Collected Works of Abraham Lincoln. Volume 6 [Dec. 13, 1862-Nov. 3, 1863].

Anonymous Letter to the Editor of the Washington Chronicle1Jump to section

Executive Mansion,
Editor of the Chronicle. Washington, June 6. 1863.

In your issue of this morning, you have an article on the ``Chicago Times.'' Being an Illinoisian, I happen to know that much of the article is incorrect. As I remember, upon the repeal of the Missouri Compromise, the democratic newspapers at Chicago went over to the opposition. Thereupon the Times was established by the friends of the administration, Senator Douglas being the most prominent in establishing it. A man by the name of James Sheahan, from this city, was it's first, and only editor, nearly if not quite all the remainder of the Senator's life. On the political separation between Mr. Buchanan and Senator Douglas, the Times adhered to the Senator, and was the ablest paper in his support through his senatorial contest with Mr. Lincoln. Since the last Presidential election certainly, perhaps since Senator Douglas' death, Mr. Sheahan left the Times; and the Times since then, has been identical with the Times before then, in little more than the name.2Jump to section The writer hereof is not well enough posted to say but that your article in other respects is correct.

Annotation

[1]   ADf, DLC-RTL. The article headed ``THE CHICAGO TIMES'' appeared in the Daily Chronicle for Saturday, June 6, 1863. Lincoln's anonymous letter, of which the above is obviously a first draft, appeared in the Chronicle on Sunday, June 7, considerably revised, or edited by the Chronicle, as follows:

``A correspondent corrects an error of date in the article in Saturday's CHRONICLE on the Chicago Times, and adds some items of interesting information. He says:

`` `Upon the repeal of the Missouri Compromise the democratic newspapers of Chicago went over to the Opposition. Thereupon the Times was established by the friends of the Administration, Senator Douglas being the most prominent in establishing it. Mr. James Sheahan, from this city, was its editor from its first foundation up to the election in 1860. On the political separation between Mr. Buchanan and Senator Douglas, the Times adhered to the Senator, and was the ablest paper in his support through his senatorial contest with Mr. Lincoln. During the last Presidential election Mr. Sheahan left the Times, which had been bought, as you state, by Mr. McCormick; and a man named McComas, a bitter pro-slavery man and a Virginian, became its editor. Sheahan

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for awhile edited the Springfield Register, and then went back to Chicago and established the Post, which he still conducts. From the period that the Times passed into its present hands it has borne little resemblance, but in name, to the Times which supported Senator Douglas in his contest with the corrupt and cowardly Administration of Mr. Buchanan. ILLINOISIAN

[2]   Lincoln's recollection does not exactly fit the report in the Springfield Illinois State Register, September 1, 1860, which announced that James W. Sheahan, editor of the ``late Chicago Times'' was visiting Springfield for several months, and that readers of the Register would have ``the assistance of his pen during the present canvass.''

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