W. B. Brown to Richard Yates

Carmi White Co. Ills

Hon. R. Yates

November 19, 1860

Dr Sir

Succefs always

brings congratulations, and I have no

doubt, but you are tired of them even

at this early day after your triumph

Consequently I will withhold any I

might feel disposed to offer.

I fear my letter, short as it is will

be a trespass upon your time but

I judged from appearances that our

opinions upon one point were the

same and that as short as was our

intercourse it was plain our feelings

were congenial -

If I know myself my pretensions

are small. Never fancied myself

the head of any movement, yet humbly

believed myself a valuable ally.

You will soon ocupy a proud position

and I have no doubt you will do

honor to it - Four years in politics

is a short probation. Douglas will

think so & count the minutes that are

to consign him to private life -

You will then be first on the

list for promotion. So let us now

go to work in Time to give you another

lift upon the ladder of politics.

I like you & want to serve you -

I can serve you better by respectable

position

To more advantage than in any other way.

You know enough of mankind to

understand that when you give

an individual, position, you

correspondingly increase his influence.

I have for years here been the first

to the conflict, and last upon the

battle field, and if "great patience

and long suffering" in fighting locofo-

cism has any virtue in Lincolns eyes

my claims will not be disregarded.

I understand perfectly the inconvenience

of having too many friends when favors

are to be dispensed, but I never knew

a man have too many when he was

to be the recipient instead of distributor

of them

You know my position here and

I laid my case fairly before you

If not inconsistent with duty or

inclination I wish you to lay my

case before Mr Lincoln in just such

Terms as you think they deserve

I have been frank with you as I

am with all men. My position

politically is never misunderstood -

If your duty, good will & personal

interests move you to serve me you

will never have to charge me with

ingratitude, Be frank with me -

There is another bond of union between

us I have thought of a thousand times

since our trip to Shawneetown. Our

fathers followed the same ocupation -

But enough - Help me if you

can. If you cannot, say so -

Truly Yours

W. B. Brown