was administered by the men who made it. At least, so I hope and believe. I thank you both for your own letter and a sight of that of Mr. Botts. JOHN B. FRY, ESQ. Yours very truly, A. LINCOLN. ABRAHAM LINCOLN TO THURLOW WEED. Springfield, Ill., August 17, 1860. My Dear Sir:-Yours of the 13th was received this morning. Douglas is managing the Bell element with great adroitness. He had his men in Kentucky to vote for the Bell candidate, producing a result which has badly alarmed and damaged Breckenridge, and at the same time has induced the Bell men to suppose that Bell will certainly be President, if they can keep a few of the northern states away from us by throwing them to Douglas. But you, better than I, can understand all this. I think there will be the most extraordinary effort ever made to carry New York for Douglas. You and all others who write me from your state think the effort can not succeed, and I hope you are right. Still it will require close watching and great efforts on the other side. Herewith I send you a copy of a letter written at New York, which sufficiently explains itself, and which may or may not give you a valuable hint. You have seen that Bell tickets have been put on the track both here and in Indiana. In both cases the object has been, I think, the same as the Hunt movement in New York-to throw states. to Douglas. In our state we know the thing is engineered by Douglas men, and we do not believe they can make a Yours very truly, great deal out of it. A. LINCOLN. THE PRESIDENT ELECT TO THURLOW WEED. Springfield, Ill., December 17, 1860. My Dear Sir:-Yours of the eleventh was received two days ago. Should the convention of governors of which you speak seem desirous to know my views on the present aspect of things, tell them you judge from my speeches that I will be inflexible on the ter-` ritorial question; that I probably think either the Missouri line extended, or Douglas's or Eli Thayer's popular sovereignty would lose us every thing we gain by the election; that filibustering for all the South of us, and making slave states of it would follow, in spite of us in either case; also, that I probably think all opposition, real and apparent, to the fugitive slave clause of the constitution ought to be withdrawn. I believe you can pretend to find but little, if any thing, in my speeches, about secession. But my opinion is that no state can in any way lawfully get out of the Union without the consent of the others; and that it is the duty of the president and other government functionaries to run the machine as it is. A. LINCOLN. Truly yours, INTERVIEW PUBLISHED IN NEW YORK TRIBUNE, JANUARY 30, 1861. I will suffer death before I will consent or advise my friends to consent to any concession or compro mise which looks like buying the privilege of taking possession of the government to which we have a constitutional right; because, whatever I might think of the merit of the various propositions before Congress, I should regard any concession in the face of menace as the destruction of the government itself, and a consent on all hands that our system shall be brought down to a level with the existing disorganized state of affairs in Mexico. But this thing will hereafter be, as it is now, in the hands of the people, and if they desire to call a convention to remove any grievances complained of, or to give new guarantees for the permanence of vested rights, it is not mine to oppose. THE PRESIDENT ELECT TO THURLOW WEED. Springfield, Ill., February 4, 1861. Dear Sir-I have both your letter to myself, and that to Judge Davis, in relation to a certain gentleman of your state, claiming to dispense patronage in my name, and also to be authorized to use my name. to advance the chances of Mr. Greeley for an election to the United States Senate. It is very strange that such things should be said by any one. The gentleman you mention did speak to me of Mr. Greeley in connection with the senatorial election, and I replied in terms of kindness towards Mr. Greeley, which I really feel, but always with an expressed protest that my name must not be used in the senatorial election in favor of or against any one. Any other representation of me is a misrepresentation. As to the matter of dispensing patronage, it will perhaps surprise you to learn that I have information that you claim to have my authority to arrange that matter in New York. I do not believe you have so claimed, but still so some men say. On that subject you know all I have said to you is "justice to all,” and I have said nothing more particular to any one. I say this to reassure you that I have not changed my position. In the hope, however, that you will not use my name in the matter, I am, yours truly, A. LINCOLN. MR. LINCOLN'S SPEECH AT SPRINGFIELD, FEBRUARY 11, 1861, ON LEAVING FOR WASHINGTON, TO BE INAUGURATED AS PRESIDENT. Friends:-No one who has never been placed in a like position can understand my feeling at this hour, nor the oppressive sadness I feel at this parting. For more than a quarter of a century I have lived among you, and during all that time I have received nothing but kindness at your hands. Here I have lived from my youth, until now I am an old man, Here the most sacred ties of earth were assumed. Here all my children were born; and here one of them lies buried. To you, dear friends, I owe all that I have, all that I am. All the strange, checkered past seems to crowd now upon my mind. To-day I leave you. I go to assume a task more difficult than that which devolved upon Washington. Unless the great God, who assisted him, shall be with and aid me, I must fail; but if the same omniscient mind and al mighty arm that directed and protected him shall guide and support me, I shall not fail-I shall succeed. Let us all pray that the God of our fathers may not forsake us now. To Him I commend you all. Permit me to ask, that, with equal sincerity and faith, you will invoke His wisdom and guidance for me. With these few words I must leave you, for how long I know not. Friends, one and all, I must now bid. you an affectionate farewell. MR. LINCOLN'S SPEECH AT INDIANAPOLIS, FEBRUARY 11, 1861. Governor Morton and Fellow-citizens of the State of Indiana-Most heartily do I thank you for this magnificent reception, and while I can not take to myself any share of the compliment thus paid, more than that which pertains to a mere instrument, an accidental instrument, perhaps I should say, of a great cause, I yet must look upon it as a most magnificent reception, and as such, most heartily do thank you for it. You have been pleased to address yourself to me chiefly in behalf of this glorious Union in which we live, in all of which you have my hearty sympathy, and, as far as may be within my power, will have, one and inseparably, my hearty consideration. While I do not expect, upon this occasion, or until I get to Washington, to attempt any lengthy speech, I will only say to the salvation of the Union, there needs but one single thing, the hearts of a people like yours. The people, when they rise in mass in behalf of the Union, and the liberties of their country, truly may |