Buchanan County bulletin. [volume] (Independence, Iowa) 1869-1891, 1875-11-26
THE MARTYR p iESIDENT.
An Unpublished Letter OF Abraham
Lincoln.-Intr resting Reminiscent
ces OF His e ,rly Life--L tier
from Mr.. III rndo His Law
Partner

ces OF His e ,rly Life--L tter
from Mr.. III rndon, His Law
Partner.
BosToN, Oct. 81, lS75.-A few days
since | received the following auto
graph letter of Abraham Lincoln
from his former law-partner, the Hon
William II. Herdon, of Illinois. L
shows Mr.. Lincoln's care for the in
terests Of his step mother, and his
desire to aid his namesame, his step
brothers son, in obtaining "start IN
the world"
This letter of Mr.. Lincoln was &C
COMMANDED by one from Mr.. Hern
don, giving some very interesting in
cldents III the eaIly te of the martyr
President. From the intimate rela
tons sustained by Mr.. Herndon tc
the President, giving undoubted
authenticity to whatever he may
write relating to him, and from the
desire OF all to learn everything they
can of Mr.. Lincoln's early years,
though these letters would have sutfi
cient public interest to entitle them
to II place in your columns. +.
SHELBYvILLE, Nov. 8, DEAR
BRoTHER:-W When wrote you before
| had not received your letter.
still think rs l did. but if the land
can be sold so that i get $500 to pu,
to interest for mother, will not OBJ.
iect, if she does not. But before
will make deed the money must be
had, or security beyond all doubt a,
10 per cent.
AS to Abram, | do not want hlm
on my own account; but l understand
he wants to live with me so that he
can go to school and get fair start
in the world, which | very much wish
him to have. When / reach home,
if | can make it convenient to take,
| will take him, provided there is no
mistake between us rs to the object
and terms of my taking him. In
haste, rs ever. A. LINCOLN.
}. ID. JOHNSON, Charleston. Ill.
SPRINGFIELD, Oct. I'd, 1875 My
DEAR SIR:-I inclose to you letter
written by Abraham Lincoln, to his
step-brother, j. D. johnson. Mr..
Lincoln at the time of writing the
letter, was away from home attend
ing court at Shelbyville. The letter
is dated Nov. 9, 1851, when Mr.. Lin.
coins hope and fame were at THEN
lowest. ebb. The Compromise meas
ure of 1850 had apparently sealed the
fate of the slave forever, and there
seemed to him no hope of doing good
to his fellow man. His course OH
the Mexican question was, in this see
ton, un-popu!ar-odious to some
This was in '46-4s. Lincoln was sad
gloomy, hopeless. He was very TN
bilious, and having lost hope, and
failed in his ambitious desire, he was
somewhat soured in consequence
But he did then what he always did
the right--and risked the conse
quences. His heart, his soul, and
head always stood firm tor the right
r Let me illustrate to you, by new
and unpublished matter, which
know to be authentic, his love oi
truth. Thomas Lincoln, the fatle,
of Abraham, was twi"e married.
His first wife was Nancy Hawks, the
mother of Abraham. His second
marriage was to a lady BY the name
OF Johnson,-a widow, with three
children. This second marriage was
in 1919, when Abraham was 10 years
old; he had step-si>ter, Matilda
Johnson, nearly his own age. About
1925 these children ha / grown near.
ly to manhood and womanhood.-
Heretofore they had roamed in the
wild woods together. But now Mrs.
Lincoln forbade Matilda going with
Abraham when he went to chop
wood, or mau rails, or live boards.
One morning Abraham took his ax
and maui and went into the forest to
maui rails. 'rilda saw him start.
and was determined to follow. So
after Lincoln had been gone some
time, she darted down the path,
stealthily overlook him, sprang upon
him, putting her knee in the small of
his back, and clasping her arms
around his neck, thus bending him
backwards, and threw him to the
ground. In the scutfle, 'Tilda iiell on
the sharp edge of the AK and cut hcl
foot badly. After stanching the
blood, Abraham said to her: "Wha,
will you do now?" "Why," SAID
Tilda, ''fll tell my mother that | fell
on the AK, and that will be the truth
won't it, Abe:" "Yes, that will be
the truth, but 1t acomt be the achoh
truth. 'Tilda, tell the .choie truth
about this and trust to your good
mothers forgiveness" said Abraham
This little story needs no comment
When | was collecting material for a
life of Mr.. Lincoln in lS6s-7O, 'Tilda
herself told me this.
Again, let me give you another in
cidcnt illustrative of Mr.. Llncoln's
sense and love of justice. A gentle
man named Chandler, now Of Chan
dlerville, Cass county, Ill.,, moved
from New York to this State, in the
year 1929; he entered, soon after his
arrival, under acts Of Congress, sc
acres of land; and it was then the
custom among the old settlers
custom as strong as the law-tha
each man had Il right to enter a.
many rs l20 acres adjoining his first
entry and in addi ion thereto. Abou
the year 1882 kinsman of Chandler
came to Illinois, and stopped with
him six months or more, free OF
charge. He was told by Chandler
and others what was the custom
among the people, and woe be to hin
who violated it! l have seen the ole
settlers armed to the teeth with rifle
and knife to defend and enforce this
custom. Woe to the speculator who
violated the law! BY this custom
Mr.. Chandler owned eighty acres ad
joining his first entry; it was so rich
so fertile, lay so fairly to the sun. ana
was SO justly and evenly divided be
tween tree and prairie, that his kins
man fixed his eye upon it. So gath
ering up all that he could borrow, IN
ad lition to what he hal honestly
u,,1n hn SturtnI far tha Land ntf,,..