To George Ashmun[1]
President of the Republican National Convention.
Sir: I accept the nomination tendered me by the Convention over which you presided, and of which I am formally apprized in the letter of yourself and others, acting as a committee of the convention, for the purpose.
The declaration of principles and sentiments, which accompanies your letter, meets my approval; and it shall be my care not to violate, or disregard it, in any part.
Imploring the assistance of Divine Providence, and with due regard to the views and feelings of all who were represented in the convention; to the rights of all the states, and territories, and people of the nation; to the inviolability of the constitution, and the perpetual union, harmony, and prosperity of all, I am most happy to co-operate for the practical success of the principles declared by the convention. Your obliged friend, and fellow citizen
[1] ALS-P, ISLA; ADfS, DLC-RTL. The letter is accompanied by a copy in Lincoln’s handwriting of the letter of Ashmun and others to Lincoln, May 18, 1860, which copy Ashmun requested in a letter dated May 21, for purposes of publication (DLC-RTL). Apparently Ashmun had not preserved a complete copy of his letter written as chairman and bearing the signature of the other members of the convention committee, and therefore asked Lincoln to furnish a copy along with his answer. Lincoln to Ashmun, May 26, infra, indicates that both Lincoln’s answering letter dated May 23 and his copy of Ashmun’s letter dated May 18 were sent on May 26. Whether Lincoln had mailed an earlier copy of his letter of acceptance on May 23, the day it was written, is not certain, since no other original ALS is known. One infers, however, that Lincoln had composed the draft preserved in the Lincoln Papers on May 23, that in reply to Ashmun’s request of May 21, he copied it, together with a copy of Ashmun’s letter of notification, and mailed them on May 26. If so, the additional letter of May 23, infra, presents a further puzzle. The original has not been located, and there is some question of its authenticity, unless the original is forthcoming. It appears, however, to have a place and function only if Lincoln did not compose his final reply until May 26, and then dated it back to May 23 both in the draft and the letter sent. The brevity and haste apparent in the contents of the short letter (infra) may indicate this conclusion.
From The Collected Works of Abraham Lincoln, Volume 4
Sources and Location Symbols used in the Collected Works: Abbreviations