The morning call., 1895-02-10
az 'Ar '0o'A'IR 0LlrlcS.
S2<~> s. John Nie0Ie%

fore the August election, his friends had
done manly duty for him, for they gave
him almost the unanimous vote of his pre-
cinct but the entire county had not SO
we'll learned his worth, and he was one of
the nine defeated candidates. This was
the only time he was ever defeated in a
popular vote. The canvass had been what
is designated in the West as 'scrub
race" There were four members to be
elected in the county, and thirteen ambi-
tious patriots had announced themselves
as candidates. The list of successful and
unsuccessful aspirants and their respective
votes was as follows; E; D; Taylor
ris, 945; Peter Cartwright, S15. The
unsuccessful candidates were: A. G.
Herndon, SOC; William Carpenter, TIA;
John Dawson, III; Abraham Lincoln, 657;
T. NJ. Neale, 81; r. Quinton, 458; Zach
ariah Peter, 214; Edward Robinson, 1859;
Kirkpatrick. A. The returns also
show that the total vote of the county was
about PIGS. Comparing this with the vote
cast for Lincoln, we see that he received
nearly one-third of the total county vote,
Notwithstanding his absence from the can
vass; notwithstanding the fact that his ac
workmanship was limited to the neigh
borhood of New Salem; Notwithstanding
the sharp competition.
Indeed, his talent for active, practical
politics was demonstrated beyond ques-
ton by the result in his home precinct of
New Salem, which, though he ran as
Wing, gave 277 votes for him and only
three against him. Three months later it
gave 1S5 for Jackson, and only 20 for the
Clay electors, proving Lincoln's personal
popularity.
He was now in the attitude of disap-
pointed office-seeker, but he did not receive
his defeat as popular mandate to remain
~
election for the Legislature coming around
two years later, he again sought the office,
as appears by this notice in the Sangamo
Journal of April %, 1884: 1--WE are author
lied to state that A. Lincoln of New Salem
is a candidate for representative for this
county," 1t was another "scrub race" with
thirteen candidates for the four places, as
on the occasion of his first venture; but
this time the election returns in August
show his name nearly at the head of the
list of the four successful candidates: John
Dawson, 1890; Abraham Lincoln, 1876;
William Carpenter, ITO; John T. Stuart,
1164.
The votes received by the nine unsuccess-
full candidates ranged from 1898 to AZ.
From this time on Lincoln appears to
have had no serious difficulty in securing
an election to the Legislature so long as he
desired it. He was again chosen in 1886,
1888 and 1S40 But four terms probably
convinced him that he had by study and
experience become fitted for higher service,
and he declined further reflections. 1t is
perhaps worth while to quote his idea of
the relation the representative should bear
to the constituent, as defined in his ''card"
in the canvass of 1886. "If elected, | shall
consider the whole people of Sangamon my
constituents, as well those that oppose as
those that support me. While acting as
their representative | shall be governed by
their will on all subjects upon which | have
the means of knowing what their will is;
and upon all others [ shall do what my
own judgment teaches me will best advance
their interests"
1t is also a noteworthy feature of this ten
years of Lincoln's political activity, when
individual action had such free play, when
party controversy between Wings and
Democrats was so hot, when local issues
had such fierce contention in the Legisla-
ture, that there remains scarcely trace of
his falling into personal difficulties. tbs,
of course, explained by his characteristic
kindness of heart, his uniform good tenn
per and liberality of spirit toward adver-
saries, and that high sense of honor which
scorned all intrigue and subterfuge. Even
where he had cause to repel an unjust as
sault, he had the unusual charity to impute
good motives to his assailant as in this let
ter, which only the noblest courtesy could
have inspired:
NEW SALEM, June 81, 1886.
Colonel Robert AHen-DEAR COLONEL: | am
told that during my absence last week you
passed through this place, and stated publicly
that you were in possession of fact or facts
which, If known to the public, would entirely
destroy the prospects Of N w. Edwards and
myself at the ensuing election; but that,
through favor to US, you should forbear to
diyulge them. No one has needed favors more
than l, and, generally, few have been less I'M
willing to accept them; but in this case favor
to me would be injustice to the public, and
therefore must beg your pardon for declining
it. That once had the confidence of the peo-
pie of Sangamon is sufficiently evident; but if
have since done anything, either by design or
misadventure which If known would subject
me to a forfeiture of that confidence, he that
to his country interest.
find myself wholly unable to form any con-
lecture of what fact or facts, real or supposed,
you spoke; but my opinion of your veracity
will not permit me for moment to doubt that
you at least believed what you said. am fiat
tered with the personal regard you manifested
for me; but do hope that, on more mature
reflection, you will view the public interest as
paramount consideration, and therefore de-
termine TO let the worst come. here assure
you that the candid statement of facts on your
part, however low it may sink me, shall never
break the tie of personal friendship between
us. wish an answer to this, and you are at
liberty to publish both if you choose. Very
respectfully, A. LINCOLN.
Inc next Ien years OF LlHCOiH pO1lCtCdl
life fell under new conditions. Population
had greatly increased; by his aid Spring
field had become the new capital OF the
State, and he was now one of its leading
citizens. Never radical, but always
timely reformer, he was prominent in in
ducing the Wings to adopt the new method
of selecting candidates by delegate conven-
tons, which, to their cost, many of them
had hitherto resisted. In an address to
the party at large, dated March 4, 1843,
which, as one of a committee of three, he
was instrumental in originating and pre-
pairing, he wrote:
The sixth resolution recommends the adop-
ton OF the convention system for the nomina-
ton 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, con-
tenung ourselves with trying to show that,
while our opponents use it, it is madness in us
not TO defend ourselves with it. In its
application we know there will be incidents
temporarily painful, but, after all, those Incl
dents viii be fewer and less intense with than
without the system. If two friends aspire to
the same office, 1t is certain that both cannot
succeed. Would it not, then, be much less
painful to have the question decided by mutual
friends some time before than to snarl and
quarrel until the day of election, and then
both be beaten by the common enemy?
One of these incidents temporarily
painful" under the new system which he
so earnestly recommended, fell to his own
nnunla of ,,,oo1-c 1o4o~ II