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Your note of the 13^th requesting my attendance of the Republican State Central Committee, on the 17^th Ins^t at Chicago, was, owing to my absence from home, received on the evening of that day (17^th) only–2 While I have pen in hand allow me to say I have been perplexed some to understand why my name was placed on that committee. I was not consulted on the subject; nor ^was I^ apprized of the appointment, until I discovered it by accident two or three weeks afterwards– I suppose my opposition to the principle of slavery is as strong as that of any member of the Republican party;3 but I had also supposed that the extent to which I felt ^feel^ authorized to carry that opposition, practically; was not at all satisfactory to that party–4 The leading men who organized that party, were present, on the 4^th of Oc^t[October] at the discussion between Douglas and myself at Springfield, and had full oppertunity to not misunderstand my position–5 Do I misunderstand theirs? Please write, and inform me–