The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1873-12-17
Abraham Iinco,n-was lac au InHde'
and Born ont Of Wcd'ock IA &c
xnarkabae Lecture by his Late LA"
Partner, CoioneE Herndon' OF H.
>o,, the New York Herald, loth.i

PARTNER. Colonel Herndon, Of H.
fsao&a.
~ ,rFrnm the New York Herald, lothi
SPRINGFIELD. ILL., December 10. 1873.
Co,cnei w. II. Herndon, hate law part
nor NJ the. late President Lincoln, this cVe-
RIM delivered most remarkable lecture IN
mis- div in answer to a lecture delivered
here in July last by Rev. James y. kced,
who claimed that there is Observation-Disclosures
evidence Of Lincoln having been porn III
wedlock and being believer IN ChTiSliaplty,
and published in Scrlbner"S Aonmty lot
July. The following passages contain Tue
Sist OF the lecture:
have never said that Mr.. Lincoln bad no
religious sentiinentS-no Christian Senti-
mems. On the contrary, admitted then
and do now that Mr.. Lincoln had religious
opinious. ideas, and sentiments. But the
declaration that Dir. Lincoln had religious
sentiments does not meet the proposition
that Mr.. Lincoln died theist-an lnhdel--
especially in the orthodox sense of the term
Much tciicving," "much hearsay," many
convictons,'' "many changes OF heart,
much twaddle is adduccd TO show that MI.
Lincoln was q Christian. ProclanatlonS OF
Nr. Lincoln while President OF the United
states are quoted TO show that he Was
Christian. Mr.. Lincoln was the President
o;a Christian people, and he but used their
ideas, language, speech, and forms.
so WOULD TOM PAINE
have done had he been President of this
free people | am met with the assertion
thu; If Mir. Lincoln had lived he would have
become an evangelical Christian. NO one
knows this; il is mere speculatlon-merc
::ucssins. Again. ! am met with the aSser-
ton that Mr.. Lincolu'S addresses at Bible
and Sunday.school societies were emncntly
Christian. Wien Il man is invited 10 address
such societies it is implied, unless the man
reserves the right 10 say what lie pleases, that
he cGntne himself TO their ideas. notions,
feelings, and philosophy. To do otherwise
could be an Insult and IN outrage on the
society. No doubt that Mr.. Lincoln used
polite, courteous, general language on such
occasions, from which Christian differences
might be drawn. Mr. Lincoln was very poll
tic, and very shrewd man in some particu-
lars. When he was talking to a Christian
he adapted himself to the Christian. When
lie spoke to or joked with one OF Ills own
kind
he WAS INDECESTLf VULGAR.
Hence the different opinions about Mr.. Lin
IOiu 'N'~'tii's' -1h' b''
coin was chaste in his ideas and language
when it was necessary, and when not so he
vas vulgar in his Jokes and stories. He was
at moments, as it were, great Christian,
through politcness, courtesy, or good breed
ing toward the delicate, tcnder-ncrved man,
The Christian and in two minutes after, III
The absence OF such men and among his own
kind, the same old uubcliever. | have wit
messed this, it may he thousand times. This
conduct Of Mr.. Lincoln was not bypocrIt!-
cal. but sprung from a high and tender re-
gard for the feelings Of men. When men
speak of Mr. Lincoln's religious sentiments
they call them his Christian sentiments, and
combine one with the other. | have often
and often said that Mr.. Lincoln was By ns-
tllrc deeply religious man, and / now re-
peat it. ! have often said
he WAS NOT A CHRISTIAN,
aud I now repeat it. He was not an unbc-
lcyer in religion, but was as TO Christianity.
Mr. Lincoln was Il theist, us said in my
Abbott letter. / have never discussed the
question OF
Mr.. LECoLN'S LEGITIMACY
in writing, publicly or otherwise, and it i,
probable | never shall. / do not thiak il
becomes me to do so, whatever may be my
opinion. | feel this, and | Shall obey my
feeling. should not even have said what
intend 10 say but for Mr.. Reeds lecture.
can discuss one thing, however, and it IS
this: The reverend defender boldly and
positively asserts there is well-autlenti-
Gated evidence" Of the
MARRIAGE OF THOMAS LINCOLN AND NANCY
HANKS,
and that il is now TO be found in the bands
Of Robert Lincoln that the said record
evidences. historically marked thus: First.
Denis Hanks had it; second, Hanks gave it
10 j. {. Black; third, il was sent by }. T..
Black, Of Champaign, 10 William =. Black.
attorney ut law. No. 13l Lasalle street, Chi
clyo, ana duly delivered by him TO the His
forical Association Of Chicago, and that il
thence passed into the hands Of Robert Lin
coin. SON OF Abraham Lincoln. I state on
my best belle! that there is
NO SUCH NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS. RECORD,
showing the marriage of Thomas Lincoln |
aud Nancy Hanks, now or ever was in tie !
hands Of any Of those gentlemen. / saw il |
leaf Of the Thomas Lincoln Bible, which |
Denis Hanks tore out. The writing Of the |
marriages, births, and deaths was
IN TIE HANDWRITING OF ABRAHAM LINCOLN,
" mostly 50, as now remember. The re-
cord was badly worn, broken up into squares
Of about two inches, having been doubled |
up and worn out thus in the pockets of some
one. bad great trouble in taking Il good
copy. ! borrowed the record of Denis
Hanks or Mr.. Chapman, his Son-in-law. and
While III my possession took a copy, aud. |
verify believe. correct one. That record
wholly fails 10 state or to record the mar
Tiage OF Thomas Lincoln and Nancy Hanks.
While looking over it and copying ii was
struck with establishment ut the omission TO
record the marriage Of Thomas and Nancy,
when Lsaw that most Of the record, if not
the whole OF it, was in the handwriting Of
Abraham Lincoln, who would have
RECORDED THE MARRIAGE IF TRUE.
I then thought that this omission was one
link in the chain OF evidence in favor of
those who thought and argued that Mr.. Lin
coin was illesitimate-the child OF Abraham
Euioe.