Papers Of Abraham Lincoln

Abraham Lincoln to William H. Seward, 4 June 18491
Springfield, Ills– June 4. 1849Hon: W. H. SewardDear Sir:
Would you as soon I should have the General Land Office as any other Illinoian?2 If you would, please write me to that effect at Washington, where I expect to be soon–3 A private despach says the appointment has been postponed three weeks from the first of June for my benefit–4 No time to lose–5
Your Ob^t Serv^t[Obedient Servant]A. Lincoln

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SPRING[FIELD Ill]
JUN[June] 5
FREE
Hon: W. H. SewardAlbanyNew-York

[ docketing ]
06/04/1849
A. Lincoln
June 4^th 1849

1Abraham Lincoln wrote and signed this letter. He sent very similar letters to numerous people in early June 1849. Mary Lincoln also wrote and signed a similar letter on Lincoln’s behalf.
Abraham Lincoln to Josiah B. Herrick; Abraham Lincoln to Robert C. Schenck; Abraham Lincoln to Joseph R. Underwood; Abraham Lincoln to William A. Minshall and Robert S. Blackwell; Abraham Lincoln to Willie P. Mangum; Abraham Lincoln to Duff Green; Abraham Lincoln to Unknown; Abraham Lincoln to David Rumsey; Abraham Lincoln to William Nelson; Abraham Lincoln to Nathaniel Pope.

2Justin H. Butterfield, James L. D. Morrison, and Cyrus Edwards were vying to become commissioner of the U.S. General Land Office. Lincoln entered the competition after learning that Butterfield was favored over Morrison and Edwards. See the General Land Office Affair.

3As competition for the job intensified, William H. Henderson and Josiah M. Lucas, Lincoln supporters living in Washington, DC, urged Lincoln to come to the nation’s capital to personally lobby for the position. On June 9, Butterfield wrote Lincoln suggesting that neither go to Washington. Lincoln did not respond to this suggestion, and on June 10, both set out for the capital. Lincoln arrived on or before June 19.
William H. Henderson to Abraham Lincoln; William H. Henderson to Abraham Lincoln; Josiah M. Lucas to Abraham Lincoln; The Lincoln Log: A Daily Chronology of the Life of Abraham Lincoln, 10 June 1849, http://www.thelincolnlog.org/Results.aspx?type=CalendarDay&day=1849-06-10; 19 June 1849, http://www.thelincolnlog.org/Results.aspx?type=CalendarDay&day=1849-06-19.

4The telegraphic dispatch Lincoln refers to has not been located.

5No response from William H. Seward has been located. Ultimately, neither Morrison, Edwards, nor Lincoln received the appointment; the job went to Butterfield instead. See the General Land Office Affair.