Addressed to Hon. Josiah H. Drummond, of Portland, Maine, shortly after the nomination of Mr. Lincoln at Chicago, this letter by Leonard Swett “describes the whole historical scene in graphic expressions worthy of perusal and preservation:” – (Lincoln’s campaign: or, the political revolution of 1860 By Osborn Hamiline Oldroyd, c 1896) Bloomington, Illinois, May 27, [...]

Washington, D. C, 26th May, 1860. Dear Stephens, … I will probably meet you in Milledgeville if I can with any convenience get off from here. You will see from my speech fully where we differ, tho’ I am perfectly prepared to accommodate the party difficulty when you [think] proper; tho’ I would never, never [...]

Washington City, 22 May, 1860. Dear Col., … I was extremely gratified at the result of your meeting in Macon and was happy to find your name among the delegates. It is the most important party convention that ever assembled in Ga. I intend if possible to be there myself. I shall be appointed a [...]

Display information from The Met: This photograph, made in Springfield, Illinois, on May 20, 1860, was the first portrait taken of Abraham Lincoln after he had received the nomination for president at the Republican National Convention in Chicago. It is one of five photographs taken by William Marsh for Marcus L. Ward, a delegate from [...]

Washington, D. C, May 16th, 1860. Dear Stephens, I recd, your letter this morning and I find myself quite surprised that while we so nearly, I may say exactly, agree in principle that we differ so widely in action. I agree with you that [what] we ought to demand is to call upon our Northern [...]

Washington, D. C, 12th May, 1860. Dear Stephens, I recd, your letter of the 8th inst. yesterday. It seems from yours that you had not recd, a letter I wrote you some week ago or more inclosing new brief in the Persons and Oliver case and giving you my action and views on the present [...]

Washington, D. G, May 10, 1860.[i] Gentlemen: Your letter of the 5th instant was duly received, and would have been before replied to but for the fact that I have signed an address containing my opinions somewhat at large upon the questions which you have submitted to me, and which address I expected would have [...]

Washington City, May 9, 1860.[i] Gentlemen: Your letter of the 5th inst. has just reached me. The limited time allowed for action induces me to comply with your request for a “prompt” answer, and I shall endeavor to make it equally ” candid.” I sympathise fully in your apprehensions for the future of our country. [...]

Crawfordville [Ga.], May 8th, 1860. Dear Smith, I got the book I requested you to buy for me, but no letter came with it. I am obliged to you for your attention to this matter. The book is different from what I expected to find it. I did not get back from Polk Court until [...]

Washington, D. C, May 7th, 1860. Dear Stephens, The late events in Charleston have created a great sensation here. The result of general consultation among the Southern Senators seems to be this—that admitting the propriety of the secession when it was done, that Virginia, Kentucky and Tennessee having preferred an ultimatum which was sustained by [...]

Washington, D. C, May 5th, 1860. Dear Stephens, Your letter from Lexington was duly recd, and I had intended an earlier answer but could not lay my hands upon my scattered fragments of briefs in the Persons and Oliver cases until yesterday. We have been all excitement here until yesterday when we heard of the [...]

To Richard M. Corwine[1] PRIVATE Hon: R. M. Corwine           Springfield, Ills. May 2. 1860. Dear Sir: Yours of the 30th. ult. is just received. After what you have said, it is perhaps proper I should post you, so far as I am able, as to the “lay of the land.” First then, I think the [...]

10. Mr. Hemphill to Mr. Floyd.            Washington, April 26, 1860.           Sir: I have the honor to transmit you an official letter from the Hon, E. W. Cave, secretary of state of Texas, showing that the frontier is now suffering the most deplorable evils from Indian hostilities, and that speedy relief should be extended by [...]

Washington, D. C, 20th Apl, 1860. Dear Stephens, . . . The city is pretty well vacated. All the scheming active politicians have “hied away” to Charleston to select an almoner for the Great Democratic party. The uncertainty of the result is even greater now than at any former period of the contest. Hunter cannot [...]

9. Colonel Lee to the Adjutant General. Headquarters Department of Texas, Fort Brown, April 17, 1860.           Colonel: I have the honor to enclose a copy of a letter, (marked E.,) I addressed on the 12th instant to General J. Garcia, commander-in-chief of the line of the Bravo, with his reply, (marked F.) You will perceive [...]

8. Governor Houston to Mr. Floyd. Executive Department, Austin, April 14, 1860.           Sir: Actuated by a sense of duty, as well as impelled by the helpless condition of our frontier people, I again address your department. Did the condition of things afford any hope that the shocking barbarities, which I have already reported to you, [...]

Crawfordville [Ga.], April 14th, 1860. Dear Smith, I got home last night from Hancock court and found your letter of the date I forget but the one about your correspondence with the Confederacy. I would advise you to write as requested. I do not know what the prospect for your pay will be; but he [...]

7. Colonel Lee to the Adjutant General. Headquarters Fort Brown, Texas, April 11, 1860.           Colonel: I have the honor to report that I arrived here to-day, having descended the left bank of the Rio Grande from Eagle Pass. I found the frontier on the river quiet, and did not hear of the existence of any [...]

96. Colonel Brown to the Adjutant General. Fort Brown, March 26, 1860.           Colonel: Under the impression that information of the state of affairs, on the Rio Grande would be desirable to the government, being immediately from there, having travelled over the whole country from Brownsville to Ringgold barracks along the river, the scene of hostilities, [...]

6. Major Heintzelman to Colonel Lee.            Headquarters Brownsville Expedition,           Fort Brown, Texas, March 25, 1860.           Sir: I have the honor to report that our troops returned to this side of the river on the morning of the 21st, after examining several ranchos, and going as far back from the river as the Cayetano ranchos, [...]

5. Major Heintzelman to the Adjutant General.            Headquarters Brownsville Expedition.           Fort Brown, Texas, March 25, 1860.           Sir: I have the honor to report that I received orders to join Colonel Lee with Captain Lee’s company, 8th infantry, at Ringgold barracks, where this company will be stationed, and that we leave to-morrow.           I have also [...]

March 19, 1860.                     An officer, Colonel Brown, has just arrived here from Fort Brown, who brings later news from the lower Rio Grande than Colonel Lee possessed at the date of his report. Major Heintzelman reported to Colonel Lee, early in this month, that the disturbances in that quarter had ceased, and that Cortinas had [...]

3. Major Heintzelman to Colonel Lee. Headquarters Brownsville Expedition,           Fort Brown, Texas, March 18, 1860.           Sir: I have the honor to enclose herewith copies of a letter from Captains Stoneman and Ford and my reply, dated to-day and yesterday.           I received information a few days since from General Garcia that Cortinas had made his appearance [...]

Washington, D. C, Mar. 16th, 1860. Dear Stephens, . . . We are getting on badly. The Black Reps, are now strong enough to do mischief in the Senate and are using their power. The Nicaragua Treaty was beaten yesterday and injunction of secrecy taken off by us to expose them. It is nothing to [...]