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Memorandum of Certain Facts for Those Who Follow After


The following memorandum explains how Lincoln's lecture on "Discoveries and Inventions" was preserved for posterity. I found a couple of things interesting about this memo. I have read accounts claiming that Mary and Lincoln argued on the morning of his departure from Springfield and, needing to be on time, he left without her. This argument was cited as the reason she had to catch up with his train a couple of days later. This memo, however, says that Mary's late arrival on the train was planned well in advance. It is also interesting to read a first-hand confirmation that Lincoln had a premonition that he would never return home.

Memorandum of Certain Facts for Those Who Follow After

(Emphasis mine.)

 In the month of February 1861, being at that time a resident of Springfield, Illinois, I called one evening at the residence of my friend, Dr. John Todd. The doctor was an uncle of Mrs. Abraham Lincoln. While there Mr. Lincoln came in, bringing with him a well-filled satchel, remarking as he set it down that it contained his literary bureau. Mr. Lincoln remained some fifteen or twenty minutes, conversing mainly about the details of his prospective trip to Washington the following week, and told us of the arrangements agreed upon for the family to follow him a few days later.

When about to leave he handed the grip above referred to Mrs. Grimsley, the only daughter of Dr. Todd, who was then a widow but who subsequently became the wife of Rev. Dr. Fohn H. Brown, a Presbyterian minister located in Springfield, remarking as he did so that he would leave the bureau in her charge; that if he ever returned to Springfield he would claim it, but if not she might make such disposition of its contents as she deemed proper. A tone of indescribable sadness was noted in the latter part of the sentence. Lincoln had shown me quite a number of letters a few days before, threatening his life, some predicting that he never would be inaugurated, and it was apparent to me that they were making an impression upon his mind, although he tried to laugh the matter off.

About five years later the Nation was startled by the announcement of Lincoln’s assassination. The corporation of Springfield selected twelve of its citizens to proceed at once to Washington and accompany the remains of the dead President back to his old home. I was one of that number, and shall never forget the indescribable sadness manifested by millions of mourners along the route of travel of the funeral cortege as it wended its way westward over two thousand miles.

A few evenings after his body was laid to rest, I again called upon my neighbors, the family of Dr. Todd. Scenes and incidents connected with the assassination and funeral of the dead President were discussed, and the remark made by Lincoln on his last visit to the house was referred to as indicating a presentiment that he would not return alive. This recalled the fact of his having left his so-called literary bureau, and his injunction as to its disposition. Mrs. Grimsley brought the grip from the place where it had been stored, and opened it with a view to examining its contents. Among them was found this manuscript, and attached to it by means of a piece of red tape was another of like character. They proved to be manuscripts of two lectures which he had prepared and delivered within a year prior to his election to the presidency—one at Jacksonville, Illinois, and a few days later at Decatur, Illinois; the other a little later at Cook’s Hall, Springfield, Illinois, at which I was present. Mrs. Grimsley told me to select from the contents of the bureau any one of the manuscripts it contained; and supposing at that time that the two manuscripts belonged to the same lecture, I selected them. On subsequent examination I discovered that while they both treated upon the same subject (Inventions and Discoveries) they were separate lectures. Twenty-five years later I disposed of one of the manuscripts to Mr. Gunther* of Chicago. The other it is my hope and desire shall remain in possession of my family and its descendants.

*This was published in ‘Addresses and Letters of Lincoln,’ The Century Company, 1904.


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