The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1889-07-12
llycOLSs Offer OF MARRIAGE
The Qusersst Love Lsn,NF on keeord-l
Proposal That Did NGt Propose

The Qusersst Love Lsn.NF on Rspord-A
Proposal That Did NGt Propose
hdiaRupOlb Journal,
Abraham Lincoln's offer OF marriage
was a very curious one, and, ~sipgulaFly
enough, it has but recently CONF to light,
Numerous as his b~iographers have been,
and closely as they yegleaAed for new
facts and materials, II was left for the
latest one, Mr., Jesse Weik, OF Greencas'
tie, To discover this unique and charac-
teristic production OF MIR, Lincoln's al
most untutored mind, The letter Is one
Of several written, presumably, to the
lady he aiterward married. Addressed
to "My dear Mary II read as follows;
You must know that cannot see you
or think OF you with entire ind%iterencei
and vet II may be that you are mistaken
In regard to what my real feelings
toward you are. II knew you were
not, | should not trouble you with this
letter, Perhaps any other man would
know enough without further intorma'
ton; but | c~onsiderit my peculiar right
to plead Ignorance, and your bounden
duty to allow the plea, l wantin oil
cases to do right, and most particularly
so in all cases with women, ] want at
this particular time, more than anything
else, to do right with you andit l knew
II would be doing right, rs | rather sns,
pect It would, to let you alone, | would
DO II. And, for the purpose Of making
the matter as plain as possible, ! now
say you can drop the subject, dismiss
your you ever had any
from me forever, aud leave this letter
unanswered without calling forth one
accusing murmur from me, And | will
even go further, and say that II 1t will
add anything TO your comfort or peace
OF mind to DO so, 1t is my sincere wish
that you should, Do not understand
by this that wish to cut yoNr acquain'
tance. Imean no such thing, What !
do wish Is that our further acquaintance
shall depend upon yourselL II such
further Acquaintance would contribute
nothing to your happiness, ! am sure i
would not 10 mine. II you feel yourself
in any degree bound to me, ! am now
willing to release you, provided you
wish II; while, on the other hand, am
willing'anl even ANXIOUS 10 bind you
faster, can DO convinced that y viii
in any degree add to your happiness
This, indeed, is the whole question with
me. Nothing would make me more
miserable than TO believe you miserable
nothing more happy than to know you
vase so, In what l have now said !
tliink espRot DO misunderstood and
to make pyselI RndeTslb9d Up the only
object Of this letter, 4lit sails yoH best
not TO answer this, farewell. a long
life Ond a merry one attend you, But
II you conclude 10 write back, speak; ai
plainly as do. There gan no neither
harm nor danger in saying 10 me RpYi
thing you think, Just in the papReFyor
think it. Your friend, LINCOLN.
Probably this is the queerest love let
ter on record, and the most remarkable
iolfer 4 marriage ever made. l~tisaloyt
letter without u worG o. 10 STc s@e q pro
posal OF marriage that does not propose
Every line Of II breathes admiration, 81
lection, devotion, unselllsh desire for thu
lady's happiness, the writer's sense o
unwortLiness and his genuine Alteration
OF the lady he was addressing, but Il
does not mention love.