Writings of Abraham Lincoln, the — Volume 1: 1832-1843 eBook
Abraham Lincoln
Your letter of this day was handed me by Mr. Miles.
It is too late now to effect the object you desire.
On yesterday morning the most of the Whig members
from this district got together and agreed to hold
the convention at Tremont in Tazewell County.
I am sorry to hear that any of the Whigs of your county,
or indeed of any county, should longer be against
conventions. On last Wednesday evening a meeting
of all the Whigs then here from all parts of the State
was held, and the question of the propriety of conventions
was brought up and fully discussed, and at the end
of the discussion a resolution recommending the system
of conventions to all the Whigs of the State was unanimously
adopted. Other resolutions were also passed,
all of which will appear in the next Journal.
The meeting also appointed a committee to draft an
address to the people of the State, which address
will also appear in the next journal.
In it you will find a brief argument in favor of conventions—and
although I wrote it myself I will say to you that it
is conclusive upon the point and can not be reasonably
answered. The right way for you to do is hold
your meeting and appoint delegates any how, and if
there be any who will not take part, let it be so.
The matter will work so well this time that even they
who now oppose will come in next time.
The convention is to be held at Tremont on the 5th
of April and according to the rule we have adopted
your county is to have delegates—being
double your representation.
If there be any good Whig who is disposed to stick
out against conventions get him at least to read the
arguement in their favor in the address.
Yours as ever,
A. Lincoln.
JOSHUA F. SPEED.
Springfield, March 24, 1843.
Dearspeed:—We had a meeting
of the Whigs of the county here on last Monday to
appoint delegates to a district convention; and Baker
beat me, and got the delegation instructed to go for
him. The meeting, in spite of my attempt to decline
it, appointed me one of the delegates; so that in
getting Baker the nomination I shall be fixed a good
deal like a fellow who is made a groomsman to a man
that has cut him out and is marrying his own dear
“gal.” About the prospects of your
having a namesake at our town, can’t say exactly
yet.
A. Lincoln.
TO MARTIN M. MORRIS.
Springfield, ill., March 26, 1843. FriendMorris:
Copyrights
Writings of Abraham Lincoln, the — Volume 1: 1832-1843 from Project Gutenberg. Public domain.
