The Papers and Writings of Abraham Lincoln — Volume 1: 1832-1843
VOLUME ONE
CONSTITUTIONAL EDITION
Edited by Arthur Brooks Lapsley With an Introduction by Theodore Roosevelt The Essay on Lincoln by Carl Schurz The Address on Lincoln by Joseph Choate
VOLUME 1.
Immediately after Lincoln’s re-election to the Presidency, in an off-hand speech, delivered in response to a serenade by some of his admirers on the evening of November 10, 1864, he spoke as follows:
“It has long been a grave question whether any government not too strong for the liberties of its people can be strong enough to maintain its existence in great emergencies. On this point, the present rebellion brought our republic to a severe test, and the Presidential election, occurring in regular course during the rebellion, added not a little to the strain.... The strife of the election is but human nature practically applied to the facts in the case. What has occurred in this case must ever occur in similar cases. Human nature will not change. In any future great national trial, compared with the men of this, we shall have as weak and as strong, as silly and as wise, as bad and as good. Let us therefore study the incidents in this as philosophy to learn wisdom from and none of them as wrongs to be avenged.... Now that the election is over, may not all having a common interest reunite in a common fort to save our common country? For my own part, I have striven and shall strive to avoid placing any obstacle in the way. So long as I have been here, I have not willingly planted a thorn in any man’s bosom. While I am deeply sensible to the high compliment of a re-election and duly grateful, as I trust, to Almighty God for having directed my countrymen to a right conclusion, as I think for their own good, it adds nothing to my satisfaction that any other man may be disappointed or pained by the result.”
This speech has not attracted much general attention, yet it is in a peculiar degree both illustrative and typical of the great statesman who made it, alike in its strong common-sense and in its lofty standard of morality. Lincoln’s life, Lincoln’s deeds and words, are not only of consuming interest to the historian, but should be intimately known to every man engaged in the hard practical work of American political life. It is difficult to overstate how much it means to a nation to have as the two foremost figures in its history men like Washington and Lincoln. It is good for every man in any way concerned in public life to feel that the highest ambition any American can possibly have will be gratified just in proportion as he raises himself toward the standards set by these two men.
Abraham Lincoln
THE PAPERS AND WRITINGS OF ABRAHAM LINCOLN
INTRODUCTORY
INTRODUCTORY NOTE
ABRAHAM LINCOLN: AN ESSAY BY CARL SHURZ
ABRAHAM LINCOLN, BY JOSEPH H. CHOATE
THE WRITINGS OF ABRAHAM LINCOLN, 1832-1843
1832
ADDRESS TO THE PEOPLE OF SANGAMON COUNTY.
March 9, 1832.
1833
TO E. C. BLANKENSHIP.
NEW SALEM, Aug. 10, 1833
RESPONSE TO REQUEST FOR POSTAGE RECEIPT
TO Mr. SPEARS.
1836
ANNOUNCEMENT OF POLITICAL VIEWS.
New Salem, June 13, 1836.
RESPONSE TO POLITICAL SMEAR
TO ROBERT ALLEN
TO MISS MARY OWENS.
VANDALIA, December 13, 1836.
1837
SPEECH IN ILLINOIS LEGISLATURE.
January [?], 1837
OPPOSITION TO MOB-RULE
ADDRESS BEFORE THE YOUNG MEN’S LYCEUM OF SPRINGFIELD, ILLINOIS.
PROTEST IN THE ILLINOIS LEGISLATURE ON THE SUBJECT OF SLAVERY.
March 3, 1837.
TO MISS MARY OWENS.
SPRINGFIELD, May 7, 1837.
TO JOHN BENNETT.
SPRINGFIELD, ILL., Aug. 5, 1837. JOHN BENNETT, ESQ.
TO MARY OWENS.
SPRINGFIELD, Aug. 16, 1837
LEGAL SUIT OF WIDOW v.s. Gen. ADAMS
TO THE PEOPLE.
LINCOLN AND TALBOTT IN REPLY TO GEN. ADAMS.
“SANGAMON JOURNAL,” SPRINGFIELD, ILL., Oct. 28, 1837.
Gen. ADAMS CONTROVERSY—CONTINUED
TO THE PUBLIC.
