left with me, I find you 
 desired me to have the case set for trial as late as 
 
130 Letters of Abraham Lincoln 
 
 I can. But really I find I have no power to set a 
 time for the trial. The opposite party is not here, 
 in person or by counsel, and the Judge, properly 
 enough, refuses to make a stipulation for the absent 
 party. He says he understands, however, that the 
 case is not to come up before the 24th. 
 
 I have telegraphed you to-day; but if this reaches 
 you before you leave, you might see Jewett at St. 
 Louis and make an arrangement. 
 Yours truly, 
 
 A. Lincoln 
 
 To Abraham Jonas ^ 
 
 Springfield, Feb. 4, i860 
 
 Hon. a. Jonas. 
 
 My dear Sir: Yours of the 3rd inquiring how you 
 can get a copy of the debates now being published 
 in Ohio is received. As you are one of my most 
 valued friends, and have complimented me by the 
 expression of a wish for the book, I propose doing 
 myself the honor of presenting you with one, as 
 soon as I can. By the arrangement our Ohio 
 friends have made with the publishers, I am to have 
 one hundred copies gratis. When I shall receive 
 them I will send you one by express. I understand 
 they will not be out before March and I probably 
 
 ^ An English Jew settled at Quincy, III., and a political friend 
 of Lincoln. See p. 241. 
 
To Henry E. Dummer 131 
 
 shall be absent about that time, so that you must 
 not be disappointed if you do not receive yours 
 before about the middle of the month. 
 Yours very truly, 
 
 A. Lincoln 
 
 To Henry E. Dummer 
 
 February 8, i860. 
 
 Dear Mr. Dummer : I have examined and consid- 
 ered the general proposition in your letter accom- 
 panying copy of contract in relation to Lard tubs, 
 apparatus &c., and in my opinion the Messrs H. C. 
 Gadsen and Co. will, as a general proposition, have 
 a right to continue to use the Tubs, apparatus &c 
 which they have. 
 
 The reason why I say " as a general proposition " 
 is that I fear the phraseology of the contract de- 
 prives them of it. 
 
 The language of the contract is so explicit and 
 so often repeated that the right to use "shall be 
 until the expiration of patent" that I fear it will be 
 held that by the contract they cannot have the 
 benefit of the enterprise. 
 
 Much might be said on the other side and I only 
 mean to say that in my mind the question on the 
 phraseology of the contract is doubtful and per- 
 haps is worth trying. 
 
 Yours as ever, A. Lincoln. 
 
132 Letters of Abraham Lincoln 
 To O. P. Hall and I (or J.) H. Fullininder 
 
 Springfield Feb. 14, i860. 
 
 Messrs. O. P. Hall & 
 
 I OR J. H. Fullininder. 
 Gentlemen: Your letter in which, among other 
 things, you ask what I meant when I said this 
 "Union could not stand half slave and half free"; 
 and also what I meant when I said "a house 
 divided against itself could not stand " is received 
 and I very cheerfully answer it as plainly as I may 
 be able. You misquote, to some material extent, 
 what I did say, which induces me to think you have 
 not very carefully read the speech in which the 
 expressions occur which puzzle you to understand. 
 For this reason and because the language I used 
 is as plain as I can make it, I now quote at length 
 the whole paragraph in which the expressions which 
 puzzle you occur. It is as follows: "We are now far 
 into the fifth year since a policy was initiated with 
 the avowed object and confident promise of putting 
 an end to slavery agitation. Under the operation 
 of that policy that agitation has not only not 
 ceased, but constantly augmented. I believe it will 
 not cease until a crisis shall have been reached, and 
 passed. A house divided against itself can not 
 stand. I believe this government can not endure 
 permanently, half slave, and half free. I do not ex- 
 pect the Union to be dissolved : I do not expect the 
 
To Messrs. Hall and Fullininder 133 
 
 house to fall; but I do expect it will cease to be 
 divided. It will become all one thing, or all the 
 other. Either the opponents of slavery will avert 
 the further spread of it and place it where the 
 public mind shall rest in the belief that it is in 
 course of ultimate extinction; or its advocates will 
 push it forward till it will become alike lawful in 
 all the states, old as well as new. North as well as 
 South." 
 
 That is the whole paragraph ; and it puzzles me 
 to make my meaning plainer. Look over it care- 
 fully, and conclude I meant all I said, and did not 
 mean any thing I did not say, and you will have 
 my meaning. Douglas attacked me upon this, say- 
 ing it was a declaration of war between the slave 
 and the free states. You will perceive, I said no 
 such thing, and I assure you I thought of no such 
 thing. If I had said I believe the Government can- 
 not last always half slave and half free, would you 
 understand it any better than you do.? Endure 
 permanently and last always have exactly the same 
 meaning. If you, or if you will state to me some 
 meaning which you suppose I had, I can and will 
 instantly tell you whether that was my meaning. 
 Your very truly, 
 
 A. Lincoln. 
 
134 Letters of Abraham Lincoln 
 
 To Beers & Mansfield 
 
 Springfield, Ills., 
 March 14, i860 
 
 Mess. Beers and Mansfield. 
 
 Gentlemen: Your request to take a photographic 
 likeness of me, while in your city, was duly re- 
 ceived; but at a time when my arrangements were 
 so made that I could not call upon you before 
 leaving. I would have written sooner, but the 
 matter passed out of my mind; and is now recalled 
 by the sight of your note. I beg you will believe me 
 guilty of no intentional disrespect. 
 Very Respectfully, 
 
 A. Lincoln 
 
 To Mark W. Delahay ^ 
 
 Springfield, Ills. 
 Mar. 16, i860. 
 
 Dear Delahay: I have just returned from the 
 East. Before leaving I received your letter of 
 Feb. 6; and on my return I find those of the 17^^ 
 and 19^^ with Gen'l Lane's note inclosed in one of 
 them. I sincerely wish you could be elected one of 
 the first Senators from Kansas; but how to help 
 you I do not know. If it were permissible for me 
 
 ^ Original owned by Mr. Jesse W. Weik. An extract was 
 published in Writings^ Lapsley, v, 178, with name suppressed. 
 
To Mark W. Delahay 135 
 
 to interfere, I am not personally acquainted with a 
 single member of your Legislature. If my known 
 friendship for you could be of any advantage, that 
 friendship was abundantly manifested by me last 
 December while in Kansas. If any member had 
 written me, as you say some have Trumbull, I 
 would very readily answer him. I shall write 
 Trumbull at this sitting. 
 
 I understood, while in Kansas, that the State 
 Legislature will not meet until the State is ad- 
 mitted. Was that the right understanding.? 
 
 As to your kind wishes for myself, allow me to 
 say I can not enter the ring on the money basis — 
 first, because, in the main, it is wrong; and sec- 
 ondly, I have not, and can not get, the money. I 
 say, in the main, the use of money is wrong; but 
 for certain objects, in a political contest, the use of 
 some, is both right and indispensable. With me as 
 with yourself, this long struggle has been one of 
 great pecuniary loss. I now distinctly say this: If 
 you shall be appointed a delegate to Chicago, I will 
 furnish one hundred dollars to bear the expenses 
 of the trip. 
 
 Present my respects to Gen'l Lane; and say to 
 him, I shall be pleased to hear from him at any 
 time. ' 
 
 Your friend, as ever, 
 
 A. Lincoln 
 
 P.S. I have not yet taken the newspaper slip to 
 
136 Letters of Abraham Lincoln 
 
 the Journal. I shall do that tomorrow, and then 
 send you the paper as requested. 
 
 A. L. 
 
 To Lyman Trumbull ^ 
 
 Springfield, Mar. 16, i860 
 
 Hon: L. Trumbull 
 
 My dear Sir: When I first saw by the despatches 
 that Douglas had run from the Senate while you 
 were speaking I did not quite understand it; but 
 seeing by the report that you were cramming down 
 his throat that infernal stereotyped lie of his about 
 "negro equality" the thing became plain. 
 
 Another matter. Our friend Delahay wants to 
 be one of the Senators from Kansas. Certainly it 
 is not for outsiders to obtrude their interference. 
 Delahay has suffered a great deal in our cause, and 
 been very faithful to it, as I understand. He writes 
 me that some of the members of the Kansas Legis- 
 lature have written you in a way that your simple 
 answer might help him. I wish you would consider 
 whether you can not assist him that far, without 
 impropriety. I know it is a delicate matter; and I 
 do not wish to press you beyond your own judge- 
 ment. 
 
 Yours as ever 
 
 A. Lincoln. 
 
 * See note on p. 66. 
 
To Ward H. Lamon 137 
 
 To Lyman Trumbull ^ 
 
 Chicago, March 26, i860 
 
 Hon: L. Trumbull 
 
 My dear Sir: They are having a desperate strug- 
 gle in Connecticut; ^ and it would both please, and 
 help our friends there, if you could be with them in 
 the last days of the fight. Having been there, I 
 know they are proud of you as a son of their own 
 soil, and would be moved to greater exertion by 
 your presence among them. 
 
 Can you not go? Telegraph them, and go right 
 along. The fiendish attempt now being made upon 
 Connecticut, must not be allowed to succeed. 
 Yours as ever 
 
 A. Lincoln 
 
 To Ward H. Lamon 
 
 Chicago, March 28, i860 
 
 Mr. W. H. Lamon. 
 
 My dear Sir: Yours about motions to quash the 
 indictment was received yesterday. I think I had 
 no authority but the statute when I wrote the in- 
 dictment — in fact I remember but little about it. 
 I think yet there is no necessity for setting out the 
 
 * See note on p. 66. 
 
 * After his speech at the Cooper Institute, February 27, i860, 
 Lincoln spent several days in Connecticut. 
 
138 Letters of Abraham Lincoln 
 
 letter in haec verba. Our statute as I think releases 
 the high degree of technical certainty formerly 
 required. 
 
 I am so busy with our case on trial here that I 
 cannot examine authorities here as fully as you 
 can there. If after all the indictment shall be 
 quashed it will prove that my forte is as a states- 
 man rather than a prosecutor. 
 Yours as ever, 
 
 A. Lincoln 
 
 To R. M. CORWINE 1 
 
 Springfield, III., April 0^, i860. 
 
 Hon. R. M. Corwine. 
 
 My Dear Sir — Reaching home yesterday after an 
 absence of more than two weeks, I found your let- 
 ter of the 24th of March. Remembering that when 
 not a very great man begins to be mentioned for a 
 very great position, his head is very likely to be a 
 little turned, I concluded I am not the fittest per- 
 son to answer the questions you ask. Making due 
 allowance for this, I think Mr. Seward is the very 
 best candidate we could have for the North of Illi- 
 nois, and the very worst for the South of it. The 
 estimate of Gov. Chase here is neither better nor 
 
 * A delegate from Ohio to the Chicago Convention in i860. 
 During the War for the Union he served on the staff of General 
 Fremont. 
 
To R. M. Corwine 139 
 
 worse than that of Seward, except that he is a 
 'newer man. They are regarded as being almost the 
 same, seniority giving Seward the inside track. 
 Mr. Bates, I think, would be the best man for 
 the South of our State, and the worst for the North 
 of it. If Judge McLean ^ was fifteen, or even ten 
 years younger, I think he would be stronger than 
 either, in our state, taken as a whole; but his great 
 age, and the recollection of the deaths of Harrison 
 and Taylor have, so far, prevented his being much 
 spoken of here. 
 
 I really believe we can carry the state for either 
 of them, or for any one who may be nominated; 
 but doubtless it would be easier to do it with some 
 than with others. 
 
 I feel myself disqualified to speak of myself in 
 this matter. I feel this letter will be of little value 
 to you; but I can make it no better, under the cir- 
 cumstances. Let it be strictly confidential, not that 
 there is any thing really objectionable in it, but 
 because it might be misconstrued. 
 Yours very truly, 
 
 A. Lincoln. 
 
 1 John McLean, of Ohio, United States Supreme Court Jus- 
 tice. He received twelve votes on the first ballot in the con- 
 vention and five on the third and last ballot. 
 
140 Letters of Abraham Lincoln 
 
 To Lyman Trumbull^ 
 
 Springfield, Ills. April 7, i860 
 
 Hon: L. Trumbull 
 
 My dear Sir: Reaching home from Chicago, 
 where I have been engaged two weeks in the trial 
 of a lawsuit, I found your letter of March 26th. 
 
 Of course you can do no better for Delahay 
 than you promise. I am trying to keep out of the 
 contest among our friends for the Gubernatorial 
 nomination ; but from what I hear, the result is in 
 considerable doubt. 
 
 We have just had a clear party victory in our 
 City election; and our friends are more encour- 
 aged, and our enemies more cowed by it, than by 
 anything since the organization of the Republi- 
 can party. Last year we carried the city; but we 
 did it, not by our own strength, but by an open 
 feud among our enemies. This year their feud was 
 healed ; and we beat them fairly by main strength. 
 
 I can scarcely give an opinion as to what effect 
 a nomination of Judge McLean, by the Union Con- 
 vention, would have. I do not believe he would ac- 
 cept it; and if he did, that fact alone, I think, would 
 shut him out of the Chicago Convention. If he 
 were ten years younger he would be our best can- 
 didate. 
 
 Yours as ever A. Lincoln 
 
 * See note on p. 66. 
 
To Mark W. Delahay 141 
 
 To John M. Carson 
 
 Springfield, April 7, i860 
 
 John M. Carson, Esq., 
 
 Chairman of the Committee of Lectures 
 Of the Harrison Literary Institute. 
 Dear Sir: Yours of March 14 addressed to me at 
 Chicago seeking to arrange with me to lecture for 
 the Harrison Literary Institute has been received. 
 I regret that I cannot make such an arrangement. 
 I am not a professional lecturer. Have never got 
 up but one lecture, and that I think rather a poor 
 one. Besides, what time I can spare from my own 
 business this season I shall be compelled to give to 
 politics. 
 
 Respectfully yours, 
 
 A. Lincoln. 
 
 To Mark W. Delahay ^ 
 
 Springfield, Ills. 
 April 14, i860. 
 
 M. W. Delahay, 
 
 My dear Sir: Reaching home last night I find 
 your letter of the 7th. You know I was in New 
 England. Some of the acquaintances I made while 
 there, write me since the elections that the close 
 
 » Published in the Works with name suppressed (Works, Nico- 
 lay and Hay, 1894, i, 633, and same, Tandy's ed., 1905, vi, 10). 
 
142 Letters of Abraham Lincoln 
 
 votes in Conn, and the quasi defeat in R.I. are a 
 drawback upon the prospects of Gov. Seward ; and 
 Trumbull writes Dubois to the same effect. Do 
 not mention this as coming from me. Both those 
 states are safe enough for us in the fall. I see by the 
 dispatches that since you wrote, Kansas has ap- 
 pointed Delegates and instructed them for Seward. 
 Don't stir them up to anger, but come along to the 
 convention, and I will do as I said about expenses. 
 Yours as ever, 
 
 A. Lincoln. 
 
 To Lyman Trumbull ^ 
 
 Springfield, April 29, i860 
 
 Hon: L. Trumbull: 
 
 My dear Sir: Yours of the 24th was duly received ; 
 and I have postponed answering it, hoping by the 
 result at Charleston, to know who is to lead our 
 adversaries, before writing. But Charleston hangs 
 fire, and I wait no longer. 
 
 ' As you request, I will be entirely frank. The 
 taste is in my mouth a little; and this, no doubt, 
 disqualifies me, to some extent, to form correct 
 opinions. You may confidently rely, however, that 
 by no advice or consent of mine, shall my preten- 
 tions be pressed to the point of endangering our 
 common cause. 
 
 ^ See note on p. 66. 
 
To Lyman Trumbull 143 
 
 Now, as to my opinions about the chances of 
 others in Illinois. I think neither Seward nor Bates 
 can carry Illinois if Douglas shall be on the track; 
 and that either of them can, if he shall not be. I 
 rather think McLean could carry it with D. on or 
 off; in other words, I think McLean is stronger in 
 Illinois, taking all sections of it, than either S. or B; 
 and I think S. the weakest of the three. I hear no 
 objection to Mr. McLean, except his age; but that 
 objection seems to occur to every one; and it is 
 possible it might leave him no stronger than the 
 others. By the way, if we should nominate him, 
 how would we save to ourselves the chance of fill- 
 ing his vacancy in the Court .? Have him hold on up 
 to the moment of his inauguration.? Would that 
 course be no draw-back upon us in the canvass ? 
 
 Recurring to Illinois, we want something here 
 quite as much as, and which is harder to get than, 
 the electoral vote — the Legislature. And it is 
 exactly in this point that Seward's nomination 
 would be hard upon us. Suppose he should gain us 
 a thousand votes in Winnebago, it would not com- 
 pensate for the loss of fifty in Edgar. 
 
 A word now for your own special benefit. You 
 better write no letters which can possibly be dis- 
 torted into opposition, or quasi opposition to me. 
 There are men on the constant watch for such 
 things out of which to prejudice my peculiar friends 
 against you. 
 
144 Letters of Abraham Lincoln 
 
 While I have no more suspicion of you than I 
 have of my best friend living, I am kept in a con- 
 stant struggle against suggestions of this sort. I 
 have hesitated some to write this paragraph, lest 
 you should suspect I do it for my own benefit, and 
 not for yours ; but on reflection I conclude you will 
 not suspect me. 
 
 Let no eye but your own see this — not that 
 there is anything wrong, or even ungenerous, in it; 
 but it would be misconstrued. 
 
 Your friend as ever A. Lincoln 
 
 To Lyman Trumbull^ 
 
 Private 
 
 Springfield, May i, i860 
 Hon: L. Trumbull 
 
 Dear Sir: In my last letter to you I believe I said 
 I thought Mr. Seward would be weaker in Illinois 
 than Mr. Bates. I write this to qualify the opinion 
 so far as to say I think S. weaker than B. in our 
 close Legislative districts ; but probably not weaker 
 taking the whole State over. 
 
 We now understand that Douglas will be nomi- 
 nated to-day by what is left of the Charleston 
 Convention. 
 
 All parties here dislike it. Republicans and 
 Danites,^ that he should be nominated at all; and 
 
 ^ See note on p. 66. ^ See note on p. 97. 
 
To C. M. Allen 145 
 
 Doug. Dem's that he should not be nominated by 
 an undivided Convention. 
 
 Yours as ever 
 
 A. Lincoln 
 
 To C. M. Allen ^ 
 
 Springfield, Ills., May i, i860 
 Hon: C. M. Allen: 
 
 My dear Sir: Your very kind letter of the 27th, 
 was received yesterday. This writing being early 
 in the morning, Douglas is not yet nominated ; but 
 we suppose he certainly will be before sun-set to- 
 day, a few of the smaller Southern states having 
 seceded from the convention — just enough to per- 
 mit his nomination, and not enough to hurt him 
 much at the election. This puts the case in the 
 hardest shape for us. But fight we must; and con- 
 quer we shall, in the end. 
 
 Our friend Dubois, and Judge David Davis, of 
 Bloomington, one or both, will meet you at Chi- 
 cago, on the 1 2th. 
 
 If you let Usher ^ and Griswold of Terre Haute 
 know, I think they will co-operate with you. 
 Yours very truly, 
 
 A. Lincoln. 
 
 ^ Of Vincennes, Ind. Original owned by Mr. Irving Swan 
 Brown, of Worcester, Mass. 
 
 ' John P. Usher, a lawyer friend of Lincoln's and afterwards 
 his Secretary of the Interior. 
 
146 Letters of Abraham Lincoln 
 
 To R. M. CORWINE 
 
 Private 
 
 Springfield, III., May 2, i860. 
 
 Hon. R. M. Corwine. 
 
 Dear Sir: — Yours of the 30th ult. is just re- 
 ceived. After what you have said, it is perhaps 
 proper I should post you, so far as I am able, as to 
 the *' lay of the land." First I think the Illinois del- 
 egation will be unanimous for me at the start ; and 
 no other delegation will. A few individuals in other 
 delegations would like to go for me at the start, but 
 may be restrained by their colleagues. It is repre- 
 sented to me by men who ought to know, that the 
 whole of Indiana might not be difficult to get. You 
 know how it is in Ohio. I am certainly not the first 
 choice there ; and yet I have not heard that anyone 
 makes any positive objection to me. It is just so 
 everywhere as far as I can perceive. Everywhere, 
 except here in Illinois and possibly Indiana, one or 
 another is preferred to me, but there is no positive 
 objection. This is the ground as it now appears. I 
 believe you personally know C. M. Allen of Vin- 
 cennes, Indiana. He is a delegate and has notified 
 me that the entire Indiana delegation will be in 
 Chicago the same day you name, Saturday, the 
 1 2th. My friends, Jesse K. Dubois, our auditor, 
 and Judge David Davis, will probably be there 
 
[Facsimile] 
 
 • ^//i '-' 1^, /^^ *>-, Jih. fhfij / /yts>^ 
 
 
To Lyman Trumbull 147 
 
 ready to confer with friends from other States. Let 
 me hear from you again when anything occurs. 
 Yours very truly, 
 
 A. Lincoln. 
 
 To James Grant Wilson 
 
 Springfield, May 2, i860. 
 Mr. James G. Wilson. 
 
 My Dear Friend: I am greatly obliged for the 
 volume of your friend Fitz Greene Halleck's poems. 
 Many a month has passed since I have met with 
 anything more admirable than his beautiful lines 
 on Bums. With Alnwick Castle, Marco Bozzaris, 
 and Red Jacket, I am also much pleased. 
 
 It is wonderful that you should have seen and 
 known a sister of Robert Burns. You must tell me 
 something about her when we meet again. 
 Yours very truly, 
 
 A. Lincoln. 
 
 To Lyman Trumbull ^ 
 
 Springfield, May 26, i860 
 Hon: L. Trumbull: 
 
 My dear Sir: I have received three letters from 
 you since the nomination, for all which I sincerely 
 thank you. As you say, if we can not get our State 
 up now, I do not see when we can. 
 * See note on p. 66. 
 
148 Letters of Abraham Lincoln 
 
 The nominations start well here, and everywhere 
 else, so far as I have heard. We may have a back- 
 set yet. Give my respects to the Republican Sena- 
 tors; and especially to Mr. Hamlin, Mr. Seward, 
 Gen. Cameron, and Mr. Wade. Also to your good 
 
 wife. 
 Write again; and do not write so short letters as 
 
 I do. 
 
 Your friend, as ever 
 
 A. Lincoln 
 
 To William C. Baker 
 
 Springfield, May 28, i860. 
 
 W C. Baker, 
 You request an autograph and here it is. 
 
 A. Lincoln 
 
 To Leonard Swett 
 
 Springfield, Ills. May 30, i860. 
 
 Hon. L. Swett. 
 
