the writings-2-第19章
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In this and the accompanying envelope are the recommendations of
about two hundred good citizens of all parts of Illinois； that
Benjamin Bond be appointed marshal for that district。 They
include the names of nearly all our Whigs who now are； or have
ever been； members of the State Legislature； besides forty…six of
the Democratic members of the present Legislature； and many other
good citizens。 I add that from personal knowledge I consider Mr。
Bond every way worthy of the office； and qualified to fill it。
Holding the individual opinion that the appointment of a
different gentleman would be better； I ask especial attention and
consideration for his claims； and for the opinions expressed in
his favor by those over whom I can claim no superiority。
A。 LINCOLN。
TO THE SECRETARY OF THE INTERIOR
SPRINGFIELD； ILLINOIS； April 7； 1849
HON。 SECRETARY OF THE HOME DEPARTMENT。
DEAR SIR：I recommend that Walter Davis be appointed receiver of
the land…office at this place； whenever there shall be a vacancy。
I cannot say that Mr。 Herndon； the present incumbent； has failed
in the proper discharge of any of the duties of the office。 He
is a very warm partisan； and openly and actively opposed to the
election of General Taylor。 I also understand that since General
Taylor's election he has received a reappointment from Mr。 Polk；
his old commission not having expired。 Whether this is true the
records of the department will show。 I may add that the Whigs
here almost universally desire his removal。
I give no opinion of my own； but state the facts； and express the
hope that the department will act in this as in all other cases
on some proper general rule。
Your obedient servant；
A。 LINCOLN。
P。 S。The land district to which this office belongs is very
nearly if not entirely within my district； so that Colonel Baker；
the other Whig representative； claims no voice in the
appointment。
A。 L。
TO THE SECRETARY OF THE INTERIOR。
SPRINGFIELD； ILLINOIS； April 7； 1849。
HON。 SECRETARY OF THE HOME DEPARTMENT。
DEAR SIR：I recommend that Turner R。 King； now of Pekin；
Illinois； be appointed register of the land…office at this place
whenever there shall be a vacancy。
I do not know that Mr。 Barret； the present incumbent； has failed
in the proper discharge of any of his duties in the office。 He
is a decided partisan； and openly and actively opposed the
election of General Taylor。 I understand； too； that since the
election of General Taylor； Mr。 Barret has received a
reappointment from Mr。 Polk； his old commission not having
expired。 Whether this be true； the records of the department
will show。
Whether he should be removed I give no opinion； but merely
express the wish that the department may act upon some proper
general rule； and that Mr。 Barret's case may not be made an
exception to it。
Your obedient servant；
A。 LINCOLN。
P。 S。…The land district to which this office belongs is very
nearly if not entirely within my district； so that Colonel Baker；
the other Whig representative； claims no voice in the
appointment。
A。 L。
TO THE POSTMASTER…GENERAL。
SPRINGFIELD； ILLINOIS； April 7；1849。
HON。 POSTMASTER…GENERAL。
DEAR Sir：I recommend that Abner Y。 Ellis be appointed
postmaster at this place； whenever there shall be a vacancy。 J。
R。 Diller； the present incumbent； I cannot say has failed in the
proper discharge of any of the duties of the office。 He；
however； has been an active partisan in opposition to us。
Located at the seat of government of the State； he has been； for
part if not the whole of the time he has held the office； a
member of the Democratic State Central Committee； signing his
name to their addresses and manifestoes； and has been； as I
understand； reappointed by Mr。 Polk since General Taylor's
election。 These are the facts of the case as I understand them；
and I give no opinion of mine as to whether he should or should
not be removed。 My wish is that the department may adopt some
proper general rule for such cases； and that Mr。 Diller may not
be made an exception to it； one way or the other。
Your obedient servant；
A。 LINCOLN。
P。 S。This office； with its delivery； is entirely within my
district； so that Colonel Baker； the other Whig representative；
claims no voice in the appointment。L。
TO THE SECRETARY OF THE INTERIOR。
SPRINGFIELD； ILLINOIS； April 7； 1849。
HON。 SECRETARY OF THE HOME DEPARTMENT。
DEAR SIR：I recommend that William Butler be appointed pension
agent for the Illinois agency； when the place shall be vacant。
Mr。 Hurst； the present incumbent； I believe has performed the
duties very well。 He is a decided partisan； and I believe
expects to be removed。 Whether he shall； I submit to the
department。 This office is not confined to my district； but
pertains to the whole State； so that Colonel Baker has an equal
right with myself to be heard concerning it。 However； the office
is located here； and I think it is not probable that any one
would desire to remove from a distance to take it。
Your obedient servant；
A。 LINCOLN。
TO THOMPSON。
SPRINGFIELD； April 25； 1849。
DEAR THOMPSON：
A tirade is still kept up against me here for recommending T。 R。
King。 This morning it is openly avowed that my supposed
