Wilson, Douglas L., ed.; Davis, Rodney O., ed.; Stuart, John T. 'John T. Stuart (William H. Herndon Interview)' in 'Herndon's Informants: Letters, Interviews, and Statements About Abraham Lincoln' . Urbana: University of Illinois Press, 1998. [format: book], [genre: interview]. Permission: University of Illinois Press
Persistent link to this document: http://lincoln.lib.niu.edu/file.php?file=herndon480a.html

[1865 — 66]

Jno T Stuart

Says from 1830 up to 1837 the tendency in Illinois was for every man of ambition to turn Democrite — Ford Forquer — Cartwright.

There was a fear that the Yankees about 1832 to 1837 imigrating to Ills would be whig — but when they got here were no more than democrats — and this [illegible] and changed all.

That in 1834 at Danleys ^[1] Abe came to him and Said, Stuart the Democracy want to run me &c that Stuart Said — Run. That the Democracy did drop 2 of their men — and run Abe & Dawson — came near beating Stuart.

That Sangamon Co was Democratic till 1834 and in 1836 & 7 it became Whig — Herndon ^[2] & others went for White ^[3] of Tennessee and this Settled Old Sangamon for nearly 20 ys —

Lincoln stood true to his ideas of Whiggery —

It was the custom to Stump it all over the Country.

Library of Congress: Herndon-Weik Collection. Manuscript Division. Library of Congress. Washington, D.C. 2251; Huntington Library: LN2408, 2:198 — 99

Previous section

Next section