Collected Works of Abraham Lincoln. Volume 2 [Sept. 3, 1848-Aug. 21, 1858].

To Lyman Trumbull1Jump to section

Hon: Lyman Trumbull. Chicago, Nov. 30. 1857.

Dear Sir: Herewith you find duplicates of a notice which I wish to be served upon the Miss French, or now Mrs. Gray, who married the late Franklin C. Gray.2Jump to section You understand what person I mean.

Please hand her one copy, and note on the other that you have done so, the date of service, and your signature & return it to me at Springfield.

What think you of the probable ``rumpus'' among the democracy over the Kansas constitution?3Jump to section I think the Republicans should stand clear of it. In their view both the President and Douglas are wrong; and they should not espouse the cause of either, because they may consider the other a little the farther wrong of the two.

From what I am told here, Douglas tried, before leaving, to draw off some Republicans on this dodge, and even succeeded in making some impression on one or two. Yours very truly

A. LINCOLN---

Annotation

[1]   ALS, CSmH.

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[2]   Mary A. Gray was divorced by Franklin C. Gray in 1851. He married Matilda C. French. Mary A. Gray v. Matilda C. French, et al., in the Illinois Supreme Court, was a suit to have the divorce decree reversed.

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[3]   In a famous interview between President Buchanan and Stephen A. Douglas

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prior to the opening of Congress in December, Buchanan was reported to have threatened political reprisal if Douglas fought the admission of Kansas under the Lecompton Constitution, an administration measure. Douglas refused because of the Constitution's slavery clause, and proceeded to fight the administration with the support of a handful of Democratic senators, but with considerable Republican support. Lincoln's view of party strategy was not generally followed, most Republican leaders supporting Douglas.