Writings of Abraham Lincoln, the

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Yours very truly,

A. Lincoln.

TO HANNIBAL HAMLIN

Springfield, Illinois, September 4, 1860

Hon. Hannibal Hamlin.

My dear sir:—I am annoyed some by a letter from a friend in Chicago, in which the following passage occurs: “Hamlin has written Colfax that two members of Congress will, he fears, be lost in Maine, the first and sixth districts; and that Washburne’s majority for governor will not exceed six thousand.”

I had heard something like this six weeks ago, but had been assured since that it was not so. Your secretary of state,—Mr. Smith, I think,—whom you introduced to me by letter, gave this assurance; more recently, Mr. Fessenden, our candidate for Congress in one of those districts, wrote a relative here that his election was sure by at least five thousand, and that Washburne’s majority would be from 14,000 to 17,000; and still later, Mr. Fogg, of New Hampshire, now at New York serving on a national committee, wrote me that we were having a desperate fight in Maine, which would end in a splendid victory for us.

Such a result as you seem to have predicted in Maine, in your letter to Colfax, would, I fear, put us on the down-hill track, lose us the State elections in Pennsylvania and Indiana, and probably ruin us on the main turn in November.

You must not allow it.

Yours very truly,

A. Lincoln.

TO E. B. WASHBURNE.

Springfield, Illinois, September 9, 1860

Hon. E. B. WASHBURNE.

My dear sir: Yours of the 5th was received last evening. I was right glad to see it. It contains the freshest “posting” which I now have. It relieved me some from a little anxiety I had about Maine. Jo Medill, on August 30th, wrote me that Colfax had a letter from Mr. Hamlin saying we were in great danger of losing two members of Congress in Maine, and that your brother would not have exceeding six thousand majority for Governor. I addressed you at once, at Galena, asking for your latest information. As you are at Washington, that letter you will receive some time after the Maine election.

Yours very truly,

A. Lincoln.

TO W. H. HERNDON.

SPRINGFIELD, ILL., OCTOBER 10, 1860

Dear William:—I cannot give you details, but it is entirely certain that Pennsylvania and Indiana have gone Republican very largely. Pennsylvania 25,000, and Indiana 5000 to 10,000. Ohio of course is safe.

Yours as ever,

A. Lincoln.