The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1897-05-09
LINCOLN rs 4 POLITICIAN.
Some Queer Letters Curious Stories of Our Famous
War President

fCopvrighted 1897, by Frank g. Carpenter.)
WASHINGTON, May 81 have De
fore me two autograph letters OF Apra-
ham Lincoln which have never peen
published: They were written SIX years
before he was elected president OF the
United States, just after his hrst great
campaign with Stephen A. Douglas,
during which he made a national repu-
tation as an anti-slavery leader. AT
this time Lincoln's great ambition was
70 he the next United States senator
from Illinois. He had the right to think
that he would be chosen, for 1t was
through his speeches that an anti
slavery Legislature had been elected.
The campaign had been made up OF
debates between Lincoln and Douglas,
and Lincoln had routed Douglas at eV-
cry point. In his joint debate at Chi
cago Lincoln made one Of his great
speeches. Douglas replied and said he
would conclude his address in the even
ing. When evening came he failed to
appear The next debate was at Peoria,
where Lincoln made the speech which
he refers to in one of the letters which
l quote below This speech showed
Douglas that he could not compete
with Lincoln. After the meeting was
over he came to him and asked him to
give up the joint Debates and proposed
that neither he nor Lincoln should
speak more during the campaign. This
Lincoln agreed to, and both retired
from the stump The result of Lincoln's
speeches, however, was such and the
feeling against the Nebraska bill for
the admitting of slavery into the terri
tories was such that an anti-slavery
legislature was elected. OF the major
lty, however, five were Democrats and
the remainder Wings. The pro-slavery
Democrats were scheming to see If they
could not tie the vote or in some way
complicate matters so as to re-elect
Gen. Shields, the Democratic senator,
whose term had just ended, and who
was a candidate to succeed himself. 1t
was in regard to this election that the
following letters were written. They
were addressed to Gen. Henderson, who
has for years been one Of the leading
members of congress from Illinois, and
who forty years ago was a member of
the Illinois legislature. The first letter
reads.
Springfield, Nov Of, 1S5AT j. Henderson,
Esq.-My Dear Sir: 1t has come round that
9 Wing may, by possibility, be elected to the
United States senate; and 1 want the chance
of being the man. You are member Of
the legislature and have vote to give. Think
1t over, and see whether you can do better
than to go for me.
Write me, at all events and let this be
confidential. Yours truly, "A. Lincoln.
To this letter Mr.. Henderson replied
that he would like to vote for Lincoln,
but that he was in doubt whether he
ought to throw his strength to him or
both Lincoln and Williams being
friends of his father and himself.
In reply Mr.. Lincoln wrote the letter
which l here give. The ink with which
1t was penned is almost as black today
as when Lincoln wrote it:
Springfield Dec. Is, 1S54-Hon. T. j. Hender-
son-Dear Sir: Yours of the 18th was re-
ceiyed last night and for whiwch 1 thank you.
OF course l prefer myself to all others; yet
1t is neither in my heart nor my conscience
to say | am any better man than Mr.. Will
iams. We shall have terrible struggle with
our adversaries They are desperate and
bent on desperate deeds. I accidentally
learned of one of the leaders here writing to
< ember south Of here in about the follow
ing language:
I'VE are beaten. They have a clear ma
1orfty OF at least nine on joint ballot. They
outnumber US, but we must outmanage them.
the speaker. and we must elect a Nebraska
United States senator elect none at ALL
Similar letters doubt are written to
every Nebraska member-be considering how
we can best meet and fool and beat them-I
send you by this mail copy of my Peoria
speech. You may have seen 1t before; or
you may not think 1t worth seeing now.
Do not speak of the Nebraska letter men
toned above. do not wish it to become
public that 1 have received such informa-
ton. Yours truly, "A. Lincoln.
1t was nearly three months after this
last letter that the election occurred.
Henderson gave his vote for Lincoln
and on the first ballot Lincoln had a
plurality, having forty-fve votes. Gen.
Shields, the Democratic candidate, had
forty-one votes, and the five anti-slav-
cry Democrats voted for Lyman Trum-
bull. These five stuck to Trumbull for
seven ballots and then Lincoln, seeing
that there was danger that they might
go to Shields, advised his friends to
vote for Trumbull, and so Lyman
Trumbull was elected. Upon going to