OCRed data provided
for searching only. december 1890
the meeting was at Dixon. Probably he is correct. Though Peck Ü Ray Ü Judd Et all say that Lincoln uttered the above words still I doubt the Exact words., be‚cause, as you well know, Mr. Lincoln was one of the most secretive men that ever lived. The expression means that, ¿I am a candidate for the Presidency of the U.S. of America. That is what I am ‚ghting forî. I do not think that Mr Lincoln ever uttered the words as stated, though he looked at the time for the of‚ce. I think at most that the words as above are inferences, legitimate ones. Lincoln never told mortal man his purposes and plans Ü Never. Evidently L beat around the bush.
LC: HW3691¬92
621. James H. Matheny (WHH interview)
Decr. 4th '90
I wish now to make an other statement. If you remember you once asked me if the text in Lamon's life of Lincoln was Correct Ü page 396, as I remember it, and in answer to which question I said ¿It was substantially Correctî & I say so now.1 Our Judge J. H. Matheny said to me, only a month or so before he died which was some two months since, that he heard Lincoln say in substance: ¿If Douglas can draw off such & such men from the cause of republicanism and be made to support him, who says he does not care wheteher slavery is vted up or voted down Ü if he can get strong & in‚uential leading republican papers to laud him Ü & if he can attack and partly crush Buchanna's administration & can get in Illinois so many votes to Buchannans none, then he will play the devil at Charleston.
LC: HW3708
1. Refers to a passage in Lamon reporting a statement by AL, concluding: ¿A man that can bring such in‚uence to bear with his own exertions may play the devil at Charlestonî (396). Lamon's anonymous in‚formant may well have been WHH himself.
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