The morning call., 1895-02-10


qncrkabLe contest trith Lincoln IN 1851
lively declined to permit his friends to put
forward his name for the Presidency. Even
after he had at last yielded to their urgent
solicitation, few candidates have contrib
uted so little direct effort to obtain the
nomination, as may be seen from the let
tiers which form so much of the record
as has been preserved.
SPRINGFIELD April 16, 1859.
T. j. Pickett Esq-MY DEAR SIR: Yours OF
such that cannot at any very early day visit
Rock Island TO deliver lecture, or for any
other object. AS to the other matter you kindly
mention, must in candor say do not think
myself fit for the Presidency. l certainly am
f1attered and gratifed that some partial friends
think of me in that connection; but really
think it best for our cause that no concerted
effort such as you suggest, should be made.
Let this be considered conhdenuaL Yours
very truly, A. Lincoln.
SPRINGFIELD, Ill, November l, 1859.
w. E. Frazer Esq.-DEAR SIR: Yours of the
oath ult was forwarded to me from Chicago.
1t certainly is important to secure Pennsyi-
vania for the Republicans IL the next Presl-
Dental contest, and not uninportant to also
secure Illinois. AS to the ticket you name,
shall be heartily for it after 1T shall have been
fairly nominated by Republican national
convention; and / cannot be committed to 1t
before. For my single self, have enlisted for
the permanent success of the Republican cause;
and for this object shall labor faithfully in
the ranks, unless, as think not probable, the
Judgment of the party shall assign me differ
ent position. If the Republicans of the great
State of Pennsylvania shall present Mr.. Came
ron as their candidate for the Presidency, such
an Endorsement for his fitness for the place
could scarcely be deemed insufficient. Still, as
would not like the public to know, so would
not like myself to know had entered com m
Others whose friends respectively may consider
them preferable. Yours truly, A. LINCOLN.
SPRINGFIELD, Dec. 8, 1859.
YOUR Intriguing for Trumbull against me, /
believe as little of that as any other charge. If
Tr1mbull and l were candidates for the same
Office you would have right to prefer him
and should not blame you for it, but all my
acquaintance with you induces me to believe
you would not pretend to be for me while
really for him. But I do not understand
Trumbuli and myself to be rivals You know
am pledged to not enter struggle with him
for the seat in the Senate now occupied by him,
and yet would rather have full term in the
Senate than in the Presidency.
A. LINCOLN.
SPRINGFIELD, February 8, 1860.
Hon. ~ B. Judd-DEAR SIR: 1 am not in a
position where it would hurt much Tor me to
not be nominated on the national ticket; but
am where it would hurt some for me to not get
the Illinois delegates. What expected when
wrote the letter to Messrs Dole and others IS
are most bitter against me; and they will, Tor
revenge upon me, lay to the Bates egg IN the
South, and to the Seward egg in the North, and
go far toward squeezing me out in the middle
with nothing. Can you not help me little in
this matter in your end of the vineyard?
mean this to be private. Yours as ever,
March &c. 1860.
AS to your kind wishes for myself, allow me
to say cannot enter the ring on the money
basis-first because in the main it is wrong;
and, secondly, / have not and cannot get the
money.
say, in the main, the use of money is wrong;
but for certain objects in political contest the
use of some is both right and indispensable.
With me, as with yourself, the long struggle
has been one of great pecuniary loss;
Inow distinctly say this.ii you shall be APP
800 to bear the expenses of the trip. Your
friend, as ever, A. LINCOLN.
SPRINGFIELD ILL.,, March II, 1860.
Z. Stafford ESq.-DEAR SIR: Reaching home
on the 14th inst. l found yours of the LIST.
Thanking you very sincerely for your kind
purposes toward me, am compelled to say the
money part of the arrangement you propose is
with me, an impossibility. l could not raise
$4,000 if it would save me from the fate of
John Brown. Nor have my friends so far as I
know, yet reached the point OF stalking any
money on my chances of success. / wish
could tell you better things. Yours very truly,
A. LINCOLN.
CHICAGO March %, 1860.
Hon. Samuel GdlIotgdy-MY DEAR SIR: l am
here attending trial in court. Before leaving
home received your kind letter of the 18th.
OF course am gratified to know have friends
IN OHIO VINO are Q1SpoSeQ 10 give me the nigh
est evidence of their friendship and confidence
Mr.. Parrot of the Legislature has written me
to the same effect. If have any chance it con-
sists mainly in the fact that the whole opposi-
ton would vote for me if nominated. Il don't
mean to include the pro-slavery opposition of
the South of course) My name is new in the
field and suppose | am the first choice of
very great many Our policy, then, is to give
no offense to others; leave them in a mood to
come to US, If they shall be compelled to give
up their first love. This, too, is dealing justly
with all and leaving us in a mood to support
heartily whoever shall be nominated. | be-
lfeye have once before told you that / espe-
cially wish to do no ungenerous thing toward
Governor Chase, because he gave us his SYM
pathy in 1858, when scarcely any other distin-
guished man did Whatever you may do for
me, consistently with these suggestions, will
be appreciated and gratefully remembered.
Please write me again. Yours very truly.
A. LINCOLN.
The wisdom of Mr.. Lincolns attitude
and advice were demonstrated by the re-
suits. All the differences warrant Us in be-
lieving that he did not expect nomlna-
ton for the Presidency, but that he held
nomination for Vice-President to be posi-
BILE; or, failing that, the vote he might re-
ceive in the convention would preserve or
increase his favorable chances for the sem
atorship when Douglas term should ex-
pire. Up to the very meeting of the Chi
cago convention there was no organization
to push his claims except in the delegation
from his own State, though many indivi.