The Union and journal. [volume] (Biddeford, Me.) 1858-1882, 1860-07-20
Letter from nm old Com panion of"Hon-
est Abe"

The following letter from an old friend and
companion Of Abraham Lincoln, Is interesting,
from Its plain and simple statement Of the
character of our candidate, and from the light
which II throws upon his early trials and histo-
~. Il was addressed to the Decatur, (Ill.)
Chronicle:
Editor of the Decatur Chroniels.-Dear
Sir: The following item appeared In the Co
lumbus Statesman, a few days ago, and which
take from the Coles County Ledger,
"Hanks against LincOin.-we were inform
ed day or two ago, by delegate to the BAL
timore Convention, who called ut our office, that
John Hanks, the man who assisted Abe Lincoln
to make those rails about which the Republi.
cans are making such terrible hubbub, has
announced himself opposed to Lincoln. Hanks,
who has never been q Democrat, Is against the
Republican nominee, because he knows Lincoln
to be q humbug and nothing else. Hurrah for
Hanks -
To this article desire briefly to reply. II
my choice for President, or how l shall vote a.
between the candidates for that Office. Is worth
considering at all, claim 1t as simple right
to be correctly represented. am but farm
er, and regret TO say that am not an educat-
ell one. have never been candidate for any
Office, nor do expect ever to be; whilst can
with all truthfulness say this, have never been
negative man in politics. From my boyhood
have been constant voter with the Demo-
cratic party In all essential elections; have
thought that party to be upright and straight
forward In oil the principles 1t has already
adopted. SO late as 1855, voted for Mr.
Douglas and against my old friend Mr.. Lincoln.
Forty years have looked upon the party with
pride and hailed its success with pleasure; but
rs Mr.. Douglas made o speech ut Decatur In
1858, and in my hearing spoke 50 pleasantly
and so honorably Of the old Wing party, and Ut
Mr.. Clay, its leader, after having for fifteen
years. In discussing general politics, when l
used to love to listen to him 80 well, spoke SO
abusiyely Of that party and of Mr.. Clay, charg-
ing upon II and him many bad and mean things,
until listening to him learned to look upon
both rs dangerous and full Of evil, the thought
struck me that for the future would never
Judge party or its leaders by what IN oppo-
ncnt might say, and this conclusion mean to
follow the remainder of my life. How foolish
It Is to abuse aparty because my friend may DO
30, and then praise the same party because that
friend may change and do SO; he may be de-
signing-i would, In all probability, be adupe.
Ever since Mr.. Douglas made that speech In
1855. he has been abusing the Republicans just
like he used TO abuse the old Wings. lam tired
OF this kind Of warfare; think Il Is not right
to do so, and a. Mr.. Douglas said In that speech
that he was in the habit Of sometimes changing
his politics, did not know but that II was about
time for him to begin to excuse and cease to
abuse the Republicans, and made up my mind
to let him 20 In time. Now, As to entirely
changing my politics, cannot say have done
this, but for the life Of me, can see nothing In
the Republican party that any honest Demo-
crat can seriously oppose. II Is true, were
they such party rs Mr.. Douglas used to say
they were, could see Questionable features
about II; but then Is II wise to believe anything
Mr.. Douglas said, when he tells he sometimes
changes, and when we have near US honest men,
known to be purely honest for more than thir:
ty years, who deny all this and propose to tell
us the true state OF the case, and to give us the
true principles Of that partyi think not.
Beside this, when we have for years been op:
posed in politics to man who has again and
again seen his party defeated, IN has himself
sometimes failed, and still seen that man true
to his colors, re-arming and re-entering the
field TO try to uphold and successfully plant his
colors upon the side Of victory, when oil the
time we knew he had but to change once to win,
and yet has never changed. think may say
never faltered, how are We to respect him
Such man have known Mr.. Lincoln for thir-
~ years to be. In boyhood days We toiled To-
gether; many are the day We have lugged the
heavy oar on the Ohio, the Illinois and the
Mississippi rivers together; many are the long
cold days We have journeyed over the Wild prai-
ries and through the forest with gun and axe,
and though II Is not pleasant to refer back to 1t,
we'll do remember when We set out together
In the cold winter to cut and maui rails on the
Sangamon river, In Macon County, thirty years
ago, to enclose his fathers little home, and
from day to day kept Mt work until the whole
was finished and the homestead fenced In; we
often snapped work In this way, and yet dur
inc the many years we were connected geth-
err. as iaborcrs, sometimes fat boating, some |
times hog driving, sometimes rail making, and
too, when II was nearly impossible to- get books,
he was constant readeri was listeners nc
settled all disputes Of all the young men 10 .ne
neichborhood, and his decisions were always
abided BY. never knew man 30 honest, un-
der all circumstances, for his whole lie.
Thus associated with Mr.. Lincoln, learned
10 love him, and when In 1883 he was candi. |
date for the first time within my reach, against
my feelings and against my convictions, my |
old party ties induced me to vote ior DIT
Douglas; my Democratic friends al acclareu
Lincoln was an abolitionist; heard MIN man
could see nothing bad in Il; but was told by
the party he WAS wrong; could not see now
he could be, but they said 50, and l was DEM
ocrat and went Il. My wife used 70 ray 70
me, that some day Abe would come out anu %
something; thought 20 too, but could NOT
exactly see how man In the lower walks OF
life, day laborer and hopelessly poor, wouid
ever stand much chance TO get up very n'en 10
the world; at last one day at home We nessu
that Che Republican State Convention Was0 %
held at Decatur, and that they were golng LOT
Abe for President. As soon q iouna .ni' ou'.
went into town and told friend OF apes tnst
as great and honest merit Va: o. isst 70 %
awarded In the person Of my friend, Mr.. Lin.
coin, by the Republican party, thought OF
the hard and trying struggles Of ms ssrly
days, and recollteting the rails We bad made To-
gethsr thirty years ago, made up my mino 70
present some Of them 10 that Convention, a. .
testimonial Of the beginning OF one OF the
greatest living men Of the age, cslieving tney
tor could, and honor true labor more than the
praise Of men or The resolutions Of Convex
tons.