We deem it desirable that you should be informed of movements that have been developing themselves for some months in our Congressional District,2 because they are of such a character that the Party will inevitably be weakened if not entirely disrupted unless a decided change of policy takes place– We write as the friends of Mr Lovejoy in the present canvass and desire that fact to be borne in mind, allowing it to weigh all it may in judging of the value of our arguments and conclusions

Many prominent members of the Republican Party in their electioneering against Mr Lovejoys renomination are urging, and that principally, that it will never do to send him again on account of his "abolitionism"

They are harping upon his former alleged positions and political faith with as much zeal and unction as any Buchaneer could in a Campaign and they are continually plying republicans with the arguments that conservatism is more needed now than ever, that radical decided men must be rejected, and they even go so far as to state in direct terms that if Mr L. be renominated the State is lost and a Democrat Elected Senator.3

Our party is a composite one and has diverse elements whose tastes and feelings ought to be carefully handled until time renders us a homogenous mass, such arguments, or rather such appeals to old prejudices that ought to be forgotten, only serve to perpetuate our original diversities and to retard very much the complete fusion which must take place before we can hope to become a power in the land

Even granting all to be true that is said of Mr L's radical tendencies would not fairness and justice demand that those members of our party, of his old

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friends and followers who so squarely came up to the work and voted for Frémont, for Bissell, for Trumbull, for Miller, for Dubois &c[etc.] &c— and who are now universally preparing to vote so that you may be elected Senator, & who desire now the latter consummation as devoutly as they willingly aided those previously accomplished;4 would not fairness and justice, we say, demand that they should be allowed one of their peculiar cast from the number elected by the common vote?

We, for our part, reject that discrimination which enquires of the past the antecedents of any Republican of today, except so far as would relate to his honesty of purpose in calling himself Republican. We all doubtless, have acted in opposition to our present views, but when that great necessity became apparent to avert impending danger and gloom which threatened our Country5 with one accord we formed a common organization for a purpose which all could unite in effecting. It was supposed that such organization was honestly made, from high and noble motives, but if it shall appear that such was not the case, that it was a mere bargain gotten up by the "outs" to displace the "ins," a seeming peoples movement to restore government to its old ground, but really a mere political trick to benefit certain gentlemen out of office as against others in, the course of the movement has about been run, its downfall will be as speedy as its rise and as sure as fate.

It is undeniable that in the Northern half of our State quite a large and active portion of our party were formerly of the class termed Abolitionists and it is a question worthy our serious consideration whether that portion be not vital to the success of the party. If a close vote were anticipated would they

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have strength enough to affect the result, were it not used in the republican traces?

In our County, our position as members of the County Committee enables us to answer the questions for ourselves, we cannot lose their votes and retain supremacy, we only answer for our own County, but like causes must produce like effects in other Counties

As matters stand now we are a unit as to our choice for Senator, no instruction to our Representative6 would be needed to have him vote for Lincoln every time, and we earnestly hope that such a course may be pursued as shall render our vote efficient and crown it with success and that enough other Counties may be secured to render your election sure but if this old cry of abolitionism is to be harped upon by such prominent men in our ranks, if the determination become manifest on the part of the old whigs never to forget that word, never to cease opposition to those to whom it refers it will only require a short time to produce a vastly different state of affairs

These very abolitionists have been trained to throwing away their votes year after year, even hopelessly it seemed, rather than vote against what they deemed principle, and they cannot so soon have forgotten their lessons.

These very abolitionists have, in their own estimation, for years acted on a conviction that politics and governments could not be divorced from justice and honestly, and can it be expected that they have materially changed, changed too so much as to contradict all their former lives without even a shadow of temptation held out, aye even under scorn and continuely from those who ask their voting aid.

But enough of this, we have, already trespassed on your time far beyond our intention when we commenced this letter.

We are only influenced by a desire to have the Republican Party triumphant in gross and in detail we earnestly desire a Republican President in '60 and a Republican Senator in '59 and we should not have intruded ourselves upon you at all had it not been that we consider the course alluded to in the commencement of this letter unfair towards M^r Lovejoy, unjust towards his friends who have so far acted in good faith with us and eminently dangerous to the success of the party if it be persisted in.

With the previous political views of the first signer of this letter you perhaps are somewhat acquainted, as for the second, he was a Henry Clay Whig until the Nebraska Bill was passed; we neither of us are comprehended by the term "abolitionist" so we think we look at this movement from a fair stand point, only biassed so far as County pride in M^r Lovejoy may influence us

With kind regards and warm wishes for your success next winter7