The Jeffersonian. [volume] (Stroudsburg, Pa.) 1853-1911, 1860-07-26
sTRoUDsBURG, MONROE COUNTY, PA JUIY2s 1860.
DsgJohp Hanks, Dir. Lineoln's part.

John Hanks, Mr. Lineolns part.
per IN splitting rails. fat boatiag &c, has
announced bis intention. to vote for his
old frieni, though he has always hereto.
fore voted the Democratic ticket. Intae
course of long letter TO Tile Decatar
Chronicle. Mr, Hanks says:
"When We have for gears been opposed
in politics, to man who bas again Il again
seen his party defeated, aud has him self
sometimes fnIled, aud still seen that a, Il
true to his colors. rearmiog aud re. enter
ing the field TO try to uphold and success
fully plant bis colors on the side of ycto
ry, when all the time he kuew be had tat
to change once to win, and yet has never
changed, think | may say never falter
ed, bow are We to respect him! Such
man have known Dir. Lincoln for thirty
years to be. In oyhood days We toiled
together; many are the.days we have lug
ged the heavy oar on the Ohio, the Illi-
nois, and the Mississippi Rivers together;
many are the long, cold days We have
journeyed oger the wild praries and
through the forest With gun aud ak, aud
though it is not pleasant to refer back to
it. we'll do | remember when We set out
together 10 the cold Winter to cut and
maui rails on the Sangamon River. in
Macon Co., thirty years ago, to inclose
his fathers little home, and from day to
day kept at work until the whole vas I'm
ished and the homestead fenced in; we
often swapped work in this way, and yet
during the % any years We we're connected
together as laborors, sometimes fat boat
ing, sometimes hog driving. sometimes
rail making. and too, when it was nearly
impossible to get books, be was con-
stant reader; was listener; be settled
all disputes of ell the young men in the
nei ghborhood, and his decisions were al
ways abided by. I never knew man
20 honest under all circumstances Tor his
whole life. Thus associated with Mr..
Lincoln, | learned to love him; and when
in 1858 he was candidate for the first
tiue within my reach, against my feel
ings, and may say against ny convie-
tons, my old party ties induced ne to
vote for Mr.. Douglas. My Democratic
friends all declared Lincoln was an Abo-
| heard bin make a speech 10
Decatur just before the election, aud [
could see nothing tad 10 it; but was
told by the party be was wrong; | could
not see how be could be, but they said
so, aud | was a Democrat and went it
My wife used to say to me that some dag
Ate would come out aud be something;
| thought so too, bat could not exactly
see how man 10 the lower walks of life,
a day aborer, aud hopee>sly poor. would
ever stand much chance TO get up very
BIZ in the world; at Last, one dag at home,
we beard that the Republican, State Con
yentioD was to be held at Decatur, and
that they were going for Abe for Pre8-
dent
"As soon as | found this out, | went
into town and told a friend of A he's that
as great and honest merit wss at last to
be rewarded in the person of my friend
Mr Lincon, By the Republican party. [
thought of the hard and trying struggles
Of his younger days, aud reeollecting the
rails We had made together thirty years
ago, g ade up ms miad to present some
Of them to that CongentioD as a testino-
Diaf Of the beginning of one Of the great
,st living nieu of the age, believing they
would speak more in his praise than any
could and honor true labor more than
lie praise of men or the resolutions OF
Conventions. On our way to get the
rails. told this friend of old Abe that
f Abe should be nomin sted for President
| would vote for him: every body knows
u hat be has been, and rejoice that +
i've to give this testimony to his goodness
aud honesty. aud | hope / shall live to
vote for him for President of the United
States next November. Is there any
hing wrong in tbs! Who ought to re-
use to vote for as good and great a man
as be Isl know that in voting for him
[ vote with the Republican party, and
will be considered as adopting its princi-
Bes; as [ now understand them | see no
good reason why | may not do so; our
,sn partg is disided, and we have no
Solomon to tell who shall take the .
,bild."