Writings of Abraham Lincoln, the — Volume 1: 1832-1843 eBook

This eBook from the Gutenberg Project consists of approximately 280 pages of information about Writings of Abraham Lincoln, the — Volume 1.

Writings of Abraham Lincoln, the — Volume 1: 1832-1843 eBook

This eBook from the Gutenberg Project consists of approximately 280 pages of information about Writings of Abraham Lincoln, the — Volume 1.

I might easily write a volume, pointing out inconsistencies between the statements in Adams’s last address with one another, and with other known facts; but I am aware the reader must already be tired with the length of this article.  His opening statements, that he was first accused of being a Tory, and that he refuted that; that then the Sampson’s ghost story was got up, and he refuted that; that as a last resort, a dying effort, the assignment charge was got up is all as false as hell, as all this community must know.  Sampson’s ghost first made its appearance in print, and that, too, after Keys swears he saw the assignment, as any one may see by reference to the files of papers; and Gen. Adams himself, in reply to the Sampson’s ghost story, was the first man that raised the cry of toryism, and it was only by way of set-off, and never in seriousness, that it was bandied back at him.  His effort is to make the impression that his enemies first made the charge of toryism and he drove them from that, then Sampson’s ghost, he drove them from that, then finally the assignment charge was manufactured just before election.  Now, the only general reply he ever made to the Sampson’s ghost and tory charges he made at one and the same time, and not in succession as he states; and the date of that reply will show, that it was made at least a month after the date on which Keys swears he saw the Anderson assignment.  But enough.  In conclusion I will only say that I have a character to defend as well as Gen. Adams, but I disdain to whine about it as he does.  It is true I have no children nor kitchen boys; and if I had, I should scorn to lug them in to make affidavits for me.

A. Lincoln, September 6, 1837.

Gen. ADAMS CONTROVERSY—­CONTINUED

To the public.

Sangamon journal,” Springfield, Ill, Oct.28, 1837.

Such is the turn which things have taken lately, that when Gen. Adams writes a book, I am expected to write a commentary on it.  In the Republican of this morning he has presented the world with a new work of six columns in length; in consequence of which I must beg the room of one column in the Journal.  It is obvious that a minute reply cannot be made in one column to everything that can be said in six; and, consequently, I hope that expectation will be answered if I reply to such parts of the General’s publication as are worth replying to.

It may not be improper to remind the reader that in his publication of Sept. 6th General Adams said that the assignment charge was manufactured just before the election; and that in reply I proved that statement to be false by Keys, his own witness.  Now, without attempting to explain, he furnishes me with another witness (Tinsley) by which the same thing is proved, to wit, that the assignment was not manufactured just before the election; but that it was some weeks before. 

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Writings of Abraham Lincoln, the — Volume 1: 1832-1843 from Project Gutenberg. Public domain.