the writings-2-第35章
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with it。 In such a case I can only commend him to the seventy
thousand answers just in from Pennsylvania； Ohio； and Indiana。
REQUEST FOR SENATE SUPPORT
TO CHARLES HOYT
CLINTON； De WITT Co。； Nov。 10； 1854
DEAR SIR：You used to express a good deal of partiality for me；
and if you are still so； now is the time。 Some friends here are
really for me for the U。S。 Senate； and I should be very grateful
if you could make a mark for me among your members。 Please write
me at all events； giving me the names； post…offices； and
〃political position〃 of members round about you。 Direct to
Springfield。
Let this be confidential。
Yours truly；
A。 LINCOLN。
TO T。 J。 HENDERSON。
SPRINGFIELD；
November 27； 1854
T。 J。 HENDERSON； ESQ。
MY DEAR SIR：It has come round that a whig may； by possibility；
be elected to the United States Senate； and I want the chance of
being the man。 You are a member of the Legislature； and have a
vote to give。 Think it over； and see whether you can do better
than to go for me。
Write me； at all events； and let this be confidential。
Yours truly；
A。 LINCOLN。
TO J。 GILLESPIE。
SPRINGFIELD； Dec。 1； 1854。
DEAR SIR：I have really got it into my head to try to be United
States Senator； and； if I could have your support； my chances
would be reasonably good。 But I know； and acknowledge； that you
have as just claims to the place as I have； and therefore I
cannot ask you to yield to me； if you are thinking of becoming a
candidate； yourself。 If； however； you are not； then I should
like to be remembered affectionately by you； and also to have you
make a mark for me with the Anti…Nebraska members down your way。
If you know； and have no objection to tell； let me know whether
Trumbull intends to make a push。 If he does； I suppose the two
men in St。 Clair； and one； or both； in Madison； will be for him。
We have the Legislature； clearly enough； on joint ballot； but the
Senate is very close； and Cullom told me to…day that the Nebraska
men will stave off the election； if they can。 Even if we get
into joint vote； we shall have difficulty to unite our forces。
Please write me； and let this be confidential。
Your friend； as ever；
A。 LINCOLN
POLITICAL REFERENCES
TO JUSTICE MCLEAN。
SPRINGFIELD； ILL。； December 6； 1854。
SIR：I understand it is in contemplation to displace the present
clerk and appoint a new one for the Circuit and District Courts
of Illinois。 I am very friendly to the present incumbent； and；
both for his own sake and that of his family； I wish him to be
retained so long as it is possible for the court to do so。
In the contingency of his removal； however； I have recommended
William Butler as his successor； and I do not wish what I write
now to be taken as any abatement of that recommendation。
William J。 Black is also an applicant for the appointment； and I
write this at the solicitation of his friends to say that he is
every way worthy of the office； and that I doubt not the
conferring it upon him will give great satisfaction。
Your ob't servant；
A。 LINCOLN
TO T。 J。 HENDERSON。
SPRINGFIELD； December 15。 1854
HON。 T。 J。 HENDERSON。
DEAR SIR：Yours of the 11th was received last night； and for
which I thank you。 Of course I prefer myself to all others； yet
it is neither in my heart nor my conscience to say I am any
better man than Mr。 Williams。 We shall have a terrible struggle
with our adversaries。 They are desperate and bent on desperate
deeds。 I accidentally learned of one of the leaders here writing
to a member south of here； in about the following language：
We are beaten。 They have a clean majority of at least nine； on
joint ballot。 They outnumber us； but we must outmanage them。
Douglas must be sustained。 We must elect the Speaker； and we
must elect a Nebraska United States Senator； or elect none at
all。〃 Similar letters； no doubt； are written to every Nebraska
member。 Be considering how we can best meet； and foil； and beat
them。 I send you； by mail； a copy of my Peoria speech。 You may
have seen it before； or you may not think it worth seeing now。
Do not speak of the Nebraska letter mentioned above； I do not
wish it to become public； that I received such information。
Yours truly；
A。 LINCOLN。
1855
LOSS OF PRIMARY FOR SENATOR
TO E。 B。 WASHBURNE。
SPRINGFIELD； February 9； 1855
MY DEAR SIR：
I began with 44 votes； Shields 41； and Trumbull 5；yet Trumbull
was elected。 In fact 47 different members voted for me；getting
three new ones on the second ballot； and losing four old ones。
How came my 47 to yield to Trumbull's 5？ It was Governor
Matteson's work。 He has been secretly a candidate ever since
（before； even） the fall election。
All the members round about the canal were Anti…Nebraska； but
were nevertheless nearly all Democrats and old personal friends
of his。 His plan was to privately impress them with the belief
that he was as good Anti…Nebraska as any one elseat least could
be secured to be so by instructions； which could be easily
passed。
The Nebraska men； of course； were not for Matteson； but when they
found they could elect no avowed Nebraska man； they tardily
determined to let him get whomever of our men he could； by
