细节
LINCOLN, ABRAHAM, President. Autograph letter signed ("A. Lincoln") to John Bennett of Petersburg; Springfield, [Illinois,], 7 March 1843. 2 pages, 4to, integral address leaf with panel in Lincoln's hand "per favor of Mr. Miles," discreetly silked, small seal hole carefully patched.
LINCOLN'S FIRST BID FOR NATIONAL OFFICE
An early political letter which furnishes good insights into the complex and turbulent political processes in Illinois in which Lincoln developed and sharpened his skills and refined his prose style during his early career. The letter concerns Lincoln's first bid for national office: his unsuccessful 1843 campaign for the Whig nomination for the Congressional seat of the seventh district of Illinois. Writing to Bennett, a Whig friend from Menard [check] County, Lincoln unqualifiedly reveals his authorship of the "Address to the People of Illinois" (a Whig campaign circular issued three days before this letter) in which he used for the first time the phrase "unity is strength," and the metaphor "a house divided against itself cannot stand" (Basler, 1:315), which Lincoln was to allude to, later, in different contexts and larger political arenas. In his carefully orchestrated campaign for this nomination, Lincoln afforded clear evidence of his visionary but sharply pragmatic political style, even though he did not win the nomination, or the seat in Congress, until 1846, and even then only after considerable struggle. "Circumstances delayed his election ... but it was Lincoln's own astuteness and patience which found the means to his ultimate success" (Donald Riddle, Congressman Abraham Lincoln, p. 4).
"Friend Bennett: Your letter of this day was handed me by Mr. George U.] Miles [another Whig of Menard County]. It is too late now to affect 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 also were 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 arguement in favor of conventions; and although I wrote it myself, I will say to you, that it is conclusive upon this point--that it cannot be reasonably answered.
"The right way for you to do, is to hold your meeting and appoint delegates anyhow; and if there be any who will not take part, let it be so. The matter [the campaign and election] will work so well this time that even those who now oppose will come in next time.
"The convention is to be held at Tremont on the 5th April, and according to the rule we have adopted your county is to have two delegates, being double the number of your representatives [to keep the representation propoertional beased on population]. If there be any good Whig who is disposed still to stick out against conventions, get him at least to read the arguement in their favor in the address. Yours as ever A. Lincoln."
Illinois' seventh district was a Whig stronghold in an mostly Democratic state. A Whig able to secure the party nomination was virtually assured of election, provided the Whigs did not split into factions. Sometime in the winter of 1842-43, Lincoln, who had not held office since leaving his seat in the state Legislature in 1841, decided to seek the nomination. The first extant evidence is a letter of 14 February 1843 to A. Hull (Basler 1:306-7), where he says simply: "I would like to be it's [the district's] representative" (Basler 1:306-7). On 1 March, he attended a Whig assembly at Springfield whose resolutions recommended that each of the 11 counties in the District hold a convention to choose delegates for a district convention at which the nominee would be selected. (This, it was hoped, would ensure Whig unity in the general election.) Three days later, the "Address to the People of Illinois" was published (Basler 1:253-259). In it, Lincoln displayed the lucidity of his political prose, and conceptually "showed himself to be far in advance of his fellow leaders of the Illinois Whigs...." (Riddle, Lincoln Runs for Congress, 1948, p. 62).
The day before the present letter, as Lincoln here explains, a Springfield meeting had scheduled the Whig District Convention for April 5, at Tremont. But three candidates of similar accomplishments, age and ambition -- friends, to boot -- sought the nomination: Edward Dickinson Baker of Springfield, John J. Hardin of Jacksonville and Lincoln. At the Sangamon County Convention, on March 20, Baker and Lincoln both had strong support but after several ballots, Baker was selected. Ironically, the same meeting made Lincoln chairman of the county's delegation to the district convention, and instructed him to cast their ballots for Baker's nomination! His situation, Lincoln complained to Joshua F. Speed, was like a rejected suitor "who is made groomsman to the man what has cut him out, and is marrying his own dear 'gal'" (Basler 1:319).
Lincoln continued to lobby behind the scenes, hoping a deadlock at the convention might bring his name to the fore-front. He suggested that the Mason and Menard County Whigs designate first, second and third choices, and at Petersburg on 1 April, the Menard Whigs made Lincoln its first choice. The District Convention, held at Pekin on May 1, was indeed deadlocked, until Lincoln, as chairman of Sangamon's delegation, withdrew Baker's name so that Hardin could be the unanimous nominee. Then he introduced the resolution later known as the "Pekin Agreement," by which the three would each run for the Congressional seat in rotation, not opposing each other; Hardin to be the candidate in 1843, Baker in 1844, and Lincoln in 1846. (When Lincoln's "turn" came, though, Hardin refused to honor the agreement.)
