Wilson, Douglas L., ed.; Davis, Rodney O., ed.; Bart;ett, Fred H. '[Fred?] H. Bartlett to Edward L. Pierce (Letter and Extracts)' in 'Herndon's Informants: Letters, Interviews, and Statements About Abraham Lincoln' . Urbana: University of Illinois Press, 1998. [format: book], [genre: letter]. Permission: University of Illinois Press
Persistent link to this document: http://lincoln.lib.niu.edu/file.php?file=herndon686b.html

Worcester, Mass., Nov — 5th 1889

Dear Sir —

Having been directed by His Hon. Mayor Winslow, I have examined the files of the "Spy" with reference to Mr. Lincolns address in Worcester, at the time of the Whig convention in 1848. I am afraid that I do not find anything that will be satisfactory to you. Enclosed you will find Extracts from the "Spy" of Sept 14 & 16 — 1848. —

Respectfully
[Fred?] H Bartlett
Clerk for the Mayor —

P.S. I shall be willing to look further if you desire. ^[1]

"Yesterday" — At about 9 o'clock the Taylor Club. to the number of some 50 or 60 proceeded by the Worcester Brass Band, proceeded from their head quarters to the railroad Depot. where they met a portion of the Boston Delegation. from which they escorted them through one or two streets back to the depot — where the citizens, numbering, we should say, some seven or eight hundred, were addressed by His Honor — the Judge of Probate of Worcester Co. by His Honor the Mayor of Worcester, by Mr. Taylor, Senator from Granby — almost a fac smile of Old Zach himself — by a Mr Woodman of Boston, and by Mr Abraham Lincoln, the recently defeated Taylor candidate in the 7th district in Illinois for reelection to Congress — These gentlemen all said some things that were rather witty, though truth, and reason and argument were treated as out of the question — as unnecessary and not to be expected.

(Here follows the doings of the convention) The article closes by saying "That the conventional was addressed by Messrs Choate, Winthrop and Hudson, but we have neither time nor space for Comment"

"The Organ, (referring to the "True Whig") complains of our suggestion that Abraham Lincoln was a defeated candidate. We know that a Cass man had been elected in his district and hence inferred Erroneously, as it appears, that Mr. Lincoln was the defeated candidate. It turns out, however, that it was another Taylor candidate who was defeated, Mr Lincoln, foreseeing the danger, having, prudently withdrawn himself."

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