1843-1847

February 14th, 1843. (To Richard S. Thomas.) Now if you should hear any one say that Lincoln don't want to go to Congress, I wish you, as a personal friend of mine, 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 enterprise, what I now want is that they shall not throw me away just yet.

March 7th. On yesterday morning the most of the Whig members of this District got together and agreed to hold the convention (to nominate a member of Congress) at Tremont in Tazewell County.

24th. (To Joshua F. Speed.) We had a meeting of the Whigs of the county here on last Monday to appoint delegates to a district convention; and Baker beat me, and got the delegation instructed to go for him. The meeting, in spite of my attempt to decline it, appointed me one of the delegates; so that, in getting Baker the nomination I shall be fixed a good deal like a fellow who is made a groomsman to a man that has cut him out and is marrying his own dear "gal." About the prospects of your having a namesake at our town, can't say exactly yet.

The causes of Lincoln's rejection by the convention reveal an attitude toward him on the part of the ultra conservative part of the community. He has been reading skeptical books and has talked freely, at the Lyceum and elsewhere, in a way that has mystified the ultras.

26th. (To Martin M. Morris.)

It is truly gratify

ing to me to learn that while the people of Sangamon have cast me off, my old friends of Menard, who have known me longest and best, stick to me. It would astonish, if not amuse the older citizens, to learn that I (a stranger, friendless, uneducated, penniless boy, working on a flatboat at ten dollars per month) have been put down here as the candidate of pride, wealth, and aristocratic family distinction. Yet so, chiefly, it was. There was, too, the strangest combination of church influence against me. Baker is a Campbellite; and therefore, as I suppose, with few exceptions got all that church. My wife has some relations in the Presbyterian churches, and some with the Episcopal churches; and therefore, wherever it would tell, I was set down as either the one or the other, while it was everywhere contended that no Christian ought to go for me, because I belonged to no church, was suspected of being a deist, and had talked about fighting a duel. With all these things, Baker, of course, had nothing to do. Nor do I complain of them. As to his own church going for him, I think that was right enough, and as to the influences I have spoken of in the other, though they were very strong, it would be grossly untrue and unjust to charge that they acted upon them in a body, or were very near so. I only mean that those influences levied a tax of a considerable per cent upon my strength throughout the religious controversy. But enough of this.

You say you shall instruct your delegates for me unless I object. I certainly shall not object. That would be too pleasant a compliment for me to tread in the dust. And besides, if anything should happen (which, however, is not probable) by which Baker should be thrown out of the fight, I would be at liberty to accept the nomination if I could get it. I do, however, feel myself bound not to hinder him in any way from getting the nomination. I should despise myself were I to attempt it. I think, then, it would be proper for your meeting

to appoint three delegates and to instruct them to go for some one as a first choice, some one else as a second, and perhaps some one as a third; and if in those instructions I were named as the first choice, it would gratify me very much.

J. J. Hardin receives the Whig nomination, to the chagrin both of Lincoln and Baker. The nominee has doubts upon the attitude of his rivals.

May 11th. (To Hardin.) Butler informs me that he received a letter from you in which you expressed some doubt whether the Whigs of Sangamon will support you cordially. You may, at once, dismiss all fears on that subject. We have already resolved to make a particular effort to give you the very largest majority possible in our county. From this, not Whig of the county dissents. We have many objects for doing it. We make it a matter of honor and pride to do it; we do it because we love the Whig cause; we do it because we like you personally; at last we wish to convince you that we do not bear that hatred to Morgan county, that you people have so long seemed to imagine. You will see by the Journal of this week, that we propose, upon pain of losing a Barbecue, to give you twice as great a majority in this county as you shall receive in your own. I got up the proposal.

18th. (To Joshua F. Speed.) In relation to our Congress matter here, you were right in supposing I would support the nominee. Neither Baker nor I, however, is the man, but Hardin. We shall have no split or trouble about the matter; all will be harmony. In relation to the "coming events" about which Butler wrote you, I had not heard one word before I got your letter; but I have so much confidence in the judgment of a Butler on such a subject that I incline to think there may be some reality in it. What day does Butler appoint? By the way, how do "events" of the same sort come on in your family?

Are you possessing houses and lands, and oxen and asses, and men-servants and maid-servants, and begetting sons and daughters? We are not keeping house, but boarding at the Globe Tavern, which is very well kept now by a widow lady of the name of Beck. Our room (the same that Doctor Wallace occupied there) and boarding only costs us four dollars a week. Ann Todd was married something more than a year since to a fellow by the name of Campbell, and who, Mary says, is pretty much of a "dunce," though he has a little money and property. They live in Boonville, Missouri, and have not been heard from lately enough for me to say anything about her health. I reckon it will scarcely be in our power to visit Kentucky this year. Besides poverty and the necessity of attending to business, those "coming events," I suspect, would be somewhat in the way. I most heartily wish you and your Fanny would not fail to come. Just let us know the time, and we will have a room provided for you at our house, and all be merry together for a while.

September 20th. Firm of Logan and Lincoln dissolved; and succeeded immediately by the firm of Lincoln and Herndon. The correspondence of senior member of the new firm is often entertaining.

April 24th, 1844. As to real estate, we can not attend to it. We are not real estate agents, we are lawyers. We recommend that you give the charge of it to Mr. Isaac S. Britton, a trustworthy man and one whom the Lord made on purpose for such business.

The controversy over Texas which disturbs the whole country leads Illinois politicians to say where they stand.

October 3rd, 1845. I perhaps ought to say that individually I never was much interested in the Texas question. I

to appoint three delegates and to instruct them t one as a first choice, some one else as a secon some one as a third; and if in those instructions as the first choice, it would gratify me very mi

J. J. Hardin receives the Whig nominatio both of Lincoln and Baker. The nominee ha attitude of his rivals.

May 11th. (To Hardin.) Butler infor ceived a letter from you in which you ex whether the Whigs of Sangamon will su You may, at once, dismiss all fears on the already resolved to make a particular et very largest majority possible in our co Whig of the county dissents. We have i it. We make it a matter of honor and because we love the Whig cause; we d personally; at last we wish to convince that hatred to Morgan county, that seemed to imagine. You will see by that we propose, upon pain of losin twice as great a majority in this co your own. I got up the proposal.

18th. (To Joshua F. Speed.) matter here, you were right in su nominee. Neither Baker nor ! Hardin. We shall have no split on all will be harmony. In relation to which Butler wrote you, I had not your letter; but I have so much c a Butler on such a subject +1some reality in it. W

way, how do "ever

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