 My dear Sir: Your letter written to go to New 
 York is long, but substantially right I believe. You 
 heard Weed conversed with me, and you now have 
 Putnam's letters. It can not have failed to strike 
 you that these men ask for just the same thing — 
 fairness and fairness only. This so far as in my 
 power, they and all others shall have. If this sug- 
 gests any modification of or addition to your letter 
 
To Charles C. Nott 149 
 
 make it accordingly. Bum this; not that there is 
 anything wrong in it, but because it is best not to 
 be known that I wrote at all. 
 
 Yours as ever 
 
 A. Lincoln 
 
 To Charles C. Nott ^ 
 
 Springfield, Ills, 
 May 31, i860. 
 
 Charles C. Nott, Esq. 
 
 My Dear Sir: Yours of the 23 rd, accompanied by 
 a copy of the speech delivered by me at the Cooper 
 Institute, and upon which you have made some 
 notes for emendations, was received some days ago. 
 Of course I would not object to, but would be 
 pleased rather, with a more perfect edition of that 
 speech. 
 
 I did not preserve memoranda of my investiga- 
 tions; and I could not now re-examine, and make 
 notes, without an expenditure of time which I can 
 not bestow upon it. Some of your notes I do not 
 understand. 
 
 So far as it is intended merely to improve in 
 grammar and elegance of composition, I am quite 
 agreed; but I do not wish the sense changed, or 
 modified, to a hair's breadth. And you, not having 
 
 ^ Appointed judge of the Court of Claims by President Lin- 
 coln in 1865 and made chief justice of the court by President 
 Cleveland in 1896. 
 
ISO Letters of Abraham Lincoln 
 
 studied the particular points so closely as I have, 
 can not be quite sure that you do not change the 
 sense when you do not intend it. For instance, in a 
 note at bottom of first page, you propose to sub- 
 stitute " Democrats'' for "Douglas." But what I 
 am saying there is true of Douglas, and is not true 
 of "Democrats" generally; so that the proposed 
 substitution would be a very considerable blunder. 
 Your proposed insertion of "residences" though it 
 would do little or no harm, is not at all necessary to 
 the sense I was trying to convey. On page 5 your 
 proposed grammatical change would certainly do 
 no harm. Tht'' impudently absurd" I ?>l\ck^o. The 
 striking out "he" and inserting "we"^turns the 
 sense exactly wrong. The striking out "upon it" 
 leaves the sense too general and incomplete. The 
 sense is "act as they acted upon that question'* — 
 not as they acted generally. 
 
 After considering your proposed changes on page 
 7, 1 do not think them material, but I am willing to 
 defer to you in relation to them. 
 
 On page 9, striking out "to us" is probably right. 
 The word "lawyer's" I wish retained. The word 
 "Courts" struck out twice, I wish reduced to 
 "Court" and retained. "Court" as a collective 
 noun properly governs the plural "have" as I un- 
 derstand. "The" preceding "Court," in the latter 
 case, must also be retained. The words "quite, 
 "as," and "or" on the same page, I wish retained. 
 
To Lyman Trumbull 151 
 
 The italicising, and quotation marking, I have no 
 objection to. 
 
 As to the note at bottom, I do not think any too 
 much is admitted. What you propose on page 11, 
 is right. I return your copy of the speech, together 
 with one printed here, under my own hasty super- 
 vising. That at New York was printed without any 
 supervision by me. If you conclude to publish a 
 new edition, allow me to see the proof-sheets. 
 
 And now thanking you for your very compli- 
 mentary letter, and your interest for me generally, 
 I subscribe myself. 
 
 Your friend and servant, 
 
 A. Lincoln. 
 
 To Lyman Trumbull ^ 
 
 Springfield, Ills. May 31, i860. 
 
 Hon. L. Trumbull 
 
 My dear Sir: Yours of the 28th, inclosing that 
 which I have carefully read, and now return, is re- 
 ceived. Please say to Mr. Hamlin that my letter of 
 acceptance is already written and forwarded to 
 Mr. Ashmun,2 ^^ Springfield, Mass. ; that I would 
 send him, Mr. Hamlin, a copy, only that Mr. Ash- 
 mun, when here, sought and obtained a promise 
 
 ^ See note on p. 66. 
 
 ' George Ashmun of Massachusetts, Chairman of the Repub- 
 lican National Convention. 
 
152 Letters of Abraham Lincoln 
 
 from me that I would furnish a copy to no one ; that 
 the letter is very short, and, I think, conflicts with 
 none of Mr. Morey's suggestions, except that it 
 may be published by Mr. Ashmun before the Balti- 
 more Convention. Perhaps it would be best for 
 Mr. Hamlin and yourself not to communicate the 
 fact that the letter of acceptance is already written. 
 I am glad to learn the Philadelphia meeting had 
 force enough to not be spoiled by the storm. I look 
 with great interest for your letters now. 
 Your friend as ever, 
 
 A. Lincoln 
 
 To William A. Buckingham ^ 
 
 Springfield, Illinois, 
 June 4, i860. 
 
 Hon. W" a. Buckingham 
 
 My Dear Sir: Your kind letter of congratulation 
 was duly received, and I beg you will believe that 
 necessity alone has delayed the acknowledgement 
 of its receipt so long. I am truly glad to learn that 
 you have recovered your voice and that your gen- 
 eral health is better. 
 
 Please present my respects to Mrs. B. and believe 
 me, 
 
 Very truly yours, 
 
 A. Lincoln 
 
 * Governor of Connecticut, 1858-66. Printed by the courtesy 
 of Gen. William Appleton Aiken, of Norwich, Conn. 
 
To Lyman Trumbull iS3 
 
 To Joseph C. Abbott 
 
 Springfield, Ills. June 4, i860. 
 
 Joseph C. Abbott, Esq. 
 
 My dear Sir: Yours of the 22^^ was duly re- 
 ceived, but, till now I have not found leisure to so 
 much as acknowledge the receipt of it. 
 
 Of course I very well remember you; and I shall 
 be pleased to hear from you at any time. 
 Yours very truly, 
 
 A. Lincoln. 
 
 To Lyman Trumbull ^ 
 
 Springfield, Ills. June 5, i860 
 
 Hon. L. Trumbull 
 
 My dear Sir: Yours of May 31, inclosing Judge 
 Read's ^ letter, is received. 
 
 I see by the papers this morning, that Mr. Fill- 
 more refuses to go with us. What do the New- 
 Yorkers at Washington think of this ? Gov. Reeder 
 was here last evening direct from Pennsylvania. 
 He is entirely confident of that State, and of the 
 general result. I do not remember to have heard 
 Gen. Cameron's opinion of Penn. Weed was here, 
 and saw me; but he showed no signs whatever of 
 the intriguer. He asked for nothing; and said N.Y. 
 is safe, without condition. 
 
 ^ See note on p. 66. 
 
 « Judge Read of the Supreme Court of Pennsylvania. 
 
154 Letters of Abraham Lincoln 
 
 Remembering that Peter denied his Lord with an 
 oath, after most solemnly protesting that he never 
 would, I will not swear I will make no committals; 
 but I do think I will not. 
 
 Write me often. I look with great interest for 
 your letters now. 
 
 Yours as ever, A. Lincoln 
 
 To Charles Lanman 
 
 Springfield, III., June 9, i860. 
 
 Charles Lanman Esq., 
 
 My Dear Sir: Yours of the 4^^^ is duly received ; 
 and I shall gratefully accept the book when it ar- 
 rives, as it has not yet done. I already have a copy 
 which I purchased near a year ago, and which I 
 have found both interesting and valuable. 
 
 I thank you for both your letter and the book, 
 and shall be pleased to meet you at any time. 
 Yours respectfully, 
 
 A. Lincoln. 
 
 To J. E. TiLTON 
 
 Springfield, III., 
 June II, i860. 
 
 To J. E. TiLTON. 
 
 Boston. 
 Dear Sir: I have received your note . . . and also 
 the book. . . . 
 I have not yet had time to examine the book, but 
 
To George W. Lewis i5S 
 
 when I shall have done so, I probably shall present 
 it it [sic] to the younger Lincoln, as you request. 
 Yours truly 
 
 A. Lincoln. 
 
 To Joshua R. Giddings ^ 
 
 Springfield, Ills., June 26, i860 
 
 Hon. J. R. Giddings. 
 
 My dear Sir: Yours of June 19th was received in 
 due course, and its receipt would have been sooner 
 acknowledged but for illness in my family. The 
 suggestions you make are very important, and are 
 duly appreciated by me. If I fail, it will be for lack 
 of ability, and not of purpose. 
 
 Your note, sent by Mr. Tuck, was received, and 
 answered; but as you make no mention of my an- 
 swer, I fear you did not receive it. 
 
 Mrs. L. joins me in remembrances and good 
 wishes for you. 
 
 Your very truly, A. Lincoln. 
 
 To George W. Lewis 
 
 Springfield, III., June 30, i860 
 
 Geo. W. Lewis, Esq., 
 
 Dear Sir: Herewith I send you my autograph, 
 which you request. 
 
 Yours truly A. Lincoln 
 
 * This is the second letter to Mr. Giddings after Mr. Lincoln's 
 nomination for President. Original owned by Mr. Jesse W. Weik. 
 
is6 Letters of Abraham Lincoln 
 To Leonard Swett 
 
 Springfield, Ills., July i6, i860 
 
 Dear Swett: Herewith I return the letters of 
 Messrs. Putnam and Casey. I thank you for send- 
 ing them — in the main, they bring good news. 
 And yet that matter mentioned by Mr. Casey 
 about want of confidence in their Central commit- 
 tee pains me. I am afraid there is a germ of diffi- 
 culty in it. Will not the men thus suspected, and 
 treated as proposed, rebel, and make a dangerous 
 explosion ^. When you write Mr. Casey, suggest to 
 him that great caution and delicacy of action is 
 necessary in that matter. 
 
 I would like to see you and the Judge, one or 
 both, about that matter of your going to Pennsyl- 
 vania. 
 
 Yours, as ever, 
 
 A. Lincoln 
 
 To Francis E. Spinner ^ 
 
 Springfield, Ills. July 27, i860. 
 
 Hon. F. E. Spinner. 
 
 Dear Sir: You will perhaps be pleased, as I have 
 been, to know that many good men have tendered 
 me substantially the same advice that you do (ex- 
 
 ^ Member of Congress from New York, 1855-61; Treasurer 
 of the United States, 1861-75. 
 
To George G. Fogg 157 
 
 cepting as to re-election) and that no single man 
 of any mark has, so far, tempted me to a contrary 
 course. . . . 
 
 Yours very truly, A. Lincoln. 
 
 To Thomas Doney 
 
 Springfield, Ills., July 30, i860. 
 
 Thomas Doney, Esq. 
 
 My dear Sir: The picture (I know not the artistic 
 designation) was duly and thankfully received. I 
 consider it a very excellent one; though, truth to 
 say, I am a very indifferent judge. 
 
 The receipt of it should have been acknowledged 
 long ago; but it had passed from my mind till re- 
 minded of it by the letter of our friend, Dr. Dodson. 
 Yours very truly, 
 
 A. Lincoln. 
 
 To George G. Fogg ^ 
 
 Springfield, Ills. Aug. 16, i860 
 Hon. George G. Fogg. 
 
 My dear Sir: I am annoyed some by the printed 
 paragraph below, in relation to myself, taken from 
 the N.Y. Herald's correspondence from this place 
 of August 8^^. 
 
 * Then a member of the Republican National Committee; 
 afterwards Minister to Switzerland (1861-65) and Senator 
 from New Hampshire (1866-67). Original owned by Mr. Judd 
 Stewart, Plainfield, N.J. 
 
iS8 Letters of Abraham Lincoln 
 
 " He had, he said, on one occasion been invited to 
 go into Kentucky and revisit some of the scenes 
 with whose history his father in his lifetime had 
 been identified. On asking by letter whether Judge 
 Lynch would be present, he received no response; 
 and he therefore came to the conclusion that the 
 invitation was a trap laid by some designing person 
 to inveigle him into a slave state for the purpose of 
 doing violence to his person." 
 
 This is decidedly wrong. I did not say it. I do 
 not impugn the correspondent. I suppose he mis- 
 conceived the statement from the following inci- 
 dent. Soon after the Chicago nomination, I was 
 written to by a highly respectable gentleman of 
 Harden County, Ky., inquiring if I was a son of 
 Thomas Lincoln, whom he had known long ago in 
 that county. I answered that I was, and that I was 
 myself born there. He wrote again, and, among 
 other things, (did not invite me) but simply in- 
 quired if it would not be agreeable to me to revisit 
 the scenes of my childhood. I replied among other 
 things, "It would indeed, but would you not 
 Lynch me .? '* He did not write again. 
 
 I have playfully (and never otherwise) related 
 this incident several times; and I suppose I did so to 
 the Herald correspondent, though I do not remem- 
 ber it. If I did, it is all that I did say from which 
 the correspondent could have inferred his state- 
 ment. 
 
To George Bliss and Others 159 
 
 Now, I dislike, exceedingly, for Kentuckians to 
 understand that I am charging them with a purpose 
 to inveigle me, and do violence to me. Yet I can 
 not go into the newspapers. Would not the editor 
 of the Herald, upon being shown this letter, insert 
 the short correction which you find upon the in- 
 closed scrap ? 
 
 Please try him, unless you perceive some suffi- 
 cient reason to the contrary. In no event, let my 
 name be publicly used. 
 
 Yours very truly 
 
 A. Lincoln. 
 
 Correction 
 
 We have such assurance as satisfies us that our 
 correspondent writing from Springfield, Ills., under 
 date of Aug. 8 was mistaken in representing Mr. 
 Lincoln as expressing a suspicion of a design to in- 
 veigle him into Kentucky for the purpose of doing 
 him violence. 
 
 Mr. Lincoln neither entertains, nor has intended 
 to express any such suspicion. 
 
 To George Bliss and Others^ 
 
 Springfield, Aug. 22, i860. 
 To Messrs. Geo. Bliss & Others, Managers &c. 
 Gentlemen: Yours of the 8th inviting my attend- 
 ance at your National Exhibition of Imported 
 
 ^ Original owned by P. F. Madigan, Esq. 
 
i6o Letters of Abraham Lincoln 
 
 Blood & American breeds of Horses, on the 4th, 
 5th, 6th & 7th days of September, at Springfield, 
 Mass., was received in due course, and should have 
 been answered sooner. 
 
 For reasons not necessary to be mentioned, I am 
 constrained to decline the honor which you so 
 kindly tender me. 
 
 Your Obt. Servant, 
 
 A. Lincoln. 
 
 To George G. Fogg 
 
 Springfield, Ills. Aug. 29, i860. 
 
 Hon. George G. Fogg. 
 
 My dear Sir: Yours of the 2^^ was only received 
 yesterday evening. 
 
 You have done precisely right in that matter 
 with the Herald. Do nothing further about it. Al- 
 though it wrongs me, and annoys me some, I prefer 
 letting it run its course, to getting into the papers 
 over my own name. I regret the trouble it has 
 given you, and thank you also for having performed 
 your part so cheerfully and correctly. 
 
 What you say of the Empire state is of a piece 
 with all the news I received from there. The whole 
 field appears reasonably well. 
 
 Yours very truly, 
 
 A. Lincoln. 
 
To Anson G. Chester i6i 
 
 To Anson G. Chester^ 
 
 Private 
 Springfield, Ills., Sept 5, i860 
 Anson G. Chester, Esq. 
 
 My dear Sir: Yours of the ist is received. The 
 extract upon a newspaper slip which you sent, and 
 which I herewith return, is a base forgery, so far as 
 its authorship is imputed to me. I never said any- 
 thing like it, at any time or place. I do not rec- 
 ognize it as anything I have ever seen before, 
 emanating from any source. I wish my name not 
 to be used; but my friends will be entirely safe in 
 denouncing the thing as a forgery, so far as it is 
 ascribed to me. 
 
 Yours very truly 
 
 A. Lincoln 
 
 The Clipping 
 
 Lincoln on Jefferson. — The Macomb (111.) 
 Eagle rakes up the following extract from a speech 
 made by Mr. Lincoln in 1844: 
 
 Mr. Jefferson is a statesman whose praises are 
 never out of the mouth of the democratic party. 
 Let us attend to this uncompromising friend of 
 freedom, whose name is continually invoked 
 against the Whig party. The character of Jefferson 
 was repulsive. Continually puling about liberty, 
 
 * Original owned by Mr. Thomas R. Proctor, Utica, N.Y. 
 
i62 Letters of Abraham Lincoln 
 
 equality, and the degrading curse of slavery, he 
 brought his own children to the hammer, and made 
 money of his debaucheries. Even at his death he 
 did not manumit his numerous offspring, but left 
 them, soul and body, to degradation and the cart 
 whip. A daughter of this vaunted champion of 
 democracy was sold some years ago at public auc- 
 tion in New Orleans, and purchased by a society of 
 gentlemen, who wished to testify by her liberation 
 their admiration of the statesman who 
 
 "Dreampt of freedom in a slave's embrace." 
 This single line I have quoted gives more insight 
 to the character of the man than whole volumes of 
 panegyric. It will outlive his epitaph, write it who 
 may. 
 
 To Alexander K. McClure ^ 
 
 Springfield, Ills., Sept. 6, i860 
 
 A. K. McClure, Esq., 
 
 My dear Sir: Inclosed I send you a copy of a 
 letter from New York, stating a matter, which, if 
 true, deeply concerns our interests in Pennsylvania. 
 The writer does not wish to be known; but some 
 revelations of his in a former letter have subse- 
 quently been verified. 
 
 Yours truly, A. Lincoln 
 
 * Mr. McClure had been a Lincoln delegate from Pennsyl- 
 vania to the Republican Convention of i860 and was made chair- 
 man of the Republican State Committee. 
 
To Nathaniel Grigsby 163 
 
 To Nathaniel Grigsby ^ 
 
 Springfield, Ills., 
 Sept. 20, i860. 
 
 Nathaniel Grigsby, Esq., 
 
 My dear Sir: Your letter of July 19th was re- 
 ceived only a few days ago having been mailed by 
 your brother at Gentryville, Ind., on the 12th of 
 the month. A few days ago, Gov. Wood of Quincy 
 told me he saw you, and that you said you had 
 written me. I had not then received your letter. 
 
 Of our three families who removed from Indiana 
 together, my father, Squire Hall, and John D. 
 Johnston, are dead, and all the rest of us are yet 
 living, of course the younger ones are grown up, 
 marriages contracted and new ones born. I have 
 three boys now, the oldest of which is seventeen 
 years of age. 
 
 There is now a Republican electoral ticket in 
 Missouri, so that you can vote for me if your neigh- 
 bors will let you. I would advise you not to get 
 into any trouble about it. Give my kindest regards 
 to your brother Charlie. Within the present year 
 I have had two letters from John Gorden, who 
 is living somewhere in Missouri, I forget exactly 
 where, and he says his father and mother are still 
 living near him. 
 
 Yours very truly, A. Lincoln. 
 
 ^ Brother of Aaron Grigsby, who married Lincoln's sister. 
 The original is owned by Mr. James W. Grigsby, of Attica, Kans. 
 
i64 Letters of Abraham Lincoln 
 
 To Mrs. M. J. Green 
 
 Springfield, Ills. Sep 22 i860. 
 
 Mrs. M. J. Green 
 
 My dear Madam: Your kind congratulatory 
 letter, of August, was received in due course, and 
 should have been answered sooner. The truth is 
 I have never corresponded much with ladies; and 
 hence I postpone writing letters to them, as a 
 business which I do not understand. I can only 
 say now I thank you for the good opinion you 
 express of me, fearing, at the same time, I may not 
 be able to maintain it through life. 
 Yours very truly, 
 
 A. Lincoln 
 
 To Charles C. Nott 
 
 Springfield, Ills., 
 Sept 22, i860. 
 
 Charles C. Nott, Esq., 
 
 My Dear Sir: Yours of the 17th was duly re- 
 ceived. The 250 copies have not yet arrived. I am 
 greatly obliged to you for what you have done, and 
 what you propose to do. 
 
 The "Abraham Baldwin letter" in substance 
 was that I could not find the Journal of the Con- 
 federation Congress for the session at which was 
 passed the Ordinance of 1787, and that in statmg 
 Mr. Baldwin had voted for its passage, I had relied 
 
To L. Montgomery Bond 165 
 
 on a communication of Mr. Greeley, over his own 
 signature, published in the New York Weekly 
 Tribune of October 15, 1859. If you will turn to 
 that paper, you will there see that Mr. Greeley 
 apparently copies from the Journal, and places the 
 name of Mr. Baldwin among those of the men who 
 voted for the measure. 
 
 Still, if the Journal itself shows differently, of 
 course it is right. 
 
 Yours very truly, 
 
 A. Lincoln. 
 
 To L. Montgomery Bond ^ 
 
 Private 
 
 Springfield, Ills. Oct. 15, i860 
 
 L. Montgomery Bond. 
 
 My Dear Sir: Yours of the ist has been at hand 
 some days. You ask, "In the event of your election 
 to the Presidency, and of the election of a majority 
 of Republicans to the next Congress, would you 
 favor radicalism, to embitter still more the feelings 
 of our Southern brethren.?" I certainly am in no 
 temper, and have no purpose to embitter the feel- 
 ings of the south; but whether I am inclined to such 
 a course as would in fact embitter their feelings, 
 
 ^ The last sentence of this letter was printed in Works, Nico 
 lay and Hay, Tandy's ed., 1905, vi, 62, and in Writings, Lapsley, 
 V, 192. 
 
i66 Letters of Abraham Lincoln 
 
 you can better judge by my published speeches 
 than any thing I would say in a short letter, if I 
 were inclined now, as I am not, to define my posi- 
 tion anew. 
 
 Yours truly, 
 
 A. Lincoln 
 
 To David Turnham ^ 
 
 Springfield, Ills. Oct. 23, i860. 
 
 David Turnham, Esq., 
 
 My dear old friend: Your kind letter of the 17^^ 
 is received. I am indeed very glad to learn you are 
 still living and well. I well remember when you and 
 I last met, after a separation of fourteen years, at 
 the cross-road voting place in the fall of 1844. It is 
 now sixteen years more and we are both no longer 
 young men. I suppose you are a grandfather; and 
 I, though married much later in life, have a son 
 nearly grown. 
 
 I would like much to visit the old home, and old 
 friends of my boyhood, but I fear the chance for 
 doing so is not very good. 
 
 Your friend and sincere well-wisher 
 
 A. Lincoln. 
 
 1 A boyhood friend of Lincoln's at Gentryville, Ind. Original 
 owned by G. W. Turnham, Esq., Evansville, Ind. 
 
To Park Benjamin 167 
 
 To George G. Fogg 
 
 Springfield, Ills., 
 Oct. 31, i860. 
 
 George G. Fogg, Esq. 
 
 My dear Sir: I sincerely thank you for yours 
 of the 26th. It is the first I have had from 
 any of our knowing friends at the City for several 
 days. 
 
