1Strother Browning and Miss Ella Browning were not near relatives.
SOURCE: The Diary of Orville Hickman Browning, Vol. 1, p. 416
Very warm day. Attended Dr Brown's Church in the morning After tea called at Mr Ridgelys, and went to Mr Jennings Church at night
SOURCE: The Diary of Orville Hickman Browning, Vol. 1, p. 416
1 Nanny Browning was probably not a near relative.
SOURCE: The Diary of Orville Hickman Browning, Vol. 1, p. 416
1 The salient passages in Bates's letter, above referred to, were as follows:
St. Louis, June 11, 1860.
O. H. Browning, Esq., Quincy, Ill.
. . . It ought not to have been doubted that I could give Mr. Lincoln's nomination a cordial and hearty support. . . .
There was no good ground for supposing that I felt any pique or dissatisfaction because the Chicago convention failed to nominate me. . . . On party grounds I had no right to expect a nomination; I had no claims upon the Republicans as a party for I have never been a member of any party . . . except only the Whig party. . . . Many Republicans honored me with their confidence and desired to make me their candidate. For this favor I was indebted to the fact that between them and me there was a coincidence of opinion upon certain important questions of government. They and I agreed in believing that the national government has sovereign power over the territories, and that it would be impolitic and unwise to use that power for the propagation of negro slavery by planting it in free territory. Some of them believed also that my nomination, while it would tend to soften the tone of the Republican party, without any abandonment of its principles, might tend also to generalize its character and attract the friendship and support of many, especially in the border States, who, like me, had never been members of party, but concurred with them in opinion about the government of the territories. These are . . . I think, the only grounds upon which I was supported at all at Chicago.
* * * * * * * * * * * *
Mr. Lincoln's nomination took the public by surprise because, until just before the event, it was unexpected. But really it ought not to have excited any surprise, for such unforeseen nominations are common in our political history. . . . As an individual he earned a high reputation for truth, courage, candor, morals, and amiability so that, as a man, he is most trustworthy, and in this particular he is more entitled to our esteem than some other men, his equals, who had far better opportunities and aids in early life.
* * * * * * * * * * * *
I consider Mr. Lincoln a sound, safe, national man. He could not be sectional if he tried. His birth, his education, the habits of his life, and his geographical position compelled him to be national. All his feelings and interests are identified with the great valley of the Mississippi, near whose center he has spent his whole life. That valley is not a section.
* * * * * * * * * * * *
I give my opinion freely in favor of Mr. Lincoln, and I hope that, for the good of the whole country, he may be elected, but it is not my intention to take active part in the canvass. For many years past, I have had little to do with public affairs, and have acquired no political office; and now, in view of the mad excitement which convulses the country, and the general disruption and disorder of parties, . . . I am more than ever assured that for me, personally, there is no political future, and I accept the condition with cheerful satisfaction. * * * * * * *
Edward Bates
SOURCE: The Diary of Orville Hickman Browning, Vol. 1, p. 416-7
Quincy. Took tea last evening at Mr Strother Browning's in Springfield At 6 Oclock this morning took the cars for home, and arrived at 9½—Raining quite heavily when I got home.
Found Mr Wise of Maine, and his son of Boston at my house—Have been staying here some days attending Unitarian Convention. I did not go down town to day.
SOURCE: The Diary of Orville Hickman Browning, Vol. 1, p. 417
Fine summer day. At work in office. Our friends the Messrs Wises left us to day. Milton Kimball Esqr of Lewiston with us to tea
SOURCE: The Diary of Orville Hickman Browning, Vol. 1, p. 417
Quincy. Fine summer day. At work in office, After tea rode with Mrs Browning to 8th Street
SOURCE: The Diary of Orville Hickman Browning, Vol. 1, p. 417
Fine day. At work in office. Mrs Gilpin with us to dinner
SOURCE: The Diary of Orville Hickman Browning, Vol. 1, p. 417
At Church A. M. & P. M. Warm day.
