Year: 1860

From the Chicago Tribune
AN INTERESTING LETTER-LINCOLN'S


OLD RAIL-MAULING PARTNER.


We find the following interesting letter from
John Hanks--LincOln's early partner in the
business-in the Decatur Chr0a-
icle Hanks is an honest old Jackson Democrat
ic farmer, who shared with the next President
the privatiOns and hardships OF pioneer life in
Illinois, before the days of railroads and canals.
His letter is plain unvarished statement, that
will find response in the breasts of hundreds
of old Democratic farmers of the pioneer times ::
Editor of the Decatur Chronicle


DEAR SIR-The following item appeared IN the Column
bus Statesman, few days ago, which take from the
Coles County Ledger HANKS AGAINST LINCOLN"
" We informed day two ago by delegate to the
Baltimore Convention, who called at oar office that John
rails about which the Republicans are making such a
terrible hubbub has announced himself opposed to the
election Of Lincoln. Hanks, who has been Demo
crat against the Republican nominee because he knows
Lincoln to be humbug, and nothing else Hurrsh for
Hank"


To this article l desire briefly to reply. If
nv choice for President, or how shall vote as
between the candidates for that office, is worth
considering at all, claim it as simple right
to be correctly represented. l am but far
mer and regret to say not an educated one. l
have never been candidate for any Office, nor
do expect ever to be whilst can with all
thruthfulness say this, yet have never been a
negative man in politics. From my boyhOod l
have been a constant voter with the Democrat
c party in all essential elections; 1 have
thought that party to be upright and straight
forward in all the principles it has really adop-
ted So late as 1858 voted for Mr.. Douglas,
and against my old friend Lincoln. For forty
years l have looked upon the party in pride
and hailed its success with pleasure but as
Mr.. Douglas made a speech in Decatur in 1858,
and in my hearing spoke so pleasantly and so
honorably of the old Whig party and Of Mr.
Clay, it's leader, after having for fifteen years
in discussing general politics, when l used to
love to listen to him so we'll spoke so complain
ingly and abusively Of that party and of Mr.
Clay, charging upon it and him many bad and
mean things, until listening to him learned
to look upon both as dangerous and full of evil
the thought struck Inc that for the future
would never judge Of party or its leaders by
what an opponent might say, and this cOnclu
sion mean to follow the balance of my life
How foolish it is to abuse party because my
friend may do so, and then praise the same par
ty because that friend may do so; he may be
designing-I would in all probability be q
dupe.


Ever since Mr.. Douglas made that speech ir
1858. he has been abusing the Republicans jus
like he used to abuse the old Wings. | an
tired of this kind of warfare, think it is no
right to do SO, and as Mr.. Douglas further sale
in that speech that he was in the habit of some
times changing his politics, do not know bu
it was about time for him to begin to excus
and cease to abuse the Republicans. and mad
up my mind to let him 60 in time. Now, as I,
to entirely changing my politics, cannot sa,
have done this-but for the life of me Cal
see nothing in the Republican party that an,
honest Democrat can seriously oppose. 1t i
| true, were they such party as Mr.. Dougla
| used to say they were. could see objectiOnabl
features about it but then is it wise to believ
everything Mr.. Douglas has said, when he tell
US he sometimes changes, and when We hav
near us honest men known to be purely homes
for more than thirty years, who deny all thi
and propose to tell us the true state of the cast
and to give Us the true principles of that party
/ think not. Besides this. We have for yeaI
been opposed, in politics, to man who ha
again and again seen his party defeated. an
has himself sometimes failed. and still seen tbs
man true to his cOlOrs on the side of victor
when all the time We knew he had but I
change once to win, and yet has never change,
/ think may say never faltered, how are we
respect him? Such a man have known NJ
Lincoln for thirty years to BE-. In boyhoC
days together many are the days We ha,
lugged the heavy oar on the Ohio, the IllinO
and the Mississippi river together; many a
the long cold days we have journeyed over Il
wild prairies and through the forest with gr
and axe, and though it is not pleasant to ref


back to it, well do remember when we S
out together in the cold winter to cut and ma


rails on the Sangamon river, in Macon count


thirty years ago to enclose his fathers lit
home and from day to day kept at work unt


the whole was finished and the homestead fenct
; in; We often swapped work in this way, al


yet during the many years we were connect


together as laborers, sometimes tlat-bOatin


sometimes hog-driving, sometimes railmakin
and too, when it was nearly impossible to G
books, he was constant reader; was liste


er; he settled all disputes of all the young IN
in the neighborhood, and his decisions were


ways abided by. never knew a man so be


est under all circumstances, for his whole Ii


Thus associated with Mr.. Lincoln, learn


to love him, and when in 1855 he was q cam


date for the first time within my reach, agail


my convictions, my old party ties induced /


to vote for Mr.. Douglas my Democratic frier


all declared Lincoln was an abolitionist !;
heard him make speech in Decatur just beft
the election, and l could see nothing bad
!. it; but was told by the party he was wron
I could not see how he could be, but they 5:
!. so, and l was Democrat and went it.
wife used to say to me that some day A


would come ont and be something; thoul
. 20 too, but could not see exactly how q man


the lower walks Of life. day laborer, and ho
+. lessly poor, would ever stand much chance


get up high in the world at last one day


home, we heard that the Republican State c
70 vention vas to be held at Decatur, and {


they were going for Abe for President.