 Allow me to beg that you will not live in much 
 apprehension of my precipitating a letter upon the 
 public. 
 
 Yours very truly, 
 
 A. Lincoln. 
 
 To Park Benjamin 
 
 Springfield, III., Nov. 19, i860 
 Park Benjamin, Esq. 
 
 My dear Sir: Your kind note of congratulation 
 was received in due course; and you are not disap- 
 pointed in the hope you express that I may set 
 some value upon it. 
 
 That my political position, and personal history 
 are such as to meet the unselfish approval of one 
 possessing your high literary fame and character, 
 is matter of sincere pride with me. 
 Yours very truly, 
 
 A. Lincoln. 
 
i68 Letters of Abraham Lincoln 
 
 For Lyman Trumbull ^ 
 
 [The following autographic document begins 
 with a memorandum in Lyman Trumbull's hand- 
 writing.] 
 
 Furnished by Mr. Lincoln y copied into my remarks to be 
 made at the celebration at Springfield, III. Nov. 20, i860 
 
 I have labored in, and for, the Republican or- 
 ganization with entire confidence that whenever it 
 shall be in power, each and all of the States will 
 be left in as complete control of their own affairs 
 respectively, and at as perfect liberty to choose, 
 and employ, their own means of protecting prop- 
 erty, and preserving peace and order within their 
 respective limits, as they have ever been under any 
 administration. Those who have voted for Mr. 
 Lincoln, have expected, and still expect this; and 
 they would not have voted for him had they ex- 
 pected otherwise. I regard it as extremely fortu- 
 nate for the peace of the whole country, that this 
 point, upon which the Republicans have been so 
 long, and so persistently misrepresented, is now to 
 be brought to a practical test, and placed beyond 
 the possibility of doubt. Disunionists per se, are 
 now in hot haste to get out of the Union, precisely 
 because they perceive they can not, much longer, 
 maintain apprehension among the Southern people 
 that their homes, and firesides, and lives, are to be 
 
 * See note on p. 66. 
 
To Henry C. Whitney 169 
 
 endangered by the action of the Federal Govern- 
 ment. With such ''Now, or never'' is the maxim.^ 
 
 I am rather glad of this military preparation in 
 the South. It will enable the people the more easily 
 to suppress any uprisings there, which their mis- 
 representations of purposes may have encouraged. 
 
 To Fred W. French 
 
 Springfield, III., Nov 21, i860. 
 
 Fred W. French, Esq., 
 
 Dear Sir: Herewith I send you my autograph 
 which you request. 
 
 Yours truly, A. Lincoln 
 
 To Henry C. Whitney ^ 
 
 Chicago, Nov. 26, i860 
 
 H. C. Whitney, Esq. 
 
 My dear Sz>, — Your note in behalf of Mr. 
 Alshuler was received. I gave him a sitting. 
 
 I regret not having an opportunity to see more 
 
 of you. 
 
 Please present my respects to Mrs. W. & to your 
 good Father and Mother. 
 
 Yours very truly A. Lincoln 
 
 H. C. Whitney, Esq. 
 Present. 
 
 » From a facsimile in Henry C. Whitney's Life on the Circuit 
 with Lincoln, facing p. 468. 
 
lyo Letters of Abraham Lincoln 
 
 For John H. Littlefield * 
 
 Springfield Nov. 30, i860 
 I will pay five dollars to whoever will loan that 
 sum to the bearer, Mr. Littlefield. 
 
 A. Lincoln. 
 
 To Lyman Trumbull 
 
 Private 
 
 Springfield, III., 
 Dec 8, i860. 
 
 Hon. Lyman Trumbull, 
 
 My Dear Sir: Yours of the 2"^ is received. I 
 regret exceedingly the anxiety of our friends in 
 New York, of whom you write ; but it seems to me 
 the sentiment in that state which sent a united 
 delegation to Chicago in favor of Gov. Seward 
 ought not and must not be snubbed, as it would be, 
 by the omission to offer Gov. S. a place in the 
 Cabinet. I zvill myself take care of the question of 
 "corrupt jobs'' and see that justice is done to all 
 our friends of whom you wrote as well as others. 
 
 I have written Mr. Hamlin on this very subject of 
 Gov. S. and requested him to consult fully with you. 
 
 He will show you my note and enclosures to him; 
 and then please act as therein requested. 
 Yours as ever, 
 
 A. Lincoln. 
 
 * A student in Lincoln and Herndon's law office in 1859-60. 
 
To Lyman Trumbull 171 
 
 To Lyman Trumbull ^ 
 
 Private y Confidential 
 
 Springfield, Ills. Dec. lo. i860 
 
 Hon. L. Trumbull. 
 
 My dear Sir: Let there be no compromise on the 
 question of extending slavery. If there be, all our 
 labor is lost, and, ere long, must be done again. 
 The dangerous ground — that into which some of 
 our friends have a hankering to run — is Pop. Sov. 
 Have none of it. Stand firm. The tug has to come, 
 & better now than any time hereafter. 
 Yours as ever 
 
 A. Lincoln. 
 
 To Lyman Trumbull ^ 
 
 Confidential 
 
 Springfield, Ills. Dec. 17. i860 
 
 Hon. Lyman Trumbull 
 
 My dear Sir: Yours inclosing Mr. Wade's letter, 
 which I herewith return, is received. 
 
 If any of our friends do prove false, and fix up a 
 compromise on the territorial question, I am for 
 fighting again — that is all. It is but repetition for 
 me to say I am for an honest inforcement of the 
 Constitution — fugitive slave clause included. 
 
 * See note on p. 66. * See note on p. 66. 
 
172 Letters of Abraham Lincoln 
 
 Mr. Gilmer^ of N.C. wrote me; and I answered 
 confidentially, inclosing my letter to Gov. Corwin, 
 to be delivered or not, as he might deem prudent. 
 I now inclose you a copy of it. 
 
 [The signature has been cut off, probably for an 
 autograph-seeker.] 
 
 To Lyman Trumbull 
 
 Confidential 
 
 Springfield, III., 
 Dec. 2i«S i860. 
 
 Hon. Lyman Trumbull. 
 
 My Dear Sir: Thurlow Weed was with me nearly 
 all day yesterday, and left last night with three 
 short resolutions which I drew up, and which, or 
 the substance of which, I think, would do much 
 good if introduced and unanimously supported by 
 our friends. They do not touch the territorial ques- 
 tion. Mr. Weed goes to Washington with them; 
 and says that he will first of all confer with you and 
 Mr. Hamlin. I think it would be best for Mr. Sew- 
 ard to introduce them and Mr. Weed will let him 
 know that I think so. Show this to Mr. Hamlin, 
 but beyond him do not let my name be known in 
 the matter. 
 
 Yours as ever, 
 
 A. Lincoln. 
 
 * John A. Gilmer, Member of Congress. He was suggested 
 for Lincoln's cabinet. 
 
To Lyman Trumbull 173 
 
 To Lyman Trumbull ^ 
 
 Springfield, Ills. Dec. 24, i860 
 
 Hon. Lyman Trumbull 
 
 My dear Sir. I expect to be able to offer Mr. 
 Blair a place in the cabinet; but I can not, as yet, be 
 committed on the matter, to any extent whatever. 
 
 Despatches have come here two days in succes- 
 sion, that the Forts in South Carolina will be sur- 
 rendered by the order, or consent at least, of the 
 President. 
 
 I can scarcely believe this; but if it prove true, I 
 will, if our friends at Washington concur, announce 
 publicly at once that they are to be retaken after 
 the inauguration. This will give the Union Men a 
 rallying cry, and preparation will proceed some- 
 what on their side, as well as on the other. 
 Yours as ever 
 
 A. Lincoln. 
 
 To Lyman Trumbull * 
 
 Fery Confidential 
 
 Springfield, III. Jan. 7, 1861, 
 
 Hon. Lyman Trumbull. 
 
 My Dear Sir: Yours of the 3^ is just received. 
 . . . Gen. C. has not been offered the Treasury and 
 
 * See note on p. 66. 
 
 * From Horace White's The Life of Lyman Trumbull, p. 145. 
 
174 Letters of Abraham Lincoln 
 
 I think will not be. It seems to me not only highly 
 proper but a necessity that Gov. Chase shall take 
 that place. His ability, firmness, and purity of 
 character produce this propriety; and that he alone 
 can reconcile Mr. Bryant and his class to the ap- 
 pointment of Gov. S. to the State Department pro- 
 duces the necessity. But then comes the danger 
 that the protectionists of Pennsylvania will be dis- 
 satisfied; and to clear this difficulty Gen. C. must 
 be brought to cooperate. He would readily do this 
 for the War Department. But then comes the 
 fierce opposition to his having any Department, 
 threatening even to send charges into the Senate 
 to procure his rejection by that body. Now, what 
 I would most like, and what I think he should pre- 
 fer too, under the circumstances, would be to re- 
 tain his place in the Senate, and if that place has 
 been promised to another let that other take a 
 respectable and reasonably lucrative place abroad. 
 Also, let Gen. C.'s friends be, with entire fairness, 
 cared for in Pennsylvania and elsewhere. I may 
 mention before closing that besides the very fixed 
 opposition to Gen. C. he is more amply recom- 
 mended for a place in the Cabinet than any other 
 man. . . . 
 
 Yours as ever, 
 
 A. Lincoln. 
 
To George D. Prentice 175 
 To Leonard Swett 
 
 Springfield, Jan. 9, 1861. 
 
 Hon. L. Swett. 
 
 Dear Sir: This introduces Mr. William Yates, who 
 
 visits Bloomington on some business matters. He 
 
 is pecuniarily responsible for anything he will say; 
 
 and in fact, for anything he will say on any subject. 
 
 Yours very truly, 
 
 A. Lincoln 
 
 To Mrs. C. W. Pratt 
 
 Springfield, III., Jan. 26, 1861. 
 
 Mrs. C. W. Pratt. 
 
 Dear Madam: Herewith I send you my auto- 
 graph, which you request. 
 
 Yours truly, 
 
 A. Lincoln. 
 
 To George D. Prentice ^ 
 
 Private. 
 Springfield, Ills. Feb. 2, 1861. 
 My dear Sir: Yours of the 31st ult. requesting a 
 copy of the inaugural is received. I have the docu- 
 ment blocked out; but in the now rapidly shifting 
 
 * The able editor of the Louisville Journal, a leading Whig 
 newspaper which Lincoln had read from his youth. He supr 
 ported the Union when the War broke out. " 
 
176 Letters of Abraham Lincoln 
 
 scenes, I shall have to hold it subject to revision up 
 to near the time of delivery. So soon as it shall take 
 what I can regard as its final shape, I shall remem- 
 ber, if I can, to send you a copy. 
 Yours very truly 
 
 A. Lincoln. 
 
 To Mark W. Delahay ^ 
 
 Executive Mansion, 
 March 13th, 1861. 
 
 M. W. Delahay, Esq. 
 
 My dear Sir: You will start for Kansas before I 
 see you again: and when I saw you a moment this 
 morning, I forgot to ask you about some of the 
 Kansas appointments, which I intended to do. 
 
 If you care much about them, you can write, as 
 I think I shall not make the appointments just 
 yet. 
 
 Yours in haste, 
 
 A. Lincoln. 
 
 Endorsement 
 
 I wish Mr. Thomas Musten and Mr. Jones, 
 named within, may retain their places for the 
 present at least. 
 
 A. Lincoln 
 
 March 25, 1861. 
 
 ^ Printed in Works, Nicolay and Hay, 1894, 11, 10, and same, 
 Tandy's ed., 1905, vi, 191, with the name suppressed. 
 
To Secretary Cameron 177 
 
 To Secretary Welles 
 
 Executive Mansion, 
 March 29, 1861. 
 
 Honorable Sec. of the Navy, 
 
 Sir: I desire that an expedition to move by sea 
 be got ready to sail as early as the 6^^ of April 
 next, the whole according to memorandum en- 
 closed; and that you cooperate with the Secretary 
 of War for that object. 
 
 Your obedient servant, A. Lincoln 
 
 Memoranda 
 
 Navy Department. — The Pocahontas at Nor- 
 folk, the Pawnee at Washington, and revenue cut- 
 ter Harriet Lane at New York, to be ready for sea 
 with one month's stores. 
 
 Three hundred seamen to be ready for leaving 
 the receiving ship at New York. 
 
 War Department. — Two hundred men at New 
 York ready to leave garrison. One year's stores to 
 be put in a portable form. 
 
 To Secretary Cameron ^ 
 
 Draft of an unsigned letter written but not officially transmitted 
 
 Executive Mansion, 
 March 1861. 
 
 To the Secretary of War, 
 
 Sir: You will favor me by issuing an order de- 
 tailing Lieut. E. E. Ellsworth of the ist Dragoons, 
 
 * Copy furnished by Mr. Judd Stewart. 
 
178 Letters of Abraham Lincoln 
 
 for special duty as Adjutant and Inspector General 
 of militia affairs, for the United States, and in so 
 far as existing laws will admit, charge him with the 
 transaction, under your direction, of all business 
 pertaining to the militia, to be conducted as a sepa- 
 rate bureau of which Lieut. Ellsworth will be chief; 
 with instructions to take measures for promoting 
 a uniform system of organization, drill, equipment, 
 etc., of the United States militia, and to prepare a 
 system of instruction for the militia, to be dis- 
 tributed to the several states. You will please as- 
 sign him suitable office rooms, furniture, etc., and 
 provide him with a clerk and messenger, and fur- 
 nish him such facilities in the way of printing, sta- 
 tionery, access to records, etc., as he may desire for 
 the successful prosecution of his duties ; and also 
 provide, if you please, in such manner as will best 
 answer the purpose, for a monthly payment to 
 Lieut. Ellsworth, for this extra duty, sufficient to 
 make his pay and emoluments equal that of a Major 
 of Cavalry. 
 
 To Postmaster-General Blair ^ 
 
 Executive Mansion. 
 April II, 1861. 
 
 Hon. p. M. G. 
 
 Sir — Has a Post-Master been appointed, as yet, 
 at Covington, Ky. Col. Carpenter wishes John S. 
 
 * From a facsimile in Helen Nicolay's Personal Traits of Abra- 
 ham Lincoln, p. 186. 
 
To Attorney-General Bates 179 
 
 Scott to be appointed. He says Scott is a Douglas 
 Union-man. I know nothing as to the propriety of 
 this; but write to keep a promise. 
 
 Lincoln 
 
 To Secretary Chase ^ 
 
 Executive Mansion, 
 April II, 1 861. 
 
 Hon. S. p. Chase. 
 
 Dear Sir: W. W. Danenhower is the only marked 
 representative of the American organization in Illi- 
 nois, who cooperated with us in 1858 and i860, and 
 who is now asking anything here. He was very 
 serviceable to us then, and is very needy now. 
 
 Can an)^hing be found for him — permanent or 
 temporary ? 
 
 Please try. 
 
 Yours very truly, A. Lincoln 
 
 To Attorney-General Bates 
 
 Executive Mansion, 
 April 12, 1861. 
 
 Hon. Atty. General, 
 
 My dear Sir: On examination of papers, and full 
 consideration, I have concluded to appoint Earl 
 Bile, Marshal for the Northern District of Ohio. 
 
 Please send me the commission. 
 
 Yours truly A. Lincoln. 
 
 * Original owned by Mr. Joseph A. McAIeenan, New York. 
 
i8o Letters of Abraham Lincoln 
 To Secretary Smith 
 
 Executive Mansion, 
 Washington April 13, 1861. 
 
 Secretary of the Interior. 
 
 Dear Sir: Send Commissions as follows : Register 
 of Land Office at Sante Fe, N.M., Joel Houghton, 
 in place of O. H. Perry Richardson, removed. 
 
 Indian Agent at Sante Fe, John Ward, in place 
 of Silas Kendrick, removed. 
 
 Indian Agent, Ramon Luna, in place of John L. 
 Russell, removed. 
 
 Indian Agent, Jose Antonio Maurinares, in place 
 of Diego Archuletta, removed. 
 
 If you and Mr. Dole approve the above, let the 
 Commissions be sent. 
 
 Yours truly, 
 
 A. Lincoln. 
 
 To Secretary Welles ^ 
 
 Executive Mansion, 
 April 23, 1861. 
 
 Hon. Secretary of Navy, 
 
 Dear Sir: I think I saw three vessels go up to the 
 Navy Yard just now. Will you please send down 
 and learn what they are ? 
 
 Yours truly 
 
 A. Lincoln 
 
 * Original owned by Mr. Joseph A. McAleenan, New York. 
 
To Secretary Welles i8i 
 
 To Postmaster-General Blair 
 
 Executive Mansion, 
 April 24, 1 861. 
 
 Hon. p. M. General, 
 
 My dear Sir: Near a week ago, it was settled for 
 Cornelius Walborn to be Post-Master at Phila- 
 delphia. Has the actual appointment been made f 
 I have the papers in the case from your Depart- 
 ment lying by me, and will sign and send them 
 over, if you say so. 
 
 Your obed*t Serv't, 
 
 A. Lincoln 
 
 To Secretary Welles 
 
 Executive Mansion, 
 Washington, April 25, 1861. 
 
 Hon. Secretary of Navy, 
 
 My dear Sir: Francis A. Hoffmann, our Lieut 
 Governor of Illinois has an application on file for 
 his son Francis to be appointed to the Naval 
 School, but finds he is too old. He therefore wishes 
 to substitute the name of a younger son — Julius 
 Hoffmann — who is now but sixteen. I wish this 
 appointment made so soon as it can be consistently 
 with what I have already said in other cases. 
 
 Please keep me reminded of it. 
 Yours truly, 
 
 A. Lincoln 
 
i82 Letters of Abraham Lincoln 
 
 Endorsement on Letter of Secretary 
 Seward 
 
 Col. Lander is a valuable man to us. Will Gen'l 
 Scott see him a few minutes and consider the feasi- 
 bility of his plans ? ^ 
 
 A. Lincoln 
 
 May 4, 1861. 
 
 To Secretary Chase ^ 
 
 Executive Mansion, 
 May 7, 1 861. 
 
 Hon. Secretary of Treasury. 
 
 My dear Sir: You may remember that John S. 
 Gallaher, a worthy Virginia gentleman, has been 
 and is an applicant for an Auditorship in your De- 
 partment. He now writes a friend here that he un- 
 derstands that the place of 5th Auditor has been 
 made vacant by the resignation of a North Caro- 
 linian. If this is true, might not Mr. Gallaher have 
 the place .? ' 
 
 Yours truly, 
 
 A. Lincoln 
 
 ^ Col. Lander had a project of raising a Virginia regiment. 
 ' Original owned by Mr. Joseph A. McAleenan. 
 ^ John C. Underwood of. Virginia received the appointment, 
 serving from July 31, 1861, to Aug. 31, 1863. 
 
To Secretary Cameron 183 
 
 To Joseph H. Barrett, Commissioner of 
 
 Pensions ^ 
 
 Executive Mansion 
 May 8, 1861 
 
 Hon. Com^ of Pensions, 
 
 My dear Sir: Once more I ask you to find a 
 clerkship for a man of your own name — O. D. 
 Barret, of Oswego Co., New York. 
 Yours truly 
 
 A. Lincoln 
 
 To Secretary Cameron ^ 
 
 Executive Mansion, 
 May 21, 1861 
 
 Hon. Secretary of War. 
 
 My dear Sir: — Why cannot Colonel Small's 
 Philadelphia regiment be received ? I sincerely wish 
 it could. There is something strange about it. Give 
 these gentlemen an interview, and take their regi- 
 ment. 
 
 Yours truly, 
 
 A. Lincoln. 
 
 » From a facsimile in Munsey's Magazine, xii, 591 (Mar., 
 1895), after the original in the collection of Mr. Lawrence 
 Mendenhall. 
 
 « Printed in Writings, Lapsley ed., v, 308. 
 
i84 Letters of Abraham Lincoln 
 To Commander John A. Dahlgren^ 
 
 Executive Mansion, 
 May 23, 1861. 
 
 Capt. Dahlgren. 
 
 My dear Sir: — Allow me to introduce Col. J. A. 
 McClemand, M. C. of my own district in Illinois. 
 If he should desire to visit Fortress Monroe, 
 please introduce him to the captain of one of 
 the vessels in our service, and pass him down 
 and back. 
 
 Yours very truly, 
 
 A. Lincoln. 
 
 To Gen. Lorenzo Thomas ^ 
 
 Executive Mansion, 
 May 27, 1 861. 
 
 Gen. Thomas, 
 
 The three gentleman who will hand you this 
 note, befong to an Artillery Company at Baltimore 
 who wish to get into the United States Service . . . 
 and . . . if you advise it, I will receive them. I hate 
 to reject any offer from what is called a Southern 
 
 State 
 
 A. Lincoln 
 
 * Printed in Writings, Lapsley ed., v, 309. 
 ' The Adjutant-GeneraL 
 
To Secretary Chase 185 
 
 To Secretary Cameron ^ 
 
 Executive Mansion, 
 May 30, 1861. 
 
 Hon. Secretary of War. 
 
 My dear Sir — Colonel Julian Allen, a Polish 
 gentleman, naturalized, proposes raising a regi- 
 ment of our citizens of his nationality, to serve in 
 our army. He proposes getting them from the dif- 
 ferent states, without particular order, as can be 
 most conveniently done, and organizing them here, 
 so that they, as a regiment, shall hail from no par- 
 ticular state. Mr. Allen is highly recommended, as 
 you will see by his testimonials. 
 
 If he so raises and tenders a regiment, I am in 
 favor of accepting it, unless there be some objec- 
 tion which does not occur to me. 
 Yours truly, 
 
 A. Lincoln. 
 
 To Secretary Chase 
 
 Endorsement 
 
 Hon. Sec of Treasury, 
 
 If it is determined, as I suppose, that Mr. Mul- 
 
 ler^ be appointed, let it be done at once; as by the 
 
 above it appears to be necessary. 
 
 Yours truly, A. Lincoln 
 
 May 31, 1861. 
 
 * In Alvah P. French's collection. * James N. Muller. 
 
i86 Letters of Abraham Lincoln 
 
 To Gen. James W. Ripley ^ 
 
 Will Gen. Ripley please consider whether this 
 Musket-shell would be a valuable missile in battle ? 
 
 June 2, i86i. A. LINCOLN 
 
 To Secretary Welles ^ 
 
 Executive Mansion, 
 June 17, 1 861. 
 
 Hon. Sec. of Navy, 
 
 My dear Sir: General Rousseau introduces to me 
 Charles E. Anderson whom he wishes to have ap- 
 pointed Paymaster in the Navy. As I have no 
 doubt of his fitness for the place, and as the ap- 
 pointment would be a Kentucky appointment, I 
 think it ought to be made as soon as it consistently 
 can. 
 
 Yours truly, A. Lincoln. 
 
 To NiNiAN W. Edwards ^ 
 
 Washington, D.C, June 19, 1861. 
 
