Memorandum concerning Benjamin Bond, [10 March 1849]1
In this and the accompanying envelope, are the recommendations of about 200 good citizens
of all parts of Illinois, that Benjamin Bond be appointed Marshall for that District.2 They include the names of nearly all our whigs who now are, or have ever been, members of the State Legislature, besides 46 of the democratic members of the present Legislature, and many other good citizens– I add that, from
personal knowledge, I consider Mr Bond every way worthy of the office, and qualified to fill it– Holding the individual
opinion, that the appointment of a different gentleman would be better, I ask especial attention and consideration, for his claims, and for the opinions expressed in his
favor, by those over whom I can claim no superiority–
A. Lincoln1Abraham Lincoln wrote and signed this memorandum. He copied this memorandum and affixed
it to the bottom of a retained copy of a letter addressed to Secretary of State John M. Clayton.
2Benjamin Bond’s recommendations and papers have not been located.
In March 1849, Lincoln wrote several letters soliciting government officials on Bond’s
behalf, though he preferred, as noted in this memorandum, that the appointment go
to a “different gentleman,” in this case, Charles G. Thomas. Bond received the appointment and held the job until 1853.
Abraham Lincoln to John M. Clayton; Abraham Lincoln to John M. Clayton; Abraham Lincoln to John M. Clayton; Abraham Lincoln to John M. Johnson; Register of all Officers and Agents, Civil, Military, and Naval, in the Service of
the United States, on the Thirtieth September, 1849 (Washington, DC: Gideon, 1849), 247; Register of all Officers and Agents, Civil, Military, and Naval, in the Service of
the United States, on the Thirtieth September, 1851 (Washington, DC: Gideon, 1851), 267; Register of Officers and Agents, Civil, Military, and Naval, in the Service of the
United States, on the Thirtieth September, 1853 (Washington, DC: Robert Armstrong, 1853), 259.
Autograph Document Signed, 1 page(s), RG 59, Entry 760: Appointment Records, Applications and Recommendations for Office, Applications and Recommendations for Public Office, 1797-1901, NACP.