Abraham Lincoln Papers: Incoming and Contextual Documents Document mal0497300

Washington City DC
December 10th 1860

Hon Abraham Lincoln
President elect of the United States
Dear Sir
The undersigned Citizens of
Washington City, and your Political friends, desire
to tender you their Congratulations on your election
as the Representative of Republican Principles.
The threatening attitude of our Political opponents
Require prompt and decisive action, the peace and
prosperity of our great nation requires that its Chief
should be a Man of Nerve, and we congratulate
the Country upon the result of the late election, in
elevating to the Executive Chair of the Nation the
Representative Man of Republican Principles.
We flatter ourselves that the Constitution and the
Laws, will be faithfully executed and perfectly
safe in your hands. All that we have that we are
and all that we hope for, Shall be given to Sustain you
in your administration of that Constitution which
every good Citizen should be proud of.
In your elevation to the Chief Magistracy of
the Nation, the Rights of the people have been Vindicated.
They have the man of their choice, and we
Congratulate you Sir, upon the glorious result which
has Overthrown a Corrupt Administration
We Congratulate you because you are a Representative

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man, we congratulate you because the rights of the
people will no longer be trampled on, to gratify
the ambition of a few designing demagogues.
And we congratulate you because your election
brings Peace and prosperity to the Country at Large.
We have never doubted for a moment the result
of the Contest from the day the Magestic Wires made
known that you were to be the Standard bearer of
our Party, we felt a Confidence which amounted
to a Certainty that the honest Yeoman of the Country
would Stand by the nominations made at Chicago
last May, And from that moment our hossanas &
shouts have gone forth for the Success of the Republican
Candidates. "At all times," says an eminent writer
"the history of a distinguished man is interesting to all
Classes". It is especially so at this particular period
of our history when the elevation of such a man to
Power, Rescues the Government from the hands of
the Spoilers, and brings it back to the line of Republican
Principles intended by the Fathers. We believe this is
true of him who is the Subject of these Congratulations,
We believe that the President elect (yourself) Unites in his
person all the qualities of the Statesman And the Saint,
And that the people in all Sections of our Common
Country will be greatly benefitted by this change of
the administration of the Government at Washington.
For a scores of years the American people have suffered
by the misrule of the so called Democratic Party, they

have borne these burdens with a degree of fortitude unknown
in the history of Nations, Untill pacience, ceasing to be a
virtue, they use in their Strength and break the fetters
that bind them, and bid the Demagogues, stand by, and
give place to honest men. Your nomination was the Signal
for a Mighty uprising of the freeman of this great Nation
who took the Matter into their own hands and elected a
Chief Magistrate who will we feel sure, administer the
Government upon the Principles as laid down by the
founders of the Republic. The freemen of the Nation
have been anxiously looking for this grand result for years
past, and now that they achieve a glorious
Victory over the enemies of freedom, they with us, feel sure
that its rich fruits will be realized by Millions of glad
hearts throughout the length and breadth of the Land.
The Valley, and the plain have Spoken, and the Mountain
tops have echoed. Free speech, free soil, and free homes,
to free white men, and women, of America. And we
hail Abraham Lincoln, as the true exponent of
Republican Principles. Once more then Sir
we Congratulate you and the friends of free labor
throughout this vast Country. May you live, long to
enjoy the advantages of free Government, and in after Ages.
Your name may Stand Side, by Side, with Washington, Jefferson
and the great defenders of Republican Principles,
And the Patriots of the Revolution that gave
us a free Nation; And when life's labors
are over, May you, like them, have

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a Nations Gratitude is the Sincere wish of
Very Respectfully
Yours
Member of the Nat. Rep. C. Jos. Gerhard
Vice President 3rd [] A. Duvall
President of the german R.A[?]. []
Executive Comd []
[]
William P. Wood
Daniel Biddleman
Wm. B. Poe[??]