To Dave Walker1Jump to section
My Dear Sir: June 24th, 1859.
Your kind invitation to me to be with you on the 4th is duly received and for which I thank you. It is out of my power to accept. I am compelled to economise time this year, and have already agreed to attend one celebration on that day, at a place near enough here to take only the single day. Yours very truly,
A. LINCOLN.
Annotation
[1] Ottawa Republican, July 9, 1859. Lincoln's letter appears along with letters of regret from William H. Bissell, James Shields, Lyman Trumbull, and others, invited to join in the Ottawa celebration of the Fourth of July. Dave Walker was a druggist at Ottawa.