who assist in bearing its burdens. Consequently, I go for
admitting all whites to the right of suffrage who pay taxes or
bear arms (by no means excluding females).

If elected, I shall consider the whole people of Sangamon my
constituents, as well those that oppose as those that support
me.

While acting as their representative, I shall be governed
by their will on all subjects upon which I have the means of
knowing what their will is; and upon all others, I shall
do what my own judgment teaches me will best advance their
interests. Whether elected or not, I go for distributing the
proceeds of the sales of public lands to the several States,
to enable our State, in common with others, to dig canals and
construct railroads without borrowing money and paying the
interest on it.

"If alive on the first Monday in November, I shall vote for
Hugh L. White for President.

"Very respectfully,
"A. LINCOLN."

The campaign which Lincoln began with this letter was in every way
more exciting for him than those of 1832 and 1834. Since the last
election a census had been taken in Illinois which showed so large
an increase in the population that the legislative districts had been
reapportioned and the General Assembly increased by fifty members. In
this reapportionment Sangamon County's delegation had been enlarged