Record Data
Source citation
James G. Wright to Abraham Lincoln, October 11, 1858, Naperville, IL, Abraham Lincoln Papers at the Library of Congress, http://memory.loc.gov/ammem/alhtml/malhome.html.
Type
Letter
Date Certainty
Exact
Transcriber
Transcribed by the Lincoln Studies Center, Knox College, Galesburg, IL
Adapted by Don Sailer, Dickinson College
Transcription
The following transcript has been adapted from the Abraham Lincoln Papers at the Library of Congress.
Naperville, Ill. October 11th 1858.
Honl Sir
I would beg to call your attention to a pamphlet containing what is purported to be the speeches delivered by Judge Douglass [Douglas] & yourself in debate at Charleston, but if I am not much mistaken your speech is so badly mutilated that it is well calculated to work a great injury to yourself & our party's cause, there are about 10.000 of this pamphlet in this place for Circulation, & I fear will work on the unwary the Democrats are untiring & claiming that this version of your speech is must be correct from the fact that you have never taken the trouble to assert its falsity. You have doubtless seen the pamphlet I refer to, not only is it mutilated but your speech is in small poor type while Douglass' is in good clear & large, the pamphlet has doubtless issued from the Times office Chicago but contrary to an Established rule with all printers to endorse all their work with their names or the names of the office where the work was done, there is neither one nor the other on this damnable document. Enough to stamp it in the minds of all honest men with the little it deserves.
We look upon this here abouts as the most shameful and dishonest imposition & fraud, yet Committed by our unscrupable opponents, & respectfully suggest that it would be well for you in your next debate to call particular attention that they are Either affraid to or else cannot either speak or print the truth
Most Respfy Your Obd Sevt
Jas. G. Wright
Honl Sir
I would beg to call your attention to a pamphlet containing what is purported to be the speeches delivered by Judge Douglass [Douglas] & yourself in debate at Charleston, but if I am not much mistaken your speech is so badly mutilated that it is well calculated to work a great injury to yourself & our party's cause, there are about 10.000 of this pamphlet in this place for Circulation, & I fear will work on the unwary the Democrats are untiring & claiming that this version of your speech is must be correct from the fact that you have never taken the trouble to assert its falsity. You have doubtless seen the pamphlet I refer to, not only is it mutilated but your speech is in small poor type while Douglass' is in good clear & large, the pamphlet has doubtless issued from the Times office Chicago but contrary to an Established rule with all printers to endorse all their work with their names or the names of the office where the work was done, there is neither one nor the other on this damnable document. Enough to stamp it in the minds of all honest men with the little it deserves.
We look upon this here abouts as the most shameful and dishonest imposition & fraud, yet Committed by our unscrupable opponents, & respectfully suggest that it would be well for you in your next debate to call particular attention that they are Either affraid to or else cannot either speak or print the truth
Most Respfy Your Obd Sevt
Jas. G. Wright
