the writings-2-第2章

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To　whatever　extent　this　may　be　true；　I　think　annexation　an　evil。

I　hold　it　to　be　a　paramount　duty　of　us　in　the　free　States；　due　to

the　Union　of　the　States；　and　perhaps　to　liberty　itself　（paradox

though　it　may　seem）；　to　let　the　slavery　of　the　other　States

alone；　while；　on　the　other　hand；　I　hold　it　to　be　equally　clear

that　we　should　never　knowingly　lend　ourselves；　directly　or

indirectly；　to　prevent　that　slavery　from　dying　a　natural　death

to　find　new　places　for　it　to　live　in　when　it　can　no　longer　exist

in　the　old。　　Of　course　I　am　not　now　considering　what　would　be　our

duty　in　cases　of　insurrection　among　the　slaves。　　To　recur　to　the

Texas　question；　I　understand　the　Liberty　men　to　have　viewed

annexation　as　a　much　greater　evil　than　ever　I　did；　and　I　would

like　to　convince　you；　if　I　could；　that　they　could　have　prevented

it；　if　they　had　chosen。　　I　intend　this　letter　for　you　and　Madison

together；　and　if　you　and　he　or　either　shall　think　fit　to　drop　me

a　line；　I　shall　be　pleased。



Yours　with　respect；



A。　LINCOLN。









1846





REQUEST　FOR　POLITICAL　SUPPORT



TO　Dr。　ROBERT　BOAL。

SPRINGFIELD；　January　7；　1846。



Dr。　ROBERT　BOAL；　Lacon；　Ill。



DEAR　DOCTOR：Since　I　saw　you　last　fall；　I　have　often　thought　of

writing　to　you；　as　it　was　then　understood　I　would；　but；　on

reflection；　I　have　always　found　that　I　had　nothing　new　to　tell

you。　　All　has　happened　as　I　then　told　you　I　expected　it　would

Baker's　declining；　Hardin's　taking　the　track；　and　so　on。



If　Hardin　and　I　stood　precisely　equal；　if　neither　of　us　had　been

to　Congress；　or　if　we　both　had；　it　would　only　accord　with　what　I

have　always　done；　for　the　sake　of　peace；　to　give　way　to　him；　and

I　expect　I　should　do　it。　　That　I　can　voluntarily　postpone　my

pretensions；　when　they　are　no　more　than　equal　to　those　to　which

they　are　postponed；　you　have　yourself　seen。　　But　to　yield　to

Hardin　under　present　circumstances　seems　to　me　as　nothing　else

than　yielding　to　one　who　would　gladly　sacrifice　me　altogether。

This　I　would　rather　not　submit　to。　　That　Hardin　is　talented；

energetic；　usually　generous　and　magnanimous；　I　have　before　this

affirmed　to　you　and　do　not　deny。　　You　know　that　my　only　argument

is　that　〃turn　about　is　fair　play。〃　This　he；　practically　at　least；

denies。



If　it　would　not　be　taxing　you　too　much；　I　wish　you　would　write

me；　telling　the　aspect　of　things　in　your　country；　or　rather　your

district；　and　also；　send　the　names　of　some　of　your　Whig

neighbors；　to　whom　I　might；　with　propriety；　write。　　Unless　I　can

get　some　one　to　do　this；　Hardin；　with　his　old　franking　list；　will

have　the　advantage　of　me。　　My　reliance　for　a　fair　shake　（and　I

want　nothing　more）　in　your　country　is　chiefly　on　you；　because　of

your　position　and　standing；　and　because　I　am　acquainted　with　so

few　others。　　Let　me　hear　from　you　soon。



Yours　truly；



A。　LINCOLN。









TO　JOHN　BENNETT。



SPRINGFIELD；　Jan。　15；　1846。



JOHN　BENNETT。



FRIEND　JOHN：



Nathan　Dresser　is　here；　and　speaks　as　though　the　contest　between

Hardin　and　me　is　to　be　doubtful　in　Menard　County。　　I　know　he　is

candid　and　this　alarms　me　some。　　I　asked　him　to　tell　me　the　names

of　the　men　that　were　going　strong　for　Hardin；　he　said　Morris　was

about　as　strong　as　any…now　tell　me；　is　Morris　going　it　openly？

