第 43 节
作者:翱翔1981      更新:2021-02-19 00:45      字数:9322
  must elect a Nebraska United States Senator; or elect none at
  all。〃 Similar letters; no doubt; are written to every Nebraska
  member。  Be considering how we can best meet; and foil; and beat
  them。  I send you; by mail; a copy of my Peoria speech。  You may
  have seen it before; or you may not think it worth seeing now。
  Do not speak of the Nebraska letter mentioned above; I do not
  wish it to become public; that I received such information。
  Yours truly;
  A。 LINCOLN。
  1855
  LOSS OF PRIMARY FOR SENATOR
  TO E。 B。 WASHBURNE。
  SPRINGFIELD; February 9; 1855
  MY DEAR SIR:
  I began with 44 votes; Shields 41; and Trumbull 5;yet Trumbull
  was elected。  In fact 47 different members voted for me;getting
  three new ones on the second ballot; and losing four old ones。
  How came my 47 to yield to Trumbull's 5?  It was Governor
  Matteson's work。  He has been secretly a candidate ever since
  (before; even) the fall election。
  All the members round about the canal were Anti…Nebraska; but
  were nevertheless nearly all Democrats and old personal friends
  of his。  His plan was to privately impress them with the belief
  that he was as good Anti…Nebraska as any one elseat least could
  be secured to be so by instructions; which could be easily
  passed。
  The Nebraska men; of course; were not for Matteson; but when they
  found they could elect no avowed Nebraska man; they tardily
  determined to let him get whomever of our men he could; by
  whatever means he could; and ask him no questions。
  The Nebraska men were very confident of the election of Matteson;
  though denying that he was a candidate; and we very much
  believing also that they would elect him。  But they wanted first
  to make a show of good faith to Shields by voting for him a few
  times; and our secret Matteson men also wanted to make a show of
  good faith by voting with us a few times。  So we led off。  On the
  seventh ballot; I think; the signal was given to the Nebraska men
  to turn to Matteson; which they acted on to a man; with one
  exception。  。  。   Next ballot the remaining Nebraska man and one
  pretended Anti went over to him; giving him 46。  The next still
  another; giving him 47; wanting only three of an election。  In
  the meantime our friends; with a view of detaining our expected
  bolters; had been turning from me to Trumbull till he had risen
  to 35 and I had been reduced to 15。  These would never desert me
  except by my direction; but I became satisfied that if we could
  prevent Matteson's election one or two ballots more; we could not
  possibly do so a single ballot after my friends should begin to
  return to me from Trumbull。  So I determined to strike at once;
  and accordingly advised my remaining friends to go for him; which
  they did and elected him on the tenth ballot。
  Such is the way the thing was done。  I think you would have done
  the same under the circumstances。
  I could have headed off every combination and been elected; had
  it not been for Matteson's double gameand his defeat now gives
  me more pleasure than my own gives me pain。  On the whole; it is
  perhaps as well for our general cause that Trumbull is elected。
  The Nebraska men confess that they hate it worse than anything
  that could have happened。  It is a great consolation to see them
  worse whipped than I am。
  Yours forever;
  A。 LINCOLN。
  RETURN TO LAW PROFESSION
  TO SANFORD; PORTER; AND STRIKER; NEW YORK。
  SPRINGFIELD; MARCH 10; 1855
  GENTLEMEN:Yours of the 5th is received; as also was that of
  15th Dec; last; inclosing bond of Clift to Pray。  When I received
  the bond I was dabbling in politics; and of course neglecting
  business。  Having since been beaten out I have gone to work
  again。
  As I do not practice in Rushville; I to…day open a correspondence
  with Henry E。  Dummer; Esq。; of Beardstown; Ill。; with the view
  of getting the job into his hands。  He is a good man if he will
  undertake it。
  Write me whether I shall do this or return the bond to you。
  Yours respectfully;
  A。 LINCOLN。
  TO O。  H。  BROWNING。
  SPRINGFIELD; March 23; 1855。
  HON。  O。  H。  BROWNING。
  MY DEAR SIR:Your letter to Judge Logan has been shown to us by
  him; and; with his consent; we answer it。  When it became
  probable that there would be a vacancy on the Supreme Bench;
  public opinion; on this side of the river; seemed to be
  universally directed to Logan as the proper man to fill it。  I
