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lost the State。 Last fall； our friends had Wade； of Ohio； and
others； in Maine； and they lost the State。 Last spring our
adversaries had New Hampshire full of South Carolinians； and they
lost the State。 And so； generally； it seems to stir up more
enemies than friends。
Have the enemy called in any foreign help？ If they have a
foreign champion there I should have no objection to drive a nail
in his track。 I shall reach Chicago on the night of the 15th； to
attend to a little business in court。 Consider the things I have
suggested； and write me at Chicago。 Especially write me whether
Browning consents to visit you。
Your obedient servant；
A。 LINCOLN。
REPUBLICAN CAMPAIGN SPEECH
FRAGMENT OF SPEECH AT GALENA； ILLINOIS； IN THE
FREMONT CAMPAIGN； AUGUST 1； 1856。
You further charge us with being disunionists。 If you mean that
it is our aim to dissolve the Union； I for myself answer that it
is untrue； for those who act with me I answer that it is untrue。
Have you heard us assert that as our aim？ Do you really believe
that such is our aim？ Do you find it in our platform； our
speeches； our conventions； or anywhere？ If not； withdraw the
charge。
But you may say that； though it is not our aim； it will be the
result if we succeed； and that we are therefore disunionists in
fact。 This is a grave charge you make against us； and we
certainly have a right to demand that you specify in what way we
are to dissolve the Union。 How are we to effect this？
The only specification offered is volunteered by Mr。 Fillmore in
his Albany speech。 His charge is that if we elect a President
and Vice…President both from the free States； it will dissolve
the Union。 This
is open folly。 The Constitution provides that the President and
Vice…President of the United States shall be of different States；
but says nothing as to the latitude and longitude of those
States。 In 1828 Andrew Jackson； of Tennessee； and John C。
Calhoun； of South Carolina； were elected President and Vice…
President； both from slave States； but no one thought of
dissolving the Union then on that account。 In 1840 Harrison； of
Ohio； and Tyler； of Virginia； were elected。 In 1841 Harrison
died and John Tyler succeeded to the Presidency； and William R。
King； of Alabama； was elected acting Vice…President by the
Senate； but no one supposed that the Union was in danger。 In
fact； at the very time Mr。 Fillmore uttered this idle charge； the
state of things in the United States disproved it。 Mr。 Pierce；
of New Hampshire； and Mr。 Bright； of Indiana； both from free
States； are President and Vice…President； and the Union stands
and will stand。 You do not pretend that it ought to dissolve the
Union； and the facts show that it won't； therefore the charge may
be dismissed without further consideration。
No other specification is made； and the only one that could be
made is that the restoration of the restriction of 1820； making
the United States territory free territory； would dissolve the
Union。 Gentlemen； it will require a decided majority to pass
such an act。 We； the majority； being able constitutionally to do
all that we purpose； would have no desire to dissolve the Union。
Do you say that such restriction of slavery would be
unconstitutional； and that some of the States would not submit to
its enforcement？ I grant you that an unconstitutional act is not
a law； but I do not ask and will not take your construction of
the Constitution。 The Supreme Court of the United States is the
tribunal to decide such a question； and we will submit to its
decisions； and if you do also； there will be an end of the
matter。 Will you？ If not； who are the disunionistsyou or we？
We； the majority； would not strive to dissolve the Union； and if
any attempt is made； it must be by you； who so loudly stigmatize
us as disunionists。 But the Union； in any event； will not be
dissolved。 We don't want to dissolve it； and if you attempt it
we won't let you。 With the purse and sword； the army and navy
and treasury； in our hands and at our command； you could not do
it。 This government would be very weak indeed if a majority with
a disciplined army and navy and a well…filled treasury could not
preserve itself when attacked by an unarmed； undisciplined；
unorganized minority。 All this talk about the dissolution of the
Union is humbug； nothing but folly。 We do not want to dissolve
the Union； you shall not。
ON THE DANGER OF THIRD…PARTIES
TO JOHN BENNETT。
SPRINGFIELD； AUG。 4； 1856
DEAR SIR：I understand you are a Fillmore man。 If； as between
Fremont and Buchanan； you really prefer the election of Buchanan；
then burn this without reading a line further。 But if you would
like to defeat Buchanan and his gang； allow me a word with you：
Does any one pretend that Fillmore can carry the vote of this
State？ I have not heard a single man pretend so。 Every vote
taken from Fremont and given to Fillmore is just so much in favor
of Buchanan。 The Buchanan men see this； and hence their great
anxiety in favor of the Fillmore movement。 They know where the
shoe pinches。 They now greatly prefer having a man of your
character go for Fillmore than for Buchanan because they expect
several to go with you； who would go for Fremont if you were to
go directly for Buchanan。
I think I now understand the relative strength of the three
parties in this State as well as any one man does； and my opinion
is that to…day Buchanan has alone 85；000； Fremont 78；000； and
Fillmore 21；000。
This gives B。 the State by 7000 and leaves him in the minority of
the whole 14；000。
Fremont and Fillmore men being united on Bissell； as they already
are； he cannot be beaten。 This is not a long letter； but it
contains the whole story。
Yours as ever；
A。 LINCOLN。
TO JESSE K。 DUBOIS。
SPRINGFIELD； Aug。 19； 1856。
DEAR DUBOIS ： Your letter on the same sheet with Mr。 Miller's is
just received。 I have been absent four days。 I do not know when
your court sits。
Trumbull has written the committee here to have a set of
appointments made for him commencing here in Springfield； on the
11th of Sept。； and to extend throughout the south half of the
State。 When he goes to Lawrenceville； as he will； I will strain
every nerve to be with you and him。 More than that I cannot
promise now。
Yours as truly as ever；
A。 LINCOLN。
TO HARRISON MALTBY。
＇Confidential＇
SPRINGFIELD； September 8； 1856。
DEAR SIR：I understand you are a Fillmore man。 Let me prove to
you that every vote withheld from Fremont and given to Fillmore
in this State actually lessens Fillmore's chance of being
President。 Suppose Buchanan gets all the slave States and
Pennsylvania； and any other one State besides； then he is
elected； no matter who gets all the rest。 But suppose Fillmore
gets the two slave Sta