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difference　between　them。　　If　the　Whig　abolitionists　of　New　York

had　voted　with　us　last　fall；　Mr。　Clay　would　now　be　President；

Whig　principles　in　the　ascendant；　and　Texas　not　annexed；　whereas；

by　the　division；　all　that　either　had　at　stake　in　the　contest　was

lost。　　And；　indeed；　it　was　extremely　probable；　beforehand；　that

such　would　be　the　result。　　As　I　always　understood；　the　Liberty

men　deprecated　the　annexation　of　Texas　extremely；　and　this　being

so；　why　they　should　refuse　to　cast　their　votes　＇so＇　as　to　prevent

it；　even　to　me　seemed　wonderful。　　What　was　their　process　of

reasoning；　I　can　only　judge　from　what　a　single　one　of　them　told

me。　　It　was　this：　〃We　are　not　to　do　evil　that　good　may　come。〃

This　general　proposition　is　doubtless　correct；　but　did　it　apply？

If　by　your　votes　you　could　have　prevented　the　extension；　etc。；　of

slavery　would　it　not　have　been　good；　and　not　evil；　so　to　have

used　your　votes；　even　though　it　involved　the　casting　of　them　for

a　slaveholder？　　　By　the　fruit　the　tree　is　to　be　known。　　An　evil

tree　cannot　bring　forth　good　fruit。　　If　the　fruit　of　electing　Mr。

Clay　would　have　been　to　prevent　the　extension　of　slavery；　could

the　act　of　electing　have　been　evil？



But　I　will　not　argue　further。　　I　perhaps　ought　to　say　that

individually　I　never　was　much　interested　in　the　Texas　question。

I　never　could　see　much　good　to　come　of　annexation；　inasmuch　as

they　were　already　a　free　republican　people　on　our　own　model。　　On

the　other　hand；　I　never　could　very　clearly　see　how　the　annexation

would　augment　the　evil　of　slavery。　　It　always　seemed　to　me　that

slaves　would　be　taken　there　in　about　equal　numbers；　with　or

without　annexation。　　And　if　more　were　taken　because　of

annexation；　still　there　would　be　just　so　many　the　fewer　left

where　they　were　taken　from。　　It　is　possibly　true；　to　some　extent；

that；　with　annexation；　some　slaves　may　be　sent　to　Texas　and

continued　in　slavery　that　otherwise　might　have　been　liberated。

To　whatever　extent　this　may　be　true；　I　think　annexation　an　evil。

I　hold　it　to　be　a　paramount　duty　of　us　in　the　free　States；　due　to

the　Union　of　the　States；　and　perhaps　to　liberty　itself　（paradox

though　it　may　seem）；　to　let　the　slavery　of　the　other　States

alone；　while；　on　the　other　hand；　I　hold　it　to　be　equally　clear

that　we　should　never　knowingly　lend　ourselves；　directly　or

indirectly；　to　prevent　that　slavery　from　dying　a　natural　death

to　find　new　places　for　it　to　live　in　when　it　can　no　longer　exist

in　the　old。　　Of　course　I　am　not　now　considering　what　would　be　our

duty　in　cases　of　insurrection　among　the　slaves。　　To　recur　to　the

Texas　question；　I　understand　the　Liberty　men　to　have　viewed

annexation　as　a　much　greater　evil　than　ever　I　did；　and　I　would

like　to　convince　you；　if　I　could；　that　they　could　have　prevented

it；　if　they　had　chosen。　　I　intend　this　letter　for　you　and　Madison

together；　and　if　you　and　he　or　either　shall　think　fit　to　drop　me

a　line；　I　shall　be　pleased。



Yours　with　respect；



A。　LINCOLN。









1846





REQUEST　FOR　POLITICAL　SUPPORT



TO　Dr。　ROBERT　BOAL。

SPRINGFIELD；　January　7；　1846。



Dr。　ROBERT　BOAL；　Lacon；　Ill。



DEAR　DOCTOR：Since　I　saw　you　last　fall；　I　have　often　thought　of

writing　to　you；　as　it　was　then　understood　I　would；　but；　on

reflection；　I　have　always　found　that　I　had　nothing　new　to　tell

you。　　All　has　happened　as　I　then　told　you　I　expected　it　would

Baker's　declining；　Hardin's　taking　the　track；　and　so　on。



If　Hardin　and　I　stood　precisely　equal；　if　neither　of　us　had　been

to　Congress；　or　if　we　both　had；　it　would　only　accord　with　what　I

have　always　done；　for　the　sake　of　peace；　to　give　way　to　him；　and

I　expect　I　should　do　it。　　That　I　can　voluntarily　postpone　my

pretensions；　when　they　are　no　more　than　equal　to　those　to　which

they　are　postponed；　you　have　yourself　seen。　　But　to　yield　to

Hardin　under　present　circumstances　seems　to　me　as　nothing　else

than　yielding　to　one　who　would　gladly　sacrifice　me　altogether。

This　I　would　rather　not　submit　to。　　That　Hardin　is　talented；

energetic；　usually　generous　and　magnanimous；　I　have　before　this

affirmed　to　you　and　do　not　deny。　　You　know　that　my　only　argument

is　that　〃turn　about　is　fair　play。〃　This　he；　practically　at　least；

denies。



If　it　would　not　be　taxing　you　too　much；　I　wish　you　would　write

me；　telling　the　aspect　of　things　in　your　country；　or　rather　your

district；　and　also；　send　the　names　of　some　of　your　Whig