  mean public opinion on our side in politics; with very small
  manifestation in any different direction by the other side。  The
  result is; that he has been a good deal pressed to allow his name
  to be used; and he has consented to it; provided it can be done
  with perfect cordiality and good feeling on the part of all our
  own friends。  We; the undersigned; are very anxious for it; and
  the more so now that he has been urged; until his mind is turned
  upon the matter。  We; therefore are very glad of your letter;
  with the information it brings us; mixed only with a regret that
  we can not elect Logan and Walker both。  We shall be glad; if you
  will hoist Logan's name; in your Quincy papers。
  Very truly your friends;
  A。 LINCOLN;
  B。 S。 EWARDS;
  JOHN T。 STUART。
  TO H。 C。 WHITNEY。
  SPRINGFIELD; June 7; 1855。
  H。 C。 WHITNEY; ESQ。
  MY DEAR SIR:Your note containing election news is received; and
  for which I thank you。  It is all of no use; however。  Logan is
  worse beaten than any other man ever was since elections were
  inventedbeaten more than twelve hundred in this county。  It is
  conceded on all hands that the Prohibitory law is also beaten。
  Yours truly;
  A。 LINCOLN。
  RESPONSE TO A PRO…SLAVERY FRIEND
  TO JOSHUA。 F。 SPEED。
  SPRINGFIELD; August 24; 1855
  DEAR SPEED:You know what a poor correspondent I am。  Ever since
  I received your very agreeable letter of the 22d of May; I have
  been intending to write you an answer to it。  You suggest that in
  political action; now; you and I would differ。  I suppose we
  would; not quite as much; however; as you may think。  You know I
  dislike slavery; and you fully admit the abstract wrong of it。
  So far there is no cause of difference。  But you say that sooner
  than yield your legal right to the slave; especially at the
  bidding of those who are not themselves interested; you would see
  the Union dissolved。  I am not aware that any one is bidding you
  yield that right; very certainly I am not。  I leave that matter
  entirely to yourself。  I also acknowledge your rights and my
  obligations under the Constitution in regard to your slaves。  I
  confess I hate to see the poor creatures hunted down and caught
  and carried back to their stripes and unrequited toil; but I bite
  my lips and keep quiet。  In 1841 you and I had together a tedious
  low…water trip on a steamboat from Louisville to St。  Louis。  You
  may remember; as I well do; that from Louisville to the mouth of
  the Ohio there were on board ten or a dozen slaves shackled
  together with irons。  That sight was a continued torment to me;
  and I see something like it every time I touch the Ohio or any
  other slave border。  It is not fair for you to assume that I have
  no interest in a thing which has; and continually exercises; the
  power of making me miserable。  You ought rather to appreciate how
  much the great body of the Northern people do crucify their
  feelings; in order to maintain their loyalty to the Constitution
  and the Union。  I do oppose the extension of slavery because my
  judgment and feeling so prompt me; and I am under no obligations
  to the contrary。  If for this you and I must differ; differ we
  must。  You say; if you were President; you would send an army and
  hang the leaders of the Missouri outrages upon the Kansas
  elections; still; if Kansas fairly votes herself a slave State
  she must be admitted or the Union must be dissolved。  But how if
  she votes herself a slave State unfairly; that is; by the very
  means for which you say you would hang men?  Must she still be
  admitted; or the Union dissolved?  That will be the phase of the
  question when it first becomes a practical one。  In your
  assumption that there may be a fair decision of the slavery
  question in Kansas; I plainly see you and I would differ about
  the Nebraska law。  I look upon that enactment not as a law; but
  as a violence from the beginning。  It was conceived in violence;
  is maintained in violence; and is being executed in violence。  I
  say it was conceived in violence; because the destruction of the
  Missouri Compromise; under the circumstances; was nothing less
  than violence。  It was passed in violence because it could not
  have passed at all but for the votes of many members in violence
  of the known will of their constituents。  It is maintained in
  violence; because the elections since clearly demand its repeal;
  and the demand i