You　remember　you　wrote　me　that　he　would　be　neutral。　　Nathan　also

said　that　some　man；　whom　he　could　not　remember；　had　said　lately

that　Menard　County　was　going　to　decide　the　contest　and　that　made

thL；　contest　very　doubtful。　　Do　you　know　who　that　was？　　Don't

fail　to　write　me　instantly　on　receiving　this；　telling　me　all…

particularly　the　names　of　those　who　are　going　strong　against　me。



Yours　as　ever；



A。　LINCOLN。









TO　N。　J。　ROCKWELL。



SPRINGFIELD；　January　21；　1846。



DEAR　SIR：You　perhaps　know　that　General　Hardin　and　I　have　a

contest　for　the　Whig　nomination　for　Congress　for　this　district。



He　has　had　a　turn　and　my　argument　is　〃turn　about　is　fair　play。〃



I　shall　be　pleased　if　this　strikes　you　as　a　sufficient

argument。



Yours　truly；



A。　LINCOLN。









TO　JAMES　BERDAN。



SPRINGFIELD；　April　26；　1846。



DEAR　SIR：I　thank　you　for　the　promptness　with　which　you　answered

my　letter　from　Bloomington。　　I　also　thank　you　for　the　frankness

with　which　you　comment　upon　a　certain　part　of　my　letter；　because

that　comment　affords　me　an　opportunity　of　trying　to　express

myself　better　than　I　did　before；　seeing；　as　I　do；　that　in　that

part　of　my　letter；　you　have　not　understood　me　as　I　intended　to　be

understood。



In　speaking　of　the　〃dissatisfaction〃　of　men　who　yet　mean　to　do　no

wrong；　etc。；　I　mean　no　special　application　of　what　I　said　to　the

Whigs　of　Morgan；　or　of　Morgan　&　Scott。　　I　only　had　in　my　mind　the

fact　that　previous　to　General　Hardin's　withdrawal　some　of　his

friends　and　some　of　mine　had　become　a　little　warm；　and　I　felt；

and　meant　to　say；　that　for　them　now　to　meet　face　to　face　and

converse　together　was　the　best　way　to　efface　any　remnant　of

unpleasant　feeling；　if　any　such　existed。



I　did　not　suppose　that　General　Hardin's　friends　were　in　any

greater　need　of　having　their　feelings　corrected　than　mine　were。

Since　I　saw　you　at　Jacksonville；　I　have　had　no　more　suspicion　of

the　Whigs　of　Morgan　than　of　those　of　any　other　part　of　the

district。　　I　write　this　only　to　try　to　remove　any　impression　that

I　distrust　you　and　the　other　Whigs　of　your　country。



Yours　truly；



A。　LINCOLN。









TO　JAMES　BERDAN。



SPRINGFIELD；　May　7；　1866。



DEAR　SIR：It　is　a　matter　of　high　moral　obligation；　if　not　of

necessity；　for　me　to　attend　the　Coles　and　Edwards　courts。　　I　have

some　cases　in　both　of　them；　in　which　the　parties　have　my　promise；

and　are　depending　upon　me。　　The　court　commences　in　Coles　on　the

second　Monday；　and　in　Edgar　on　the　third。　　Your　court　in　Morgan

commences　on　the　fourth　Monday；　and　it　is　my　purpose　to　be　with

you　then；　and　make　a　speech。　　I　mention　the　Coles　and　Edgar

courts　in　order　that　if　I　should　not　reach　Jacksonville　at　the

time　named　you　may　understand　the　reason　why。　　I　do　not；　however；

think　there　is　much　danger　of　my　being　detained；　as　I　shall　go

with　a　purpose　not　to　be；　and　consequently　shall　engage　in　no　new

cases　that　might　delay　me。



Yours　truly；



A。　LINCOLN。









VERSES　WRITTEN　BY　LINCOLN　AFTER　A　VISIT　TO　HIS　OLD　HOME　IN

INDIANA…（A　FRAGMENT）。



＇In　December；　1847；　when　Lincoln　was　stumping　for　Clay；　he

crossed　into　Indiana　and　revisited　his　old　home。　　He　writes：

〃That　part　of　the　country　is　within　itself　as　unpoetical　as　any

spot　on　earth；　but　still　seeing　it　and　its　objects　and

inhabitants　aroused　feelings　in　me　which　were　certainly　poetry；

