Abraham Lincoln was elected to the Illinois legislature for the first time in 1834. Two years later, Mr. Lincoln wrote to the Sangamo Journal to announce his candidacy for reelection.
New Salem, June 13, 1836
To the Editor of the Journal:
In your paper of last Saturday, I see a communication over the signature of "Many Voters," in which the candidates who are announced in the Journal, are called upon to "show their hands." Agreed. Here's mine!
I go for all sharing the privileges of the government, who assist in bearing its burthens. Consequently I go for admitting all whites to the right of suffrage, who pay taxes or the bear arms, (by no means excluding females).
If elected, I shall consider the whole people of Sangamon my constituents, as well those that oppose, as those that support me.
While acting as their representative, I shall be governed by their will, on all subjects upon which I have the means of knowing what their will is; and upon all others, I shall do what my own judgement teaches me will best advance their interests. Whether elected or not, I go for distributing the proceeds of the sales of the public lands to the several states, to enable our state, in common with others, to dig canals and construct railroads, without borrowing money and paying intersest on it.
If alive on the first Monday in November, I shall vote for Huge L. White for President. Very respectfully,
A. Lincoln
This document is a copy of the unedited text of a written work by Abraham Lincoln. Some typographical errors which were present in the original text appear here as well. This document was copied in its entirety from The Living Lincoln, edited by Paul M. Angle and Earl Schenck Miers, published by Marboro Books Corp.