Remarks in Illinois Legislature Concerning Election Frauds1Jump to section
Mr. Lincoln said without granting for a moment the truth of any of the gentleman's charges and surmises, from Gallatin yet he was willing for the purposes of his Resolution, to assume that all these stupendous frauds of which the gentleman had been speaking, had been committed; and if so it showed the necessity of the adoption of the Resolution offered by himself. If it was a fact that Legislative action was necessary to protect the elective franchise from abuse in this state, he was willing to go as far as any,---and to provide any punishment within the bounds of humanity, for those who could abuse such a right. It was for that reason he had submitted his resolution. He was afraid of no investigation that might be instituted into the recent election in this state, for himself or his friends. But he could see no good that could result from such an investigation as that proposed by the gentleman. He had every reason to believe that all this hue and cry about frauds, was entirely groundless, and raised for other than honest purposes.