To John J. Hardin1Jump to section
Knowing that you have correspondents enough, I have forborne to trouble you heretofore; and I now only do so, to get you to set a matter right which has got wrong with one of our best friends. It is old uncle Thomas Campbell of Spring Creek---(Berlin P.O.) He has received several documents from you, and he says they are old newspapers and documents, having no sort of interest in them. He is, therefore, getting a strong impression that you treat him with disrespect. This, I know, is a mistaken impression; and you must correct it. The way, I leave to yourself. Rob't W. Canfield,2Jump to section says he would like to have a document or two from you.
The Locos here are in considerable trouble about Van Buren's letter on Texas,3Jump to section and the Virginia electors. They are growing sick of the Tariff question;4Jump to section and consequently are much confounded at V.B.'s cutting them off from the new Texas question. Nearly half the leaders swear they wont stand it. Of those are Ford, T. Campbell, Ewing, Calhoun and others.5Jump to section They don't exactly say they won't vote for V. B., but they say he will not be the candidate,6Jump to section and that they are for Texas anyhow. As ever yours,
A. LINCOLN.
Annotation
[1] Tarbell (Appendix), pp. 290-91.
[2] Delegate to Sangamon County Whig convention in 1843 from one of the rural precincts.
[3] Probably the ``Hammet letter'' (Washington Globe, April 27, 1844). Van Buren took a negative position on the question of annexation, on the ground of our neutral obligations to Mexico.
[4] Van Buren had come out for tariff for revenue only.
[5] Thomas Ford, governor; Thompson Campbell, secretary of state; William L. D. Ewing, auditor; John Calhoun, circuit clerk and Democratic candidate for congress.
[6] James K. Polk received the Democratic nomination on May 27, 1844, pledging the party to immediate ``re-annexation'' of Texas.