 Hon. N. W. Edwards 
 
 My dear Sir: It pains me to hear you speak of 
 being ruined in your pecuniary affairs. I still hope 
 
 * Chief of Ordnance. 
 
 ' Original owned by Mrs. Nellie Anderson, Greencastle, Ind. 
 Copy furnished by Jesse W. Weik, Esq. 
 
 8 A brother-in-law of Mrs. Lincoln and a lawyer and public 
 
To Secretary Cameron 187 
 
 you are injured only, and not ruined. When you 
 wrote me some time ago in reference to looking up 
 something in the Departments here, I thought I 
 would inquire into the thing and write you, but the 
 extraordinary pressure upon me diverted me from 
 it, and soon it passed out of my mind. The thing 
 you proposed, it seemed to me, I ought to under- 
 stand myself before it was set on foot by my direc- 
 tion or permission; and I really had no time to make 
 myself acquainted with it — nor have I yet. And 
 yet I am unwilling, of course, that you should be 
 deprived of a chance to make something, if it can 
 be done without injustice to the Government, or 
 to any individual. If you choose to come here and 
 point out to me how this can be done, I shall not 
 only not object, but shall be gratified to be able to 
 oblige you. 
 
 Your friend as ever, 
 
 A. Lincoln. 
 
 To Secretary Cameron ^ 
 
 Executive Mansion, June 20, 1861. 
 
 My dear Sir: — Since you spoke to me yesterday 
 about General J. H. Lane, of Kansas, I have been 
 reflecting upon the subject, and have concluded 
 
 official of Illinois. Lincoln appointed him captain commissary of 
 subsistence in August, 1861. Printed, without the first two sen- 
 tences, in Writings, Lapsley ed., v, 313. 
 * Printed in Writings, Lapsley ed., V, 314. 
 
i88 Letters of Abraham Lincoln 
 
 that we need the service of such a man out there at 
 once ; that we had better appoint him a brigadier- 
 general of volunteers to-day, and send him off 
 with such authority to raise a force (I think two 
 regiments better than three, but as to this I am not 
 particular) as you think will get him into actual 
 work quickest. Tell him, when he starts, to put it 
 through — not to be writing or telegraphing back 
 here, but put it through. 
 
 Yours truly, 
 
 A. Lincoln. 
 
 Hon. Secretary of War. 
 
 [Endorsement] 
 
 General Lane has been authorized to raise two 
 additional regiments of volunteers. 
 
 Simon Cameron, 
 Secretary of War. 
 
 To Col. Ward H. Lamon ^ 
 
 Washington, D.C. 
 June 25, 1861. 
 
 Col. W. H. Lamon: 
 
 My dear Sir, — I spoke to the Secretary of War 
 yesterday, and he consents, and so do I, that as 
 fast as you get Companies, you may procure a 
 
 ^ From Ward Hill Lamon's Recollections of Abraham Lincoln^ 
 2d ed., Washington, 191 1, p. xxix. 
 
To Orville H. Browning 189 
 
 U.S. officer, and have them mustered in. Have 
 this done quietly; because we cannot do the labor 
 of adopting it as a general practice. 
 Yours as ever, 
 
 A. Lincoln 
 
 To THE Treasury Department ^ 
 
 I desire that the Treasury Department will de- 
 vise a system or plan for disbursing the appropria- 
 tion mentioned within, and if, according to said 
 plan, disbursing agents are to be appointed I shall 
 be ready to appoint them, on the recommendation 
 of the Department. In case of Indiana, I am sat- 
 isfied with Jonathan S. Hawry, named within as 
 disbursing agent. 
 
 July 19, 1861 
 
 A. Lincoln. 
 
 To Orville H. Browning 
 
 Executive Mansion, 
 July 20, 1 861. 
 
 Hon. O. H. Browning. 
 
 My dear Sir: To-day I send to the Senate the 
 arrangement made through Mr. Williams with the 
 Delaware Indians asking their advice as to the 
 making a formal treaty of it, as it already is in sub- 
 
 * Endorsement on Secretary Cameron's letter of July 19, 1861. 
 
I90 Letters of Abraham Lincoln 
 
 stance. On very full reflection, I have thought this 
 course the safest and best. I will thank you if you 
 will move an amendment in about these words: 
 Provided that no part of said lands shall be pat- 
 ented until the money price for such part shall have 
 been fully paid; and provided further that time 
 shall be extended so that the rights of said Railroad 
 Co. under the treaty to which this is supplemental 
 shall not be forfeited until 
 
 The provision for the perfect security of the 
 Indians on the one hand; and for the benefit of 
 the Company on the other. 
 
 The blank you will fill of course. 
 Yours as ever, 
 
 A. Lincoln. 
 
 To Secretary Chase'- 
 
 Executive Mansion, 
 July 26, 1861. 
 
 Mr. Chase: — The bearer, Mr. , wants 
 
 in the custom house at Baltimore. If his 
 
 recommendations are satisfactory, and I recollect 
 them to have been so, the fact that he is urged by 
 the Methodists should be in his favor, as they com- 
 plain of us some. 
 
 A. Lincoln. 
 
 * Printed in Writings, Lapsley ed., v, 345. 
 
To Rufus F. Andrews 191 
 
 To Thomas A. Scott, Assistant Secretary of War 
 
 Executive Mansion, 
 Aug. 3, 1861. 
 
 Hon. Asst. Secretary of War. 
 
 Gen'l Scroggs of New York wishes to raise a 
 
 military corps for service of the government and 
 
 I shall be satisfied with any arrangement you 
 
 may make with him at the department on the 
 
 subject. 
 
 Yours very truly, 
 
 A. Lincoln. 
 
 To Rufus F. Andrews ^ 
 
 Washington, August 6, 1861. 
 
 Hon Rufus F. Andrews 
 
 My dear Sir: Mr. James Morss wishes to be 
 Deputy-Surveyor at New York. I do not know 
 him personally, except for the last few days; but 
 the testimonials he has presented interest me 
 enough for him, to induce me to ask for him a fair 
 and careful consideration of his case. 
 Yours very truly 
 
 A. Lincoln 
 
 * Naval Officer ia the New York custom-house. 
 
192 Letters of Abraham Lincoln 
 
 To General Winfield Scott 
 
 Executive Mansion, 
 August 7, 1861. 
 
 Lieut. Gen'l. Scott. 
 
 My dear Sir: If it be true, as is intimated to me 
 
 that you think Gen'l Wool should go to Fortress 
 
 Monroe, let him be ordered there at once. 
 
 Yours very truly, 
 
 A. Lincoln. 
 
 To Gustave Koerner 
 
 Washington, D.C, Aug. 8, 1861. 
 Hon. G. Koerner. 
 
 My dear Sir: Your dispatch saying application 
 of German Brigade is withdrawn, is just received. 
 Without occupying our standpoint, you cannot 
 conceive how this subject embarrasses us. We have 
 promises out, to more than four hundred regiments, 
 which if they all come, are more than we want. If 
 they all come, we could not take yours, if they do 
 not all come we shall want yours, and yet we have 
 no possible means of knowing whether they will all 
 come or not. I hope you will make due allowance 
 for the embarrassment this produces. 
 Yours truly, 
 
 A. Lincoln 
 
To Secretary Cameron 193 
 
 To Secretary Cameron 
 
 Secretary of War, 
 
 Please see and hear Col. Eaton, whom Gen. 
 Grant thinks is one of the best contraband agents. 
 
 . or A. Lincoln 
 
 August 12, 1861. 
 
 To Secretary Cameron ^ 
 
 Executive Mansion, 
 August 22, 1 861. 
 
 Hon. Secretary of War. 
 
 Sir: Victor B. Bell, now of Colorado, is one of 
 my most valued friends; and one of the best, if not 
 the very best clerk I ever knew. I would like for 
 him to be an Asst. Quarter Master or Commissary 
 of Subsistence of Volunteers. 
 
 Can you not fix it for me ? 
 
 Yours truly, 
 
 A. Lincoln. 
 August 22, 1861. 
 
 Unaddressed Note 
 
 Is there anything in the Marble line which could 
 be given Mr. Rutherford ? 
 
 A. L. 
 
 Aug. 22, 1861. 
 
 * Original owned by Mr. Judd Stewart, New York. 
 
194 Letters of Abraham Lincoln 
 
 Endorsement on Letter 
 
 I think that the young man within recommended, 
 
 ought to be appointed, if possible. There is some 
 
 peculiar reason for it. 
 
 A. Lincoln 
 Aug. 22, 1861. 
 
 Endorsement on the Back of an Indignant 
 Letter of William W. Richmond 
 
 Will Mr. Richmond distinctly declare that he 
 did not write a letter to Mrs. L. giving Senator 
 Simmons' name as one of his backers for the Con- 
 sulate ? 
 
 A. L. 
 
 August 25, 1861. 
 
 To Secretary Cameron ^ 
 
 Executive Mansion, 
 October i^S 1861. 
 
 Honorable Sec. of War: 
 
 My dear Sir: The Postmaster-General and my- 
 self have special reasons for wishing to oblige Mr. 
 Benj. F. Watson, of Lawrence, Mass. He has been 
 appointed an Assistant Paymaster or Paymaster 
 of Volunteers, but he wishes the same post in the 
 
 * From Abraham Lincoln: Tributes from his Associates, New 
 York, 1895, p. 143, which see for an account of the circumstances 
 under which the letter was written. 
 
To Secretary Smith 195 
 
 regular Army. If there is any vacancy, not com- 
 mitted to any other person, let Mr. Watson have 
 it. If there be no such vacancy, oblige him, as far 
 as you can, by sending him to service at the place 
 which suits him best. 
 
 Yours truly, A. Lincoln 
 
 Unaddressed Note 
 I did not know that Foster had a consulship ; and 
 if he had, I am astonished that he declines it. Let 
 the Sec of State take the whole case and do as he 
 pleases with it. 
 
 ^ A. Lincoln 
 
 October 12, 1861. 
 
 To Secretary Cameron 
 
 Sec of War. 
 
 Please see Mr. T. H. Clay, son of the late Hon. 
 Henry Clay. 
 
 ^ , A. Lincoln 
 
 Oct 21, 1861. 
 
 To Secretary Smith 
 
 Executive Mansion, 
 Washington, Oct. 23, 1861 
 
 Hon. Sec. of Interior 
 
 My dear Sir: If you can think to mention the 
 next time I see you, I will tell you more fully what 
 
196 Letters of Abraham Lincoln 
 
 Mr Lewis says of the cases noted by him on the 
 inclosed cards. 
 
 Very truly yours, A. Lincoln 
 
 To Rev. F. M. Magrath 
 
 Executive Mansion 
 Washington, D.C. October 30, 1861. 
 
 Rev. F. M. Magrath 
 
 Sir: Having been solicited by Christian Minis- 
 ters, and other pious people, to appoint suitable 
 persons to act as Chaplains at the hospitals for our 
 sick and wounded soldiers, and feeling the intrinsic 
 propriety of having such persons to so act, and yet 
 believing there is no law conferring the power upon 
 me to appoint them, I think fit to say that if you 
 will voluntarily enter upon, and perform the ap- 
 propriate duties of such position, I will recommend 
 that Congress make compensation therefor at 
 the same rate as Chaplains in the army are com- 
 pensated. 
 
 A. Lincoln 
 
 To Secretary Cameron 
 
 Secretary of War, please see Dr. Boyd Pendleton 
 of Va. and, if you can, let him be examined at once 
 to be a Brigade Surgeon. I very much wish to 
 
 appoint him at once. 
 
 A. Lincoln 
 Nov. 7, 1861. 
 
To L. B. Wyman 197 
 
 To General George B. McClellan 
 
 Gen. McClellan,— 
 
 Please see Hon. Mr. Washburne, M.C. who has 
 been on an investigating committee at St. Louis for 
 sixteen days recently, and can really give more ac- 
 curate and fuller information on material matters 
 there, than any one I have seen. 
 
 A. Lincoln 
 
 Nov. 10, 1 861. 
 
 To L. B. Wyman 
 
 Executive Mansion, 
 Washington, November ii, 1861. 
 
 My Dear Sir: I am directed by the President to 
 acknowledge the receipt this morning of your kind 
 invitation for the 22nd of December next, and to 
 state that nothing but the exigencies of public af- 
 fairs could prevent him from availing himself of 
 the privilege you have been so thoughtful as to 
 tender. 
 
 The President regrets the more deeply the neces- 
 sity that deprives him of the pleasure of meeting 
 you, since at no former time have the memory and 
 the example of our forefathers furnished a more 
 instructive subject for our contemplation, than 
 now, when the institutions they founded are 
 threatened by armed insurrection, and all the 
 
198 Letters of Abraham Lincoln 
 
 powers of the Government are pledged to the 
 
 support of the principles for which they toiled and 
 
 suffered. 
 
 I have the honor to be with great respect, 
 
 Your Obedient Servant 
 
 John Hay 
 
 Assistant Priv. Sec. 
 L. B. Wyman Esq 
 
 Chairman &c &c 
 
 To Secretary Cameron 
 
 Sec. of War, please see the bearer who is Marshal 
 of the S. District of Illinois. 
 
 A. Lincoln 
 Dec. 6, 1861. 
 
 To Secretary Smith 
 
 Executive Mansion, 
 Dec. 13, 1861. 
 
 Hon. Sec of Interior. 
 
 My dear Sir: George L. Pomeroy of Illinois, tells 
 me he was a clerk in the Census Bureau, and has 
 been removed. Will you please ascertain, and tell 
 me the circumstances. 
 
 Yours truly, 
 
 A. Lincoln. 
 
To Henry Liebman 199 
 
 To Rev. Dr. A. Fischel* 
 
 Executive Mansion, 
 Dec 14, 1 861. 
 
 Rev. Dr. A. Fischel, 
 
 My dear Sir: I find that there are several particu- 
 lars in which the present law in regard to Chaplains 
 is supposed to be deficient, all of which I now de- 
 sign presenting to the appropriate Committee of 
 Congress. I shall try to have a new law broad 
 enough to cover what is desired by you in behalf of 
 the Israelites. 
 
 Yours truly, A. Lincoln. 
 
 To Judge Advocate 
 
 Dec 14, 1861 
 Judge Advocate: 
 
 Please see Mr. Schell and Mr Johnson on busi- 
 ness of which I spoke this morning. 
 
 Abraham Lincoln. 
 
 To Henry Liebman 
 
 Executive Mansion, 
 Washington, D.C. Dec 28, 1861. 
 
 Henry Liebman 
 
 My dear Sir: Your private letter in regard to 
 
 Mr. Burtwell is received. 
 
 ^ From Isaac Markens's Abraham Lincoln and the JewSy a 
 pamphlet printed for the author, New York, 1909. 
 
200 Letters of Abraham Lincoln 
 
 I have no power to remove a Lieut-Colonel ap- 
 pointed by the Governor of New York. The appeal 
 must be made, if at all, to the Governor. 
 Yours, etc., 
 
 A. Lincoln 
 
 To Secretary Stanton ^ 
 
 Executive Mansion, 
 Washington, Jan. 22, 1862. 
 
 To Edwin M. Stanton, 
 Secretary of War. 
 
 My dear Sir: Richard M. Corwine was appointed 
 Judge Advocate by Gen. Fremont on the 20*^ of 
 July last, and served as such till the i8th of Novem- 
 ber last. He never had a Commission, but his 
 services were as valuable, and his conduct as meri- 
 torious, as if his appointment had been entirely 
 regular. His is but one of a class of cases, which 
 class has been under consideration at the War De- 
 partment, but what has been done with it I do not 
 know. The meritorious ones ought to have Com- 
 missions, nunc pro tunc, and an honorable recog- 
 nition of them, and should also be paid. 
 
 I hope this may be done, including Major Cor- 
 wine in the arrangement. 
 
 Yours truly, 
 
 A. Lincoln. 
 
 * Original owned by P. F. Madigan, of New York. 
 
To the King of Siam 201 
 
 Endorsement on Letter of Commander 
 John A. Dahlgren 
 
 Washington Jan 28, 1862. 
 
 Capt. Dahlgren gave his views in this letter, at 
 my request. I have so much confidence in him in 
 naval matters that I enclose it to you as chairman 
 of the naval committee. 
 
 A. Lincoln. 
 
 Recipient Unknown ^ 
 
 My dear Sir: Herewith is the resolution we talked 
 of yesterday. I think my answer thereon included 
 one from the Sec. of War, as well as from you. If 
 you send me back a copy of the resolution, I will 
 lay it before him. 
 
 Yours truly A. Lincoln. 
 
 To THE King of Siam 
 
 The President of the U.S. to the 
 King of Siam. 
 
 Washington, D.C, U.S.A. 
 Feb. 3, 1862. 
 
 Great and good friend: I have received your Ma- 
 jesty's two letters of the date of Feb. 14, 186 1. I 
 
 i The date and the name of the recipient have been cut from 
 the top of the letter. 
 
202 Letters of Abraham Lincoln 
 
 have received in good condition the royal gift which 
 accompanied those letters, namely a sword of costly 
 materials and exquisite workmanship, a photo- 
 graphic likeness of your Majesty and of your Ma- 
 jesty's beloved daughter, and also two elephant's 
 tusks of length and magnitude, such as indicate that 
 they could have belonged only to an animal which 
 was a native of Siam. 
 
 Your Majesty's letters show an understanding 
 that our laws forbid the President from receiving 
 these rich presents as personal treasures. They are 
 therefore accepted in accordance with your Ma- 
 jesty's desire as tokens of your good will and friend- 
 ship for the American people. Congress being now 
 in session at this capital, I have had great pleasure 
 m makmg known to them this manifestation of 
 your Majesty's munificence and kind consideration 
 Under their direction the gifts will be placed 
 among the archives of the government where they 
 will remain perpetually as tokens of mutual esteem 
 and pacific disposition more honorable to both na- 
 tions than any trophies of conquest could be. 
 
 I appreciate most highly your Majesty's tender 
 ot good offices in forwarding to this Government 
 a stock from which a supply of elephants might be 
 raised on our soil. This Government would not hes- 
 itate to avail itself of so generous an offer if the 
 object were one which could be made practically 
 useful in the present condition of the United States 
 
To General George B. McClellan 203 
 
 Our political jurisdiction, however, does not reach a 
 latitude so low as to favor the multiplication of the 
 elephant, and steam on land as well as on water has 
 been our best and most efficient agent of transpor- 
 tation in internal commerce. 
 
 I shall have occasion at no distant day to trans- 
 mit to your Majesty some token of indication of 
 the high sense which this Government entertains 
 of your Majesty's friendship. 
 
 Meantime, wishing for your Majesty a long and 
 
 happy life, and, for the generous and emulous 
 
 people of Siam, the highest possible prosperity, I 
 
 commend both to the blessing of Almighty God. 
 
 Your good friend, 
 
 Abraham Lincoln. 
 
 By the President, 
 
 William H. Seward, 
 Secretary of State, 
 
 To General George B. McClellan 
 
 Gen. McClellan please see the bearer, who, with 
 
 his Regiment, was forced back from the Bermuda 
 
 Expedition, because of their vessel drawing too 
 
 much water. They are now at Annapolis, and wish 
 
 to follow up the Expedition. Can they be provided 
 
 to do so? Or, what disposition can be made of 
 
 them ? 
 
 A Lincoln 
 Feb. 14, 1862 
 
204 Letters of Abraham Lincoln 
 
 Endorsement 
 
 This, as is seen, is a most meritorious case; and 
 I shall really be obliged, if the Secretary of War 
 can and will find a situation ... for the "little 
 sergeant." 
 
 J. „- A. Lincoln 
 
 Feby 27, 1862. 
 
 To Secretary Seward 
 
 Executive Mansion 
 
 TT c r ^^^^^ 5, 1862. 
 
 Hon. bEc. OF State, 
 
 My dear Sir: Please summons the Cabinet to 
 meet me here at 7 o'clock this evening 
 Yours truly, 
 
 A. Lincoln. 
 
 To General Cooper and Others 
 
 These two young men, Richard Middleton and 
 Thomas F. Goodwin seem to have a very meritori- 
 ous case ; and I respectfully commend them to Gen. 
 Cooper, and to others to whom this may be pre- 
 sented. 
 
 HT o „, A. Lincoln 
 
 March 8, 1862. 
 
 Mr. Middleton states, he has heretofore been 
 employed for several years in the Capitol. I shall 
 be pleased if he can be again employed upon it. 
 
To Colonel Ramsey 205 
 
 To Orville H. Browning 
 
 Will Mr. Senator Browning please see Mr. Mul- 
 ler, who I believe to be a correct and honest man. 
 Give him a fair show if possible. 
 
 A. Lincoln 
 
 March 14, 1862. 
 
 To Colonel Ramsey 
 
 Col, Ramsey y please find work for the bearer if 
 possible. He will tell you what he can do. 
 
 A. Lincoln 
 
 March 27, 1862. 
 
 Endorsement on Letter of Silas Crispin, 
 Captain of Ordnance 
 
 What reason is there that the appraisement 
 
 made by Major Hayner and adopted and acted 
 
 upon by Capt. Crispin should not stand, so far as 
 
 it went. 
 
 A. Lincoln 
 April 15, 1862. 
 
 Endorsement on Letter of Stephen Baker ^ 
 
 Hon. Mr. Baker, writer of the within, says he 
 has had no appointment, little or large, from his 
 
 > Representative from New York in the 37th Congress (1861- 
 1863). 
 
2o6 Letters of Abraham Lincoln 
 
 District, except the local ones, and he particularly 
 wishes these. I desire that he may be obliged. 
 Yours truly, 
 
 A. Lincoln 
 
 Unaddressed Note 
 
 Executive Mansion, 
 Washington, May 3, 1862. 
 
 To-day Mr. Senator Wright introduces a Com- 
 mittee of Citizens of this District consisting of 
 William Dixon, William Wise, Henry Lee, Reuben 
 Bacon, Henry D. Gannell, W. J. Murtagh, James 
 H. Lusby who asks the appointment of George W. 
 Garrett as Warden of Penitentiary. 
 
 A. Lincoln. 
 
 To Valentine B. Horton 
 
 Executive Mansion, 
 Washington, May 16, 1862. 
 
 Hon. V. B. Horton, 
 M. C, from Ohio, 
 My dear Sir: Herewith is a copy of your letter 
 with a copy of my Endorsement upon it. 
 
 You perceive I did exactly what you requested. 
 Neither more nor less. 
 
 Yours truly, 
 
 A. Lincoln, 
 
To James F. Simmons 207 
 
 Endorsement on Letter of Valentine B. 
 
 HORTON 
 
 I authorize the Secretary of War to appoint 
 Capt. R. F. Hunter, as I am within requested to 
 do by Hon. V. B. Horton. 
 
 To James F. Simmons ^ 
 
 Executive Mansion, 
 May 21, 1862. 
 