influence at Washington shall be broken down generally； and
King's prospects defeated in particular。 Now； what I have done
in this matter I have done at the request of you and some other
friends in Tazewell； and I therefore ask you to either admit it
is wrong or come forward and sustain me。 If the truth will
permit； I propose that you sustain me in the following manner：
copy the inclosed scrap in your own handwriting and get everybody
（not three or four； but three or four hundred） to sign it； and
then send it to me。 Also； have six； eight or ten of our best
known Whig friends there write to me individual letters； stating
the truth in this matter as they understand it。 Don't neglect or
delay in the matter。 I understand information of an indictment
having been found against him about three years ago； for gaming
or keeping a gaming house； has been sent to the department。 I
shall try to take care of it at the department till your action
can be had and forwarded on。
Yours as ever；
A。 LINCOLN。
TO THE SECRETARY OF THE INTERIOR。
SPRINGFIELD ILLINOIS。 May 10； 1849。
HON。 SECRETARY OF THE INTERIOR。
DEAR SIR：I regret troubling you so often in relation to the
land…offices here； but I hope you will perceive the necessity of
it； and excuse me。 On the 7th of April I wrote you recommending
Turner R。 King for register； and Walter Davis for receiver。
Subsequently I wrote you that； for a private reason； I had
concluded to transpose them。 That private reason was the request
of an old personal friend who himself desired to be receiver； but
whom I felt it my duty to refuse a recommendation。 He said if I
would transpose King and Davis he would be satisfied。 I thought
it a whim； but； anxious to oblige him； I consented。 Immediately
he commenced an assault upon King's character； intending； as I
suppose； to defeat his appointment； and thereby secure another
chance for himself。 This double offence of bad faith to me and
slander upon a good man is so totally outrageous that I now ask
to have King and Davis placed as I originally recommended；that
is； King for register and Davis for receiver。
An effort is being made now to have Mr。 Barret； the present
register； retained。 I have already said he has done the duties
of the office well； and I now add he is a gentleman in the true
sense。 Still； he submits to be the instrument of his party to
injure us。 His high character enables him to do it more
effectually。 Last year he presided at the convention which
nominated the Democratic candidate for Congress in this district；
and afterward ran for the State Senate himself； not desiring the
seat； but avowedly to aid and strengthen his party。 He made
speech after speech with a degree of fierceness and coarseness
against General Taylor not quite consistent with his habitually
gentlemanly deportment。 At least one （and I think more） of those
who are now trying to have him retained was himself an applicant
for this very office； and； failing to get my recommendation； now
takes this turn。
In writing you a third time in relation to these offices； I
stated that I supposed charges had been forwarded to you against
King； and that I would inquire into the truth of them。 I now
send you herewith what I suppose will be an ample defense against
any such charges。 I ask attention to all the papers； but
particularly to the letters of Mr。 David Mack； and the paper with
the long list of names。 There is no mistake about King's being a
good man。 After the unjust assault upon him； and considering the
just claims of Tazewell County； as indicated in the letters I
inclose you； it would in my opinion be injustice； and withal a
blunder； not to appoint him； at least as soon as any one is
appointed to either of the offices here。
Your obedient servant；
A。 LINCOLN。
TO J。 GILLESPIE。
SPRINGFIELD； ILL。； May 19； 1849。
DEAR GILLESPIE：
Butterfield will be commissioner of the Gen'l Land Office； unless
prevented by strong and speedy efforts。 Ewing is for him； and he
is only not appointed yet because Old Zach。 hangs fire。
I have reliable information of this。 Now； if you agree with me
that this appointment would dissatisfy rather than gratify the
Whigs of this State； that it would slacken their energies in
future contests； that his appointment in '41 is an old sore with
them which they will not patiently have reopened；in a word that
his appointment now would be a fatal blunder to the
administration and our political men here in Illinois； write
Crittenden to that effect。 He can control the matter。 Were you
to write Ewing I fear the President would never hear of your
letter。 This may be mere suspicion。 You might write directly to
Old Zach。 You will be the best judge of the propriety of that。
Not a moment's time is to be lost。
Let this be confidential except with Mr。 Edwards and a few others
whom you know I would trust just as I do you。
Yours as ever；
A。 LINCOLN。
REQUEST FOR GENERAL LAND…OFICE APPPOINTMENT
TO E。 EMBREE。
＇Confidential＇
SPRINGFIELD； ILLINOIS； May 25； 1849。
HON。 E。 EMBREE
DEAR SIR：I am about to ask a favor of you； one which I hope
will not cost you much。 I understand the General Land…Office is
about to be given to Illinois； and that Mr。 Ewing desires Justin
Butterfield； of Chicago； to be the man
