Abraham Lincoln; the true story of a great life . nto be dropped, and Joel A. Matteson put up; and it was calculatedthat certain of our men who had been elected on the Free Soilissue would vote for him after they had acted with us long enoughto satisfy their consciences and constituents. Our object was toforce an election before they got through with their programme. Wewere savagely opposed to Matteson, and so was Mr. Lincoln, whosaid that if we did not drop in and unite upon Trumbull the fivemen above-named would go for Matteson and elect him, which wouldbe an everlasting disgrace to the Stat
Abraham Lincoln; the true story of a great life . nto be dropped, and Joel A. Matteson put up; and it was calculatedthat certain of our men who had been elected on the Free Soilissue would vote for him after they had acted with us long enoughto satisfy their consciences and constituents. Our object was toforce an election before they got through with their programme. Wewere savagely opposed to Matteson, and so was Mr. Lincoln, whosaid that if we did not drop in and unite upon Trumbull the fivemen above-named would go for Matteson and elect him, which wouldbe an everlasting disgrace to the State. We reluctantly complied;went to Trumbull and elected him. I remember that Judge S. gave up Lincoln with great reluctance. He begged hard totry him on one or two ballots more, but Mr. Lincoln urged us not torisk it longer. I never saw the latter more earnest and decided. Hecongratulated Trumbull warmly, although of course greatly disap-pointed and mortified at his own want of success.*—Joseph Gillespie;letter, September 19, 1866, lyman Trumbull. Photographed in 1801. THE LIFE OF LINCOLN. 47 marked effect on his political views. It was plainto him now that the irrepressible conflict wasnot far ahead. With the strengthening of his faithin a just cause so long held in abeyance he becamemore defiant each day. But in the very nature ofthings he dared not be as bold and outspoken as him every word and sentence had to beweighed and its effects calculated, before beinguttered: but with me that operation had to bereversed if done at all. An incident that occurredabout this time will show how his views were broad-ening. Some time after the election of Trumbull ayoung negro, the son of a colored woman in Spring-field known as Polly, went from his home to and there hired as a hand on a lower Missis-sippi boat,—for what special service, I do not recol-lect,—arriving in New Orleans without what wereknown as free papers. Though born free he wassubjected to
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