whatever means he could； and ask him no questions。
The Nebraska men were very confident of the election of Matteson；
though denying that he was a candidate； and we very much
believing also that they would elect him。 But they wanted first
to make a show of good faith to Shields by voting for him a few
times； and our secret Matteson men also wanted to make a show of
good faith by voting with us a few times。 So we led off。 On the
seventh ballot； I think； the signal was given to the Nebraska men
to turn to Matteson； which they acted on to a man； with one
exception。 。 。 Next ballot the remaining Nebraska man and one
pretended Anti went over to him； giving him 46。 The next still
another； giving him 47； wanting only three of an election。 In
the meantime our friends； with a view of detaining our expected
bolters； had been turning from me to Trumbull till he had risen
to 35 and I had been reduced to 15。 These would never desert me
except by my direction； but I became satisfied that if we could
prevent Matteson's election one or two ballots more； we could not
possibly do so a single ballot after my friends should begin to
return to me from Trumbull。 So I determined to strike at once；
and accordingly advised my remaining friends to go for him； which
they did and elected him on the tenth ballot。
Such is the way the thing was done。 I think you would have done
the same under the circumstances。
I could have headed off every combination and been elected； had
it not been for Matteson's double gameand his defeat now gives
me more pleasure than my own gives me pain。 On the whole； it is
perhaps as well for our general cause that Trumbull is elected。
The Nebraska men confess that they hate it worse than anything
that could have happened。 It is a great consolation to see them
worse whipped than I am。
Yours forever；
A。 LINCOLN。
RETURN TO LAW PROFESSION
TO SANFORD； PORTER； AND STRIKER； NEW YORK。
SPRINGFIELD； MARCH 10； 1855
GENTLEMEN：Yours of the 5th is received； as also was that of
15th Dec； last； inclosing bond of Clift to Pray。 When I received
the bond I was dabbling in politics； and of course neglecting
business。 Having since been beaten out I have gone to work
again。
As I do not practice in Rushville； I to…day open a correspondence
with Henry E。 Dummer； Esq。； of Beardstown； Ill。； with the view
of getting the job into his hands。 He is a good man if he will
undertake it。
Write me whether I shall do this or return the bond to you。
Yours respectfully；
A。 LINCOLN。
TO O。 H。 BROWNING。
SPRINGFIELD； March 23； 1855。
HON。 O。 H。 BROWNING。
MY DEAR SIR：Your letter to Judge Logan has been shown to us by
him； and； with his consent； we answer it。 When it became
probable that there would be a vacancy on the Supreme Bench；
public opinion； on this side of the river； seemed to be
universally directed to Logan as the proper man to fill it。 I
mean public opinion on our side in politics； with very small
manifestation in any different direction by the other side。 The
result is； that he has been a good deal pressed to allow his name
to be used； and he has consented to it； provided it can be done
with perfect cordiality and good feeling on the part of all our
own friends。 We； the undersigned； are very anxious for it； and
the more so now that he has been urged； until his mind is turned
upon the matter。 We； therefore are very glad of your letter；
with the information it brings us； mixed only with a regret that
we can not elect Logan and Walker both。 We shall be glad； if you
will hoist Logan's name； in your Quincy papers。
Very truly your friends；
A。 LINCOLN；
B。 S。 EWARDS；
JOHN T。 STUART。
TO H。 C。 WHITNEY。
SPRINGFIELD； June 7； 1855。
H。 C。 WHITNEY； ESQ。
MY DEAR SIR：Your note containing election news is received； and
for which I thank you。 It is all of no use； however。 Logan is
worse beaten than any other man ever was since elections were
inventedbeaten more than twelve hundred in this county。 It is
conceded on all hands that the Prohibitory law is also beaten。
Yours truly；
A。 LINCOLN。
RESPONSE TO A PRO…SLAVERY FRIEND
TO JOSHUA。 F。 SPEED。
SPRINGFIELD； August 24； 1855
DEAR SPEED：You know what a poor correspondent I am。 Ever since
I received your very agreeable letter of the 22d of May； I have
been intending to write you an answer to it。 You suggest that in
political action； now； you and I would differ。 I suppose we
would； not quite as much； however； as you may think。 You know I
dislike slavery； and you fully admit the abstract wrong of it。
So far there is no cause of difference。 But you say that sooner
than yield your legal right to the slave； especially at the
bidding of those who are not themselves interested； you would see
the Union dissolved。 I am not aware that any one is bidding you
yield that right； very certainly I am not。 I leave that matter
entirely to yourself。 I also acknowledge your rights and my
obligations under the Constitution in regard to your slaves。 I
confess I hate to see the poor creatures hunted down and caught
and carried back to their stripes and unrequited toil； but I bite
my lips and keep quiet。 In 1841 you and I had together a tedious
low…water trip on a steamboat from Louisville to St。 Loui
