the writings-2-第1章

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The　Writings　of　Abraham　Lincoln



by　Abraham　Lincoln








　VOLUME　II。







1843…1858









FIRST　CHILD



TO　JOSHUA　F。　SPEED。

SPRINGFIELD；　May　18；　1843。



DEAR　SPEED：Yours　of　the　9th　instant　is　duly　received；　which　I

do　not　meet　as　a　〃bore；〃　but　as　a　most　welcome　visitor。　　I　will

answer　the　business　part　of　it　first。



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；　so　far　as　I　can　judge　from

present　appearances。　　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

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　Dr。　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。　　Be　sure　to　give　my　respects　to　your　mother

and　family；　assure　her　that　if　ever　I　come　near　her；　I　will　not

fail　to　call　and　see　her。　　Mary　joins　in　sending　love　to　your

Fanny　and　you。



Yours　as　ever；



A。　LINCOLN。









1844







TO　Gen。　J。　J。　HARDIN。



SPRINGFIELD；　May　21；　1844。



DEAR　HARDIN：

Knowing　that　you　have　correspondents　enough；　I　have　forborne　to

trouble　you　heretofore；　and　I　now　only　do　so　to　get　you　to　set　a

matter　right　which　has　got　wrong　with　one　of　our　best　friends。

It　is　old　Uncle　Thomas　Campbell　of　Spring　Creek（Berlin　P。O。）。

He　has　received　several　documents　from　you；　and　he　says　they　are

old　newspapers　and　documents；　having　no　sort　of　interest　in　them。

He　is；　therefore；　getting　a　strong　impression　that　you　treat　him

with　disrespect。　　This；　I　know；　is　a　mistaken　impression；　and　you

must　correct　it。　　The　way；　I　leave　to　yourself。　　Rob't　W。

Canfield　says　he　would　like　to　have　a　document　or　two　from　you。



The　Locos　（Democrats）　here　are　in　considerable　trouble　about　Van

Buren's　letter　on　Texas；　and　the　Virginia　electors。　　They　are

growing　sick　of　the　Tariff　question；　and　consequently　are　much

confounded　at　V。B。's　cutting　them　off　from　the　new　Texas

question。　　Nearly　half　the　leaders　swear　they　won't　stand　it。　　Of

those　are　Ford；　T。　　Campbell；　Ewing；　Calhoun　and　others。　　They

don't　exactly　say　they　won't　vote　for　V。B。；　but　they　say　he　will

not　be　the　candidate；　and　that　they　are　for　Texas　anyhow。



As　ever　yours；



A。　LINCOLN。









1845







SELECTION　OF　CONGRESSIONAL　CANDIDATES



TO　Gen。　J。　J。　HARDIN；　SPRINGFIELD；　Jany。　19；　1845。



DEAR　GENERAL：



I　do　not　wish　to　join　in　your　proposal　of　a　new　plan　for　the

selection　of　a　Whig　candidate　for　Congress　because：



1st。　　I　am　entirely　satisfied　with　the　old　system　under　which　you

and　Baker　were　successively　nominated　and　elected　to　Congress；

and　because　the　Whigs　of　the　district　are　well　acquainted　with

the　system；　and；　so　far　as　I　know　or　believe；　are　well　satisfied

with　it。　　If　the　old　system　be　thought　to　be　vague；　as　to　all　the

delegates　of　the　county　voting　the　same　way；　or　as　to

instructions　to　them　as　to　whom　they　are　to　vote　for；　or　as　to

filling　vacancies；　I　am　willing　to　join　in　a　provision　to　make

these　matters　certain。



2d。　　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　object。　　They　seem　to　me　to　be　not　unfair；　and

I　forbear　to　join　in　proposing　them　only　because　I　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。



3d。　　As　to　your　proposed　stipulation　that　all　the　candidates

shall　remain　in　their　own　counties；　and　restrain　their　friends　in

the　same　it　seems　to　me　that　on　reflection　you　will　see　the　fact

of　your　having　been　in　Congress　has；　in　various　ways；　so　spread

your　name　in　the　district　as　to　give　you　a　decided　advantage　in

such　a　stipulation。　　I　appreciate　your　desire　to　keep　down

excitement；　and　I　promise　you　to　〃keep　cool〃　under　all

circumstances。



4th。　　I　have　already　said　I　am　satisfied　with　the　old　system

under　which　such　good　men　have　triumphed　and　that　I　desire　no

departure　from　its　principles。　　But　if　there　must　be　a　departure

from　it；　I　shall　insist　upon　a　more　accurate　and　just

apportionment　of　delegates；　or　representative　votes；　to　the

constituent　body；　than　exists　by　the　old；　and　which　you　propose

to　retain　in　your　new　plan。　　If　we　take　the　entire　population　of

the　counties　as　shown　by　the　late　census；　we　shall　see　by　the　old

plan；　and　by　your　proposed　new　plan；



Morgan　County；　with　a　population　16；541；　has　but　。。。。。。。　8　votes

While　Sangamon　with　18；6972156　greater　has　but　。。。。。。。　8　　　〃

So　Scott　with　6553　has　。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。　4　　　〃

While　Tazewell　with　7615　1062　greater　has　but　。。。。。。。。。。　4　　　〃

So　Mason　with　3135　has　。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。　1　vote

While　Logan　with　3907；　772　greater；　has　but　。。。。。。。。。。。。　1　　　〃



And　so　on　in　a　less　degree　the　matter　runs　through　all　the

counties；　being　not　only　wrong　in　principle；　but　the　advantage　of

it　being　all　manifestly　in　your　favor　with　one　slight　exception；

in　the　comparison　of　two　counties　not　here　mentioned。



Again；　if　we　take　the　Whig　votes　of　the　counties　as　shown　by　the

late　Presidential　election　as　a　basis；　the　thing　is　still　worse。



It　seems　to　me　most　obvious　that　the　old　system　needs　adjustment

in　nothing　so　much　as　in　this；　and　still；　by　your　proposal；　no

notice　is　taken　of　it。　　I　have　always　been　in　the　habit　of

acceding　to　almost　any　proposal　that　a　friend　would　make　and　I　am

truly　sorry　that　I　cannot　in　this。　　I　perhaps　ought　to　mention

that　some　friends　at　different　places　are　endeavoring　to　secure

the　honor　of　the　sitting　of　the　convention　at　their　towns

respectively；　and　I　fear　that　they　would　not　feel　much

complimented　if　we　shall　make　a　bargain　that　it　should　sit

nowhere。



Yours　as　ever；



A。　LINCOLN。









TO　_________　WILLIAMS；



SPRINGFIELD；　March　1；　1845。



FRIEND　WILLIAMS：



The　Supreme　Court　adjourned　this　morning　for　the　term。　　Your

cases　of　Reinhardt　vs。　Schuyler；　Bunce　vs。　Schuyler；　Dickhut　vs。

Dunell；　and　Sullivan　vs。　Andrews　are　continued。　　Hinman　vs。　Pope

I　wrote　you　concerning　some　time　ago。　　McNutt　et　al。　vs。　Bean　and

Thompson　is　reversed　and　remanded。



Fitzpatrick　vs。　Brady　et　al。　is　reversed　and　remanded　with　leave

to　complainant　to　amend　his　bill　so　as　to　show　the　real

consideration　given　for　the　land。



Bunce　against　Graves　the　court　confirmed；　wherefore；　in

accordance　with　your　directions；　I　moved　to　have　the　case

remanded　to　enable　you　to　take　a　new　trial　in　the　court　below。

The　court　allowed　the　motion；　of　which　I　am　glad；　and　I　guess　you

are。



T