Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1860-07-20

~ Mr.. joins HANKS, who used ia snlit
rails with Mr.. LINCOLN in Illinois. and who
Is lifelong Democrat, has written letter in
regard to Mr.. LINCOLN and AYERS his do
termination to vote for him. We mako a
lew extracts, bearing upon Mr.. IfNooLN's
personal antecedcnts:
have known Mr.. Lincoln for thirty wears.
In boyhood's days We toied together. manv
are the days we have lugged the heavy oar on
the Ohio, the Illinois and the Mississinni
rivers together; many arc the long cold dava
we have journeyod over tho wild parties and
through the forest with gun and axe. and
though it is not pleasant to refer back to il.
well do remember when we set out together
in the cold Winter to cut and haul rails on tho
Sangamon river, in Macon county. thirty years
ago, to incloso his fathers little home. lie
was constant reader ] was listener; he
settled all the disputes Of all the young men
in the neighborhood and his decisions were
always abided by
never knew man so honest under all
circumstances, for his whole life. Thus as
ISOLATED with Mr. Lincoln, / learned to love
him, and rejoice that live to give this tcsti-
mony 20 his goodness and honesty, and hope
| shall live to vote for him for President of
the United States next November
Is there anything wrong in this Who
ought to refuse to vote for as good and great
man as he is ! know that in voting for
him | vote with the Republican party, and
will be considered as adopting It's principles
as ! now understand them / see no good rca-
son why ! may not do so. Our own party is
divided, and we have no solomon to tell who
shall take the child. Slavery has divided
the Democratic party; nobody can blame Re
pubhcanism for the destruction that came up
d on us at Charleston; slavery has disunitcd
.us-it has united the Republican party; if
there is any good about the question, they
have it all, and we have the trouble. If un-
erstand Mr.. Douglas now, he occupies a posi-
ton on this question just as dstastcful to the
South as Mr.. Lincoln does-with this clear
difference the South seems to understand
Mr. Lincolns position better than his, and to
respect IT a good deal more, End 7 am con-
, vince if Mr.. Douglas does not reflect the mig
ger, he does the mulatto, and one brings Just
as much in Mobile as the other, and stands
as high in the market.
Many Of my Democratic noighbors will say
/ have done wrong, but know there are
, many who would do as have done, were it
/ not that they do not feel willing to break
4 away from party ties, and 90 encounter the
/ talk" Of old friends. As long as have odd
. Ape 10 iead me ! know snail never 20 very
far from right. Should be be elected Presi-
dent, and find any trouble in steering his new
boat, he has only to remember how we used
, to get out Of hard places by rowing straigh,
ahead, and never by making short turns
The tallcst oaks in the forest have fallen by
, his giant arm be still wields tremendous
maui out Of the largest timber he can mako
the smallest rails have seen him try a
tough cut and fail once the second trial he
! never filled to use it up. Though not "a very
, beautiful symbol OF honesty / think the RAIL
a fitting one, and mean to present Abe with
t one Of his own make, should he be elected, in
, the city of Washington, on the day Of his
, Inauguration TO be kept in the White House
, during his administration.