Collected Works of Abraham Lincoln. Volume 1 [1824-Aug. 28, 1848].
About this Item
Title
Collected Works of Abraham Lincoln. Volume 1 [1824-Aug. 28, 1848].
Author
Lincoln, Abraham, 1809-1865.
Publication
New Brunswick, N.J.: Rutgers University Press
1953.
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Cite this Item
"Collected Works of Abraham Lincoln. Volume 1 [1824-Aug. 28, 1848]." In the digital collection Collected Works of Abraham Lincoln. https://name.umdl.umich.edu/lincoln1. University of Michigan Library Digital Collections. Accessed May 15, 2024.
Some difficulty arises under the apportionment Bill of the last session as to the number of Senators to be elected, and the districts which they are to represent.
The Locofoco party, availing themselves as usual of every opportunity to secure and increase their power, are running a Senator from Cook and one from Will, while that district has a Senator (Pearson)2Jump to section still in office. In the County of Green[e] they run a Senator for Green[e] and Jersey to fill a Vacancy (Allen)3Jump to section and a Senator for Green[e] & Calhoun under the new Law. It is very much to be feared, that having already a majority assured in the Senate they would if the votes should be wanted give these Senators to be elected their seats right or wrong. There are difficulties in
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a good construction of the Law and it may be a matter of much doubt, as to what the decision may be. At any rate your District (Cass & Scott) is entitled equally with the others to a Senator, if they receive them they must receive yours, and if both should be rejected, things will be as they were. We take the liberty therfore to suggest the propriety of running a whig in your new district for a Senator, as it will be done here, and we shall at any rate either get an equal number of Senators by it or prevent them from getting any.4Jump to section
The chances of a majority for us on joint ballot are so good that we ought not to permit ourselves to loose it by negligence on our part, or fraud on theirs. Yours Sincerely
H. E. DUMMER Esqr A. G. HENRY S. T. LOGAN
& other good Whigs} E. D. BAKER A. LINCOLN
N. W. EDWARDS J. SMITH
P.S. It will of course be better for the Clerk to give notices of the elections, but want of time in the notice, will by no means Vitiate the Election.
Annotation
[1] D, IHi. The manuscript is not in Lincoln's hand, nor is the signature, but the preservation of the original in the Henry E. Dummer papers certifies that the document originated with the ``Whig Junto'' of Springfield over whose names it was sent out, and for whose direction Lincoln was largely responsible. Henry E. Dummer was an attorney residing at Beardstown in Cass County. He had been the law partner of John T. Stuart while living in Springfield, his place in the firm being taken by Lincoln upon his removal to Beardstown.
[4] Dummer followed the advice of the circular, became a candidate for the senate from the Cass and Scott district and was defeated by the Democrat James Gillham, who was not seated, however, since Scott County was already represented under the old law.