Mr. William S. Wait: Vandalia, March 2. 1839

Sir: Your favour of yesterday was handed me by Mr. Dale. In relation to the Revenue law, I think there is something [to] be feared from the argument you suggest, though I hope the danger is not as you apprehend. The passage of a Revenue law at this session, is right within itself; and I never despair of sustaining myself before the people upon any measure that will stand a full investigation. I presume I hardly need enter into an argument to prove to you, that our old revenue system, raising, as it did, all the state revenue from non-resident lands, and those lands rapidly decreasing, by passing into the hands of resident owners, whiles the wants of the Treasury were increasing with the increase of population, could not longer continue to answer the purpose of it's creation. That proposition is little less than self-evident.

The only question is as to sustaining the change before the people. I believe it can be sustained, because it does not increase the tax upon the "many poor'' but upon the "wealthy few'' by taxing the land that is worth $50 or $100 per acre, in proportion to its value, insted of, as heretofore, no more than that which was worth but $5 per acre. This valuable land, as is well known, belongs, not to the poor, but to the wealthy citizen.

On the other hand, the wealthy can not justly complain, because the change is equitable within itself, and also a sine qua non to a compliance with the Constitution. If, however, the wealthy should, regardless of the justness of the complaint, as men often are, when interest is involved in the question, complain of the change, it is still to be remembered, that they are not sufficiently numerous to carry the elections.

Verry Respectfully
A. LINCOLN

(Yes, at the time, Lincoln spelled the word "very" with two r's. )

Collected Works of Abraham Lincoln. Volume 1. Pages 147-148.
Lincoln, Abraham, 1809-1865.

Here's a very interesting article, well worth reading:

https://www.courier-journal.com/story/ne...670424007/

Article by Guy Fraker dated 12-01-21 from Lincoln Lore

https://www.friendsofthelincolncollectio...lem-years/

My wife and I visited in June 2019. I haven't visited many Lincoln sites, just his Springfield home, his tomb, and the library and museum in Springfield. But this courthouse visit was quite an experience, to stand where Lincoln stood. Not approximately as at other sites but precisely where he was. And there were no other visitors at the time of our visit.
Luckily, we are only 3 hours away by car, and 2 1/2 to Springfield. But a visit to this courthouse is very highly recommended.

I came across this interesting article discussing Abraham Lincoln's relationship with his father which I thought some might find interesting:

https://www.sj-r.com/story/news/2022/01/...268907002/

This podcast has a few dry sections to it, but it also has some interesting insights into the influence Robert Burns may have had on Lincoln's heart and mind.
It's about 28 minutes long.

Near the end, there are some comments I found interesting regarding Mary's visit to Scotland after Lincoln's death.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lctUx4CP-Cs
(The 1600 Sessions Podcast)

In looking at the Allegheny College collection of Tarbell documents, I noticed they uploaded some more, many of which deal with Lincoln. One of the documents is a 39 page manuscript that are recollections of a sister of Ann Rutledge, Nancy Cameron Rutledge Prewitt. In addition, there are reminisces of William Beck, son of Sarah Evans Beck, who was the proprietress of the Globe Tavern in Springfield Illinois, where Lincoln and Mary Todd Lincoln lived for the first two years of their marriage.

The document, which I will link to at the end, is handwritten. It looks to me to be part of Tarbell's research for her McClure's series on Lincoln, which became Tarbell's first book on Lincoln, The Early Life of Abraham Lincoln.

I've just started reading the manuscript, but five pages in, I came across something that I've never heard before. Admittedly, I haven't read everything on Ann, but this is the first time I've even heard this suggested.

There's a great many things written on Annie that are not true. One of them is that her death was caused by [unintelligible] about a former lover named McNeill. She had broken entirely with McNeill before he left New Salem and her heart was centered upon Lincoln.

In doing some quick internet research, I came across this on the Find-A-Grave website about Nancy.

Daughter of James Rutledge*, a miller at New Salem, Il. The Rutledge family were friends with Abraham Lincoln and the older daughter Ann Rutledge was rumored to be a close friend of Abraham Lincoln as well.

Nancy Rutledge spent her early years in White County in Illinois and at New Salem in Menard County, Illinois. She came to Van Buren county in Iowa with her mother, Mary Ann Rutledge, in 1836 or so.

In 1846 or so she married Anthony T Prewitt. She was the mother of four children, of which two were surviving as of 1901: Rev. A.M. Prewitt at Downey, California and Will S Prewitt in Fairfield, Iowa. She also helped raise four children that were born to her husband during his first marriage.

Nancy Prewitt was a member of the Cumberland Presbyterian Church and lived closely by its teachings.

The Rev. H.O. Spelman had charge of the funeral services, and was assisted by Rev. J.F. Magill.


There is more to this, if someone is so inclined.

When I first read this, I thought that it was suggesting that Ann was murdered. Further reading, though, makes me realize that she is talking about Ann dying of a broken heart over McNeill. I have edited my post and changed the headline to reflect this.

Best
Rob

https://dspace.allegheny.edu/handle/10456/48749

Via the World Wide Internets, came across a very interesting topic –

'What can we learn about Abraham Lincoln from his taste in music?'
https://www.kennedy-center.org/education...and-music/

Not too lengthy, researched content, insightful, etc. (I think organized by Tamara Keith from NPR)

This watch is soon to be auctioned by Heritage Auctions. It tells quite a story about Lincoln's engagement breakup to Mary and other false history.

https://historical.ha.com/itm/political/...ion-071515

Here is an interesting copy of notes from an interview with Mrs. Josiah Crawford about a young Abraham Lincoln, from the Indiana Historical Society.
Her husband loaned Lincoln the book "Weems Life Of Washington", which was damaged while Lincoln had it. Josiah had him work for three days to compensate for the damage.

It was interesting to learn that Josiah appears to have been only 7 years older than Abraham.

https://images.indianahistory.org/digita...006/id/62/

A photo of Elizabeth Crawford is on her Find A Grave website
https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/4705...h-crawford