Wilson, Douglas L., ed.; Davis, Rodney O., ed.; Dickey, T. Lyle. 'T. Lyle Dickey to William H. Herndon' 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=herndon504b.html

398. T. Lyle Dickey to William H. Herndon.

Ottawa Illinois Dec — 8th 1866

Dear Sir

In reply to your letter I have to say — that I was present at a political Meeting held in a hall (I think Major's Hall) at Bloomington — one the evening of someday in September or October of 1856 at which Abraham Lincoln (late President) made a political speech to a large audience — the precise date of the meeting & the name of the hall can be found I doubt not in the old files of the Bloomington Newspapers of that day ^[1]

In that speech Mr Lincoln distinctly proclaimed it as his opinion that our Government Could not last — part slave & part free — : that either Slavery must be abolished every where — or made equally lawful in all the states or the Union would be dismembered. I Can not be mistaken about this — for I was very sorry to hear him express an opinion which I regarded as erroneous & very dangerous — After the Meeting was over — Mr Lincoln & I returned to Pike House — where we occupied the Same room — Immediately on reaching the room I said to Mr Lincoln — "What in God's name could induce you to promulgate such an opinion" Mr Lincoln replied familiarly — "Upon my soul Dickey I think it is true" — I reasoned to show it was not a correct opinion — He argued strenuously that the opinion was a sound one — At length I said to Mr Lincoln — "Suppose

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