SOURCE: The Diary of Orville Hickman Browning, Vol. 1, p. 418
Warm day. At work in
office.
SOURCE: The Diary of Orville Hickman Browning, Vol. 1, p. 418
Warm day. Dr.
Robertson arrived this morning, and we all went to Asburys to tea.
SOURCE: The Diary of Orville Hickman Browning, Vol. 1, p. 418
The warmest day of the season. After breakfast rode out eighth street with Dr Robertson. At 10 A. M. he took the cars on St. Jo: road on his way home.
SOURCE: The Diary of Orville Hickman Browning, Vol. 1, p. 418
Rained a little this morning—Warm, cloudy day—At work in office. Attended Snows Floral Concert at night
SOURCE: The Diary of Orville Hickman Browning, Vol. 1, p. 418
Quincy. Fine rain this morning, and warm day. At work in office After tea rode with Mrs Gilpin to 8th street
SOURCE: The Diary of Orville Hickman Browning, Vol. 1, p. 418
Hottest day of the season. Emma gone to Hannibal with a pick nick party on the Steamer Pike. Thunder storm and rain at night
SOURCE: The Diary of Orville Hickman Browning, Vol. 1, p. 418
Carthage. Pleasant day—Attending Court in the forenoon.
At 2 P. M. Mr Warren, Mr Wheat & myself left Carthage, and came in
Hamiltons carriage to Colmer, where they took the cars home, and I came to
Macomb to address a political meeting tomorrow.
I am at the Randolph
House. At near ten Oclock at night the people assembled round the house, and
shouted for me till I had to go down, and show myself and shake hands &
talk a little.
SOURCE: The
Diary of Orville Hickman Browning, Vol. 1, p. 413
Macomb. Early this morning the people began to gather
in, and by noon from seven to ten thousand assembled. The morning was quite
warm with a fresh breeze from the South, and the arrangements for speaking were
made in the public square. Lawrence was to commence at 2 P. M. and I was to
follow him. At 1 P. M. the wind shifted to the North, and blew almost a
hurricane for half and hour, and then rained very heavily for sometime. Between
2 & 3 P. M. when it had almost ceased to rain although the earth was
drenched, and the grass dripping, a great crowd of men and women assembled in
the square, and I was compelled to address them, which I proceeded to do with
my hat on, and an umbrella held over. After speaking an hour, being then
thoroughly wet, and the rain increasing, it was proposed to adjourn to a large
unfinished brick house, which we did, and where I addressed them for an
hour longer tho' not one fourth of them could get in.
At 7 O'clock I took
the cars for home where I arrived at 10, and found that rain had extended to
Adams County in copious & abundant supply. It was the best and heaviest
rain we have had this year. Lawrence and I dined with Mr Twyman, the son in law
of Mr Chas Chandler
SOURCE: The
Diary of Orville Hickman Browning, Vol. 1, pp. 413-4
Very fine day. At
Church A. M. & P. M. Just before night Mr & Mrs Goodrich, of Mass: Mr
Goodrich being a member of the National Republican Committee called, and sat
till near 10 O'clock. The moon is about full, and is as lovely a summer night
as ever shone.
SOURCE: The
Diary of Orville Hickman Browning, Vol. 1, p. 414
Quincy &
Carthage. At 5 Oclock this morning took
the cars for Plymouth on my way back to Hancock Court. Warren & Grimshaw in
company and at Plymouth we were joined by Mr Sherman of Galesburg and we all
came on together to Carthage with Hamiltons team and carriage, which Grimshaw
had driven to Plymouth on Saturday—Got here a little after 10 Oclock and
stopped at Artois Hamiltons—A very fine day.
SOURCE: The
Diary of Orville Hickman Browning, Vol. 1, p. 414
Fine day. Attending
Court. Wrote to Hon Edw: Bates in reply to his of 28th ult:
SOURCE: The
Diary of Orville Hickman Browning, Vol. 1, p. 414
