Abraham Lincoln to Richard Yates

Abraham Lincoln to Richard Yates

Abraham Lincoln writes to his close political ally, Richard Yates, spelling out his strategy to secure an Illinois senatorial seat, in the wake of the reversal of the Missouri Compromise. Lincoln carefully tabulates the votes various candidates are likely to receive in the legislature when a count is taken to fill the vacant seat.

Lincoln, Abraham

Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library and Museum

1855-01-14

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300015

T1855.01.14

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Basler supp 1:25-26.

Springfield, Jany 14, 1855

Dear Yates

Your letter of the 8th is just received. The Bissell Movement, of which you speak, I have had my eye upon ever since before this commencement of the session, and it is now perhaps as dangerous a card as we have to play against. There is no danger, as I think of the A. N. men uniting on him, but the danger is that the Nebraska men, failing to do better, will turn onto him en masse and then a few A.N. men wanting a pretext only will join on him, pretending to believe him an A. N. man. We can not get a single sincere Anti-Nebraska vote. At least, so I think. At the meeting of the Legislature we had 57 to their 43, nominally. But Kinney did not attend which left us only 56. Then Trapp, of St. Clair went over, leaving us only 55 and raising them to 44. Next Osgood of the Senate went over, reducing us to 54 and raising them to 45. It is now said Kinney will be here soon, putting us up to 55 again, and so we stand now nominally. What [mines?[ and pitfalls they have under us we do not know but we understand they claim to have 48 votes. If they have that number, it is only that

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they have already got some men whom we have all along suspected they would get, and we hope they have reached the bottom of the rotten material. In this too, we may be mistaken. This makes a squally case of it.

As to myself personally, I may start with 20 or 25 votes, but I think I can, in a few ballots, get up to 48 if an election is not sooner made by the other side. But how I am to get the three additional votes I do not yet see. It seems to me the men [thow?] their votes are to come from will not go to the other side unless they should be led off on the Bissell track. If the election should be protracted, a general scramble may ensue, and your chance will be as good as that of any other I suppose. It is said Gov. Matteson is trying his hand; and as his success would make a Governor of Koerner, he may be expected to favor this movement. I suppose the election will commence on the 31st and when it will end I am sure I have no idea. Very truly yours

A. Lincoln

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