This is as plain as adding up the weight of three small hogs.  As Mr. Fillmore has no possible chance to carry Illinois for himself, it is plainly to his interest to let Fremont take it, and thus keep it out of the hands of Buchanan.  Be not deceived.  Buchanan is the hard horse to beat in this race.  Let him have Illinois, and nothing can beat him; and he will get Illinois if men persist in throwing away votes upon Mr. Fillmore.  Does some one persuade you that Mr. Fillmore can carry Illinois?  Nonsense!  There are over seventy newspapers in Illinois opposing Buchanan, only three or four of which support Mr. Fillmore, all the rest going for Fremont.  Are not these newspapers a fair index of the proportion of the votes?  If not, tell me why.

Again, of these three or four Fillmore newspapers, two, at least, are supported in part by the Buchanan men, as I understand.  Do not they know where the shoe pinches?  They know the Fillmore movement helps them, and therefore they help it.  Do think these things over, and then act according to your judgment.

Yours very truly,
A. Lincoln

To Dr. R. Boal.

Sept. 14, 1856.

Dr. R. Boal, Lacon, Ill.

My dear sir:—­Yours of the 8th inviting me to be with [you] at Lacon on the 30th is received.  I feel that I owe you and our friends of Marshall a good deal, and I will come if I can; and if I do not get there, it will be because I shall think my efforts are now needed farther south.

Present my regards to Mrs. Boal, and believe [me], as ever,

Your friend,
A. Lincoln.

TO HENRY O’CONNER, MUSCATINE, IOWA.

Springfield, Sept. 14, 1856.

Dear sir:—­Yours, inviting me to attend a mass-meeting on the 23d inst., is received.  It would be very pleasant to strike hands with the Fremonters of Iowa, who have led the van so splendidly, in this grand charge which we hope and believe will end in a most glorious victory.  All thanks, all honor to Iowa!  But Iowa is out of all danger, and it is no time for us, when the battle still rages, to pay holiday visits to Iowa.  I am sure you will excuse me for remaining in Illinois, where much hard work is still to be done.

Yours very truly,
A. Lincoln.

AFTER THE DEMOCRATIC VICTORY OF BUCHANAN

Fragment of speech at A republican banquet in Chicago, December 10, 1856.

We have another annual Presidential message.  Like a rejected lover making merry at the wedding of his rival, the President felicitates himself hugely over the late Presidential election.  He considers the result a signal triumph of good principles and good men, and a very pointed rebuke of bad ones.  He says the people did it.  He forgets that the “people,” as he complacently calls only those who voted for Buchanan, are in a minority of the whole people by about four hundred thousand votes—­one full tenth of all the votes.  Remembering this, he might perceive that the “rebuke” may not be quite as durable as he seems to think—­that the majority may not choose to remain permanently rebuked by that minority.