Letter to Friends in Illinois, 20 December 1841

The Gubernatorial Convention of the State of have nominated Colonel for GOVERNOR, and Colonel for LIEUTENANT-GOVERNOR of the State of —election to take place in August next. , like , and , was an intimate friend of long before that gentleman became a member of our community; and informs us that no men were more efficient in assisting him to procure our great chartered privileges than were , and .— They are sterling men, and friends of equal rights—opposed to the oppressor’s grasp, and the tyrant’s rod. With such men at the head of our State Government we have nothing to fear. In the next canvass we shall be influenced by no party consideration—and no Carthagenian coalescence or collusion, with our people, will be suffered to affect, or operate against, or any other of our tried friends already semi-officially in the field; so the partizans in this who expect to divide the friends of humanity and equal rights will find themselves mistaken—we care not a fig for Whig or Democrat: they are both alike to us; but we shall go for our friends, our tried friends, and the cause of human liberty which is the cause of God. We are aware that “divide and conquer” is the watch-word with many, but with us it cannot be done—we love liberty too well—we have suffered too much to be easily duped—we have no cat’s-paws amongst us. We voted for General [William Henry] Harrison because we loved him—he was a gallant officer and a tried statesman; but this is no reason why we should always be governed by his friends—he is now dead, and all of his friends are not ours. We claim the privileges of freemen, and shall act accordingly. is a Master Spirit, and his friends are our friends—we are willing to cast our banners on the air, and fight by his side in the cause of humanity, and equal rights—the cause of liberty and the law. , and , are his friends—they are ours. These men are free from the prejudices and superstitions of the age, and such men we love, and such men will ever receive our support, be their political predilections what they may. , and , are known to be our friends; their friendship is vouched for by those whom we have tried. We will never be justly charged with the sin of ingratitude—they have served us, and we will serve them.