 Hon. Senator Simmons. 
 
 My dear Sir: This distressed girl says she belongs 
 to your state ; that she was here with her father and 
 brother, in our Army, till they went with it to the 
 peninsula ; that her [brother] has been killed there, 
 & her father made prisoner. And that she is here, 
 wanting employment to support herself. 
 
 If you can be satisfied that her story is correct, 
 please see if you can not get Mr Secretary Chase 
 or friend Newton to find her a place. 
 Yours truly, 
 
 A. Lincoln. 
 
 1 United States Senator from Rhode Island, 1859-1863. Orig- 
 inal owned by P. F. Madigan, Esq. 
 
2o8 Letters of Abraham Lincoln 
 
 To Governor Andrew G. Curtin 
 
 Executive Mansion 
 May 26. 1862 
 
 His Excellency 
 
 A. G. Curtin 
 
 Gov. of Penn. 
 The bearer of this, Edward D. Baker, is the son 
 of my very dear friend Col. Baker, who fell at 
 Balls Bluff. He thinks you might be induced to 
 make him a field officer in a Pennsylvania Regi- 
 ment. Disclaiming all wish to interfere in a matter 
 so purely belonging to you and your State, I still 
 say I would be much pleased, if he could be obliged. 
 Yours truly 
 
 A Lincoln 
 
 Recommending Ward H. Lamon 
 
 The bearer of this, W. H. Lamon, is Marshal of 
 D.C. — my particular friend, bom and raised at 
 Bunker Hill, an excellent horseman, and, I think, 
 will be most valuable for scouting purposes. 
 
 A. Lincoln 
 
 May 28, 1862. 
 
^i^3^ri 
 
 
 \^ ^ V 
 
 3 i 
 
 ^^^ ^ 
 
 •^ 
 
 n 
 
To Solomon Foot 209 
 
 To Solomon Foot ^ 
 
 Executive Mansion, 
 Washington, July 15, 1862. 
 
 Hon Solomon Foot 
 U.S. Senator 
 Sir: I am sorry Senators could not so far trust me 
 as to believe I had some real cause for wishing them 
 to remain. I am considering a bill which came to 
 me only late in the day yesterday, and the subject 
 of which has perplexed Congress for more than half 
 a year. I may return it with objections; and if I 
 should, I wish Congress to have the opportunity of 
 obviating the objections, or of passing it into a law 
 notwithstanding them. That is all. 
 Your obedient servant 
 
 A. Lincoln 
 
 Endorsement on Letter of James Harlan ^ 
 
 Washington July 29, 1862 
 
 I have some acquaintance with Mr. Taylor ^ 
 and think his appointment would be a good 
 one. 
 
 A. Lincoln 
 
 * Senator from Vermont, 1857-1866. This is the second letter 
 to Senator Foot about adjournment written on the same day. 
 
 ' United States Senator from Iowa, 1855-65 and 1867-73; 
 Secretary of the Interior, 1865-66. 
 
 ' Hawkins Taylor. 
 
210 Letters of Abraham Lincoln 
 
 To Gen. Henry W. Halleck 
 
 Executive Mansion 
 Washington, Aug. 7, 1862. 
 
 Major Gen. Halleck, 
 
 Please see Gen. Casey. He considers himself 
 aggrieved, and appeals to me for justice. But I do 
 not know what would be justice in the case and 
 have not the time to inquire. 
 
 Please hear him. 
 
 A. Lincoln 
 
 To David P. Holloway, Commissioner of Patents 
 
 Executive Mansion, 
 Washington, Aug. 20, 1862. 
 
 CoM^ OF Patents, 
 
 Sir: My friend, Capt. Diller, bearer of this, 
 wishes the assistance of Dr. Wetherell, chemist in 
 your Bureau, to make an experiment, in which 
 he, Capt Diller, trusts Dr. Wetherell, the govern- 
 ment wishing, as yet, not to be trusted with the 
 secret. 
 
 Please let Dr. Wetherell give him the assist- 
 ance. 
 
 Yours truly, 
 
 A. Lincoln. 
 
To Governor William Sprague 211 
 Endorsement on Letter of John W. Shaffer ^ 
 
 Executive Mansion 
 Sept. 17, 1862 
 
 As I told you yesterday of what disposition is to 
 be made of them and whether they can be made 
 self-supporting (the negroes) must be decided in 
 the Department of the Gulf, and I believe Butler 
 is more likely to succeed than any other man I 
 know. . . . 
 
 The writer of this is a personal acquaintance of 
 mine who has been on duty at New Orleans as a 
 Quarter Master. I have thought it not improper 
 that the Sec. of War should see his suggestions. 
 
 A. Lincoln 
 
 To Governor William Sprague ^ 
 
 Executive Mansion 
 Washington, Sep. 20, 1862 
 
 His Excellency 
 
 Gov. William Sprague — 
 My dear Sir: I am sure you can not be ignorant of 
 my strong desire to oblige you, so far as in my own 
 judgement, I consistently can; but I cannot now 
 
 * Appointed from Illinois as Assistant Quarter Master, in the 
 Volunteer Army, Aug. 3, 1861, and made a Colonel and Addi- 
 tional Aide-de-Camp, Jan. 30, 1862. 
 
 2 Governor of Rhode Island, 1 860-1 863. 
 
212 Letters of Abraham Lincoln 
 
 so do, that, the procuring of which, seems to be the 
 mission of your friend, J. A. Perry. 
 
 Yours truly A Lincoln 
 
 To THE Assistant Surgeon-General * 
 
 Assistant Surgeon General please see D- Stipp. 
 He says he is ordered to Gen. M-Clellan's camp 
 while his preparations — tools, so to speak — are 
 at Corinth, Miss. Not intending to interfere by 
 an order, I still would be glad if he could be sent 
 to Corinth. 
 
 A. Lincoln 
 
 Oct 6, 1862. 
 
 To Secretary Chase 
 
 Executive Mansion, 
 Washington, Nov. 8, 1862. 
 
 Hon. Sec. of Treasury 
 
 My dear Sir: I now understand that a Commis- 
 sion has been sent to some gentleman as Collector 
 for the 13th District of New York, in place of Mr. 
 Masten whom I appointed at the request of Hon. 
 Mr. Steele.^ If I have signed a Commission super- 
 seding him I have done it inadvertently, not re- 
 
 1 Written on two sides of a card. From a facsimile in an arti- 
 cle on " Lincoln as a Boy knew Him," by John Langdon Kaine, 
 in the Century, lxiii, 555, Feb., 1913. 
 
 * John B. Steele, of Kingston, N.Y., Representative in the 
 Thirty-Seventh and Thirty-Eighth Congresses. 
 
To General Carl Schurz 213 
 
 membering having done so at all, and not having 
 known any just reason for doing so. 
 
 Having appointed Mr. Masten deliberately, I 
 do not wish to revoke such appointment without 
 a sufficient reason; and, of course, I do not wish 
 to be made to appear as having prevaricated. If 
 Mr. Masten has tendered a sufficient bond, I wish 
 him to have the office. 
 
 Yours truly, A. Lincoln. 
 
 To Mrs. Lincoln 
 
 Washington, Nov. 9, 1862. 
 Mrs. a. Lincoln, 
 Boston, Mass, 
 Mrs. Cuthbert and Aunt Mary want to move to 
 the White House because it has grown so cold at 
 Soldiers' Home. Shall they? 
 
 A. Lincoln 
 
 To General Carl Schurz ^ 
 
 Executive 
 Washington, '. 
 
 'Private i^ Confidential 
 
 Executive Mansion, 
 Washington, Nov. id, 1862. 
 
 Gen. Schurz. 
 
 My dear Sir: Yours of the 8th was, to-day, read 
 to me by Mrs. S[churz]. We have lost the elections; 
 
 ^ From Speeches, Correspondence, and Political Papers of Carl 
 Schurz, New York, 1913, i, 211. 
 
214 Letters of Abraham Lincoln 
 
 and it is natural that each of us will believe, and 
 say, it has been because his peculiar views was not 
 made sufficiently prominent. I think I know what 
 it was, but I may be mistaken. Three main causes 
 told the whole story, i. The democrats were left 
 in a majority by our friends going to the war. 
 2. The democrats observed this & determined to 
 re-instate themselves in power, and 3. Our news- 
 papers, by vilifying and disparaging the adminis- 
 tration, furnished them all the weapons to do it 
 with. Certainly, the ill-success of the war had 
 much to do with this. 
 
 You give a different set of reasons. If you had 
 not made the following statements, I should not 
 have suspected them to be true. "The defeat of 
 the administration is the administration's own 
 fault." (Opinion.) "It admitted its professed op- 
 ponents to its counsels." (Asserted as a fact.) "It 
 placed the Army, now a great power in this Repub- 
 lic, into the hands of its enemies." (Asserted as a 
 fact.) "In all personal questions to be hostile to 
 the party of the Government seemed to be a title 
 to consideration." (Asserted as a fact.) "If to 
 forget the great rule, that if you are true to your 
 friends, your friends will be true to you, and that 
 you make your enemies stronger by placing them 
 upon an equality with your friends." "Is it sur- 
 prising that the opponents of the administration 
 should have got into their hands the government of 
 
To General Carl Schurz 215 
 
 the principal states, after they have had for a long 
 time the principal management of the war, the 
 great business of the national government." 
 
 I can not dispute about the matter of opinion. 
 On the three matters (stated as facts) I shall be 
 glad to have your evidence upon them when I shall 
 meet you. The plain facts, as they appear to me, 
 are these. The administration came into power, 
 very largely in a minority of the popular vote. 
 Notwithstanding this, it distributed to its party 
 friends as nearly all the civil patronage as any ad- 
 ministration ever did. The war came. The admin- 
 istration could not even start in this, without as- 
 sistance outside of its party. It was mere nonsense 
 to suppose a minority could put down a majority 
 in rebellion. Mr. Schurz (now Gen. Schurz) was 
 about here then & I do not recollect that he then 
 considered all who were not republicans, were ene- 
 mies of the government, and that none of them 
 must be appointed to military positions. He will 
 correct me if I am mistaken. It so happened that 
 very few of our friends had a military education or 
 were of the profession of arms. It would have been 
 a question whether the war should be conducted on 
 military knowledge, or on political affinity, only 
 that our own friends (I think Mr. Schurz included) 
 seemed to think that such a question was inad- 
 missible. Accordingly I have scarcely appointed 
 a democrat to a command, who was not urged by 
 
2i6 Letters of Abraham Lincoln 
 
 many republicans and opposed by none. It was so 
 as to McClellan. He was first brought forward by 
 the RepubUcan Governor of Ohio, & claimed, and 
 contended for at the same time by the Republican 
 Governor of Pennsylvania. I received recommen- 
 dations from the republican delegations in Con- 
 gress, and I believe every one of them recom- 
 mended a majority of democrats. But, after all 
 many Republicans were appointed ; and I mean no 
 disparagement to them when I say I do not see 
 that their superiority of success has been so marked 
 as to throw great suspicion on the good faith of 
 those who are not Republicans. 
 Yours truly, 
 
 A. Lincoln 
 
 To Hamilton Rowan Gamble, Governor of 
 Missouri 
 
 I have not yet been able to get the document but 
 have the Secretary of War hunting for it. 
 
 A. Lincoln 
 Nov 15, 1862. 
 
To General Steele and Others 217 
 
 To General Frederick Steele, General 
 
 John Smith Phelps (Military Governor of 
 
 Arkansas), and Others 
 
 Washington, Nov. i8, 1862. 
 
 General Steele, Governor Phelps, and all having 
 military and naval authority, under the United 
 States, within the State of Arkansas: 
 Mr. William M. McPherson goes to Arkansas 
 seeking to have such of the people thereof as de- 
 sire to avoid the unsatisfactory prospect before 
 them, and to have peace again upon the old terms 
 under the constitution of the United States, to 
 manifest such desire by elections of members to the 
 Congress of the United States particularly, and 
 perhaps a legislature. State officers, and United 
 States Senators, friendly to their object. I shall be 
 glad for you and each of you to aid them and all 
 others acting for this object, as much as possible. 
 
 In all available ways give the people a chance to 
 express their wishes at these elections. Follow law 
 and forms of law as far as convenient, but at all 
 events get the expression of the largest number of 
 the people possible. All see how such action will 
 connect with and affect the proclamation of Sep- 
 tember 22nd. Of course the men elected should be 
 gentlemen of character, willing to swear support to 
 the Constitution as of old and known to be above 
 reasonable suspicion of duplicity. 
 
 Yours very respectfully, A. Lincoln. 
 
2i8 Letters of Abraham Lincoln 
 
 To George S. Boutwell,^ Commissioner of 
 Internal Revenue 
 
 Executive Mansion, 
 Washington, Nov. 24, 1862. 
 
 Com'^ of Internal Revenue 
 
 Sir: It was by mere oversight that the Eastern 
 Shore counties of Virginia, and some other counties 
 of Hon. Mr. Segar's ^ District, were not classed as 
 loyal in the proclamation of July. I intend to set 
 this right the first convenient opportunity. Mean- 
 time, please consult with Mr. Segar, and act with 
 his District, in regard to the Revenue, as with a 
 loyal District. 
 
 Yours truly A. Lincoln 
 
 To Cyrus Aldrich ' 
 
 Executive Mansion, 
 Washington, Dec 6, 1862. 
 
 Hon Cyrus Aldrich. 
 
 My dear Sir: In answer to your inquiries I can 
 
 only say, at this distance of time, that I remember 
 
 the Land-officers at Vandalia, Palestine, Danville 
 
 and Dixon, in the state of Illinois, who went in 
 
 under the administration of President Taylor, 
 
 * Formerly Governor of Massachusetts and later Secretary of 
 the Treasury under Grant and Senator from Massachusetts. 
 
 * Joseph E. Segar, of Elizabeth City, Va., a Member of Con- 
 gress, 1862-1863. 
 
 ' Representative from Minnesota in the Thirty-Sixth and 
 Thirty-Seventh Congresses. 
 
To Secretary Smith 219 
 
 afterwards made a claim in connection with the 
 location of Land warrants in the respective offices, 
 which claim was disallowed by the accounting offi- 
 cers at Washington; that the claim, and conse- 
 quently the question in all the cases was the same, 
 and that the officers of whom you were one, de- 
 termined to test the legality of the claim in a suit 
 against one of them which might be brought by the 
 government; and I think the District Attorney also 
 agreed to it, so far as to sue one only. — Daniel 
 Clapp of Danville and Judge Logan and myself 
 were engaged to defend; and while I do not now 
 remember the exact question, I do remember that 
 I expected the defense would succeed, and I am sure 
 there was nothing in the claims to cast any imputation 
 upon the parties making it. My recollection is that 
 the defendants sought, or rather, the single defendant, 
 constantly sought to bring the suit to trial, that the 
 District Attorney was never ready, and that the case 
 lingered many years, and, as I think was still on the 
 docket when I came on here. 
 
 Yours very truly, A. Lincoln. 
 
 To Secretary Smith 
 
 Executive Mansion 
 Washington, Jan. 8, 1863. 
 
 Hon Caleb B. Smith. 
 
 My dear Sir: I wish you would tell me in writing, 
 exactly what you did promise Watt about going to 
 
220 Letters of Abraham Lincoln 
 
 Europe last Spring. If it was in writing send me a 
 
 copy; if merely verbal, write it as accurately as you 
 
 can from memory, and please send it to me at once. 
 
 Yours as ever. 
 
 A. Lincoln. 
 
 To James R. Doolittle 
 
 Executive Mansion, 
 Washington, Jan 22, 1863. 
 
 Hon. J. R. Doolittle, 
 
 My dear Sir: I find I cannot postpone the ap- 
 pointment of Asst. Sec. of Interior to the end of the 
 session. I therefore shall have to try to recognize 
 Mr. Potter in some other way. 
 
 Yours very truly, 
 
 A. Lincoln 
 
 To George E. Fawcett 
 
 Executive Mansion, 
 Washington January 26, 1863. 
 
 My dear Sir: Allow me to thank you cordially 
 
 for your thoughtful courtesy in sending me a copy 
 
 of your "Emancipation March." 
 
 Your obedient servt, 
 
 A. Lincoln 
 
 Geo. E. Fawcett Esq. 
 Muscatine Iowa. 
 
To General Franz Sigel 221 
 
 Endorsement on Letter of General Franz 
 
 Sigel 
 
 I believe an increased Cavalry force would be 
 valuable, but I have not promised that, to suit the 
 convenience of any officer, I would, however incon- 
 venient to the government, raise one immediately. 
 I have tried, in regard to Gen. Schurz and Gen. 
 Stahl, to oblige all round; but it seems to get worse 
 and worse. If Gen. Sigel would say distinctly and 
 unconditionally, what he desires done, about the 
 command of the forces he has, I should try to do it; 
 but when he has plans, conditioned upon my rais- 
 ing new forces, which is inconvenient for me to do, 
 it is drawing upon me too severely. 
 
 A. Lincoln. 
 Jan. 26, 1863. 
 
 To General Franz Sigel ^ 
 
 Executive Mansion, 
 Washington, February 5, 1863. 
 
 Major General Sigel 
 
 My dear Sir: Gen. Schurz thinks I was a little 
 cross in my last note to you. If I was, I ask pardon. 
 If I do get up a little temper I have no sufficient 
 time to keep it up. 
 
 I believe I will not now issue any new order in 
 relation to the matter in question; but I will be 
 
 » From a facsimile in the New York Staats-Zeitung. 
 
222 Letters of Abraham Lincoln . 
 
 obliged, if Gen. Hooker consistently can, and will 
 
 give an increased Cavalry command to Gen. Stahl. 
 
 You may show Gen. Hooker this letter if you choose. 
 
 Yours truly, 
 
 A. Lincoln. 
 
 To THE Secretaries of War and the Navy ^ 
 
 Executive Mansion, 
 Washington, Feb. i6th, 1863. 
 
 Hon. Secretary of War & 
 
 Hon Secretary of the Navy. 
 Gentlemen: — Please appoint an officer from each 
 of your Departments, for the purpose of testing the 
 incendiary shell and incendiary fluid, of A. Berry, 
 and reporting to me whether it would be proper to 
 introduce the Shell, or the fluid in some other 
 form, one or both, into the Military or Naval 
 service of the United States. 
 
 Yours truly, A. Lincoln 
 
 To THE Commandant at Fort McHenry ^ 
 
 Executive Mansion 
 March 13, 1863. 
 
 To THE Commandant 
 
 At Fort McHenry : 
 General: — You will deliver to the bearer, Mrs. 
 Winston, her son, now held a prisoner of War in 
 
 » Original owned by P. F. Madigan. 
 
 * At Baltimore. The letter is reprinted from Reminiscences of 
 Abraham Lincoln by Distinguished Men of his Time, edited by 
 
To Secretary Stanton 223 
 
 Fort McHenry, and permit her to take him where 
 she will, upon his taking the proper parole never 
 again to take up arms against the United States. 
 
 Abraham Lincoln. 
 
 To General Totten 
 
 Gen. Totten, please see Judge Mott,^ now Terri- 
 torial Delegate for Nevada. 
 
 A. Lincoln 
 
 April 27, 1863. 
 
 To Surgeon-General William A. Hammond 
 
 The Surgeon-General will oblige me if he can 
 
 consistently assign Chaplain Van Santvoord to the 
 
 convalescent camp for a few months. 
 
 _ _ „^ A. Lincoln. 
 
 May I, 1863. 
 
 To Secretary Stanton 
 
 Head Quarters A. P. 
 May 7, 1863. 
 
 Hon Secretary of War. 
 
 Have you any news? and if any what is it? I 
 expect to be up to-night. 
 
 A. Lincoln 
 
 Allen Thorndike Rice, New York, 1888, p. 507, where the whole 
 story is told by E. W. Andrews, who was chief of staff to Gen. 
 W. W. Morris, the commandant, at the time when the incident 
 occurred. 
 
 * Gordon N. Mott. He took his seat as a Delegate in Congress, 
 Jan. II, 1864. 
 
224 Letters of Abraham Lincoln 
 
 To Governor Richard Yates 
 
 If the Governor of Illinois, in his discretion, see 
 fit to reappoint Lieut. Gray to the place he was 
 dismissed from, if it is still vacant, or to appoint 
 him to any other Military Office, the disability now 
 resting upon him to be so appointed, is hereby 
 removed. 
 
 A. Lincoln 
 
 May 25, 1863. 
 
 To Isaac N. Arnold ^ 
 
 Private l^ confidential 
 
 Executive Mansion, 
 Washington, May 26, 1863. 
 
 Hon. I. N. Arnold, 
 
 My dear Sir: Your letter advising me to dismiss 
 Gen Halleck is received. If the public believe, as 
 you say, that he has driven Fremont, Butler, and 
 Sigel from the service, they believe what I know 
 to be false ; so that if I was to yield to it, it would 
 only be to be instantly beset by some other demand 
 based on another falsehood equally gross. You 
 know yourself that Fremont was relieved at his 
 own request, before Halleck could have had any- 
 
 1 a Republican Congressman from Illinois, 1861-1865, and 
 author of History of Abraham. Lincoln (1867) and Life of Abraham 
 Lincoln (1885). Original in the Isaac N. Arnold Collection. 
 
To Isaac N. Arnold 225 
 
 thing to do with it — went out near the end of 
 June, while Halleck only came in near the end of 
 July. I know equally well that no wish of Halleck's 
 had anything to do with the removal of Butler or 
 Sigel. Sigel, like Fremont, was relieved at his own 
 request, pressed upon me almost constantly for six 
 months, and upon complaints that could have been 
 made as justly by almost any corps commander in 
 the army, and more justly by some. So much for 
 the way they got out. Now a word as to their not 
 getting back. In the early spring, Gen. Fremont 
 sought active service again; and, as it seemed to 
 me, sought it in a very good and reasonable spirit. 
 But he holds the highest rank in the Army, except 
 McClellan, so that I could not well offer him a 
 subordinate command. Was I to displace Hooker, 
 or Hunter, or Rosecrans, or Grant, or Banks.? If 
 not, what was I to do.? And, similar to this, is the 
 case of both the others. One month after Gen 
 Butler's return, I offered him a position in which I 
 thought and still think he could have done himself 
 the highest credit, and the country the greatest 
 service, but he declined it. When Gen. Sigel was 
 relieved, at his own request as I have said, of course 
 I had to put another in command of his corps. Can 
 I instantly thrust that other one [out] to put him in 
 again ? 
 
