Springfield 1636-1886, History of Town and City, by Mason A. Green ...

SPRINGFIELD, 1636-18S6. 519
But Mr. Ashimin had still an important service to perform after
Mr. Lincoln's election. Thousands of men were waiting to hear
from Stephen A. Douglas. Mr. Ashmun was a friend of both. It
fell upon him to make the convincing appeal to jVIr. Douglas's patriot-
ism. It was a long struggle. The two men debated until late at
night ; and when at length Douglas determined to stand by tlie
Lincoln administration, he urged Ashmun not to wait until morning,
but to hasten to Mr. Lincoln, who learned it before he slept, and the
papers of the land had it tlie next morning. It is a fact that has
escaped notice that Mr. Douglas stood immediately back of Lincoln
on the platform during the delivery of his inaugural address, and held
the President's tall hat for him, as tliere was no place to put it,
Mr. Lincoln was just starting for P^ord's Theatre on the fatal night
when Mr. Ashmun called. He pencilled on his knee as he was about
to take the carriage the following note :
Allow Mr. Ashmun and friend to come in at nine A.M. to-morrow.
Judge C. P. Daly, of New York.
—
A. LiXCOLN.
This note, the last words written by Abraham Lincoln, is now in
the possession of George A. Morton, of this city, who also has Lin-
coln's letter accepting his first nomination for the presidency.
Ashmun's old law partner, Keuben A. Chapman, was chosen a
Lincoln presidential elector. He had received a handsome vote for
attorne^'-general in the republican convention which nominated John
A. Andrew for governor ; but a better position was open to him,
and, in October, 1860, he was duly qualihed judge of tlie Supreme
Court.
The Massachusetts democrats turned to K. D. Beach once
more for governor. The Bell and Everett convention put Henry
Morris on its ticket as attorney-general. Stephen C. Bemis was a
Douglas and Johnson elector, and Chester W. Chapin a Breckinridge
and Lane elector. Homer Foot was a councillor on the Douglas