The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1873-11-29
rly;,o.. ,f ,be (tjcs>o Tribune !:

10 Vie Editor of tho Chicago Tribune;
F,rst-You have frequently, as ! am IN
formed, allie. cd that was QUE OF inc a't,
.hors Of Colonel Lannon's" Lite 0! Lincoln.
5oy no, o,s Of the a,ahcrs. You have once,
t,r;ne ~ of,e1er. as am Informed, afDrmed
,ho, ,hn stisn,iyc reader might detect IN us
zoos The work OF three distinct hands. You
n,vcr directed Any work OF mtnelu Tue doom
c%crpi quotations from previous "F,t'has'
,,.;,H tie au,hor made at his own distic'
;,aY, and for which he uniforms! gave me
TIC proper credit. am rc'pons:nie 'o'
nothing in tic book which l. noi expressly
.c3rIcd with my name ~ aiihor'ts. ;.
SecOnX-I saw SIX OF seven OF the ca'Ii'>'
cnG.frr, Of the book before they were
n.in;ca. ! believed them, and, from my
Ioavirure or TIC facts, they contaihtu,
wlsn submitted 10 me uy Colonel Lalnon, 4
,r-v ra,fcct narrative Of Mr.. Lincc!n's early
fsfr q. far a> they went, and ! said 50. HOW
much hss been stricken out OF those chap-
Ter, do no: know. But this was all l was
,.i.cd or expected 10 say. Upon matters OF
y,oprlcty and taste was not consulted, ana
..cc no opinion. never saw tue Daidnce
81 nc book, or any part OF II, unut u WI,
ruhishsd; aud 1crotc no rr'u or
iiuc Of he book. Of the lu'h chap'ei
| au ~ innocent as any man, except
;lra. n ;larl OF the materials Tor IL was
.uana among tie papers furnished by NE 10
Colonel LsmoD. The sketch there given o!
ltc. Liuc1iu's re,lSious views Is true 10 ihe
letter exc.p, mistake on page 49, "hich
Was corrected ~ Mr.. Abbott soon a''er Inc
I,,.Jiic.tion of III, letter TO him, dated eD-
rusrv Is. 1870. Lannon'S book al page ooo
,...feots TIE mistake. The facts CT MI. Lin
t.otn's religion, views canpot help; ne
rad" ;,;e,y. and I cannot uCuiahc them
c1ali not substitute Il lie Ior the facts
ll,re!Y because the facts might not oc
:..tc..ble 10 some people. The iactS that
Mr. LlDcoIu WAS not al Evangelical Chris
tSu are abunQaaily proven, tut dla moi
create the proofs. ! Only gathered ana a"-
,beuticjtctl them for the future historian. l
uu il no wsr responsible Tor their use ~
lie author Of this boos. tte diu What he
liked. and saw hi, work Only "heu Il W''>
ou,u 10 ecu aud tie -c,t OF InaLh'Du. iil
,ir Holland aud HE Rev. Dr.. heed haVe
u,sn,d In iul cry upon ne Is the chic1 Oh
srAHer; and may yet find it ItIr'SsaFv 10
slow ineln that tn. truth Is ininrrtai' "Gu
That fiIsenocd, like the one 10 winch lhey 50
gyrpacnus!v cling, car I've Only by suffer
auce. Bar pot nov; il Wi! be time enough
"pcp they have mustered! courage 10 answer
-. !, B'," mastery r>pi? 10 their several
.J:.c.es il .>t.'iJ;.ei's Monthly.
lT,yG-l give 1t pIcscn 10 opinion about
C,.ozrl Lannon's took. You say, is l au
iu.oin.4, that ne aulhor was !rtcrieret
,,lta in the publication Oh tho boos-taal
II. 7ras With difficulty persuaded 20 suppress
gacut fifty pages o. .he original woik-aEd
: '.ar you are .hus iar correct u your IN
formation. To the extent suited in this let
lY c,31srGtsd with Colonel Lanon, anu
:, turtAtr. il The preparation Of this book
ru.tAe press. I aegcr rrots q chapter.
rage, paragraph. q sentence. or uorG Tor
I.s .noN eyCrpI as stated urI2re-naulcly,
= o..s J IN quoted Us authority.
Your friend, ". u. HrEHpos.
Cr-Iagfei2. III, November ~, 1873.