 And now my good friend, let me turn your eyes 
 upon another point. Whether Gen Grant shall or 
 
226 Letters of Abraham Lincoln 
 
 shall not consummate the capture of Vicksburg, 
 his campaign from the beginning of the month up 
 to the twenty-second day of it, is one of the most 
 brilliant in the world. His corps commanders & 
 Division commanders, in part, are McClernand, 
 McPherson, Sherman, Steele, Hovey, Blair & 
 Logan. And yet taking Gen Grant and these seven 
 of his generals, and you can scarcely name one of 
 them that has not been constantly denounced even 
 opposed by the same men who are now so anx- 
 ious to get Halleck out, and Fremont & Butler & 
 Sigel in. I believe no one of them went through 
 the Senate easily, and certainly one failed to get 
 through at all. I am compelled to take a more im- 
 partial and unprejudiced view of things. Without 
 claiming to be your superior, which I do not, my 
 position enables me to understand my duty in all 
 these matters better than you possibly can, and I 
 hope you do not yet doubt my integrity. 
 Your friend as ever, 
 
 A. Lincoln. 
 
 Endorsement on Application of Richard 
 
 MiDDLETON 
 
 I understand that Richard Middleton, named 
 within, has an application before Col Long, for 
 employment; and while I do not personally know 
 him, the within names are so good and ample that 
 
To Gustave Koerner 227 
 
 I do not hesitate to say I shall be very glad, if he 
 can get the employment. 
 
 A. Lincoln 
 June 4, 1863. 
 
 To Major-General David Hunter 
 
 Executive Mansion. 
 Washington, June 9, 1863. 
 
 My dear Sir: I find it still impossible to answer 
 
 at length your communication received through 
 
 Captain Kinzie. I am unwilling to detain him 
 
 longer, and have directed him to return to Hilton 
 
 Head. 
 
 Very truly yours, 
 
 A. Lincoln 
 
 To Gustave Koerner ^ 
 
 Executive Mansion 
 Washington, 12 June 1863 
 
 My Dear Governor: The President directs me to 
 acknowledge the receipt of your communication of 
 the 24th May, which he received this morning. 
 He begs me to assure you that there is no founda- 
 tion for the impertinent rumor of your recall, and 
 that the matter has been left unnoticed simply 
 from the irresponsible character of its origin. He 
 
 ^ Then Minister to Spain (i 862-1 865). 
 
228 Letters of Abraham Lincoln 
 
 directs me to renew to you the assurance of his 
 
 undiminished confidence and esteem. 
 
 I have the honor to be 
 
 Very respectfully 
 
 Your obt Sert 
 
 John Hay 
 His Excellency 
 
 gustavus koerner 
 
 &c &c 
 
 To Secretary Stanton 
 
 Executive Mansion, 
 Washington, D.C. July 29, 1863. 
 
 Hon. Secretary of War. 
 
 Dear Sir: I understand the Gov. of New Hamp- 
 shire is anxious in regard to trouble about the 
 draft, and desires that the 5th N.H. should be 
 sent home on that account. The regiment is now 
 here, going down the Potomac, somewhere, and 
 contains, as I hear, only 115 men. 
 
 Yours truly, A. Lincoln 
 
 To General George Stoneman ^ 
 
 Executive Mansion, 
 Washington, Aug. 1863. 
 
 Gen Stoneman 
 
 I am appealed to in behalf of E. S. Doty, Co. A., 
 V^ Vermont Cavalry, whose friends do not know 
 
 > Major-General of Volunteers. 
 
To Governor Joseph A. Gilmore 229 
 
 where he is, but fear he has been executed, or is 
 under sentence of death, somewhere, as a deserter. 
 Records in these cases do not necessarily come, 
 and in this case none is here. Please ascertain, and 
 inform me, if you can, how the case stands. 
 Yours truly, 
 
 A. Lincoln. 
 
 To Governor Joseph A. Gilmore ^ 
 
 Executive Mansion, 
 Washington Aug. 7, 1863. 
 
 Joseph A. Gilmore, Gov. N.H. 
 
 My dear Governor Gilmore: I thank you very 
 heartily for your kind invitation to visit Concord, 
 and especially for the exceedingly cordial terms in 
 which you have conveyed it. I very much regret 
 that I cannot at present accept it. I am by no 
 means certain that I can leave Washington at all 
 this summer. The exacting nature of my official 
 duties renders it exceedingly improbable. I assure 
 you however that I am none the less sincerely 
 grateful for your kind intentions and for the ex- 
 pressions of personal good will contained in your 
 letter. 
 
 I am very truly yours, 
 
 A. Lincoln. 
 
 ^ A letter in the handwriting of Secretary John Hay, signed 
 by Lincoln. 
 
230 Letters of Abraham Lincoln 
 
 To Secretary Seward 
 
 Hon. Secretary of State: — 
 
 I have for a good while had this particular ques- 
 tion under consideration; and my judgement [is] 
 that the within, substantially, should be the answer 
 to Lord Lyons. 
 
 A. Lincoln 
 
 Aug. 10, 1863. 
 
 To Mrs. Elizabeth J. Grimsley ^ 
 
 Executive Mansion, 
 Washington, August 14, 1863. 
 
 My dear Cousin Lizzie: I have, by the law, two 
 classes of appointments to make to the naval 
 school — ten of each, to the year. The first class, 
 according to the law, must be of the families of 
 meritorious Naval Officers; while the other class 
 does not have such restrictions. You see at once 
 that if I have a vacancy in the first class, I cannot 
 appoint Johnny to it; and I have intended for 
 months and still intend, to appoint him to the very 
 first vacancy I can get in the other class. 
 Yours very truly, 
 
 A. Lincoln. 
 
 * See telegram, Aug. 24, 1863, in Works, Nicolay and Hay, 
 Tandy's ed., 1905, ix, 91. Copy furnished by Mr. Judd Stewart. 
 
To Secretary Stanton 231 
 
 To Secretary Stanton ^ 
 
 Executive Mansion, 
 Washington, Aug. 20, 1863. 
 
 Hon. Secretary of War. 
 
 Dear Sir: Since leaving the telegraph office, it 
 has occurred to me that it might be well to have 
 Gen. Lockwood send down to us, the two men he 
 mentions as just arrived from Fredericksburg. 
 Yours truly, 
 
 A. Lincoln 
 
 To Secretary Stanton 
 
 Secretary of War, please see this Pittsburg boy. 
 He is very young, and I shall be satisfied with 
 whatever you do with him. 
 
 A. Lincoln 
 
 August 21, 1863. 
 
 To Secretary Stanton 
 
 Executive Mansion, 
 Washington, Aug. 29, 1863. 
 
 Hon. Secretary of War: — 
 
 Dr. Brown, the embalmer,^ who has so long gone 
 with our Armies, says he is now prevented in 
 
 1 Original owned by Mr. Judd Stewart. 
 
 » Charles D. Brown, who embalmed President Lincoln's body 
 at his death, and at the request of the Secretary of War accom- 
 panied the remains to Springfield, Illinois. 
 
232 Letters of Abraham Lincoln 
 
 consequence of the loss of a paper. I suppose he 
 should be given another, unless there be some rea- 
 son to the contrary unknown to me. 
 
 Yours truly A. Lincoln 
 
 To Attorney-General Bates 
 
 Executive Mansion, 
 Washington Sept. 2, 1863. 
 
 Hon. Attorney General. 
 
 Satisfactory evidence having been produced to 
 me that William A. Stephens of Shelby county, 
 Kentucky, is under an indictment for treason in 
 the Circuit Court of the United States for the Dis- 
 trict of Kentucky; and that said Stephens, under a 
 certain proclamation tendering upon certain terms, 
 did, on or about the fifth day of June, 1863, and 
 since the finding of said indictment, take the oath 
 of allegiance to the United States, and give bond 
 with security accordingly, I do hereby pardon him 
 for the offense charged in the indictment, and for 
 all similar offenses up to the said fifth of June, 1863. 
 
 Please make out a pardon accordingly. 
 
 A. Lincoln. 
 
 To Gen. Nathaniel P. Banks 
 
 Executive Mansion, 
 Washington, Sept. 19, 1863. 
 
 My dear Sir: In strong hopes that you have the 
 old flag flying in Texas by this time, we are about 
 
To Robert A. Maxwell 233 
 
 sending you Gen. Hamilton ^ to act as Military 
 Governor there. I believe you know him; but it 
 can do no harm for me to say I really believe him 
 to be a man of worth and ability; and one who, 
 by his acquaintance there, can scarcely fail to be 
 efficient in re-inaugurating the National authority. 
 He has suffered so long and painful an exile, from 
 his home and family, that I feel a deep sympathy 
 for him, and I scarcely need say that I am sure he 
 has received, and will receive the same from you. 
 Yours very truly, 
 
 A. Lincoln. 
 
 To Robert A. Maxwell * 
 
 Telegram written but not sent 
 
 **Cypher" 
 
 Executive Mansion, 
 Washington, D.C. Sept. 23, 1863. 
 
 Robert A. Maxwell 
 
 New York 
 I hasten to say that in the state of information 
 we have here, nothing could be more ungracious 
 
 1 Andrew Jackson Hamilton, jurist; born in Alabama, Jan. 28, 
 18x5; removed to Texas in 1846; elected to Congress in 1851; op- 
 posed the secession of Texas; Nov. 14, 1862, appointed Brigadier- 
 General and Military Governor of Texas by President Lincoln; 
 in 1865 appointed Provisional Governor by President Johnson; 
 died in Austin, Texas, Apr. 10, 1875. 
 
 « One of President Lincoln's self-appointed advisers. After 
 writing this dispatch and handing it to the operator, the Presi- 
 
234 Letters of Abraham Lincoln 
 
 than to indulge any suspicion towards Gen. 
 Thomas. It is doubtful whether his heroism and 
 skill exhibited last Sunday afternoon ^ has ever 
 been surpassed in the world. 
 
 A. Lincoln 
 To Secretary Stanton 
 
 Executive Mansion, 
 Washington, Oct. 9, 1863. 
 
 Hon. Secretary of War. 
 
 Sir: Mrs. Thomas G. Clemsin is a daughter of 
 the late Hon John C. Calhoun, and is now residing 
 near Bladensburg in Maryland. 
 
 She understands that her son, Calhoun Clemsin, 
 IS now a prisoner of War to us at Johnson's Is- 
 land; and she asks the privilege merely of visiting 
 him. With your approbation, I consent for her to 
 
 go 2 
 
 Yours truly, 
 
 A. Lincoln 
 
 dent decided not to answer his meddlesome telegram. Printed 
 and reproduced in facsimile in David Homer Bates's Lincoln in 
 the Telegraph Office. 
 
 » In the Battle of Chickamauga. 
 
 « Secretary Stanton wrote, "Any written communication may 
 be forwarded under cover and unsealed through Col. HoflF- 
 
 mart- 
 
 man. 
 
To General George Stoneman 235 
 
 To THE Officers of the Pacific Railroad 
 
 Executive ]Mansion 
 Washington, Oct. i6, 1863. 
 
 To THE Officers of 
 
 The Pacific Railroad. 
 Richard P. Morgan bearer of this, is my personal 
 acquaintance and friend, whom I would like to 
 have obliged in any reasonable way. 
 
 I became acquainted with him while he was 
 
 acting as a Railroad Civil Engineer, and I know 
 
 him long enough and well enough in this capacity 
 
 to believe him to be both competent and faithful. 
 
 Yours, &c 
 
 A. Lincoln 
 
 To Mellen 
 
 Executive Mansion, 
 Washington, Oct 22, 1863. 
 
 If Mr. Mellen can conveniently oblige Mr 
 
 Sweeney I shall be glad; but I would not have 
 
 him do it otherwise. 
 
 A. Lincoln 
 
 To General George Stoneman 
 
 Gen. Stoneman, 
 
 Please see and hear patiently my friend, George 
 I. Bergen, who will hand you this. 
 
 A. Lincoln. 
 
 October 30, 1863. 
 
23^ Letters of Abraham Lincoln 
 
 Unaddressed Note 
 
 I am Informed as a certainty, that a lady coming 
 from Culpeper C.H. to Warrenton, met Walker's 
 Division going south, who said they were going to 
 Petersburg. 
 
 A. Lincoln 
 
 To Stephen C. Massett 
 
 Washington, Dec. 4, 1863 
 
 Mr. Stephen C. Massett. 
 
 My Dear Sir: Allow me to thank you very cor- 
 dially for your kindness in sending me a copy of 
 your book, " Drifting About." 
 
 I am very truly, 
 
 Your Obed't Serv't, Abraham Lincoln. 
 
 To Thurlow Weed 
 
 Executive Mansion, 
 Dec 17, 1863. 
 
 Hon. T. Weed. 
 
 Dear Sir: Allow me to introduce my friends, 
 
 Joshua F. Speed ^ and Joshua Tevis of Kentucky. 
 
 You may rely implicitly on whatever they may tell 
 
 you; and I think their mission an important one. 
 
 Yours very truly. 
 
 A. Lincoln. 
 
 ^ An old and intimate friend of Lincoln's and a leading citizen 
 of Louisville. 
 
To Secretary Welles 237 
 
 To Bayard Taylor 
 
 Executive Mansion, 
 Washington Dec 25, 1863. 
 
 Hon Bayard Taylor, 
 
 My dear Sir: I think a good lecture or two on 
 Serfs, Serfdom, and Emancipation in Russia would 
 be both interesting and valuable. Could not you 
 get up such a thing ? 
 
 Yours truly 
 
 A. Lincoln 
 
 To Secretary Welles 
 
 [No datel 
 
 Secretary Welles, — 
 
 The United States don't need the services of 
 boys who disobey their parents. Let both Snyder 
 and Ratcliffe be discharged. 
 
 A. Lincoln. 
 
 Unaddressed Note 
 
 Executive Mansion 
 Washington D.C. 
 
 This lady, Miss Weirman wants employment, 
 and [I] shall be obliged to any Head of a Depart- 
 ment or Bureau who can give it to her. 
 
 A. Lincoln 
 
 January 14, 1864. 
 
238 Letters of Abraham Lincoln 
 
 To Secretary Stanton 
 
 Executive Mansion, 
 Washington, Feby 12, 1864. 
 
 To THE Secretary of War. 
 
 Dear Sir: Herewith is the resignation of Mr. 
 McElroth, as General Appraiser at New York 
 Send me a nomination for James Freeland as his 
 successor unless you know some reason to the 
 contrary. 
 
 Yours truly, A. Lincoln 
 
 P.S. The recommendations of Mr. Freeland 
 which seem good and ample are herewith. 
 
 A. L. 
 
 To Misses Clara and Julia Brown 
 
 Executive Mansion, 
 Washington March 2, 1864. 
 Misses Clara & Julia Brown. 
 
 The Afgan you sent is received, and gratefully 
 accepted. I especially like my little friends; ^ and 
 although you have never seen me, I am glad you 
 remember me for the country's sake, and even 
 more, that you remember, and try to help the poor 
 soldiers. 
 
 Yours very truly A. Lincoln 
 
 the fff ^"'"^ ^° photographs of the donors which accompanied 
 
To Attorney-General Bates 239 
 To Postmaster-General Blair 
 
 Executive Mansion, 
 Washington March 21, 1864. 
 
 To THE Hon Postmaster General. 
 
 Dear Sir: These young ladies, Miss Dugger and 
 Miss Beattie, are from Illinois and want employ- 
 ment. They are loyal and worthy and I shall be 
 glad indeed, if places can be found for them. 
 Yours truly, 
 
 A. Lincoln. 
 
 In An Autograph Album for a 
 Sanitary Fair 
 
 I never knew a man who wished to be himself a 
 slave. 
 
 Consider if you know any good thing, that no 
 man desires for himself. 
 
 A. Lincoln 
 
 March 22, 1864. 
 
 To Attorney-General Bates 
 
 Attorney General, please send me a nomination 
 as within requested. 
 
 A. Lincoln 
 March 24, 1864. 
 
240 Letters of Abraham Lincoln 
 
 To Colonel Joseph Holt, Jvdge- Advocate- 
 General 
 
 Executive Mansion 
 Washington March 28, 1864. 
 
 To Judge Advocate General. 
 
 Dear Sir: I am told that there is a man in the 
 Old Capitol Prison by the name of Benedict A. 
 King on some charge of Desertion. 
 Report me the facts of his case, if you can. 
 Yours truly, 
 
 A. Lincoln 
 
 To Colonel Worthington 
 
 Executive Mansion 
 Washington March 31, 1864. 
 
 Col. Worthington, — 
 
 If Major General Schenck will say in writing 
 upon this sheet that he believes the public service 
 would be advanced by your being placed at the 
 head of a Regiment in the field, I will remove any 
 legal disability resting upon you so that the Gov- 
 ernor of Ohio may appoint you to so command a 
 regiment. 
 
 Yours truly 
 
 A. Lincoln 
 
To General Heniy W. Slocum 241 
 
 To Captain Gustavus V. Fox ^ 
 
 Capt. Fox, please see and hear the bearer, Mr. 
 Sawyer. 
 
 A. Lincoln 
 
 May 21, 1864. 
 
 Unaddressed Note ^ 
 
 Allow Charles H. Jonas now a prisoner of war at 
 Johnson's Island a parole of three weeks to visit 
 his dying father, Abraham Jonas, at Quincy, Ills. 
 
 A. Lincoln 
 
 June 2nd 1864. 
 
 To General Henry W. Slocum 
 
 Executive Mansion, 
 Washington June 6. 1864. 
 
 Major General Slocum 
 
 My friend Thomas A. Marshall, who will hand 
 you this, informs me that he has some difficulty 
 in managing a plantation in your Department. It 
 may be that you withhold nothing from him which 
 can safely be granted ; and I do not make any order 
 in the case; but simply wish to say I personally 
 know, so far as such things can be known, that 
 
 1 Assistant Secretary of the Navy. 
 
 ' From Isaac Markens's Abraham Lincoln and the Jews, where 
 it is quoted from the records of the War Department. See letter 
 to Abraham Jonas, p. 130. 
 
242 Letters of Abraham Lincoln 
 
 Mr. Marshall is loyal, truthful, and honorable ; and 
 that I shall be glad for him to be obliged in any 
 not unreasonable way. 
 
 Yours truly A Lincoln 
 
 Endorsement on Letter of Lieutenant 
 James B. Jameson ^ 
 
 July 4, 1864 
 
 I believe I need no escort, and unless the Secre- 
 tary of War directs, none need attend me. 
 
 A. Lincoln. 
 
 To Joseph Casey ^ 
 
 Executive Mansion, 
 Washington, July 6, 1864. 
 
 Hon Joseph Casey. 
 
 My dear Sir: I am urged to appoint an assistant 
 attorney to your court in place of Mr. McPherson. 
 I believe you once told me, but I am not sure that 
 I correctly remember, what is the wish of the court 
 in regard to the dismissal or retaining of Mr. Mc- 
 Pherson. 
 
 Please tell me again. 
 
 Yours truly, A. Lincoln 
 
 ^ The letter informed the President that Lieutenant Jameson 
 had been ordered to report to him with twenty men to act as an 
 escort. 
 
 * Chief Justice of the United States Court of Claims. Original 
 owned by Mr. Judd Stewart. 
 
To Governor John A. Andrew 243 
 To Mrs. Esther Stockton ^ 
 
 Executive Mansion, 
 Washington July 8, 1864. 
 
 Mrs. Esther Stockton. 
 
 Madam: Learning that you who have passed the 
 eighty-fourth year of Hfe, have given to the soldiers, 
 some three hundred pairs of stockings, knitted by 
 yourself, I wish to offer you my thanks. Will you 
 also convey my thanks to those young ladies who 
 have done so much in feeding our soldiers while 
 passing through your city? 
 
 Yours truly, A. Lincoln 
 
 To Governor John A. Andrew 
 
 If the Governor of Massachusetts understands 
 the case and wishes to give Capt Brooks another 
 commission the disability is hereby removed en- 
 abling him to do so. 
 
 A. Lincoln 
 
 July 18, 1864. 
 
 Pass for Colonel Eaton 
 
 Allow the bearer, Col. Eaton, to pass to and 
 from Gen Grant at City Point, Va. 
 
 A. Lincoln 
 August 12, 1864 
 
 1 Original owned by granddaughter of Mrs. Stockton, Pitts- 
 burgh, Pa. 
 
244 Letters of Abraham Lincoln 
 
 To General Samuel R. Curtis 
 
 Executive Mansion 
 Washington September i, 1864 
 
 Major General Curtis 
 
 The bearer of this, Mr. George K. Otis, General 
 Superintendent of the Overland Mail Line, has 
 called on me seeking protection for the line against 
 the Indians. I can think of nothing better than to 
 ask you to have a full conference with him on the 
 subject, and to do the very best you can for this 
 important interest, consistently with the other 
 interests in your charge. 
 
 Yours truly 
 
 A Lincoln 
 
 To Secretary Stanton 
 
 Executive Mansion 
 Washington, Sept. 9, 1864. 
 
 Hon. Secretary of War. 
 
 My dear Sir: I am appealed to by the proprietors 
 of papers here, because they have to get tele- 
 graphed back to them from New York, matter 
 which goes from the War Department. 
 
 Might not this be avoided without harm or in- 
 convenience to any? 
 
 Yours truly, 
 
 A. Lincoln. 
 
To Secretary Fessenden 245 
 
 To Secretary Fessenden 
 
 Executive Mansion, 
 Washington, Oct. 3, 1864. 
 
 Hon. Secretary of the Treasury: 
 
 My dear Sir, — Mr Hallowell who brings this, 
 has a very meritorious Cotton case and I hope it 
 may be found that the same sort of thing can be 
 done for him that was for Judge Johnson. 
 Yours truly 
 
 A. Lincoln 
 
 Pardon and Pass for Roswell McIntyre ^ 
 
 Executive Mansion, 
 Washington, Oct. 4, 1864. 
 
 Upon condition that Roswell McIntyre of Co. 
 E. 6th Regiment of New York Cavalry returns to 
 his Regiment and faithfully serves out his term, 
 making up for lost time, or until otherwise lawfully 
 discharged, he is fully pardoned for any supposed 
 desertion heretofore committed ; and this paper is 
 his pass to go to his regiment. 
 
 Abraham Lincoln. 
 
 ^ Taken from the body of R. McIntyre at the battle of Five 
 Forks, Va., 1865. 
 
246 Letters of Abraham Lincoln 
 To General Horatio G. Wright 
 
 Executive Mansion, 
 Washington, Oct 17, 1864. 
 
 S. S. Bradford, whose residence is in Culpeper 
 Co., Va., and who is a brother-in-law of Gen. H. G. 
 Wright is now on parole not to go south of Phila- 
 delphia. If Gen. Wright will request it in writing 
 on this sheet, I will allow Mr. Bradford to go home 
 to Culpeper.^ 
 
 A. Lincoln. 
 
 Endorsement 
 
 Let this appointment be made if there is a 
 vacancy. 
 
 A. Lincoln 
 
 Nov 7, 1864. 
 
