Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1889-02-08
A Letter of Lincoln.

The following is contributed by DR..
". Z. Wilkinson TO the Janusry Century: |
The remarkable popular Interest in /
everything that throws light upon the /
character of Abraham Lincoln, which the |
serial publication of his life in the Cen |
fury MagaZlpe Ia part finds and in part |
creates. emool6ens me TO believe tast |
recent discovery of my own bearing on |
the matter may be accepted by many
readers as s contribution not without |
lis yslue to the growing public fund of
Llccoln memorabilia l use the word |
discovery, although that word may seem
not lit, when l say, IS l must, that what
] discovered was stresdy public enough
TO be seen framed and hanging on one
of the Interio- walls of the fine ate
Capitol Ill n Nashville, Tenn. The doeU-
ments to which I refer are nov no long
er 20 be seen where l saw them, they
having since my Sisis to Nashville few
years sgo bseN removed to q much ls>s
freQuented place of custody in the same
city. Through tbs intervention of
friend | lately found them again, though
not without trouble, and here shoS them
for the examination of the curious:
They consist of two letters, one writ
ten to, and the o.. her written by, Ahrsham
Lincoln. How they came into public
kee ping, and with what history, IN the
case of the iitustrious writer of one of the
letters, they may be associated, ! have
sought in vain to learn. But the letters
| happily explain themselves. Perhaps
! the enterprislpg authors of the blogrs
| now being published in the magazine
may be able 10 bring these letters into
| their proper setting IN the circumstances
| of Lincoln's life.
lone thing WAS very noteworthy in the
! autograph letters of Lincoln, and that
| was its immaculately neat ana correct
| mechanical execution The manuscript
! had the paysiosnomy aud air of one pro-
! duHei by hahltpally fastidious literary
man The Handwriting vas finished
! enough TO be called elegant; the puuctu-
alton, she spelling the capltalzipg, were
as conscientious, As the turn of the phrase
| may seem to be.
1T Is w. G. Anderson who writes a
covertly threatening letter to Lincoin--
little dreaming at the moment that it IS
a historic document that he was so seri-
ously iudIting. The date is Lawrence
willie, Oct. 80, 1850. The address is stlffiy,
meaut perhaps to be even formidabIy
formal. 1t Is A. London, Esq. Dear
Sir. Mr.. Anderson says:
"0n oDr first meeting on Wednesday
last, a difficulty IN words eusued between
us, which | deem 1t my duty to notice
further. 1 think you were the agressor
Your words imported Insult; and whether
you intended them as such is for you tC
say. You will therefore please inform
me this point. Aud if you designeG
to offend me, please coLdmunicate TO me
your present feelings on the subject, auC
whether you persist in the stand yoI
took"
There now was q chance for Mr.
Abraham Lincoln. How will ne meet 1t
Viii he ohaff Mr.. Anderson? Will h,
J.. give him stiffness TOR stifnessG Their
J will surely be an interesting revelation o
character. The actual fact il, if Abraham
Lincoln had known III writing this reply
that he was writing it as much for tn
whole world and for future generation
than simply for his personal friend Mr.
r Anderson TO read, do not see bow h.
! could have written 1t better for the ad
! vantage OF his own good fame. Here i
: his reply:
! LAwRESCEv1ILE, Oct. 81, 1S5O.-W. G
= Anderson-D-ar Sir: Your note of yes
= terday Is received. Ia the difficulty be
= tween us OF which you speak, you 81
- yo1 think l was the agressor. | do no
y milk was. lou say uy NpTus III
d ported insult" | meant them as fai
z offset to your statements, and not other
wise; and in that light alone wish 20
d to understand them. You ask for m
d "present feelings" I entertain no III
l. kind feelings for you and none of an
= sort upon thu subject, except SINGER
O regret that l permitted myself to get il
e to any such alteration. Yours, etc.
q A. LINCOLN"