, 1876-10-23
ABRAHAM LINCOLN.
Il Hitherto Unpublished Autograph Letter
from tho tlnrtXrcti President.

II iltfcft1 Unfnbi!steN autograph Letter
from tho ninrtYrcti President.
so,taaAzM tiH J Journal. -.
!. Below VIC print remarkable aud charactcris*
lie autograph LITTER of President Lincoln, nd
dressed 10 the late Cpl. Robert tllct,, former
wc'l-known citizen Of Springfield, an'l which. 50
lx1les lxle'. son. II %h; a ffNss Nsers es RTSsentsa o e
Power, Gustolan Ut the Linroin Monument,
posttng It In " Memorial Hail." Mt the base Ut
the monument. with Otbrr relics OF tue Afnr-
tyred President.
/. viii be eeen that It bear. date aver forty
ycars ag,', n1ul was written Ly Mr. Lincoln Whit,
he being then uhiy " ycnrs Ut a9c. A nutlcc-
ahic feature ot the origiual is the elenr-
ncRe, cpIlcisencsa aud y.nr nf It's style, aud It's
ss,rrectrcss, even to the details 'f punctuation.
that time Il close and accurate student MIL lad
made himself master Of hl* nwt, language.
Juntus himself could not hare written with
more yigor, nor William II. Seward expressed
hmsclf With n!ure diplomatic skill.
Search las hern .tntlc IN the lles Of thc Jour.
raj ot that time for reply to l1ls .rtter, bu.
feitticr tic letter Itself nVr the r"ply-ii my
was eySr returned !, it wrtinsIas yet been sll;-
Allen, though opposed In politics, remained
clusc personal friends ihcreu:ler, woul,l
Indicate that there may have heen tonlc mis-
representation In thu report which ca,nc tu Mr..
this having hcclI explained, there wis NJ ocea-
slun fur the publication Of tic letter or the re-
ply to It. The letter ltsSlt SLOWS how tralou.
Mr.. l.incrln was ut t!lat ttny at once Of his owll
Eoo NAME aud of tho Interest ut the State, aud
aIortls rlue tn the reputation which In higher
positions he afterwards won Ms MI honest iIiafi
| anu uniel!lsl statesman attl patriot:
ri1E LETTER.
New SALEM. .fHns Il. ls:p -Ltdr CotoHtt: I
am told that during my nrunce SON passed through
this l!ase and slated publicly. that you were IN
pUsxrs-lun uf fact Or 3aCt., which. If known 10
the public. wnud entirely dearuy tho prospects Of
". Edwards and my*ef NJ the ensuing election;
but that. through fasor to U.s. you should forbeaE
to tivnlse them.
No one has n.rtlcd fayoa7s more t!np I, and gen
crntly, few have been Itss unwilling to accept
iLcM: t1nt III thiR ca-c, f.Hnr to me nhnl1 h. in
5usIcc t1 the pnulic. anil therefore must be. yuus
pardon lur tlccn. It. That once had the epl11-
GEncc IT TIC i,eopie Of S.s5alnon, is sN,!lccnty
| By der,"n ur nlIsadyc1luse. which, If knpwil,
would subject 1Mc tu forfeiture Of thu confidence,
liz tlat E.owH Of that thing anu concvAIs II, ii i
| traitor to hr c0HMtEyz interest.
find mysclf wuliy unable to form any con}rct.
HteHt what fhet Or fucit Eeal or spJaisc'1. yOil
| nptSg; but my opinion oi toar srr:lrlty t.I nut
permit Etc for nui1lcft to uuub tat you Mt leafi
| believed What yuu SAID. nm ,Iattored With The
I per:utlal regard you manifested for Inc, but tu
! hlpc tf1t, Eli inure tlaiarr reelection. yt1 viii
View the public Interest AS paramount Gun .Ilera.
t!un, anu, therefore. detcfintAr to let the woFr1
come. As.ntu ynM That tue candid statement VI
f:ctn OIL your rHst, hnweYrr luw it may eiI,l; ,,
Wecn1ls.
wish an nIswct 10 this, an1 YOU nfe ut liberty L
1 publish beth II yDu chuosc. Nrry respectfully,
! Col. Robert Allen. A. LlScuLs.