River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1889-08-29
LINcoLN.s PROPOSAL.
A Love Letter which Has Not a Word ol
Wnva fu II.


Abraham Lincoln's offer of marriage
was a very curious one, and, singularly
enough, it has but recently come to
light. Numerous as his biographers
have been, and closely as they have
CLEANED for new facts and materials, it
was left for the latest one, MIR. Jesse
Weik, of Greencastle, 10 discover this
unique and characteristic production
of Mr.. Lincoln's almost mtutored
mind. The letter is one of several
written. presumably. to the lady he af-
terward married. Addressed to my
dear Mary" it read as follows:
You must know that / can pot see you or
think OF you with entire indifference; and yet
it may be that you are mistaken in regard 10
what my real feelings toward you are. II
knew you were not, I should not trouble you
with this letter. Perhaps any other man would
know enough without further information; but
consider it my peculiar right to plead igno-
rance, and your bounden dutyto allow the plea.
want in all cases to do right, and most par
ticularly so in all cases with women want
az this particular time, moro than any thing
else, to do right with you; and II ] knew it
would be doing right, as ] rather suspect IL
would. to let you alone, l would do IT, And,
for the purpose OF making the matter as plain
as possible now say you can dropthe subject,
dismiss your thoughts-if you ever had any
from me forever and leave this letter unan.
swered without calling forth one accusing muir
muir from me And will even go further, and
say that II il will add any thing TO your com.
fort or peace OF mind to do so, 1t is my sincere
wish that you should. Do not understand by
this that wish to cut your acquaintance. ]
mean no such thing. w hat ! do wish is that
shall QnuPnd nj
on yourself. If such further acquaintance
would contribute nothing TO your happiness,
am sure il would not TO mine. II you feel your
self in any degree bound TO me, am now will
ing TO release ycu, provided you wish IL; while,
on the other hand, II am willing and even INK
ious TO blvd yoa faster II can be convinced
that 1t 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 were so. in what have now
said think can not be misunderstood; ard 10
make myself understood is the only object OF
this letter II it suits you best not to answer
this, farewell. long life and a merry one at.
tend you. But if you conclude TO write back,
speak as plainly as do. There can be neither
harm nor danger in saying to me any thing you
think, just in the manner you think IL. Your
friend, LINCOLN.
Probably this is the queerest love
letter on record, and the most remark.
able offer of marriage ever made. 1t
is love letter without a word of love
and proposal of marriage that does
not propose. Every line of it breathes
admiration, affection, devotion, unset
fishness desire for the lady's happi-
ness, the writer's sense of Guworthi-
ness and his genuine alteration of the
lady he was addressing, but it does not
mention love. Indianapolis Journal.