Cleveland morning leader. [volume] (Cleveland [Ohio]) 1854-1865, 1860-07-11

from John HRnks-Lincoln's early partner
in the rail-splitliug husiness--in the Decatur
Chronicle. Hanks is an honest old jackson
Democratic farmer, who shared with the next
President the priyadons and hardships Of
pioneer lie in Illinois, before the days OF rail-
roads and canals. His letter is plain, un-
vanished statement that viii find a response
in the breasts of hundreds Of old Democratic
farmers Ofihe pioneer times;
Editor u the Decatur Ohroniclsi
DEAR Sm The following item appeared in
the Columbus Statesman few days ago,
which I take from the Coles County Ledger;
aHANKs AGAINST LINCOLN"
eve were informed day OF two ago BY
a delegate to the Baltimore Convention, who
called at our Office that John Hanks, the
man who assisted Abe Lincoln 10 make those
rails about which the Republicans are making
such a terrible hubbub, has announced himself
opposed 10 the election Of Lincoln. Hanks
who has ever been a Democrat is against
The Republican nominee because he knows
Lincoln 70 bea humbUg aud nothing else
HUTah for HaRksp
To this article ! desire briefly to reply. If
my choice Tor President or how / shall vote
as between the candidates for that Office, is
worth ConsideFingat at all, claim itas simple
right to be correctly represented. | am but
a larmer, and regret to say not an educated
one. have never been a candidate for any
Office, nor do / expect ever 10 be; whilst 1
can with all truthiulness say this, yet ! have
never been a negative man in politics. From
the Democratic party in all essential elections;
] have thought that party TO be upright and
! straightforward in all the principles 10 has
really adopted SO late as 1858 / voted for
Mr.. Douglas and against my old friend
Lincoln. For forty years have looked upon
the party with pride and hailed its success
| with pleasure but as Mr. Douglas made a
speech in Decatur in 1858 and in my hearing
spoke SO pleasantly and so hoRorably of the
| Wing party and Mr.. Clay, its leader. after
having for fifteen years, in discussing general
I politics, when used to love TO listen TO him
80 well, spoke so complainingly and so
abusively of that party and of Mr.. Clay
charging upon it and hlm many bad and
mean things, until listening at him learned
to look upon both as dangerous and full of
evil The thought struck me that for the
future would never judge Of party or its
leaders by what an opponent might say, and
| which conclusion Imean to follow the balance
ofmy life How foolish ii is TO abuse party
because my friend may do so, and then praise
the same party because that friend may
change and do so; he may be Designing
would, in all probability be a dupe. Ever
since Mr. Douglas made that speech, in 1858,
he has been abusing the Republicans just like
Il L a. IL
of this kind of warfare; think it is not right
to do SO, and as Mr.. Douglas further said in
that speech that he was in the habit of some
times changing his politics. did not know
but that il was about time tor him TO begin
to excuse aud cease to abuse the Republicans,
and made up my mind to let him 60 in time.
Now, as to entirely changing my politics |
cannot say I have done this, but for the life
Of me can see nothing in the Republican
party that any honest Democrat can seriously
oppose. 1t Is true, were they such party
as Mr.. Douglas used to say they were |
could see questionable features about IL; but
then IS It wise to believe everything Mr.
Douglas has said, when he tells US he some
times changes, and when we have near us
honest men known to be purely honest for
more than thirty years, who deny ali THIS
and purpose to tell US the true state of the
case, and to give us the true principle of that
partyR think not Besides this, whenw
have for years been opposed, in politics, TO a
man who has again and again seen his party
defeated, and has himself sometimes failed,
and still seen that man true TO his eOlOrs, re-
arming and re-entering the field to try 70
uphold and successfully plant his colors upon
the side Of victory, when all the time we
knew be had but to change once TO win, and
! vet has never changed, [ think | may say
never ALTERED. how are we TO respect
= him2 Such man have known Mr.
[ | Lincoln for thirty years 10 be. j
! boyhood DAYS we tOiled together; many
are the days we have iIgged th'
heavy oar on the Ohio, the Illinois
> and the Mississippi rivers together man.
are the long cold days we have jOnrneyeC
2 over the wild -prairies and through the fOres
with gun and ak, and though it is not pleas
ant to refer back to IL Well do | remembe
? when we set out together in The cold Winte
;, to cut and maui rails on. the Sangamon riveT
o in Mason county, thirty years ago TO enclos
:, his fathers little home, and from day to da,
d kent at work until the whole was finished
ie and the homestead fenced in; We often swap
ned work in this way, and yet during tn
u
laborers. sometimes hat-boating, sometime
c hog-driving, sometimes rail-nlaking, and too
= when it was nearly impossible to get book
2 he was a constant reader; was a listener
N he settled all disputes of all the young me
: in the neigborhood, aud his decisions WeT
always abided by. ! never knew q man s
honest under ali circumstances, for his whol
(. life. Thus associated with Mr.. Lincoln,
a. nh IN 1879 II
was a candidate for the first time within m
reach, against my feelings and may sa
against my convictions, my old party ties il
duced me TO vote for Dir. Douglass my Den
- ocratic friends all declared Lincoln was s
abolitionist; ] heard him make speech
Decatur Just before the election and l cOu
- see nothing bad init; but was told by Il
- party he was lFrongi ] conld not see how
Va Of was, but they said SO, and was Democr
IA, and went it. My wife used to say to me tn
en- some day Abe would come out and be som
!. thing; thought 80 too, but l could not e
ID. actly see how man in the lower walks
nd life day labOrer, and hOpeiessly poor, wou
nd ever stand much chance TO get up very hi
ms, in the world at last one day at home
.rty heard that the Republican State Conyenti
ms. ms. was to be held at Decatur, and that th
were going for Abe for President As 50
as found this out went into town and e
a friend Of Abe's that as great and hon
- merit was at last TO be rewarded in the pers
of my friend Mr.. Lincoln, by the Repuh
can party thought of the hard and tryi
- struggles Of his early days, and recollecti
N the rails we had made together thirty ye
own Sn ago, made up my mind to present some
Il them TO that Convention asa testimonial
sss- the beginning Of one Of the greatest livi
iur men of the age, believing they would spe
site more in his praise than any orator could a
-. honor true labor more than the praise
men or the resolutions Of Conventions.
lst5i our way to get the rails, told this friend