Page:Oregon Historical Quarterly vol. 8.djvu/84



"Springfield, Illinois, August 4, 1860. "Friend Francis: "I have had three letters from you one, a long one, received in February; one, telling me of the deputation of Mr. Greeley to cast the vote of Oregon in the Chicago convention, received a few days before that convention; and one written since you knew the result of your Oregon election, received a few days ago. I have not, till now, attempted an answer to any of them, because I disliked to write you a mere note, and because I could not find time to write at length. "Your brother Allen has returned from California, and, I under- stand, intends remaining here. Josiah is running the J. P. court, about as when you left We had a storm here last night which did considerable damage, the largest single instance of which was the Withies A wall of their brick shop building was thrown in, and, it is said, destroyed ten thousand dollars worth of carriages. I have heard of no personal injury done.

"When you wrote, you had not learned of the doings of the Demo- cratic convention at Baltimore; but you will be in possession of it all long before this reaches you. I hesitate to say it, but it really appears now, as if the success of the Republican ticket is inevitable. We have no reason to doubt any of the States which voted for Fremont. Add to these, Minnesota, Pennsylvania, and New Jersey, and the thing is

l Note. Simeon Francis was editing The Oregonian. He edited the Illinois State Journal at Springfield, Illinois, from 1831 to 1857, and during those years formed the acquaintance of Mr. Lincoln, which ripened into a life-long and most intimate friendship. Mr. Francis came to Portland in 1859, and was connected with The Oregonian until September 9, 1861, when he was appointed Paymaster in the United States Army. David Logan, spoken of, was a son of Judge Stephen T. Logan, once a law partner of Mr. Lincoln at Springfield. Colonel Baker, alluded to, was Edward Dickinson Baker, a mutual friend of Mr. Lincoln and Mr. Francis, who came to California in 1852, and to Oregon early in 1860. He was elected to the United States Senate by the Oregon legislature in September, 1860, raised a regiment for the Union soon after the beginning of the Civil War, and was killed at the head of his command at the battle of Ball's Bluff, Virginia. October 21, 1861. The letter was given to the Oregon Historical Society by Mrs. Byron Z. Holmes, a niece of Mr. Francis. The "Allen" referred to was Hon. Allen Francis, Mrs. Holmes' father, who for many years was United States Consul at Victoria, British Columbia. This letter is printed for the first time. George H. Himes, Assistant Secretary.