Papers Of Abraham Lincoln

Friend S. Rutherford to Abraham Lincoln, 7 May 18581
Alton May 7. 1858Hon Abraham LinconDear Sir
The Republicans of Madison County will assemble in mass meeting at Edwardsville on Tuesday the 18^th instant– We want to make a vigorous fight this fall, and want to make a good start–2 We intend to announce several speakers from abroad among whom will be yourself–3 The Republicans of this vicinity would take great pleasure in meeting you, and we are satisfied you could do much good. We shall be happy

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know that you will be present at our meeting–

The people of Madison have been disappointed several times in regard to speakers and begin to mistrust they are that not worth looking after–

Come if you can
Respectfully Yours F. S. Rutherford
in be half of Ex.[Executive] Committee.

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[Envelope]
[ALTON ]
Ill [ILLINOIS] MAY 8Hon. Ab.[Abraham] Lincon,Springfield Ill

[ docketing ]
Lincoln, Abraham (President)

Rutherford
ans^d[answered]4

1Friend S. Rutherford wrote and signed this letter, including the address on the envelope.

2In May and June 1858, many Illinois counties were holding meetings prior to the 1858 Illinois Republican Convention on June 16 to choose delegates for the event. Abraham Lincoln sought a seat in the U.S. Senate in the 1858 Federal Election against incumbent Stephen A. Douglas. Delegates at the convention unanimously nominated Lincoln to challenge Douglas. Lincoln lost the election but made a name for himself nationally.
Daily Illinois State Journal (Springfield), 10 June 1858, 2:1; 17 June 1858, 2:5; Michael Burlingame, Abraham Lincoln: A Life (Baltimore: The Johns Hopkins University Press, 2008), 1:458, 557.

3Speakers at the Edwardsville meeting included Lincoln, John M. Palmer, Mark W. Delahay, and Joseph Gillespie.
The Illinois State Journal (Springfield), 26 May 1858, 1:3; Summary of Speech at Edwardsville, Illinois.

4Lincoln wrote this docketing. His response to Rutherford has not been found.