(ABRAHAM LINCOLN CAMPAIGN BOOK)
A rare 1860 presidential campaign book, entitled: "Wells' Illustrated National CAMPAIGN HAND-BOOK for 1860." with much content devoted to the campaign of future president Abraham Lincoln. The title page reads, in part: "Lives of all The Candidates for President and Vice-President including John Bell and Edward Everett, Candidates of the National Union Party. Abraham Lincoln and Hanibal Hamlin, Candidates of the National Republican Party. Steph. A. Douglas and Herschel V. Johnson…The National Democratic Party. John C. Breckinridge and Joseph Lane, Candidate…National Democratic Party. Sam Houston, Independent Candidate for the Presidency. With Portraits of Each Engraved Expressly for This Work from Ambrotyopes Taken from Life. 57 Illustrations", Vol. I of II, (Cincinnati and New York: Mack R. Barnitz and J. G. Wells, respectively), 1860. Hand bound, embossed cloth covers, 159pp. 8vo. A true piece of American political history: each candidate's portrait and biography is included in this work. Abraham Lincoln's biography begins with his portrait taken from his Copper Union pose and, of course, his biography touches on his views on slavery with excerpts taken from an 1837 legislative response. In part: "…the following protest was presented to the House…upon the subject of domestic slavery having passed both branches of the general assembly…the undersigned hereby protest…they [the House] believe that the institution of slavery is founded on both injustice and bad policy…the promulgation of abolition doctrines tends rather to increase than abate its evil…they believe that the Congress…has no power…to interfere with the institution of slavery…they believe that the Congress…has the power, under the Constitution, to abolish Slavery in the District of Columbia; but that the power ought not to be exercised…the difference between these opinions and those contained in said resolution, is their reason for entering this protest…A. Lincoln…" Hannibal Hamlin is also examined, with a good part of the book dedicated to sketches of the lives of former presidents, texts of important documents, including the Fugitive Slave Act, etc. Small tears at top and bottom of spine, bumped, else quite good.