LINCOLN'S FIRST BID FOR NATIONAL OFFICE
An early political letter which furnishes good insights into the complex and turbulent political processes in Illinois in which Lincoln developed and sharpened his skills and refined his prose style during his early career. The letter concerns Lincoln's first bid for national office: his unsuccessful 1843 campaign for the Whig nomination for the Congressional seat of the seventh district of Illinois. Writing to Bennett, a Whig friend from Menard [check] County, Lincoln unqualifiedly reveals his authorship of the "Address to the People of Illinois" (a Whig campaign circular issued three days before this letter) in which he used for the first time the phrase "unity is strength," and the metaphor "a house divided against itself cannot stand" (Basler, 1:315), which Lincoln was to allude to, later, in different contexts and larger political arenas. In his carefully orchestrated campaign for this nomination, Lincoln afforded clear evidence of his visionary but sharply pragmatic political style, even though he did not win the nomination, or the seat in Congress, until 1846, and even then only after considerable struggle. "Circumstances delayed his election ... but it was Lincoln's own astuteness and patience which found the means to his ultimate success" (Donald Riddle, Congressman Abraham Lincoln, p. 4).
"Friend Bennett: Your letter of this day was handed me by Mr. George U.] Miles [another Whig of Menard County]. It is too late now to affect 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 also were 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 arguement in favor of conventions; and although I wrote it myself, I will say to you, that it is conclusive upon this point--that it cannot be reasonably answered.
"The right way for you to do, is to hold your meeting and appoint delegates anyhow; and if there be any who will not take part, let it be so. The matter [the campaign and election] will work so well this time that even those who now oppose will come in next time.
"The convention is to be held at Tremont on the 5th April, and according to the rule we have adopted your county is to have two delegates, being double the number of your representatives [to keep the representation propoertional beased on population]. If there be any good Whig who is disposed still to stick out against conventions, get him at least to read the arguement in their favor in the address. Yours as ever A. Lincoln."
Illinois' seventh district was a Whig stronghold in an mostly Democratic state. A Whig able to secure the party nomination was virtually assured of election, provided the Whigs did not split into factions. Sometime in the winter of 1842-43, Lincoln, who had not held office since leaving his seat in the state Legislature in 1841, decided to seek the nomination. The first extant evidence is a letter of 14 February 1843 to A. Hull (Basler 1:306-7), where he says simply: "I would like to be it's [the district's] representative" (Basler 1:306-7). On 1 March, he attended a Whig assembly at Springfield whose resolutions recommended that each of the 11 counties in the District hold a convention to choose delegates for a district convention at which the nominee would be selected. (This, it was hoped, would ensure Whig unity in the general election.) Three days later, the "Address to the People of Illinois" was published (Basler 1:253-259). In it, Lincoln displayed the lucidity of his political prose, and conceptually "showed himself to be far in advance of his fellow leaders of the Illinois Whigs...." (Riddle, Lincoln Runs for Congress, 1948, p. 62).
The day before the present letter, as Lincoln here explains, a Springfield meeting had scheduled the Whig District Convention for April 5, at Tremont. But three candidates of similar accomplishments, age and ambition -- friends, to boot -- sought the nomination: Edward Dickinson Baker of Springfield, John J. Hardin of Jacksonville and Lincoln. At the Sangamon County Convention, on March 20, Baker and Lincoln both had strong support but after several ballots, Baker was selected. Ironically, the same meeting made Lincoln chairman of the county's delegation to the district convention, and instructed him to cast their ballots for Baker's nomination! His situation, Lincoln complained to Joshua F. Speed, was like a rejected suitor "who is made groomsman to the man what has cut him out, and is marrying his own dear 'gal'" (Basler 1:319).
Lincoln continued to lobby behind the scenes, hoping a deadlock at the convention might bring his name to the fore-front. He suggested that the Mason and Menard County Whigs designate first, second and third choices, and at Petersburg on 1 April, the Menard Whigs made Lincoln its first choice. The District Convention, held at Pekin on May 1, was indeed deadlocked, until Lincoln, as chairman of Sangamon's delegation, withdrew Baker's name so that Hardin could be the unanimous nominee. Then he introduced the resolution later known as the "Pekin Agreement," by which the three would each run for the Congressional seat in rotation, not opposing each other; Hardin to be the candidate in 1843, Baker in 1844, and Lincoln in 1846. (When Lincoln's "turn" came, though, Hardin refused to honor the agreement.)