329. (ABRAHAM LINCOLN) DANIEL S. DICKINSON (1800-1866) American statesman; lawyer; orator; New York State senator, and powerful party leader; distinguished himself while in the Senate by many oratorical displays on questions of great importance, notably in his speeches on the small bill law, the general banking law, arising out of the overthrow of the United States bank, the construction of the Erie railway, and the enlargement of the Erie Canal. In 1861, he was nominated for Attorney General of New York State, and was elected overwhelmingly; at the outbreak of Civil War, although a staunch Democrat, he shifted his considerable influence to the side of Abraham Lincoln's Republican administration. Important political A.L.S. "D.S. Dickinson" 8pp., 4to., Binghamton, [New York], Oct. 18, 1864. Written just one month before the ballots would be cast that would return Abraham Lincoln to the White House, Dickinson rallies his correspondents and hastily takes sarcastic swipes at the Democrat's candidate, George B. McClellan and his military record. Apologizing to "The Committee" [of the Union men meeting at Syracuse], he writes: "...The bad cold...interferes so seriously with the `freedom of Speech' that I am, for the present, much to my regret compel[le]d to abstain from all forensic effort, but there are enough in the field to rally the masses, and when they move, a victory for truth & Union is not far off. Pennsylvania, Ohio & Indiana have shown us the course of the popular currents, and let us not believe, nor permit others to do so, that the Empire State is less patriotic than her noble sisters. It looks now as though the 'Contingent remainder' of the Chicago Convention...would be taxed, under the Internal Revenue law, as 'beaten copper'. The uncomfortable position in which they have placed General McClellan...shows them to be both cruel & exacting: they declare the war a failure, in the face of an armed, unscrupulous & wiley enemy, and propose to negotiate for peace, after admitting that the rebellion has mastered us. Upon this poor object and jaded nag they place the General, & then expect him to ride into the White House, though they well know that he is entirely unaccustomed to forced marches. Evidently fearing the success of the peace poney, at the risk of both speed & bottom, the General endeavors to put one foot upon the war horse, proceeding in an opposite direction from his own, and is just now practicing more extended movements, than any his military experience has afforded...". In very good condition. An unusual war-date commentary from the man who was known politically as an "able debater". $500 - 600