Beschreibung:

LINCOLN, ABRAHAM]. HERNDON, WILLIAM HENRY Autograph letter signed to a Mr. Kirk, Springfield, [Illinois], 22 November 1885. 2 pages, 4to, neatly tipped to another sheet . Herndon, (Lincoln's law partner and biographer) on Lincoln's character as a politican: "What is a politician? If a politician is one who studies...Mr. Lincoln was a fine, fine politician in the best sense of the word..., a deep, thorough, & persistent thinker and a great reader of the political history of his country as found in Congressional & Constitutional debates, speeches, newspapers, serious histories, etc... Mr. Lincoln had not arrived at his mental maturity -- was 56 only when assassinated. Had it not been for the terrible war Mr. Lincoln would not only have found that he was a fine politician, but a statesman... What he needed was time & circumstance to develop the man...." -- HERNDON. Autograph letter signed, Sangamon County, Illinois, 15 January 1874. 4 pages, 4to. "...Mr. Lincoln was a kind -- tender & sympathetic man feeling deeply in the presence of suffering -- pain -- wrong or oppression in any shape: he was the very essence and substance of truth -- was of unbounded veracity -- had unlimited integrity, always telling the exact truth and always doing the honest thing at all times and under all circumstances. He was just to men: he loved the right -- the good and true with all his soul. I was with Mr. Lincoln for about twenty-five years and I can truthfully say -- I never knew him to do a wrong thing...." Together two items . (2)