 Dispatch to A. G. Henry ^ 
 
 Washington, Nov. 9, 1864 
 
 To A. G. Henry, Surveyor-General, 
 
 Olympia, Washington Territory. 
 With returns, and states of which we are confi- 
 dent, the re-election of the President is considered 
 
 1 See pass for Mr. Bradford on page 250. 
 
 2 This dispatch was dictated by Mr. Lincoln to Noah Brooks, 
 whom he asked to sign it for obvious reasons, but he had it sent 
 from the War Department. The text, without the address, was 
 printed in Mr. Brooks's Washington in Lincoln's Time, New 
 York, 1895. 
 
To General Hovey ^47 
 
 certain, while it is not certain that McClellan has 
 carried any state, though the chances are that he 
 has carried New Jersey and Kentucky. 
 
 To Secretary Stanton 
 
 Hon. Sec. of War, , r r • u 
 
 Please see Mr Gear on this question of furnish- 
 ing some small arm ammunition to loyal people m 
 
 Northern Alabama. 
 
 A. Lincoln 
 Nov. 1 6, 1864. 
 
 Endorsement on Letter of A. Johnson to 
 
 Secretary of War in Favor of 
 
 James H. Woodward 
 
 If another Commissary is needed, let this gen- 
 tleman be appointed. 
 
 oc A. Lincoln. 
 
 Nov. 21, 1864. 
 
 To General Hovey ^ 
 
 Executive Mansion, 
 Washington, Nov. 29, 1864. 
 
 Major General Hovey, or 
 whoever may have charge 
 at the proper time: 
 Whenever John B. Castleman shall be tried, 
 if convicted and. sentenced, suspend execution 
 
 1 Copied from a facsimile printed in the Louisville Post \n 
 connection with the centennial ceremonies at Lmcoln s birth- 
 
248 Letters of Abraham Lincoln 
 
 until further orders from me and send me the 
 record. 
 
 A. Lincoln. 
 
 An Interview with Two Ladies ^ 
 
 On Thursday of last week two ladies from Ten- 
 nessee came before the President asking the re- 
 lease of their husbands held as prisoners of war at 
 Johnson's Island. They were put off until Friday 
 when they came again ; and were again put off until 
 Saturday. At each of the interviews one of the 
 ladies urged that her husband was a religious man. 
 On Saturday the President ordered the release of 
 the prisoners, and then said to the lady, "You say 
 your husband is a religious man; tell him when you 
 
 place, Sept. 4, 1916. The circumstances as given in the Post are 
 as follows: Castleman was a Confederate caught within the 
 Union lines and was to be tried as a spy. His sister, Virginia 
 Castleman, wife of Judge Samuel M. Breckinridge, interceded in 
 his behalf. The military court was convened from time to time 
 and as often postponed, until finally the War came to an end. 
 Castleman was banished from the United States for eighteen 
 months, and never knew of this order till fifteen years afterwards, 
 when Judge Breckenridge gave it to him. President Lincoln in 
 handing the order to Judge Breckenridge said, "Sam, this is for 
 you and Virginia, entrusted in confidence, with the condition 
 that its existence shall not be known unless the emergency arises 
 for which this letter provides." 
 
 1 This was written by President Lincoln in November, 1864, 
 for Noah Brooks, the newspaper correspondent. Mr. Lincoln 
 entitled the article "The President's last, shortest, and best 
 speech." The copy was made from a facsimile of Lincoln's 
 handwriting. 
 
To Secretary Fessenden 249 
 
 meet him, that I say I am not much of a judge of 
 reHgion; but that, in my opinion, the reHgion that 
 sets men to rebel and fight against their govern- 
 ment, because, as they think, that government 
 does not sufficiently help some men to eat their 
 bread in the sweat of other men's faces, is not the 
 sort of religion upon which people can get to 
 heaven." 
 
 A. Lincoln. 
 
 Note of Commendation 
 
 Executive Mansion. 
 Dec. I, 1864. 
 
 I do not personally know these ladies, but very 
 cheerfully endorse Judge Wylie and Mayor Wal- 
 lack, and shall be glad if the ladies can find em- 
 ployment in any Department or Bureau. 
 
 A. Lincoln. 
 
 To Secretary Fessenden ^ 
 
 Will the Secretary of the Treasury please see and 
 hear Mr. Gumpert, so well vouched within ? 
 
 A. Lincoln 
 
 Dec. 15, 1864. 
 
 ^ Endorsement on a recommendation of G. Gumpert, applying 
 for appointment in the Treasury Department. 
 
250 Letters of Abraham Lincoln 
 
 Pass for S. S. Bradford ^ 
 
 Allow the bearer, S. S. Bradford, to pass by any 
 route to his home in Culpeper Co. Virginia and 
 there to remain so long as he does not misbehave. 
 
 A. Lincoln 
 
 Dec 21, 1864. 
 
 To Secretary Fessenden^ 
 
 Executive Mansion, 
 Washington, December 29th, 1864. 
 
 My dear Sir: The President of the United States 
 will be pleased to receive the Members of the Cabi- 
 net and their families on New Years Day (Monday 
 January 2, 1865) at twelve o Clock m. precisely. 
 Your ob't serv't 
 
 Jno. G. Nicolay 
 
 Priv. Sec. 
 Hon Secretary of the Treasury. 
 
 Memorandum on an Application 
 
 File as an application for District Attorney in 
 Georgia, when an appointment shall be made. 
 
 A. Lincoln 
 
 Jan 13, 1865 
 
 1 See note to Gen. Horatio G. Wright, on page 246. 
 
 * Original in the collection of Mr. Charles W. McLellan. 
 
To the Provost-Marshal-General 251 
 
 To Secretary Stanton 
 
 Executive Mansion. 
 
 January 22, 1865. 
 
 Hon. Sec of War. 
 
 The Governor^ has a pretty good case. I feel 
 sure he is more than half right. We don't want him 
 to feel cross and we in the wrong. Try and fix it 
 
 with him. 
 
 A. Lincoln 
 
 To Secretary Seward ^ 
 
 Will the Secretary of State please see and hear 
 the bearer Mr. B. A. Ulrich and oblige him if he 
 consistently can. He is a young man raised in the 
 place of my residence and of a most respectable 
 family as he also is himself. 
 
 A. Lincoln. 
 - January 30, 1865 
 
 To the Provost-Marshal-General' 
 
 Executive Mansion, 
 Washington Feb'y- 6th, 1865. 
 
 Provost Marshal General — 
 
 These gentlemen distinctly say to me this morn- 
 ing that what they want is the means from your 
 
 1 Governor R. E. Fenton of New York. 
 
 * Endorsement on application for a consulship. 
 
 » See Works, Nicolay and Hay, Tandy's ed., 1905, xi, 4. ^r 
 
252 Letters of Abraham Lincoln 
 
 office of showing their people that the quota as- 
 signed to them is right. 
 
 They think it will take but little time — two 
 hours, they say. 
 
 Please give them double the time, and every 
 facility you can. 
 
 Yours truly, 
 
 A. Lincoln 
 
 To Samuel S. Cox 
 
 Will see Hon. S. S. Cox at 9^ a.m. to morrow, if 
 he pleases to call. 
 
 A. Lincoln 
 
 March 2, 1865. 
 
 Pass for Judge Dixon 
 
 Whom it may concern : 
 
 Allow the bearer, Judge Dixon, to pass to the 
 Officer in Command at Nashville, Tenn., to whom 
 the Judge is commended, as worthy of reasonable 
 facilities for passing about Kentucky and Ten- 
 nessee. 
 
 A. Lincoln. 
 
 March 7, 1865. 
 
 order on same subject. This letter was printed in Writings, 
 Lapsley ed., vii, 294. 
 
To General Godfrey Weitzel 253 
 
 To Mrs. Amanda H. Hall ^ 
 
 Executive Mansion, 
 Washington, March 20, 1865. 
 
 Mrs. Amanda H. Hall 
 
 Madam: Induced by a letter of yours to your 
 brother, and shown me by him, I send you what 
 follows below. 
 
 Respectfully A. Lincoln 
 
 " Fondly do we hope — fervently do we pray — 
 that this mighty scourge of war may speedily pass 
 away. Yet, if God wills that it continue until all 
 the wealth piled by the bondman's two hundred 
 and fifty years of unrequited toil shall be sunk, and 
 until every drop of blood drawn with the lash shall 
 be paid by another drawn with the sword, as was 
 said three thousand years ago, so still it must be 
 said, 'The judgments of the Lord are true and 
 righteous altogether.' " 
 
 Abraham Lincoln 
 
 To General Godfrey Weitzel 
 
 U.S. Military Telegraph. 
 
 By telegraph from City Point 
 
 March 29, 1865 
 
 To Gen Weitzel 
 
 What if anything, have you observed, on your 
 front to-day? 
 
 A. Lincoln 
 
 * Copied from a facsimile. 
 
Index 
 
 Abbott, Joseph C, letter to, 153. 
 
 Adams, John Quincy, funeral ar- 
 rangements, 30, 31. 
 
 Alabama, ammunition for loyal 
 people in, 247. 
 
 Aldrich, Cyrus, 218 note; letter to, 
 218. 
 
 Alexander, Gen., 50. 
 
 AUard, 51. 
 
 Allen, C. M., 146; letter to, 145. 
 
 Allen, James C, 54 
 
 Allen, Col. Julian, 185. 
 
 Alshuler, 169. 
 
 Ambos, Charles, letter to, 1 10. 
 
 Anderson, Charles E., 186. 
 
 Andrew, John A., note to, 243. 
 
 Andrews, E. W., 223 note. 
 
 Andrews, Rufus F., 191 note; letter 
 to, 191. 
 
 Archer, William B., 54. 
 
 Archuletta, Diego, 180. 
 
 Arenz, 42, 
 
 Arkansas, orders for reconstruction 
 in 1862, 217. 
 
 Armstrong, Duff, 79 note. 
 
 Armstrong, Hannah, 79 note; let- 
 ter to, 79. 
 
 Arnold, Isaac N., 224 note; letter 
 to, 224. 
 
 Ashmun, George, 151 and note, 
 152. 
 
 Assistant Surgeon-General, note to, 
 
 212. 
 Autograph album, 239. 
 
 Bacon, Reuben, 206. 
 
 Bagly, 94. 
 
 Bailey, C, letter to, 81. 
 
 Baker, Edward D., son of Col. 
 
 Baker, 208. 
 Baker, Col. Edward Dickinson, 7 
 
 and note, 14, 23, 208. 
 Baker, John, 64. 
 
 Baker, Stephen, 205 note; endorse- 
 ment on letter of, 205. 
 Baker, WilHam C, letter to, 148. 
 Baldwin, Abraham, 164, 165. 
 Bank law, 73-75. 
 Banks, Gen. Nathaniel P., 225; 
 
 letter to, 232. 
 Barger, Rev. John S., 55. 
 Barret, O. D., 183. 
 Barret, T. A., no. 
 Barrett, Joseph H., his Abraham 
 
 Lincoln and his Presidency, 1 18 
 
 note; note to, 183. 
 Bascom, W. J., 116. 
 Bates, David Homer, his Lincoln in 
 
 the Telegraph Office, 234 note. 
 Bates, Edward, as a presidential 
 
 candidate, 143, 144; letters and 
 
 notes to, 179, 232, 239. 
 Beattie, Miss, 239. 
 Beers & Mansfield, letter to, 134. 
 Bell, Victor B., 193. 
 Benjamin, Park, letter to, 167. 
 Benton, Thomas H., 109. 
 Berry, A., 222. 
 Bile, Earl, 179. 
 Bissell, William H., 67, 92 and 
 
 note, 114. 
 Blair, Francis P., 93, 226. 
 Blair, Montgomery, considered for 
 
 the Cabinet, 173 ; letters and notes 
 
 to, 178, 181, 239. 
 Bliss, George, and others, letter to, 
 
 159. 
 Boal, Dr. Robert, 16 and note. 
 Bond, L. Montgomery, letter to, 
 
 165. 
 Boutwell, George S., 218 note; let- 
 ter to, 218. 
 Boys, disobedient, 237. 
 Brackett, Joseph W., letters to, 75, 
 
 81. 
 Bradford, S. S., 246; pass for, 250. 
 
256 
 
 Index 
 
 Breckinridge, Samuel M., 248 note. 
 Breckinridge, Mrs. Samuel M., 248 
 
 note. 
 Breese, Sidney, 32 and note. 
 Brewer, A. L., letter to, 62. 
 Briggs, Samuel, letter to, 79. 
 Brooks, Capt., 243. 
 Brooks, Noah, 246 note, 248 note; 
 
 his Washington in Lincoln's Time, 
 
 246 note. 
 Brown, 81. 
 Brown, Dr. Charles D., 23 1 and 
 
 note, 232. 
 Brown, Clara and Julia, note to, 
 
 238.^ 
 Browning, M. D., 5. 
 Browning, Orville H., 4 note; letters 
 
 to, 22, S3, 85, 189, 205. 
 Browning, Mrs. Orville H., 23; 
 
 letter to, 4. 
 Bryant, William Cullen, 174. 
 Buchanan, James, and Douglas, 
 
 82, 83; Republicans and, 87. 
 Buckingham, William A., 152 note; 
 
 letter to, 152. 
 Bunn, J., 76. 
 Burtwell, Mr., 199. 
 Butler, Gen. Benjamin F., 211, 224- 
 
 26. 
 Butler, William, 48, 49. 
 Butterfield, Mr., 25. 
 Button, Isaac S., 12. 
 
 Cameron, Simon, 148, 153; con- 
 sidered for Lincoln's Cabinet, 
 173, 174; endorsement by, 188; 
 draft of a letter to, 177; letters 
 and notes to, 183, 185, 187, 193- 
 96, 198; endorsement on letter 
 of, 189. 
 
 Campbell, auditor, 50. 
 
 Carpenter, Col., 178. 
 
 Carson, John M., letters to, 141. 
 
 Casey, Gen., 210. 
 
 Casey, Mr., 156. 
 
 Casey, Joseph, 242 note; letter to, 
 242. 
 
 Castleman, John B., 247, 248 note. 
 
 Central Railroad, 47. 
 
 Central Transcript, letter to the 
 editor, 113. 
 
 Chaplains, at hospitals, 196; Jew- 
 ish, 199. 
 
 Chase, Salmon P., as a candidate 
 before the Chicago Convention, 
 138, 139; slated for the Treasury, 
 174; letters to, on the contest 
 of 1858, 109; on Department 
 matters, 179, 182, 185, 190, 212. 
 
 Chester, Anson G., letters to, 161. 
 
 Chicago Journal, 100. 
 
 Chicago Times, 105. 
 
 Chickamauga, Battle of, 234 note. 
 
 Chipper, steamboat, 40, 41. 
 
 Clapp, Daniel, 219. 
 
 Clay, T. H., 195. 
 
 Clayton, John M., letter to, 39. 
 
 Clemsin, Calhoun, 234. 
 
 Clemsin, Mrs. Thomas G., 234. 
 
 Coffin, Judge, 41. 
 
 Conklin, Cyrus, 75. 
 
 Conkling, Mr., 70. 
 
 Connecticut, political struggle in 
 March, i860, 137 and note. 
 
 Constable, 67. 
 
 Constitution, the, as a shibboleth, 
 120, 121; history of, 124-29. 
 
 Converse & Priest, letter to, 24. 
 
 Conway, Judge M. F., 103. 
 
 Cook, Burton C, 91 and note, ICX). 
 
 Cooper, Gen., note to, 204. 
 
 Cooper Institute speech, 149-51. 
 
 Corneau, Stephen A., 57. 
 
 Cornell, Waite & Jameson, letter 
 to, 76. 
 
 Corwin, Thomas, 44 note, 172; let- 
 ter to, 44. 
 
 Corwine, Richard M., 138 note; his 
 commission as Judge-Advocate, 
 200; letters to, 138, 146. 
 
 Cox, Samuel S., note to, 252. 
 
 Crispin, Capt. Silas, endorsement 
 on letter of, 205. 
 
 Crittenden, John J., 120 note, I23, 
 124, 128; letter to, 120. 
 
 Cuba, loi. 
 
 Curtin, Andrew G., note to, 208. 
 
 Curtis, Gen. Samuel R., note to, 
 244. 
 
 Dahlgren, John A., note to, 184; 
 endorsement on letter of, 201. 
 
Index 
 
 257 
 
 Danites, 97 and note, 144. 
 
 Davidson, Col. W. H., letter to, 6. 
 
 Davis, David, 145, 146. 
 
 Davis, James M., 67. 
 
 Davis, Levi, letters to, 2. 
 
 Davis, O. L., 50 note; letter to, 50. 
 
 Davis, Thomas, 37. 
 
 Davis, Walter, letter to, 36. 
 
 Dawson, John, 4 and note. 
 
 Delahay, Mark W., 15 and note, 
 136, 140; letters to, 99, 103, 116, 
 117, 134, 141, 176. 
 
 Delaware Indians, 189, 190. 
 
 Delevan, organization of the town, 
 79, 80. 
 
 Dickinson, E. N., 58. 
 
 Diller, Capt., 210. 
 
 District attorney, endorsement on 
 application for, 250. 
 
 Dixon, Judge, pass for, 252. 
 
 Dixon, William, 206. 
 
 Dodd, William, 46. 
 
 Dodson, Dr., 157. 
 
 Dole, William P., 180. 
 
 Doney, Thomas, letter to, 157. 
 
 Doolittle, James R., note to, 220. 
 
 Dorman vs. Lane, 9, 13, 14, 17, 20, 
 21, 27. 
 
 Doty, E. S., 228. 
 
 Douglas, Stephen A., 133, 136, 143- 
 45; and Buchanan, 82, 83; the 
 New York Tribune on, 83, 84; in 
 the campaign of 1858, 87, 89, 90, 
 96, 109; his position in Dec, 18^8, 
 97, 98; proposed publication of 
 debate with Lincoln, 105-07. 
 
 Dresser, Mr., letter to, 3. 
 
 Dubois, Jesse K., 73 note, 114, 142, 
 145, 146; letter to, 73. 
 
 Dugger, Miss, 239. 
 
 Duramer, Henry E., Ii and note, 
 42; Lincoln's opinion of, as a 
 lawyer, 62; letters to, li, 14, 48, 
 
 55, 56,90,91, 131- 
 Dungy, William, letter to, 118. 
 
 Eaton, Col., 193; pass for, 243. 
 
 Eddy, Mr., 13, 14. 
 
 Edwards, Ninian W., 186 note; 
 
 letter to, 186. 
 Ellsworth, Lieut. E. E., 177, 178. 
 
 Embalmer, 231 and note, 232. 
 Emmons, S., letter to, 41. 
 Endorsements without name, 194, 
 
 214, 246. 
 Ewing, R. M., letter to, 70. 
 Ewing, Thomas, letter to, 39. 
 
 Fawcett, George E., note to, 220. 
 Fell, J. W., 108, 123 and note. 
 Fenn, Ira I., letter to, i. 
 Fenton, Gov. Reuben E., 251 and 
 
 note. 
 Fessenden, William P., notes to, 
 
 24s, 249, 250. 
 Field, 14. 
 
 Fillmore, Millard, 153. 
 Fischel, Rev. Dr. A., letter to, 199. 
 Flagg & Savage, 66. 
 Floyd, George P., 66 note; letter to, 
 
 66. 
 Fogg, George G., 157 note; letters 
 
 to, 157, 160, 167. 
 Foot, Solomon, 209 note: letter to, 
 
 209. 
 Forbes & Hill case, 8. 
 Forney, John W., 120 and note. 
 Fort McHenry, Commandant at, 
 
 order to, 222. 
 Foster, 195. 
 Fox, Capt. Gustavus V., 241 note; 
 
 note to, 241. 
 Francis, Simeon, 44. 
 Freeland, James, 238, 
 Fremont, Gen. John C, 200, 224- 
 
 26. 
 French, Miss, 82. 
 French, Fred W., letter to, 169. 
 Fugitive slave law, 171. 
 Fullininder, I. or J. H., letter to, 
 
 132. 
 
 Gadsden, H. C, & Co., 131. 
 
 Gallaher, John S., 182. 
 
 Gamble, Hamilton Rowan, note 
 
 to, 216. 
 Gannell, Henry D., 206. 
 Garrett, George W., 206. 
 Gatewood vs. Wood & Wood, 13, 14. 
 Gear, Mr., 247. 
 German Brigade, 192. 
 Giddings, Joshua R., letter to, 155. 
 
2S8 
 
 Index 
 
 Gilmer, John A., 172 and note. 
 
 Gilmore, Joseph A., letter to, 229. 
 
 Goggin, William L., in. 
 
 Goodman, Christian, 63, 64. 
 
 Goodwin, Thomas F., 204. 
 
 Gorden, John, 163. 
 
 Grable vs. Margrave, 7, 8. 
 
 Graham, Menton, 26 note. 
 
 Grant, Gen. Ulysses S., 225, 226. 
 
 Gray, Lieut., 224. 
 
 Gray, Mrs. Franklin C, 82, 83. 
 
 Greeley, Horace, 165. 
 
 Green, Mrs. M. J., letter to, 164. 
 
 Greene, Gilbert J., 45 note. 
 
 Grier, Justice Robert C, 128. 
 
 Grigsby, Aaron, 163 note. 
 
 Grigsby, Charles, 163. 
 
 Grigsby, Nathaniel, 163 note; letter 
 
 to, 163. 
 Grimsley, Mrs. Elizabeth J., letter 
 
 to, 230. 
 Griswold, of Terre Haute, 145. 
 Grubb, George G., 48. 
 Gumpert, Mrs., 249 and note. 
 
 Haines and Haines vs. Talcott and 
 
 others, loi, 102, 105. 
 Hains, 54. 
 Hall, Squire, 163. 
 Hall, Mrs. Amanda H., letter to, 
 
 ass- 
 Hall, O. P., letter to, 132. 
 
 Halleck, Fitz Greene, poems of, 
 147. 
 
 Halleck, Gen. Henry W., demand 
 for removal of, 224-26; note to, 
 210. 
 
 Hallowell, Mr., 245. 
 
 Hamilton, Alexander, 126. 
 
 Hamilton, Gen. Andrew Jackson, 
 233 and note. 
 
 Hamlin, Hannibal, 148, 151, 152, 
 170, 172. 
 
 Hammond, Surgeon-General Wil- 
 liam A., note to, 223. 
 
 Hardin, John J., 4 and note, 15, 16, 
 19. 
 
 Harding, Jacob, letters to, 52, 57. 
 
 Harlan, James, 209 note; endorse- 
 ment on letter of, 209. 
 
 Harriet Lane, revenue cutter, 177. 
 
 Harris, Major Thomas L., 36 and 
 
 note, 63, 64. 
 Harrison, P. Quinn, letter to, 118. 
 Harrison Literary Institute, 141. 
 Hawry, Jonathan S., 189. 
 Hay, John, letters signed by, 197, 
 
 227; letter in handwriting of, 229. 
 Hayner, Major, 205. 
 Hays, L. M., letters to, 46, 48. 
 Hecker, Mr., 89. 
 
