Mr. Lincoln went on to say that he honestly believed that all those who wished to keep up the character of the Union; who did not believe in enlarging our field, but in keeping our fences where they are and cultivating our present possessions, making it a garden, improving the morals and education of the people, devoting the administrations to this purpose; all real Whigs, friends of good honest government—­the race was ours.  He had opportunities of hearing from almost every part of the Union from reliable sources and had not heard of a county in which we had not received accessions from other parties.  If the true Whigs come forward and join these new friends, they need not have a doubt.  We had a candidate whose personal character and principles he had already described, whom he could not eulogize if he would.  Gen. Taylor had been constantly, perseveringly, quietly standing up, doing his duty and asking no praise or reward for it.  He was and must be just the man to whom the interests, principles, and prosperity of the country might be safely intrusted.  He had never failed in anything he had undertaken, although many of his duties had been considered almost impossible.

Mr. Lincoln then went into a terse though rapid review of the origin of the Mexican War and the connection of the administration and General Taylor with it, from which he deduced a strong appeal to the Whigs present to do their duty in the support of General Taylor, and closed with the warmest aspirations for and confidence in a deserved success.

At the close of his truly masterly and convincing speech, the audience gave three enthusiastic cheers for Illinois, and three more for the eloquent Whig member from the State.

HIS FATHER’S REQUEST FOR MONEY

TO THOMAS LINCOLN

Washington, Dec. 24, 1848.

My dear father:—­Your letter of the 7th was received night before last.  I very cheerfully send you the twenty dollars, which sum you say is necessary to save your land from sale.  It is singular that you should have forgotten a judgment against you; and it is more singular that the plaintiff should have let you forget it so long; particularly as I suppose you always had property enough to satisfy a judgment of that amount.  Before you pay it, it would be well to be sure you have not paid, or at least, that you cannot prove you have paid it.

Give my love to mother and all the connections.  Affectionately your son, A. Lincoln.

1849

BILL TO ABOLISH SLAVERY IN THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA

Resolved, That the Committee on the District of Columbia be instructed to report a bill in substance as follows: 

Sec. 1.  Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States, in Congress assembled, That no person not now within the District of Columbia, nor now owned by any person or persons now resident within it, nor hereafter born within it, shall ever be held in slavery within said District.