1838
TO Mrs. O. H. BROWNING—A FARCE
SPRINGFIELD, April 1, 1838.
1839
REMARKS ON SALE OF PUBLIC LANDS
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES, January 17, 1839.
TO ——— ROW.
SPRINGFIELD, June 11, 1839 DEAR ROW:
SPEECH ON NATIONAL BANK
IN THE HALL OF THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
TO JOHN T. STUART.
SPRINGFIELD, December 23, 1839.
1840
CIRCULAR FROM WHIG COMMITTEE.
Confidential.
TO JOHN T. STUART.
SPRINGFIELD, March 1, 1840
RESOLUTION IN THE ILLINOIS LEGISLATURE.
November 28, 1840.
RESOLUTION IN THE ILLINOIS LEGISLATURE.
December 2, 1840.
REMARKS IN THE ILLINOIS LEGISLATURE.
December 4, 1840
REMARKS IN THE ILLINOIS LEGISLATURE.
December 4, 1840.
1841
TO JOHN T. STUART—ON DEPRESSION
SPRINGFIELD, Jan 23, 1841
REMARKS IN THE ILLINOIS LEGISLATURE.
January 23, 1841
CIRCULAR FROM WHIG COMMITTEE.
February 9, 1841.
AGAINST THE REORGANIZATION OF THE JUDICIARY.
EXTRACT FROM A PROTEST IN THE ILLINOIS LEGISLATURE
TO JOSHUA F. SPEED—MURDER CASE
SPRINGFIELD June 19, 1841.
STATEMENT ABOUT HARRY WILTON.
June 25, 1841
TO MISS MARY SPEED—PRACTICAL SLAVERY
BLOOMINGTON, ILL., September 27, 1841.
1842
TO JOSHUA F. SPEED—ON MARRIAGE
January 30, 1842.
TO JOSHUA F. SPEED.
SPRINGFIELD, ILLINOIS, February 3, 1842.
TO JOSHUA F. SPEED—ON DEPRESSION
SPRINGFIELD, ILLINOIS, February 13, 1842.
TO G. B. SHELEDY.
SPRINGFIELD, ILL., Feb. 16, 1842.
TO GEORGE E. PICKETT—ADVICE TO YOUTH
February 22, 1842.
ADDRESS BEFORE THE SPRINGFIELD WASHINGTONIAN TEMPERANCE SOCIETY,
FEBRUARY 22, 1842.
TO JOSHUA F. SPEED.
SPRINGFIELD, February 25, 1842.
TO JOSHUA F. SPEED—ON MARRIAGE CONCERNS
SPRINGFIELD, February 25,1842.
TO JOSHUA F. SPEED.
SPRINGFIELD, March 27, 1842
TO JOSHUA F. SPEED.
SPRINGFIELD, ILLINOIS, July 4, 1842.
A LETTER FROM THE LOST TOWNSHIPS
LOST TOWNSHIPS
August 27, 1842.
INVITATION TO HENRY CLAY.
SPRINGFIELD, ILL., Aug 29, 1842.
CORRESPONDENCE ABOUT THE LINCOLN-SHIELDS DUEL.
TREMONT, September 17, 1842.
TO J. SHIELDS.
TREMONT, September 17, 1842
TO A. LINCOLN FROM JAS. SHIELDS
TREMONT, September 17, 1842.
MEMORANDUM OF INSTRUCTIONS TO E. H. MERRYMAN,
Lincoln’s Second,
TO JOSHUA F. SPEED.
SPRINGFIELD, October 4, 1842.
TO JAMES S. IRWIN.
SPRINGFIELD, November 2, 1842.
1843
RESOLUTIONS AT A WHIG MEETING AT SPRINGFIELD, ILLINOIS, MARCH 1, 1843.
CIRCULAR FROM WHIG COMMITTEE.
Address to the People of Illinois.
TO JOHN BENNETT.
SPRINGFIELD, March 7, 1843.
JOSHUA F. SPEED.
SPRINGFIELD, March 24, 1843.
TO MARTIN M. MORRIS.
SPRINGFIELD, ILL., March 26, 1843.
TO MARTIN M. MORRIS.
April 14, 1843.
TO GEN. J. J. HARDIN.
SPRINGFIELD, May 11, 1843.
