Abraham Lincoln and Others to John M. Palmer, 1 August 18561
Springfield, Aug: 1. 1856Hon: J. M. Palmer.Dear Sir:It is ^our^ judgment that whether you do or do not finally stand as a candidate for Congress, it is better for you to not ^to^ publicly decline for a while–2
It is a long time till the election; and what may turn up no one can tell–
Yours trulyA. Lincoln–Richd YatesW. H. HerndonWm Jayne1Abraham Lincoln wrote the text of this letter and signed his name. Richard Yates,
William H. Herndon, and William Jayne signed their respective names.
2John M. Palmer’s response to this letter, if he penned one, has not been located.
On July 15, 1856, delegates to an Anti-Nebraska meeting at Springfield nominated Palmer as a candidate for the U.S. House of Representatives representing the Illinois Sixth Congressional District. A public announcement of
Palmer’s declination of the nomination for Congress appeared in the August 12, 1856
issue of the Illinois State Journal. John Williams replaced Palmer, losing the congressional contest to Thomas L. Harris.
Howard W. Allen and Vincent A. Lacey, eds., Illinois Elections, 1818-1990 (Carbondale and Edwardsville: Southern Illinois University Press, 1992), 10-11; Daily Illinois State Journal (Springfield), 16 July 1856, 2:2; 12 August 1856, 2:1; 4 September 1856. 2:1.
Autograph Letter Signed, 1 page(s),
Rosenbach Museum and Library (Philadelphia, PA).