The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1895-02-10

shall do what my own Judgment
teaches me will best advance their in
terests."
Lincoin's Generosity to Political Adj
yersaries.
1t IS also noteworthy feature of
this ten years of Lincoln's political
activity. when individual action had
such free play, when party controver-
sy between the Wings and Democrats
was SO hot, when local issues had such
fierce contention in the legislature,
that there remains scarcely a trace of
his falling into personal difficulties. 1t
is. Of course, explained by his charact-
eristic kindness of heart, his uniform
good temper and iberality of spirit to-
ward adversaries, and that high sense
Iof honor which scorned all intrigue and
subterfuge. Even where he had cause
to repel an unjust assault, he had the
unusual charity to impute good mo-
tiveS to his personal assailant as in
this letter, which only the noblest per
sonal courtesy could have inspired,
New Salem, June 81, 1885.
Colonel Robert Allen.
Dear Colonel: l am told that during my
absence last week you passed through
this place. and stated publicly that you
were In possession OF q TACT or facts
which, if known 10 the public, would en-
tirely destroy the prospects of n. W.
Edwards and myself at the ensuing cleo
ton; but that, through favor to us, You
should fOrhear TO divulge them. No one
has needed favors more than l, and gen
orally, few have been less unwilling 10
accept them; but in this ease favor TO nle
would be injustice to the public, and
therefore l must beg your pardon for de-
Ginning it That | once had the confidence
of the people of Saugamon is sufficiently
evident; and if l have since done any
which il known would subject me TO q
forfeiture of their confidence. he that
knows of that thing and copceals 1t, Is a
traitor to his country S interest.
l find myself wholly unable to form any
conjecture of what fact or facts, real or
supposed, You spoke: but my opinion of
your veracity will not permit me for
moment 10 doubt that You at least be-
lieVed what you said. am fiattered with
the personal regard you manifested for
me- but l do hope that, on more mature
reflection, you will view the public inter;
est as paramount consideration, and
therefore determine to let the worst come.
] here assure you that the candid state
ment OF facts on your part, however low
it may sink me, shall never break the
friendship between us. I wish an answer
TO this, and You are al liberty to publish
both, il you choose.
Very respectfully,
y. LINCOLN.
And similar in spirit and bearing is
the answer he wrote, in another con-
troversy, in reply to a written ques-
ton whether in a certain discussion
| his words imported insult:
Lawrenceville. October 81, 1870.
/ ". G. Anderson.
| Dear Sir: Your note of yesterday is re
ceived. In the difficulty between, us. OF
which you speak, you say you think | was
~ I RI ,At 7 wa
say my words imported insult" l meant
them as a fair set-on to your own state
mtntS and not otherwise; and in that
light alone / now wish you to understand
them, You ask for my present feelin IS
on the subject ! entertain no unhiul
feeling to you. and none of any sort upon
the subject, except a sincere regret that /
permitted myself TO get into such an al
A LINCOLN.
The next ten years of Lincoln's po-
litical life fell under new conditions.
Population had greatly increased; By
his aid Springfield had become the new
capital of the state, and he was now
one of its leading citizens. Never q
radical, but always a timely refOrmer
he was prominent in inducing the
Wings to adopt the new method of Sc
lecting candidates by delegate cOnVen-
lions, which, TO their cost, many OF
them had hitherto resisted. In an adj
dress to the party at large, dated
March 4, 1913, which, as one of a com
mittee of three. he was instrumental in
originating and preparing, he wrote:
1.-The sixth resolution recommends the
adoption of the convention system fol
the nomination of candidates. This We
believe to be of the very first importance
Whether the system is right in itself, we
do not stop to inquire, ccntenttnS our
selves with trying to show that, while oul
opponents use it, it is madness in us MOI
to defend ourselves with it. In its
application we know there will be Incl
dents temporarily painful, but, after all
those incidents viii be fewer and less in
tense with than without the system. i
two friends aspire to the same Office, i
is certain that both cannot succeed
Would it not, then, be much less painful
10 have the question decided by mutla
friends sometime before than to Snarl 2nC
quarrel until the day of election, and rhel
both be beaten by the common enemy?'
LincOIn's First Contest For IL Seat il
Congress.
One of these incidents temperate!
painful" under the new system whicl
he so earnestly recommended, fell t.
his own experience a couple of week
later He was seeking a nomination
: for Congress. but against the sharI
competition of other ambitious younj
Wings, as the following letters show
,, Springfield, March a, 1873
Dear Speed: we had a meetin
of the Wings of the county on last Mon
} day to appoint delegates to a district con
: vcntion, and Baker beat me, and got tn
delegation instructed TO 60 for him. Th
meeting, in spite of my attempt to de
, cline it, appointed me enc of the dele
/ gates: so that. in getting Baker the nom
: ination, shall be fixed a good deal Xix
2 a fellow who is made a grOonSman to
, = an that has cut hira out and is marry
a Y Is his own dear gal
, Springfield. Illinois, March &c, 1913.
Friend Morris: Your letter of the %
= was received on yesterday morning, an
for which Gnstead of an excuse, whic
you thought proper to ASK, l tender yo
: my sincere thanks. 1t is truly gratifyin
t to me to learn, that, while the people 9