To Richard Yates1Jump to section
Dear Yates: I am here now going to Quincy, to try to give Mr. Williams2Jump to section a little life. I expect to be back in time to speak at Carlinville on Saturday, if thought expedient. What induces me to write now is that at Jacksonville as I came down to-day, I learned that the English in Morgan county have become dissatisfied about No-Nothingism.3Jump to section Our friends, however, think they have got the difficulty arrested. Nevertheless, it would be safer, I think, to do something on the subject, which you alone can do. The inclosed letter,4Jump to section or draft of a letter, I have drawn up, of which I think it would be well to make several copies, and have one placed in the hands of a safe friend, at each precinct where any considerable number of the foreign citizens, german as well as english---vote. Not knowing exactly where a letter will reach you soonest I fear this can not be very promptly attended to; but if the copies get into the proper hands the day before the election, it will be time enough. The whole of this is, of course, subject to your own judgment. LINCOLN
Annotation
[1] ALS-P, ISLA.
[2] Archibald Williams, who was also a candidate for congress and like Yates was to be defeated in spite of Lincoln's efforts.
[3] Yates sent Lincoln's letter to Isaac N. Arnold on June 17, 1869, with the following comment: ``The matter suggested within was not attended to and it so happened that I lost my elec. . . .I was beaten only two hundred votes over one half of which would have voted for me but for a false and sworn to statement that I had been seen in a Know Nothing Lodge.''
[4] The enclosure has not been located.