The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1867-03-12
EAST CANSo, SCOTLAND,
January q. 1867.
;. n. Rerndon, Springfield. Iu.,

n. II. Rerndon, Springfield, Ill.,,
SIR: Your letter of the 10th December
was duly received. In it you ask me
to answer several questions in relation
to the late illustrious President, Abra-
ham Lincoln. With regard to your
second question, beg leave to say it is
a very easy matter to prove that. while
1 was pastor of the First Presbyterian
Church ofSpringheld, Mr.. Lincoln did
avow his beliefin the Divine authority
and inspiration of the Scriptures; and 1
hold that il is matter of the last i'm
portance, not only to the present, but
to all future generations of the great
Republic, and TO all advocates of civil
and religious liberty throughout the
world, that this avowal on his part, and
the circumstanc noes attending it, together
with other interesting incidents, illus
trative of the excellence of his charac-
ter, in my possession, should be made
known to the public.
/ am constrained, however, most re-
spectfnlly to decline choosing you as
the medium through which such COM
munications shall be made by me. My
reasons are as follows:
Early in December last an article
went the round of the papers in this
country, purporting to be part of a lee
ture delivered by you on Mr.. Lincoln's
life and past history, which 1 read with
feelings OF mingled indignation and
sorrow, because, coming as it did from
his intimate friend and law partner, it
was circulAt ed TO do the character of
that great and good man an incaIcula-
Bile Injury, deeply to wound the feelings
of his heartbroken widow and her or
phan boys, aud TO place that whole
family, both the dead and living, in
most unenyiabIe light before the pub
lie. J--l - @ 7-
In the article referred to, speaking of
the death and grave of Miss Ann Rnt-
ledge, you represent Mr.. Lincoln as
having said, THAT his heart, sad and
broken, was buried there" You give
il as your opinion .'thAt he never ad-
dressed another woman yours affec-
tionateIy;'" that che generally and
characteristiealIy abstained from the
word .IoYe;'' that he never ended his
letters styours affectionately," but al
ways signed them our friend, ARRA-
HAM LINCOLN.
Now, Sir, I maintain that every re-
fiectinG person who believes Your state
ments to be true, is bound 70 reply to
your third question-Aoraham Lincoln
was not an honest man, for ne assidu-
ouS4T and perSeveringly sued Tor the
hand. the heart, the love and the devo-
ton for life of a young lady who was
much admired for her intelligence, her
fine conversational powers, and capa-
BILE of making herself very agreeable in
any circle, ana VINO could, X so as
posed, have welded with the first in
the land This he did when, according
to YOU, all he had TO give in return was
a dead heart buried in the grave OF
another woman, and he WAS in such n
mental condition that he had TO abstain
from the use of the word love. There
fore when that young lady accepted his
suit, and consented TO become his wife,
he could not even go 50 tar as 10 say, q
am yours saffectionateiy.'' q Nay, more,
when Abraham Lincoln led his bride
70 the hgmensaI altar, immediately be
fore that bond was tied which death
alone can dissolve, he most solemnly
promised before God and man to be .
faithful, loving and afsctionats hus'