though　whether　my　expression　of　these　feelings　is　poetry；　is

quite　another　question。〃＇





Near　twenty　years　have　passed　away

Since　here　I　bid　farewell

To　woods　and　fields；　and　scenes　of　play；

And　playmates　loved　so　well。



Where　many　were；　but　few　remain

Of　old　familiar　things；

But　seeing　them　to　mind　again

The　lost　and　absent　brings。



The　friends　I　left　that　parting　day；

How　changed；　as　time　has　sped！

Young　childhood　grown；　strong　manhood　gray；

And　half　of　all　are　dead。



I　hear　the　loved　survivors　tell

How　naught　from　death　could　save；

Till　every　sound　appears　a　knell；

And　every　spot　a　grave。



I　range　the　fields　with　pensive　tread；

And　pace　the　hollow　rooms；

And　feel　（companion　of　the　dead）

I　'm　living　in　the　tombs。









VERSES　WRITTEN　BY　LINCOLN　CONCERNING　A　SCHOOL…FELLOW

WHO　BECAME　INSANE（A　FRAGMENT）。



And　when　at　length　the　drear　and　long

Time　soothed　thy　fiercer　woes；

How　plaintively　thy　mournful　song

Upon　the　still　night　rose



I've　heard　it　oft　as　if　I　dreamed；

Far　distant；　sweet　and　lone；

The　funeral　dirge　it　ever　seemed

Of　reason　dead　and　gone。



Air　held　her　breath；　trees　with　the　spell

Seemed　sorrowing　angels　round；

Whose　swelling　tears　in　dewdrops　fell

Upon　the　listening　ground。





But　this　is　past；　and　naught　remains

That　raised　thee　o'er　the　brute；

Thy　piercing　shrieks　and　soothing　strains

Are　like；　forever　mute。



Now　fare　thee　well！　More　thou　the　cause

Than　subject　now　of　woe。

All　mental　pangs　by　time's　kind　laws

Hast　lost　the　power　to　know。



O　Death！　thou　awe…inspiring　prince

That　keepst　the　world　in　fear；

Why　dost　thou　tear　more　blest　ones　hence；

And　leave　him　lingering　here？









SECOND　CHILD



TO　JOSHUA　P。　SPEED



SPRINGFIELD；　October　22；　1846。



DEAR　SPEED：You；　no　doubt；　assign　the　suspension　of　our

correspondence　to　the　true　philosophic　cause；　though　it　must　be

confessed　by　both　of　us　that　this　is　rather　a　cold　reason　for

allowing　a　friendship　such　as　ours　to　die　out　by　degrees。　　I

propose　now　that；　upon　receipt　of　this；　you　shall　be　considered

in　my　debt；　and　under　obligations　to　pay　soon；　and　that　neither

shall　remain　long　in　arrears　hereafter。　　Are　you　agreed？



Being　elected　to　Congress；　though　I　am　very　grateful　to　our

friends　for　having　done　it；　has　not　pleased　me　as　much　as　I

expected。



We　have　another　boy；　born　the　10th　of　March。　　He　is　very　much

such　a　child　as　Bob　was　at　his　age；　rather　of　a　longer　order。

Bob　is　〃short　and　low；〃　and　I　expect　always　will　be。　　He　talks

very　plainly；almost　as　plainly　as　anybody。　　He　is　quite　smart

enough。　　I　sometimes　fear　that　he　is　one　of　the　little　rare…ripe

sort　that　are　smarter　at　about　five　than　ever　after。　　He　has　a

great　deal　of　that　sort　of　mischief　that　is　the　offspring　of　such

animal　spirits。　　Since　I　began　this　letter；　a　messenger　came　to

tell　me　Bob　was　lost；　but　by　the　time　I　reached　the　house　his

mother　had　found　him　and　had　him　whipped；　and　by　now；　very

likely；　he　is　run　away　again。　　Mary　has　read　your　letter；　and

wishes　to　be　remembered　to　Mrs。　　Speed　and　you；　in　which　I　most

sincerely　join　her。



As　ever　yours；



A。　LINCOLN。









TO　MORRIS　AND　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　（who　he　knows　not）　came　to　him；　with　a　copy

of　the　affidavit；　to　engage　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