Blandinsville, Oct 26, 1858

A. Sympson, Esq.

Dear sir:—­Since parting with you this morning I heard some things which make me believe that Edmunds and Morrill will spend this week among the National Democrats, trying to induce them to content themselves by voting for Jake Davis, and then to vote for the Douglas candidates for senator and representative.  Have this headed off, if you can.  Call Wagley’s attention to it and have him and the National Democrat for Rep. to counteract it as far as they can.

Yours as ever,

A. Lincoln.

SENATORIAL ELECTION LOST AND OUT OF MONEY

To N. B. Judd.

SPRINGFIELD, NOVEMBER 16, 1858

HON.  N. B. JUDD

Dear sir:—­Yours of the 15th is just received.  I wrote you the same day.  As to the pecuniary matter, I am willing to pay according to my ability; but I am the poorest hand living to get others to pay.  I have been on expenses so long without earning anything that I am absolutely without money now for even household purposes.  Still, if you can put in two hundred and fifty dollars for me toward discharging the debt of the committee, I will allow it when you and I settle the private matter between us.  This, with what I have already paid, and with an outstanding note of mine, will exceed my subscription of five hundred dollars.  This, too, is exclusive of my ordinary expenses during the campaign, all of which, being added to my loss of time and business, bears pretty heavily upon one no better off in [this] world’s goods than I; but as I had the post of honor, it is not for me to be over nice.  You are feeling badly,—­“And this too shall pass away,” never fear.

Yours as ever,

A. Lincoln.

THE FIGHT MUST GO ON

To H. Asbury.

Springfield, November 19, 1858.

Henry Asbury, Esq.

Dear sir:—­Yours of the 13th was received some days ago.  The fight must go on.  The cause of civil liberty must not be surrendered at the end of one or even one hundred defeats.  Douglas had the ingenuity to be supported in the late contest both as the best means to break down and to uphold the slave interest.  No ingenuity can keep these antagonistic elements in harmony long.  Another explosion will soon come.

Yours truly,

A. Lincoln.

REALIZATION THAT DEBATES MUST BE SAVED

To C. H. Ray.

Springfield, Nov.20, 1858

DR. C. H. RAY

My dear sir:—­I wish to preserve a set of the late debates (if they may be called so), between Douglas and myself.  To enable me to do so, please get two copies of each number of your paper containing the whole, and send them to me by express; and I will pay you for the papers and for your trouble.  I wish the two sets in order to lay one away in the [undecipherable word] and to put the other in a scrapbook.  Remember, if part of any debate is on both sides of the sheet it will take two sets to make one scrap-book.