 Henry, Dr. A. G., 2 and note; dis- 
 patch to, 246. 
 Herndon, William H., 6, 44, 77; 
 
 letter signed by, 69. 
 Hickox, 64. 
 
 Hitchcock, Peter, letter to, 40. 
 Hoffmann, Francis A., 181. 
 Hoffmann, Julius, 181. 
 Hogan, letter to, 33. 
 Holloway, David P., note to, 210. 
 Holt, Col. Joseph, note to, 240. 
 Hooker, Gen. Joseph, 222, 225. 
 Horton, Valentine B., note, 206; 
 
 endorsement on letter of, 207. 
 Houghton, Joel, 180. 
 Hovey, Gen. Alvin P., 226; reprieve 
 
 addressed to, 247. 
 Hunter, Gen. David, 225; note to, 
 
 227. 
 Hunter, Capt. R. F., 207. 
 
 Illinois, constitutional convention, 
 
 22, 23. 
 Illinois Journal, 44. 
 Indians, 189, 190, 244. 
 Irwin, D. M., letter to, 44. 
 
 Jackson, Andrew, 40. 
 
 James, B. F., letters to, 16, 18. 
 
 Jameson, Lieut. James B., 242 
 note; endorsement on letter of, 
 242. 
 
 Jayne, William, letter signed by, 
 69. 
 
 Jeiferson, Thomas, and Rev. James 
 Lemen, 71; and the Constitu- 
 tion, 125, 126; and the Ordi- 
 nance of 1784, 1787, 128; forged 
 statement about, l6l, 162. 
 
 Jewett, 130. 
 
 Johns, E. G., 24. 
 
Index 
 
 259 
 
 Johnson, Judge, 245. 
 
 Johnson, Mr., 199. 
 
 Johnson, A., endorsement on letter 
 
 of, 247. 
 Johnson, Reverdy, 58 note. 
 Johnston, John D., 163. 
 Jonas, Abraham, 130 note, 241; 
 
 letter to, 130. 
 Jonas, Charles H., 241. 
 Jones, 176. 
 
 Jones, Fernando, letter to, 123. 
 Judd, Norman B., 93 note, ICX3, 
 
 108, 122; letter to, 93. 
 Judge-Advocate, letter to, 199. 
 
 Kalne, John Langdon, his article 
 " Lincoln as a Boy knew Him," 
 212 note. 
 
 Kansas, constitution, 82, 83; ad- 
 mission to the Union, 134, 135; 
 Lincoln in, 135. 
 
 Keeling, Haden, letter to, 103. 
 
 King, Benedict A., 240. 
 
 King, F. T., 63. 
 
 Kinzie, Capt., 227. 
 
 Know Nothing party, 59, 60. 
 
 Knox, James, 54. 
 
 Koerner, Gustave, 65 note, 227 
 note; letters to, 65, 77, 80, 89, 92, 
 107, 129, 192, 227. 
 
 Ladies, an interview with two, 248. 
 
 Lambert, William H., 66 note. 
 
 Lamon, Ward H., his Recollections 
 of Abraham Lincoln, 188 note; 
 letters to, 137, 188; note recom- 
 mending, 208. 
 
 Land officers, claim of, 218, 219. 
 
 Lander, Col., 182 and note. 
 
 Lands, school, 29, 31-33. 
 
 Lane, Gen. James H., 1 16, 117, 134, 
 135, 187, 188. 
 
 Lanman, Charles, letter to, 154. 
 
 Lecompton Constitution, the, 82, 
 83. 
 
 Lecture on Inventions, 104, 141. 
 
 Lee, Henry, 206. 
 
 Lemen, Rev. James, Jr., letter to, 
 
 71- 
 Lemen, Rev. James, Sr., 71-73. 
 Letters and notes without address, 
 
 193. 19s, 201, 206, 236, 237, 241, 
 249. See also Endorsements. 
 
 Lewis, 196. 
 
 Lewis, George W., letter to, 155. 
 
 Lewis, Thomas, 63. 
 
 Liebman, Henry, letter to, 199. 
 
 Lincoln, Abraham, postmaster, i; 
 marriage, 9; running for Con- 
 gress, 9, 10, 14-16, 18-20; start- 
 ing for Washington, 24; in Con- 
 gress, 26-39; attends Philadel- 
 phia convention of 1848, 31; can- 
 didate for Commissionership of 
 the General Land Office, 39; 
 candidate for the United States 
 Senate, 52, 53; on reading law, 
 61, 62; in the 1856 political cam- 
 paign, 66-71; in the Senatorial 
 campaign of 1858, 87-96, 109; 
 urged to run for the Presidency, 
 104 and note, 123 note; on the use 
 of money in political contests, 
 135; on the candidates before 
 the Chicago Convention of i860, 
 138-40, 142-44; his chances in 
 the Convention, 146; his nomi- 
 nation for the Presidency, 147; 
 in the campaign of i860, 147-67; 
 his Cooper Institute speech, 149- 
 51; election as President, 167; 
 intentions in regard to interfer- 
 ence with the States, 168, 169; 
 no compromise on the extension 
 of slavery, 171; for an honest in- 
 forcement of the fugitive slave 
 law, 171; his first inaugural, 
 175, 176; his first administration, 
 176-252; on his appointments, 
 214-16; on reconstruction in Ar- 
 kansas, 217; reelection, 246; in- 
 terviews with two ladies from 
 Tennessee, 248 and note; his sec- 
 ond administration, 252, 253. 
 
 Lincoln, Abraham, localities of 
 residence or visit: 
 Army of the Potomac Headquar- 
 ters, 223. 
 Ashville, 111., 93. 
 Beardstown, III., 48, 90, 91. 
 Blandonville, 111., 95. 
 Bloomington, 111., 46, 47, 60, 108. 
 
26o 
 
 Ind 
 
 ex 
 
 Carlinville, 111., 51, 65. 
 
 Charleston, 111., 69. 
 
 Chicago, 58, 61, 82, 89, 90, lOl, 
 106, 137, 140, 141, 169. 
 
 Cincinnati, 40, 60. 
 
 Clinton, 111., 52. 
 
 Columbus, O., 41. 
 
 Connecticut, 137. 
 
 Council Bluffs, 99. 
 
 Danville, 111., 57. 
 
 Galesburg, 111., 68. 
 
 Grandview, 111., 69. 
 
 Jacksonville, 111., 51. 
 
 Kansas, 135. 
 
 Lincoln, 111., 105. 
 
 Monticello, 111., 91. 
 
 Mount Pulaski, 111., 46. 
 
 Naples, 111., 51, 94. 
 
 New England, 141. 
 
 New Salem, 111., i, 62. 
 
 New York, 149. 
 
 Paris, 111., 69. 
 
 Quincy, 111., 51. 
 
 Rockford, 111., 58. 
 
 St. Louis, 37. 
 
 ShelbyviUe, 111., 69. 
 
 Springfield, 111., 1-3, 5-25, 39, 
 41-45, 48-51, 53-56, 58-81, 
 83-92, 9S-ic)0, 103, 104, 106- 
 30, 132-36, 138-75. 
 
 Vermillion, 111., 7. 
 
 Washington, D.C, 24, 26-39, 
 176-253. 
 Lincoln, Abraham, Reminiscences 
 
 of, by Distinguished Men oj his 
 
 Time, 222 note. 
 Lincoln, Abraham: Tributes from his 
 
 Associates, 194 note. 
 Lincoln, Mrs. Abraham, note to, 
 
 213. 
 Lincoln, Thomas, 158. 
 Littlefield, John H., 170 note; letter 
 
 to, 170. 
 Lockwood, Gen. Henry H., 23 1. 
 Logan, Gen. John A., 226. 
 Logan, Lewis, 40, 41. 
 Logan, Stephen T., 8 and note, 13, 
 
 20, 22, 25, 27, 35, 36, 45, 80, 219; 
 
 candidate for the Illinois Su- 
 preme Court, 56, 57. 
 Long, Col., 226. 
 
 Louisville Journal, 175 note. 
 Louisville Post, 247 note. 
 Lovejoy, Elijah P., 71-73. 
 Lovejoy, Owen, 91; letter to, 59. 
 Luna, Ramon, 180. 
 Lundy, Dr. B. Clarke, 68 note; 
 
 letters to, 68, 78, 96. 
 Lusby, James H., 206. 
 
 McAtee, 64. 
 
 McCallen, Andrew, 27 note; letters 
 
 to, 27, 45, 84. 
 McClellan, Gen. George B., 216, 
 
 247; notes to, 197, 203. 
 McClernand, John Alexander, 29, 
 
 184, 226. 
 McClure, Alexander K., 162 note; 
 
 letter to, 162. 
 McCormick, Cyrus H., 58 and note. 
 McElroth, Mr., 238. 
 Mclntyre, Roswell, pardon and 
 
 pass for, 245. 
 McLean, John, 67; as a candidate 
 
 before the Chicago Convention, 
 
 139 and note, 140, 143. 
 McNamar, letter to, 17. 
 McNamar, James, 18 note. 
 McNamar, John, 17 note, 18 note. 
 McNeill, John, 17 note. 
 McPherson, Mr., 242. 
 McPherson, Gen. James B., 226. 
 McPherson, William M., 217. 
 Macomb Eagle, 161. 
 Macready, Mrs., 85. 
 Magrath, Rev. F. M., letter to, 196. 
 Manny, John H., 58 and note. 
 Manny & Co., 58; letter to, 61. 
 Markens, Isaac, his Abraham Lin- 
 coln and the Jews, 199 note, 241 
 
 note. 
 Marshall, John, Territorial Judge 
 
 of Illinois, 7 note, 13, 14, 49 note; 
 
 letter to, 49. 
 Marshall, Samuel D., 7 and note; 
 
 letters to, 7, 8, 12, 14, 17, 20, 27. 
 Marshall, Thomas A., 241. 
 Massett, Stephen C, note to, 236. 
 Masten, Mr., 212, 213. 
 Maurinares, Jose Antonio, 180. 
 Maxwell, Robert A., 233 note; un- 
 
 sent telegram to, 233. 
 
Index 
 
 261 
 
 Mellen, note to, 235. 
 
 Menard Index, 70. 
 
 Mershow, Dr., 46. 
 
 Middleton, Richard, 204; endorse- 
 ment on application of, 226. 
 
 Miles, G. A., 63 note; letters to, 63, 
 65. 
 
 Miller, 53, 54. 
 
 Missouri Democrat, 93. 
 
 Moore, 54. 
 
 Moore vs. Brown et al, 22. 
 
 Moore vs. Latourette, 22. 
 
 Morey, 152. 
 
 Morgan, Richard P., 235. 
 
 Morgan Journal, 18, 19. 
 
 Morris, Gen. W. W., 223 note. 
 
 Morris & Brown, letters to, 24, 25. 
 
 Morrison, 67. 
 
 Morss, James, 191. 
 
 Moseley, Robert, letters to, 88. 
 
 Moses, John, letter to, 95. 
 
 Mott, Gordon N., 223 and note. 
 
 Muller, Mr., 205. 
 
 Muller, James N., 185 and note. 
 
 Munsey's Magazine, 183 note. 
 
 Murtagh, W. J., 206. 
 
 Musten, Thomas, 176. 
 
 New Hampshire, draft in, 228. 
 New York Herald, 157-59. 
 New York Staats-Zeitung, 221 note. 
 New York Tribune, 70, 165. 
 Nicolay, Helen, her Personal Traits 
 
 of Abraham Lincoln, 178 note. 
 Nicolay, John G., invitation signed 
 
 by, 250. 
 Norton, Jesse O., 54. 
 Notes without address. See Letters. 
 Nott, Charles C, 149 and note; 
 
 letters to, 149, 164. 
 
 Ohio & Mississippi Railroad Com- 
 pany, 77. 
 Oldys, Henry, iii note. 
 Olney, Mr., 84, 85. 
 Otis, George K., 244. 
 Overland Mail Line, 244. 
 
 Pacific Railroad, letter to officers 
 
 of, 235- 
 Page and Bacon, yj. 
 
 Paine, Gen. Eleazar A., 95 and note; 
 letter to, 95. 
 
 Palmer, John M., 68 note, 100, 119; 
 letter to, 68. 
 
 Pawnee, U.S.S., 177. 
 
 Pekin, convention, 19. 
 
 Pendleton, Dr. Boyd, 196. 
 
 Perry, J. A., 212. 
 
 Phelps, Gen. John Smith, letter to, 
 217. 
 
 Pickerel, Jesse A., letter to, 1 19. 
 
 Pickett, Thomas J., 104 note; letter 
 to, 104. 
 
 Pocahontas, U.S.S., 177. 
 
 Pomeroy, George L., 198. 
 
 Potter, Mr., 220. 
 
 Powers, D. J., letter to, 115. 
 
 Prairie Beacon, 89. 
 
 Pratt, Mrs. C. W., letter to, 175. 
 
 Prentice, George D., 175 note; let- 
 ter to, 175. 
 
 Press-Tribune, 105, 107. 
 
 Provost-Marshal-General, note to, 
 251. 
 
 Putnam, 148, 156. 
 
 Quincy Whig, 60. 
 
 Ramsey, Col., note to, 205. 
 
 RatclifTe, 237. 
 
 Read, Judge, 153 and note. 
 
 Reavis, Isham, letter to, 61. 
 
 Reeder, Andrew H., 153. 
 
 Register, 93. 
 
 Rice, Allen Thorndike, his Remi- 
 niscences of Abraham Lincoln by 
 Distinguished Men of his Time, 
 222 note. 
 
 Richardson, O. H. Perry, 180. 
 
 Richmond, William W., 194. 
 
 Ripley, Gen. James W., note to, 186. 
 
 Rosecrans, Gen. William S., 225. 
 
 Ross, William A., letter to, 105. 
 
 Rousseau, Gen. Lovell H., 186, 
 
 Russell, John L., 180. 
 
 Rutherford, Mr., 193. 
 
 Rutledge, Anne, 17 note. 
 
 Sandford, Sylvanus, 57. 
 Sanford, Porter & Striker, 55 and 
 note. 
 
262 
 
 Index 
 
 Sargent, Nathan, ill and note; 
 letter to, III. 
 
 Sawyer, Mr., 241. 
 
 Schell, Mr., 199. 
 
 Schenck, Gen. Robert C, 240. 
 
 Schouler, William, 34 and note; 
 letters to, 34, 35. 
 
 Schurz, Gen. Carl, 221; letter to, 
 213. 
 
 Schurz, Mrs. Carl, 213. 
 
 Scott, John S., 178, 179. 
 
 Scott, Thomas A., note to, 191. 
 
 Scott, Gen. Winfield, 124, 182; 
 note to, 192. 
 
 Scripps, John L., 86 and note, 95; 
 letter to, 86. 
 
 Scroggs, Gen., 191. 
 
 Sears, H., 3. 
 
 Secretary of State, letter to, 39. 
 See also Seward. 
 
 Secretary of the Interior, letter to, 
 39. See also Smith and Usher. 
 
 Segar, Joseph E., 218 and note. 
 
 Servant, Col., 7. 
 
 Seward, William H., 148, 172; as 
 a candidate for the Republican 
 nomination to the Presidency, 
 138, 139, 142-44; Lincoln's in- 
 tention to offer him a cabinet 
 position, 170, 174; endorsement 
 on letter of, 182; notes to, 204, 
 230, 251. 
 
 Sexton, Mr., 85. 
 
 Shaffer, John W., 211 note; endorse- 
 ment on letter of, 211. 
 
 Sherman, Gen. William T., 226. 
 
 Siam, King of, letter to, 201. 
 
 Sigel, Gen. Franz, 224-26; endorse- 
 ment on letter of, 221; letter to, 
 221. 
 
 Simmons, James F., 194, 207 note; 
 letter to, 207. 
 
 Singleton, 67. 
 
 Slavery, "ultimate extinction" of, 
 86, 87; the Republican Party and 
 the extension of, 92; views of 
 Alexander H. Stephens on, 124, 
 128; Lincoln's views on, 128; 
 "this government cannot endure 
 permanently half slave and half 
 free," 132, 133. 
 
 Slicer, Rev. Henry, letter to, 30. 
 Slocum, Gen. Henry W.. letter to, 
 
 241. 
 Small, Col., 183. 
 Smith, Caleb Blood, 35 and note; 
 
 letters and notes to, 180, 195, 198, 
 
 219. 
 Snyder, 237. 
 
 South Carolina, the forts in, 173. 
 Speed, Joshua F., 236 and note. 
 Spinner, Francis E., 156 and note; 
 
 letter to, 156. 
 Sprague, Dr., 90. 
 Sprague, William, 211 note; letter 
 
 to, 211. 
 Stahl, Gen., 221, 222. 
 Stanton, Edwin M., beginning of 
 
 Lincoln's acquaintance with, 58 
 
 note; letters and notes to, 200, 
 
 222, 223, 228, 231, 234, 238, 244, 
 
 247, 251. 
 Stapp, Dr., 3. 
 States' Rights, 124-29. 
 Steele, Gen. Frederick, 226; letter 
 
 to, 217. 
 Steele, John B., 212 and note. 
 Stephens, Alexander H., letter to, 
 
 123. 
 Stephens, William A., 232. 
 Stewart, Judd, Some Lincoln Cor- 
 respondence from the Collection 
 
 of, 120 note, 123 note. 
 Stickney vs. Cassell, 12, 13. 
 Stipp, Dr., 212. 
 
 Stockton, Mrs. Esther, letter to, 243. 
 Stoneman, Gen. George, 228 note; 
 
 notes to, 228, 235. 
 Stuart, John T., 6 and note, 67; 
 
 letter to, 6. 
 Summers, Mr., 3. 
 Sweeney, Mr., 235. 
 Swett, Leonard, 55 and note; letters 
 
 to, 55, 148, 156, 175. 
 
 Taliaferro, Jefferson, 5. 
 
 Taylor, Bayard, letter to, 237. 
 
 Taylor, Hawkins, 209 and note. 
 
 Taylor, T. P., 46. 
 
 Taylor, Zachary, and appointments, 
 
 39, 40- 
 Tenley, G. W., 46. 
 
Index 
 
 263 
 
 Tevis, Joshua, 236. 
 Thomas, Gen. George H., 234. 
 Thomas, Gen. Lorenzo, note to, 184. 
 Thomas, Richard S., 9 and note, 42; 
 letters to, 9, 10, il, 26, 28, 29, 31, 
 
 33, 42, Si- 
 Thornton, Anthony, 67. 
 Thornton et al., ZS- 
 Tilton, J. E., letter to, 154. 
 Toombs, Robert, 124. 
 Totten, Gen., note to, 223. 
 Treasury Department, endorse- 
 ment on letter to, 189. 
 Trumbull, Lyman, 54, 108, 135, 
 142; letters to, on the 1856 cam- 
 paign, 66, 69; on the Kansas 
 Constitution, Buchanan, and 
 Douglas, 82, 83 ; on Douglas and 
 the New York Tribune, 83; on the 
 senatorial campaign of 1858, 87; 
 on Douglas's position in Dec, 
 1858, 96; on the political outlook 
 in Jan., 1859, 98; on their per- 
 sonal relations, 100; on Forney's 
 candidacy, 1 19; on distribution 
 of documents, 122; on Delahay's 
 senatorial aspirations, 136; urging 
 him to speak in Connecticut, 137; 
 on the political outlook in April 
 and May, i860, 140, 142, 144, 
 147; on the speech of acceptance, 
 151; on the campaign of i860, 
 153; on offering a cabinet place 
 to Seward, 170; on the extension 
 of slavery, 171 (2); on a mission 
 of Thurlow Weed's, 172; on the 
 South Carolina forts, 173; on 
 formation of the Cabinet, 173; 
 statement written by Lincoln for 
 speech by, 168. 
 Tuck, Mr., ISS- , ,, 
 Turnham, David, 166 note; letter 
 to, 166. 
 
 Llrich, B. A., 251. 
 Underbill, Mr., 5. 
 Underwood, Mr., 96, 97. 
 Underwood, John C, 182 note. 
 Union, the, to be kept, 121, 125-29; 
 
 and slavery, 132, 133. 
 Usher, John P., 145 and note. 
 
 Van Santvoord, Chaplain, 223. 
 Vigal, William W., 63. 
 Virginia, Eastern Shore counties of, 
 218. 
 
 Wade, Benjamin F., 148, 171. 
 Walbom, Cornelius, 181. 
 Walker, C, 5. 
 Walker's Division, 236. 
 Wallace, Mr., letter to, 45. 
 Wallack, Mayor, 249. 
 Warner, Jacob, 75. 
 Washburne, Elihu B., 54, 197. 
 Watson, Benjamin F., 194, I9S- 
 Watson, P. H., 58 note, 61; letters 
 
 to, 58, loi, 105. 
 Watt, 219. 
 Webb, 7. 
 Webb, Bat, 6. 
 Webb, O. B., 4. 
 Webber, T. R., letter to, 47. 
 Webster and Hickox, 64. 
 Weed, Thurlow, 148; on a mission 
 
 from Lincoln, 172; note to, 236. 
 Weirman, Miss, 237. 
 Weitzel, Gen. Godfrey, note to, 
 
 253. 
 Welles, C. R., letter to, 37. 
 Welles, Gideon, letters to, ordermg 
 an expedition, 177; on department 
 matters, 180, 181, 186, 222, 237. 
 Wentworth, Col. John, 100 note. 
 Wetherell, Dr., 210. 
 White, Horace, his Life of Lyman 
 
 Trumbull, 116 note, 173 note. 
 Whitney, Henry C, 18 note, 91 
 note; his Life of Lincoln, 109 
 note; his Life on the Circuit with 
 Lincoln, 169 note; letters to, 91, 
 169. 
 Wiley, Mr., 84. 
 Williams, Mr., 51, S3. 60, 189. 
 Wilson, Mr., letter to, 45. 
 Wilson, James Grant, letter to, 
 
 Winston, Mrs., 222. 
 Wise, William, 206. 
 Wood, John, 163. 
 
 Woodward, James H., endorsement 
 I in favor of, 247. 
 ' Woodworth, James H., 54. 
 
264 
 
 Index 
 
 Wool, Gen. John E., 192. 
 Worthington, Col., note to, 240. 
 Wright, Gen. Horatio G., note to, 
 
 246. 
 Wright, Joseph A., 206. 
 Wylie, Judge, 249. 
 Wyman, L. B., letter to, 197. 
 
 Yates, Richard, 51 and note, 53, 
 
 8i(?); letter to, 51; letter signed 
 
 by, 69; note to, 224. 
 Yates, William, 175. 
 Yeatman, Mr., 38. 
 Young, Richard M., 34 and note.' 
 Young & Brothers case, 37, 
 Young-Indian Club, 124. 
 
 Zinn, Peter, letter to, 1 16. 
 
CAMBRIDGE . MASSACHUSETTS 
 U . S . A