To the Editor of the Sangamo Journal1Jump to section
To the Editor of the Journal:
In your paper of last Saturday, I see a communication over the signature of ``Many Voters,'' in which the candidates who are announced in the Journal, are called upon to ``show their hands.'' Agreed. Here's mine!
I go for all sharing the privileges of the government, who assist in bearing its burthens. Consequently I go for admitting all whites to the right of suffrage, who pay taxes or bear arms, (by no means excluding females.)
If elected, I shall consider the whole people of Sangamon my constituents, as well those that oppose, as those that support me.2Jump to section
While acting as their representative, I shall be governed by their will, on all subjects upon which I have the means of knowing what their will is; and upon all others, I shall do what my own judgment teaches me will best advance their interests. Whether elected or not, I go for distributing the proceeds of the sales of the public lands to the several states, to enable our state, in common with others, to dig canals and construct rail roads, without borrowing money and paying interest on it.
If alive on the first Monday in November, I shall vote for Hugh L. White for President.3Jump to section Very respectfully, A. LINCOLN.
Annotation
[1] Sangamo Journal, June 18, 1836.
[2] Lincoln received the highest vote of the seventeen Sangamon County candidates for the legislature on election day, August 1. The seven members elected from Sangamon were Whigs.
[3] Hugh Lawson White, United States Senator from Tennessee, led Van Buren in New Salem 65 to 34; in Springfield 719 to 376; and in Sangamon County 1463 to 903. Van Buren carried the state 18,459 to 15,240. White received the electoral votes of only two states, Tennessee and Georgia.