Papers Of Abraham Lincoln

Abraham Lincoln to William Nelson, 5 June 18491
Springfield, Ill., June, 5, 1849.Dear Sir:
Would you not as soon that I should have the General Land Office as any other Illinoisan?2 If you would, write me to that effect at Washington, where I shall be soon.3 No time to lose.4
Yours in haste,A. Lincoln.Hon. W. Nelson.

1Abraham Lincoln 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 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 William H. Seward; Abraham Lincoln to Duff Green; Abraham Lincoln to Unknown; Abraham Lincoln to David Rumsey; Abraham Lincoln to Josiah B. Herrick; 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.

4William Nelson responded to this letter June 9, 1849, and offered his support to Lincoln. Ultimately, neither Morrison, Edwards, nor Lincoln received the appointment; the job went to Butterfield instead. See the General Land Office Affair.