While acting as their representative, I shall be governed by their will on all subjects upon which I have the means of knowing what their will is; and upon all others, I shall do what my own judgment teaches me will best advance their interests.  Whether elected or not, I go for distributing the proceeds of the sales of public lands to the several States, to enable our State, in common with others, to dig canals and construct railroads without borrowing money and paying the interest on it.

    “If alive on the first Monday in November, I shall vote for
    Hugh L. White for President.

    “Very respectfully,
    “A.  Lincoln.”

The campaign which Lincoln began with this letter was in every way more exciting for him than those of 1832 and 1834.  Since the last election a census had been taken in Illinois which showed so large an increase in the population that the legislative districts had been reapportioned and the General Assembly increased by fifty members.  In this reapportionment Sangamon County’s delegation had been enlarged to seven representatives and two senators.  This gave large new opportunity to political ambition, and doubled the enthusiasm of political meetings.

But the increase of the representation was not all that made the campaign exciting.  Party lines had never before been so clearly drawn, nor personal abuse quite so intense.  One of Lincoln’s first acts was to answer a personal attack.  He did it in a letter marked by candor, good-humor, and shrewdness.

    “New Salem, June 21, 1836. 
    “Dear Colonel: 

“I am told that during my absence last week you passed through the place and stated publicly that you were in possession of a fact or facts which, if known to the public, would entirely destroy the prospects of N.W.  Edwards and myself at the ensuing election; but that through favor to us you would forbear to divulge them.  No one has needed favors more than I, and generally few have been less unwilling to accept them; but in this case favor to me would be injustice to the public, and therefore I must beg your pardon for declining it.  That I once had the confidence of the people of Sangamon County is sufficiently evident; and if I have done anything, either by design or misadventure, which if known would subject me to a forfeiture of that confidence, he that knows of that thing and conceals it is a traitor to his country’s interest.

“I find myself wholly unable to form any conjecture of what fact or facts, real or supposed, you spoke; but my opinion of your veracity will not permit me for a moment to doubt that you at least believed what you said.  I am flattered with the personal regard you manifested for me; but I do hope that on mature reflection you will view the public interest as a paramount consideration and therefore let the worst come.

    “I assure you that the candid statement of facts on your part,
    however low it may sink me, shall never break the ties of
    personal friendship between us.