The Portland daily press., 1883-02-15
New Views of Lincoln.
q LHrrRRFRom HIS LAW PARTNER
William H. Herndon Gives Close Insight
into Lincolns Aspirations, Methods
Philosophy and Religion-A Letter OF
Mr.. Lincoln.

The following letter was written by Abra-
ham Lincoln's former law-partner to we'll
known clergyman of New York. 1t gives
touching picture of the statesman's affection
for his parents and solicitude for their well
fare, and exhibits some phases of his ca
reer as public man that have not been
hitherto revealed. References are made to a
letter from Mr.. Lincoln to his step-brother,
which was enclosed in Mr.. Herndon's letter,
and copy of which is also herewith given.
SPRINGFIELD, ILL.,, November "a, 1872.
MY DEAR SIR: A few days since I re
ceived your kind note, for which please &C.
cept my thanks. lnclosed you will find
letter from Abraham Lincoln to John d,
Johnson-Lincoln's ep-brother-which l
promised to give you; it is the only letter
which have left of Mr. Lincoln's; it is a
genuine one written by the great man him
self. / have kept the letter up to this day
as an evidence that Mr.. Lincoln was not an
atheist; and had .he been one, that fact
would not lessen him in my estimation,
though not one myself. | had this letter
once published, but before so doing
showed it to several of Mr.. Lincoln's old
and dear friends, who laughed at me for
my credulity in believing that Mr.. Lincoln
believed in Immortality and Heaven, as stat
ed in the letter; it was said to be merely a
message of consolation from adutiful son to
his dying father. However, / had the letter
published, and kept the letter as an evidence
that Mr.. Lincoln was not an atheist.
could have given the letter away many
times-could have sold it for money-but /
would not part with it. | think the questi m
of his atheism is settled, and now | present
it to you. may say to you that the letter
has the ring, it seems to me, of true metal
and yet give no opinion. You have the
letter and the facts of Mr.. Lincoln's life be-
| fore you, and you can judge as we'll ash can.
| l wilt soon in this letter give you phase OF
| Mr.. Lincon's life not generally known, and
| possibly it will not be believed by the wor-
| shipping Grid / mean hero worshipping
world. | have no reference to the worship
of the religious soul.
Mr. Lincoln for Years supported or helped
to support his aged father and mother; it is
to the honor of Lincoln that he dearly loved
bis step-mother, and it is equally true that
she idolized her step-son. johnson, to
| whom the letter was addressed, was Lin
coins step brother-the son of Mrs Lincoln
| by her first husband. Thomas Lincoln, the
father of Abraham, courted lis second wife
| in his youth; she refused to have him; he
then courted Nancy Hanks and was married
| to her. A man by the name of johnson
courted Miss Sarah Bush--Thomas Lincoln's
first fame-and married her About the
year 1919 both Mrs. Lincoln and Mr.. John
son died Lincoln then 10 about one yeaI
| renew ed his suit and it was accepted, and
they were married Each had two children
| by the first marriage and none by the Sec
ond. John johnson was an indolent, and
| shiftless MAJ, man that was "born tired, =
and yet he was an exceedingly clever man.
| generous, and very hospitable. Lincoln de-
serves great credit for the care shown his faith
| er and motber-hard cash and warm heart
care. In the very letter which 1 give you
| this care is shown; he says in the letter,
HYou (Johnson) already know desire thai
neither father nor mother shall be in want
| of any comfort, either in health or in sick
ness, while they live; and feel sure that
| you have not failed to use my name, if nee
essary, to procure doctor or anything else
for father in his present Illness" Dutiful
| and affectionate son Noble mani Mr.
Lincoln was very poor at the timo this letter
was written, not worth in properly, more
than three or four thousand dollars.
Mr.. Lincoln purchased piece of property
| in Coles County in this State as home fol
his father and mother, ard had it decided in
| trust for their use and benefit. The aged
| couple lived in Coles County at the time
| yet once did. The records in Coles County
| will show the facts, If anyone in the future
wishes to look the thing further up. Here
is exhibited parental love and duty backed
up by arm affection, love, care, good credit
land, home and money. This was true and
| genuine comfort and material aid. 1t was
not all gush, sympathy and tears on paper
it was real, solid, genuine comfort and sup
port, such as we can live upon.
isl, m v11o 10
Lincoln's life which is not generally known
nor will it be believed readily by the multi
tsasas esasl III
/ very supplemented man, devoid OF the ST
lences and ambitions of life. In this city be
was known only to the few. I would advise
! you before you read this letter to read Hol
lands Life of Lincoln at pages 241-2
| where you will find many diverse ideas Of
| Mr.. Lincoln. Consider it inserted here
Mr.. Lincoln was thought as before stated
to be very supplemented man. He was
simple in his dress and manners, simple in
his approach and in his presence, Though
this be true, he was man of quite infinite
silences. He was thoroughly and deeply
secretive, uncommunicative and close-mind-
ed, as to his plans, wishes, hopes and fears.
His ambition was never satisfied; in him ii
was consuming fire which smothered his
inner feelings. Here he ran for every legis-
ieses W SAhOCs AAOil LILO Oh our IQeIi
| little village to the Presidency, and during
| all that time venture to say that he never
wholly opened himself to mortal creature.
He was sceptical, cautious and terribly se-
| cretive, coniding his plans and purposes.
| ambitions and ends to no man. | have
known men in our Office to listen to Mr..
| Lincoln's conversation for short while and
| then exclaim: "Oh, what smple-minded
man is Mr.. Lineelnl So plain SO unambi-
tious! SO confding'' and the like, when Mr..
Llncoln's mind was not in our Office but on
hot chase for the end so devoutly to be
wished. OF all Americans he was, emphat-
ically, man of the profoundest, widest and
deepest politics. He had his burning and
consuming ambition, but he kept his secrets
and opened not.
An interviewer, with the best of inten-
tions in the world, once went TO Mr.. Lin
coins room in the White House, while he
was President, and said: "Mr President.
what do you think of the war and its end?'
70 which Mr.. Lincoln politely and laugh
ingly replied: THAT question of yours puts
me in mind of story about something
which happened down in Egypt. in the
southern part of Illinois, The point of it
was that man badly burned his fingers in
being in too much haste. Mr.. Lincoln told
the story admirably well, walking up and
down the room and most heartily laughing
all the while. The interviewer saw the
point coming at him like the sting end of
hornet As matter of course he was cut to
the quick, and quickly down stairs he
rushed with an oath in his mouth, saving
he would 'snever interview that man again.
and he was as good as his word, and never
tried to interview the President again.
And thus it always was with Mr.. Lincoln.
The man that tried to pump Eimsalways
found shut safe. well locked, and the KEY
lost. If a man was ever created in this
world who did not let his right hand know
what his left hand did or was doing, it was
Abraham Lincoln He was profound, mar
vellous and mysterious man to the great ma
jority of men. / judged the man by his
questionings, his manner, his nervousness,
his unrest and the play of his features, with
their colors, giving a significance to his
thoughts and his wishes, minds revela-
ton to mind.
While say that Mr.. Lincoln was ambi-
tious, secretiye and somewhat selfish, do
not infer from those words that he was
dishonest man, nor an insincere man, nor
hypocrite, nor mean man, nor base man.
He was on the contrary, full of honesty, in
tegrity, sincerity, open, fair and candid,
when speaking or acting He was for Lin
coin always, but always with Lincoln's in
tense honesty. Mr.. Lincoln was wise
man, shrewd man, a long-headed man.