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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
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