New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1917-11-17
Some Lincoln Letters

UNCOLIECTTD LETTERS OF ABRAHAM lin
coin. NOW FIRST BROUGHT TOGETHER
BY GILBERT A TRACY. with an INTRODUCTION
by Ida 81 Tarben svo. ID. III, 2ei. Houshion
Miflin Company.
Two complete" editions Of Lincoln's
writings have been issued within the
last twenty-five years-that Of Nicolay
and Hay In 1894 and the so-called
Gettysburg" collection in 1905. Now
we have a supplementary collection of
letters, gathered by Mr.. Tracy, which
covers 26i octave pages and contains
many notable expressions of Lincoln's
views. These letters are not all now
published for the first time. The most
valuable Of them have appeared in mag
azines, pamphlets or In comparatively
recent books, as in the case OF the let
ter to Schurz, published in 1913 in
"The Speeches, Correspondence and Po-
liticsl Papers Of Carl Schurz." These
scattered, published documents, added
to the new ones which Mr.. Tracy has
procured, form surprising addition to
Lincoln's already edited works.
The absolutely new letters naturally
belong 20 the earlier period of Lincoln s
career-up to and including his contest
with Douglas and his nomination for
the Presidency. OF these, one written
TO Lyman Trumbull in December. 1858,
stands out. In it, with his usual po-
litical acumen, Lincoln points out the
unwisdom of any fusion on the part of
the Republicans with Douglas on the
anti-slavery question, and forecasts the
failure of Douglass efforts to angle at
the same time for Southern and North
ern support. He says:
Since you left Douglas has gone
South, making characteristic speeches
and seeking TO reinstate himself in
that section. The majority Of the
Democratic politicians Of the nation
mean 10 kill him; but | doubt
whether they will adopt the aptest
way 10 do il. Their true way is 10
present him with no new test, let
him into the Charleston Convention
and then outvote him and nominate
another. In that case he will have
no pretext for boiling the nomination
and will be as powerless as they can
wish. On the other hand, If they put
a slave code upon him, as a test, he
will bolt at once, turn upon US, as in
the case of Lecompton, and claim
that all Northern men shall make
common cause in electing him Presi-
dent as the best means Of breaking
down this Slave power. In that case
the Democratic party will go ifo a
minority inevitably; and the strug-
gle in the whole North will be, as in
Illinois last summer and fall, whether
the Republican party can maintain
its identity, or be broken up TO form
the tail Of Douglass new kite. Some
of our great Republican doctors will
then have a splendid chance to swal-
low the pills they so eagerly pre-
scribed for US last spring. Still, I
hope that they will not swallow
them; and although do not feel that
/ owe the said doctors much, | will
help them, TO the best of my ability, to
reject said pills. The truth is, the
Republican principle can in no wise
live with Douglas; and il is arranr
folly now, as it was last spring, TO
waste time and scatter labor already
performed in dallying with him.
Another new letter Of great politi-
cal and personal value is that of April
6, 1860, TO r. VI. Corwine, of Ohio.
In Il Lincoln comments shrewdly on
some Of the other candidates for the
Republican Presidential nomination as
follows:
Remembering that when not a very
great man begins to be mentioned
for very great position his head
is likely 20 be a little turned, |
conclude ! an not the fttest person
20 answer the questions you ask
Making due allowance for this.
think that Mr.. Seward is the very
best candidate we could have for the
North of Illinois and the very worst
for the South Of 1t. The estimate
of Governor Chase here is neither
better nor worse than that of Sew
ard, except that he is a newer man.
They are regarded as being almost
the same, seniority giving Seward
the inside track. Mr.. Bates, think.
would be the best man for the South
OF our state and the worst for the
North Of it. II Judge Mclean was
fifteen or even ten years younger, !
think he would be stronger than
either in our state, taken as
whole; but his great age and the
recollection Of the deaths of Harri-
son and Taylor have, so far, pre-
vented his being much spoken of
here.
feel that we can carry the state
for either OF them, or for any one
who may be nominated; but doubt
less il would be easier 70 do it with
some than with others. feel my
self disqualified TO speak of myself
in this matter.
Three highly important letters are
those 70 John J. Crittenden, December
%. 1859, on the question Of a com
promise platform for 1850; 70 Alexan-
der H. Stephens. January 10, 1850, on
the secession issue (this is the longest
letter in the book, and Lincoln saws
of il himself. This is the longest
letter ever dictated 'or wrote and
TO Carl Schurz, November 10, 1852, on
the result. Of the 1862 elections. All
have been published before, however.
In the CrittendeI. letter this charac-
teristic passage appears: Father told
q story Of man in your parts re-
cuired 20 give a warrantee bill of sale