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A curated collection of a prominent statesman’s early public and private writings, assembling speeches, legislative remarks, legal papers, and personal letters from his formative career. The documents trace the emergence of political convictions and rhetorical manner, addressing questions of slavery, banking, temperance, and party strategy while exposing private friendships, anxieties, and practical counsel. Editors supply introductions and commentary to situate the material and assess its significance. Taken together, the selections illuminate the gradual shaping of a pragmatic leadership that pairs moral reflection with tactical compromise in confronting local and national challenges.
Article written by Lincoln for the Sangamon Journal in ridicule of James Shields, who, as State Auditor, had declined to receive State Bank notes in payment of taxes. The above letter purported to come from a poor widow who, though supplied with State Bank paper, could not obtain a receipt for her tax bill. This, and another subsequent letter by Mary Todd, brought about the “Lincoln-Shields Duel.”