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not to go beyond the material。 If it were thought necessary to
incorporate anything from any of my speeches I suppose there would be
no objection。 Of course it must not appear to have been written by
myself。
Yours very truly；
A。 LINCOLN
…
I was born February 12； 1809； in Hardin County； Kentucky。 My parents
were both born in Virginia； of undistinguished familiessecond
families； perhaps I should say。 My mother； who died in my tenth
year； was of a family of the name of Hanks； some of whom now reside
in Adams； and others in Macon County； Illinois。 My paternal
grandfather； Abraham Lincoln； emigrated from Rockingham County；
Virginia； to Kentucky about 1781 or 1782； where a year or two later
he was killed by the Indians； not in battle； but by stealth； when he
was laboring to open a farm in the forest。 His ancestors； who were
Quakers； went to Virginia from Berks County； Pennsylvania。 An effort
to identify them with the New England family of the same name ended
in nothing more definite than a similarity of Christian names in both
families； such as Enoch； Levi； Mordecai； Solomon； Abraham； and the
like。
My father； at the death of his father； was but six years of age； and
he grew up literally without education。 He removed from Kentucky to
what is now Spencer County； Indiana； in my eighth year。 We reached
our new home about the time that State came into the Union。 It was a
wild region； with many bears and other wild animals still in the
woods。 There I grew up。 There were some schools； so called； but no
qualification was ever required of a teacher beyond 〃readin'；
writin'； and cipherin〃' to the Rule of Three。 If a straggler
supposed to understand Latin happened to sojourn in the neighborhood
he was looked upon as a wizard。 There was absolutely nothing to
excite ambition for education。 Of course； when I came of age I did
not know much。 Still； somehow； I could read； write； and cipher to
the Rule of Three； but that was all。 I have not been to school
since。 The little advance I now have upon this store of education I
have picked up from time to time under the pressure of necessity。
I was raised to farm work； which I continued till I was twenty…two。
At twenty…one I came to Illinois； Macon County。 Then I got to New
Salem； at that time in Sangamon； now in Menard County； where I
remained a year as a sort of clerk in a store。 Then came the Black
Hawk war； and I was elected a captain of volunteers； a success which
gave me more pleasure than any I have had since。 I went the
campaign； was elected； ran for the Legislature the same year （1832）；
and was beatenthe only time I ever have been beaten by the people。
The next and three succeeding biennial elections I was elected to the
Legislature。 I was not a candidate afterward。 During this
legislative period I had studied law； and removed to Springfield to
practice it。 In 1846 I was once elected to the lower House of
Congress。 Was not a candidate for re…election。 From 1849 to 1854；
both inclusive； practiced law more assiduously than ever before。
Always a Whig in politics； and generally on the Whig electoral
tickets； making active canvasses。 I was losing interest in politics
when the repeal of the Missouri Compromise aroused me again。 What I
have done since then is pretty well known。
If any personal description of me is thought desirable； it may be
said I am； in height； six feet four inches； nearly； lean in flesh；
weighing on an average one hundred and eighty pounds； dark
complexion； with coarse black hair and gray eyes。 No other marks or
brands recollected。
Yours truly；
A。 LINCOLN。
ON NOMINATION TO THE NATIONAL TICKET
To N。 B。 JUDD。
SPRINGFIELD； FEBRUARY 9； 1859
HON。 N。 B。 JUDD。
DEAR Sir：I am not in a position where it would hurt much for me to
not be nominated on the national ticket； but I am where it would hurt
some for me to not get the Illinois delegates。 What I expected when
I wrote the letter to Messrs。 Dole and others is now happening。
Your discomfited assailants are most bitter against me； and they
will； for revenge upon me； lay to the Bates egg in the South； and to
the Seward egg in the North； and go far toward squeezing me out in
the middle with nothing。 Can you help me a little in this matter in
your end of the vineyard。 I mean this to be private。
Yours as ever；
A。 LINCOLN
1860
SPEECH AT THE COOPER INSTITUTE； NEW YORK
FEBRUARY 27； 1860
MR。 PRESIDENT AND FELLOW…CITIZENS OF NEW YORK：The facts with which
I shall deal this evening are mainly old and familiar； nor is there
anything new in the general use I shall make of them。 If there shall
be any novelty； it will be in the mode of presenting the facts； and
the inferences and observations following that presentation。
In his speech last autumn at Columbus； Ohio； as reported in the New
York Times； Senator Douglas said：
〃Our fathers； when they framed the Government under which we live；
understood this question just as well； and even better than we do
now。〃
I fully indorse this； and I adopt it as a text for this discourse。
I so adopt it because it furnishes a precise and an agreed starting…
point for a discussion between Republicans and that wing of the
Democracy headed by Senator Douglas。 It simply leaves the inquiry：
What was the understanding those fathers had of the question
mentioned？
What is the frame of Government under which we live？
The answer must bethe Constitution of the United States。 That
Constitution consists of the original； framed in 1787 （and under
which the present Government first went into operation）； and twelve
subsequently framed amendments； the first ten of which were framed in
1789。
Who were our fathers that framed the Constitution？ I suppose the
〃thirty…nine〃 who signed the original instrument may be fairly called
our fathers who framed that part of the present Government。 It is
almost exactly true to say they framed it； and it is altogether true
to say they fairly represented the opinion and sentiment of the whole
nation at that time。
Their names； being familiar to nearly all； and accessible to quite
all； need not now be repeated。
I take these 〃thirty…nine；〃 for the present； as being our 〃fathers
who framed the Government under which we live。〃
What is the question which； according to the text； those fathers
understood 〃just as well； and even better than we do now〃？
It is this： Does the proper division of local from Federal authority；
or anything in the Constitution； forbid our Federal Government to
control as to slavery in our Federal Territories？
Upon this Senator Douglas holds the affirmative； and Republicans the
negative。 This affirmation and denial form an issue； and this issue…
…this question is precisely what the text declares our fathers
understood 〃better than we。〃
Let us now inquire whether the 〃thirty…nine；〃 or any of them； acted
upon this question； and if they did； how they acted upon it …how they
expressed that better understanding。
In 1784； three years before the Constitutionthe United States then
owning the Northwestern Territory； and no otherthe Congress of the
Confederation had before them the question of prohibiting slavery in
that Territory； and four of the 〃thirty nine〃 who afterward framed
the Constitution were in that Congress and voted on that question。
Of these； Roger Sherman； Thomas Mifflin； and Hugh Williamson voted
for the prohibition； thus showing that； in their understanding； no
line dividing local from Federal authority； nor anything else；
properly forbade the Federal Government to control as to slavery in
Federal territory。 The other of the fourJames McHenry voted
against the prohibition； showing that； for some cause； he thought it
improper to vote for it。
In 1787； still before the Constitution； but while th