Evening journal., 1914-01-07
NEW NEWS OF YESTERDAY
LinCOln'S Original Letter of
Acceptance
By Holland.

There is one communication Of Abra-
ham Lincoln'- TO be ranked among his
most important letters which, 80 far as
I know, has been lost, although / ann
confident that il has not been destroyed.
1t ID in safe keeping somewhere
This statement was made 20 Inc by
the late Colonel George Bliss, who was
for several years on che staff OF Gov
ernor Morgan. Of New York, and was
aiterward United States district attor-
ney for the district OF which New York
city is a part. lie was also with the late
Daniel G. Rollins, the most intimate of
personal and political friends of General
Chester a. Arthur. This was "a friend
snip that began when both were ON the
staif Of Governor Morgan in Civil War
days, and il was continued during the
presidency OF General Arthur
II suppose that am especially inter
csted in this important paper which Lin
colu wrote because il was first sent to
friend of my family in Springfield.
Mass. said Colonel Bliss. II am a native
OF Springfield and my early boyhood
was spent in that town. My family was
! intimate with the late George Ashmun,
who in the early days OF the Republican
party was esteemed as one OF the great
leaders of that party
Mr. Ashmun was chairman of the
Republican National Convention OF 1860
and t was he who announced that
Abraham Lincoln had been nominated
for the Presidency. As chairman he APP
pointed the committee which was 20 call
upon Mr.. Lincoln nc Springfield, ILL.,. to
notify him Of. his nouinatioD. Il was
my impression that Mr.. Ashmun did not
go TO Springfield with the committee, but
after the adjournment of the convention
returned TO his home in Springfield. He
was, Of course. looked upon as man Of
great influence and authority in Spring
field because he had presided over the
convention which nominated Lincoln for
President and Hannibal Hamlin for Vice
President. was told that Mr.. Ashmun
waited at him home in Springfield for
the letter which Lincoln told the com
mittec that called upon him TO inform
him OF his nomination he would write
to the chairman of the convention an
lnouneing his acceptance of the nomina-
tion and setting forth briefly what he
Republican party represented.
Lincoln did write that letter. re-
member very well reading il in the New
York Tribune. A copy Of it was given
10 the press by Mr.. Ashmun soon after
he received Il. The letter itself served
60 strengthen the confidence in the good
Judgment of the convention IN nominat-
ing Lincoln.
II never thought of that letter until
years later, lust after the biography OF
Lincoln was published the authoritative
biography written by Hay and Nicolay.
"'fhen il occurred to me what had be-
come cf the original letter. Who had itY
I Il ought to be secured and placed for
safe Keeping either in some library or
some other appropriate place. But upon
inquiry found that no one could give
me any information. | did hear vaguely
from my friend. the former postmaster
general. Thomas l.. James, that he had
been informed the letter was still in eN-
listence But General James could not
remember who told him. If ] had the
time I would make diligent search for
Z that letter, so that the original manu-
script OF Lincoms letter OF acceptance
could be secured and put into some APP
lpropriate place where IL would be pre-
served TO posterity.'
! Copyright. 1914, by y. j. Edwards. All
rights reserved.l
Tomorrow Mr. Edwards viii tell AN
Anecdote OF a Sympathetic Father-in-
] Law"