neighbors；　to　whom　I　might；　with　propriety；　write。　　Unless　I　can

get　some　one　to　do　this；　Hardin；　with　his　old　franking　list；　will

have　the　advantage　of　me。　　My　reliance　for　a　fair　shake　（and　I

want　nothing　more）　in　your　country　is　chiefly　on　you；　because　of

your　position　and　standing；　and　because　I　am　acquainted　with　so

few　others。　　Let　me　hear　from　you　soon。



Yours　truly；



A。　LINCOLN。









TO　JOHN　BENNETT。



SPRINGFIELD；　Jan。　15；　1846。



JOHN　BENNETT。



FRIEND　JOHN：



Nathan　Dresser　is　here；　and　speaks　as　though　the　contest　between

Hardin　and　me　is　to　be　doubtful　in　Menard　County。　　I　know　he　is

candid　and　this　alarms　me　some。　　I　asked　him　to　tell　me　the　names

of　the　men　that　were　going　strong　for　Hardin；　he　said　Morris　was

about　as　strong　as　any…now　tell　me；　is　Morris　going　it　openly？

You　remember　you　wrote　me　that　he　would　be　neutral。　　Nathan　also

said　that　some　man；　whom　he　could　not　remember；　had　said　lately

that　Menard　County　was　going　to　decide　the　contest　and　that　made

thL；　contest　very　doubtful。　　Do　you　know　who　that　was？　　Don't

fail　to　write　me　instantly　on　receiving　this；　telling　me　all…

particularly　the　names　of　those　who　are　going　strong　against　me。



Yours　as　ever；



A。　LINCOLN。









TO　N。　J。　ROCKWELL。



SPRINGFIELD；　January　21；　1846。



DEAR　SIR：You　perhaps　know　that　General　Hardin　and　I　have　a

contest　for　the　Whig　nomination　for　Congress　for　this　district。



He　has　had　a　turn　and　my　argument　is　〃turn　about　is　fair　play。〃



I　shall　be　pleased　if　this　strikes　you　as　a　sufficient

argument。



Yours　truly；



A。　LINCOLN。









TO　JAMES　BERDAN。



SPRINGFIELD；　April　26；　1846。



DEAR　SIR：I　thank　you　for　the　promptness　with　which　you　answered

my　letter　from　Bloomington。　　I　also　thank　you　for　the　frankness

with　which　you　comment　upon　a　certain　part　of　my　letter；　because

that　comment　affords　me　an　opportunity　of　trying　to　express

myself　better　than　I　did　before；　seeing；　as　I　do；　that　in　that

part　of　my　letter；　you　have　not　understood　me　as　I　intended　to　be

understood。



In　speaking　of　the　〃dissatisfaction〃　of　men　who　yet　mean　to　do　no

wrong；　etc。；　I　mean　no　special　application　of　what　I　said　to　the

Whigs　of　Morgan；　or　of　Morgan　&　Scott。　　I　only　had　in　my　mind　the

fact　that　previous　to　General　Hardin's　withdrawal　some　of　his

friends　and　some　of　mine　had　become　a　little　warm；　and　I　felt；

and　meant　to　say；　that　for　them　now　to　meet　face　to　face　and

converse　together　was　the　best　way　to　efface　any　remnant　of

unpleasant　feeling；　if　any　such　existed。



I　did　not　suppose　that　General　Hardin's　friends　were　in　any

greater　need　of　having　their　feelings　corrected　than　mine　were。

Since　I　saw　you　at　Jacksonville；　I　have　had　no　more　suspicion　of

the　Whigs　of　Morgan　than　of　those　of　any　other　part　of　the

district。　　I　write　this　only　to　try　to　remove　any　impression　that

I　distrust　you　and　the　other　Whigs　of　your　country。



Yours　truly；



A。　LINCOLN。









TO　JAMES　BERDAN。



SPRINGFIELD；　May　7；　1866。



DEAR　SIR：It　is　a　matter　of　high　moral　obligation；　if　not　of

necessity；　for　me　to　attend　the　Coles　and　Edwards　courts。　　I　have

some　cases　in　both　of　them；　in　which　the　parties　have　my　promise；

and　are　depending　upon　me。　　The　court　commences　in　Coles　on　the

second　Monday；　and　in　Edgar　on　the　third。　　Your　court　in　Morgan

commences　on　the　fourth　Monday；　and　it　is　my　purpose　to　be　with

you　then；　and　make　a　speech。　　I　mention　the　Coles　and　Edgar

courts　in　order　that　if　I　should　not　reach　Jacksonville　at　the

time　named　you　may　understand　the　reason　why。　　I　do　not；　however；

think　there　is　much　danger　of　my　being　detained；　as　I　shall　go

with　a　purpose　not　to　be；　and　consequently　shall　engage　in　no　new

cases　that　might　delay　me。



Yours　truly；



A。　LINCOLN。









VERSES　WRITTEN　BY　LINCOLN　AFTER　A　VISIT　TO　HIS　OLD　HOME　IN

INDIANA…（A　FRAGMENT）。



＇In　December；　1847；　when　Lincoln　was　stumping　for　Clay；　he

crossed　into　Indiana　and　revisited　his　old　home。　　He　writes：

〃That　part　of　the　country　is　within　itself　as　unpoetical　as　any

spot　on　earth；　but　still　seeing　it　and　its　objects　and

inhabitants　aroused　feelings　in　me　which　were　certainly　poetry；

though　whether　my　expression　of　these　feelings　is　poetry；　is

quite　another　question。〃＇





Near　twenty　years　have　passed　away

Since　here　I　bid　farewell

To　woods　and　fields；　and　scenes　of　play；

And　playmates　loved　so　well。



Where　many　were；　but