or falsehood.  He denies that he directly is taking part in favor of Douglas, and I believe him.[1] Still his feeling constantly manifests itself in his paper, which, being so extensively read in Illinois, is, and will continue to be, a drag upon us.  I have also thought that Governor Seward, too, feels about as Greeley does; but not being a newspaper editor, his feeling in this respect is not much manifested.  I have no idea that he is, by conversation or by letter, urging Illinois Republicans to vote for Douglas.”

  [Sidenote] Lincoln to Wilson, June 1, 1858.  MS.

“As to myself, let me pledge you my word that neither I nor my friends, so far as I know, have been setting stake against Governor Seward.  No combination has been made with me, or proposed to me, in relation to the next Presidential candidate.  The same thing is true in regard to the next Governor of our State.  I am not directly or indirectly committed to any one; nor has any one made any advance to me upon the subject.  I have had many free conversations with John Wentworth; but he never dropped a remark that led me to suspect that he wishes to be Governor.  Indeed it is due to truth to say that while he has uniformly expressed himself for me, he has never hinted at any condition.  The signs are that we shall have a good convention on the 16th, and I think our prospects generally are improving some every day.  I believe we need nothing so much as to get rid of unjust suspicions of one another.”

  [Sidenote] Lincoln to Crittenden, July 7, 1858.  Mrs. Coleman, “Life
  of Crittenden,” Vol.  II., p. 162.

  [Sidenote] Crittenden to Lincoln, July 29, 1858.  Ibid., p. 163.

  [Sidenote] Crittenden to Dickey, August 1, 1858.  Ibid., p. 164.

While many alleged defections were soon disproved by the ready and loyal avowals of his friends in Illinois and elsewhere, there came to him a serious disappointment from a quarter whence he little expected it.  Early in the canvass Lincoln began to hear that Crittenden, of Kentucky, favored the reelection of Douglas, and had promised so to advise the Whigs of Illinois by a public letter.  Deeming it well-nigh incredible that a Kentucky Whig like Crittenden could take such a part against an Illinois Whig of his own standing and service, to help a life-long opponent of Clay and his cherished plans, Lincoln addressed him a private letter making the direct inquiry.  “I do not believe the story,” he wrote, “but still it gives me some uneasiness.  If such was your inclination, I do not believe you would so express yourself.  It is not in character with you as I have always estimated you.”  Crittenden’s reply, however, confirmed his worst fears.  He said he and Douglas had acted together to oppose Lecompton.  For this Douglas had been assailed, and he thought his reelection was necessary to rebuke the Buchanan Administration.  In addition Crittenden also soon wrote the expected letter for publication, in which phraseology of apparent fairness covered an urgent appeal in Douglas’s behalf.