Papers Of Abraham Lincoln

Joseph G. Bowman to Abraham Lincoln, 25 June 18491
Laurenceville Ill June 25^th 1849.Honl[Honorable] A. LincolnDear Sir
I recieved a letter from M^r Ryan this morning stating that he was an applicant for the office of Register at Palestine. Mr M^cLean is also an applicant, and, I wrote sometime ago to the Department urging M^r Ryan’s appointment in preference to that of Mr. M^cL, because M^r Ryan had always been a firm and consistent Whig While on the other hand Mr M^cLean had been strongly tinctured with the Curse of Tylerism.2 The appointment of M^r R would be much more acceptable to the people than that of M^r M^cLean, and if you can consistently do so I should be very glad if you would use your influence in securing his appointment3
Very Respectfully
Your obt servt[obedient servant]J. G. Bowman

<Page 2>

10
VINCENNES Ind.
JUN[June] 26
FREE
WASHINGTON D.C.
JUL[July] 2Hon^l A. LincolnWashington City
D.C.^Springfield Ills^4

[ docketing ]
07/20/1849
20^th July/49
E Z Ryan for Register at Palestine Ills[Illinois]
Recommended by J G. Bowman

1Joseph G. Bowman wrote and signed this letter, including the address on the last sheet, which was folded to create an envelope.

2Bowman references James M. McLean’s connection to President John Tyler, who appointed McLean register of the U.S. General Land Office at Palestine in 1842. McLean held the job until 1845.
William Henry Perrin, ed., History of Crawford and Clark Counties, Illinois (Chicago: O. L. Baskin, 1883), 143; Register of all Officers and Agents, Civil, Military, and Naval, in the Service of the United States, from the Thirtieth September, 1841, to the Thirtieth September, 1843 (Washington, DC: J. & G. S. Gideon, 1843), 125.

3McLean would receive the appointment and hold the position until 1853.
Register of all Officers and Agents, Civil, Military, and Naval, in the Service of the United States, on the Thirtieth September, 1849 (Washington, DC: Gideon, 1849), 135; Register of all Officers and Agents, Civil, Military, and Naval, in the Service of the United States, on the Thirtieth September, 1851 (Washington, DC: Gideon, 1851), 140; Register of Officers and Agents, Civil, Military, and Naval, in the Service of the United States, on the Thirtieth September, 1853 (Washington, DC: Robert Armstrong, 1853), 138.

4Bowman addresses Abraham Lincoln at Washington DC, because Lincoln had set out for the nation’s capital on June 10 to personally lobby for the position of commissioner of the U.S. General Land Office. Lincoln arrived on or before June 19. Ultimately, Justin H. Butterfield received the appointment, and Lincoln returned to Springfield, arriving on or before July 4. See the General Land Office Affair.
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; 24 June 1849, http://www.thelincolnlog.org/Results.aspx?type=CalendarDay&day=1849-06-24; 4 July 1849, http://www.thelincolnlog.org/Results.aspx?type=CalendarDay&day=1849-07-04.