Chicago (IL) Press and Tribune, May 28, 1860
MR. LINCOLN’S COMMITTALS.
To represent that Mr. Lincoln is covered up with pledges to men, factions, cliques, &c., within the Republican party, and that his election will be the triumph of Weed, of Greeley, or of some squad of insiders or outsiders, to the exclusion of all the rest of mankind, will be one of the tricks of the Democracy during the campaign. We have a story to tell on that point:
On Monday preceding the nomination, one of Mr. Lincoln’s trusted friends addressed him a note, telling him that his prospects were improving; but that, at the last moment, it might be necessary to say a word here and a word there for securing the support of certain interests; and the writer of the note asked that he with two friends whom he named might be empowered to “negotiate,” if negotiations should become necessary. We saw Mr. Lincoln’s reply. It was worthy of Washington. He said, “No, gentlemen; I have not asked the nomination, and I will not now buy it with pledges. If I am nominated and elected, I shall not go into the Presidency as the tool of this man or that, or as the property of any faction of clique!” We quote from memory, but his language was substantially as we give it; and nothing but an injunction of secrecy prevents us from printing the name of the gentleman to whom the letter was addressed.
It is quite immaterial what Mr. Lincoln’s pro-slavery opponents may say; but it is proper that our Republican friends East and West, should understand that he has not made and will not make any pledges of any kind by which his action in the distribution of public patronage, will be clogged or embarrassed, if he is elected. We mean that he has made no promises of any sort for any purpose whatever; and if we know the man, he will go through the canvass as he has begun it — free. We make this statement for the benefit of the wise acres who have already organized his Cabinet, appointed his Foreign Ministers and generally distributed the patronage which will fall into his hands; and for the benefit, further, of the patriotic gentleman who will be impelled to make a journey to Springfield for the purpose of magnifying their services, past and prospective, and securing at the same time, a promise of reward for what they have done or expect to do. Mr. Lincoln’s nomination was a generous and touching tribute to his honesty as well as his ability. We are sure that he will not sacrifice the one and be false to the other by cheating half the friends from whom he expects support, before the canvass has fairly begun!