Lincoln on Democracy

"Go to Work, 'Tooth and Nails'": Letter to His Stepbrother

Lincoln and the American Dream, 1832-1852 41 Cass-eds.], in the main are in favor of laying down, in advance, a platform-a set of party positions, as a unit; and then of enforcing the people, by every sort of appliance, to ratify them, however unpalatable some of them may be. We, and our candidate, are in favor of making Presidential elections, and the legislation of the country, distinct matters ; so that the people can elect whom they please, and afterwards, legislate just as they please, without any hindrance, save only so much as may guard against infractions of the constitution, undue haste, and want of consideration. The difference between us, is clear as noonday. That we are right, we can not doubt. We hold the true republican position. In leaving the people's business in their hands, we can not be wrong. Weare willing, and even anxious, to go to the people, on this issue. "Go TO WORK, 'TOOTH AND NAILS'" Letter to His Stepbrother [DECEMBER 24, 1848] Lincoln believed from the beginning ofhis political career in full opportunity . But while he believed "every poor man should have a chance, " he was less than patient with poor men who lacked ambition-including his own stepbrother, who was thirty-seven when Lincoln wrote this letter. Lincoln urged him to end his life of idleness, offering to match every dollar he earned. "/am alwaysfor the man who wishes to work, " Lincoln continued to believe as president. But John D. Johnston did not wish to work. He died in California in 1854, leaving an estate worth only $55.90. Dear Johnston: Your request for eighty dollars, I do not think it best, to comply with now. At the various times when I have helped you a little, you have said to me "We can get along very well now" but in a very short time I find 42 LINCOLN ON DEMOCRACY you in the same difficulty again. Now this can only happen by some defect in your conduct. What that defect is, I think I know. You are not lazy, and still you are an idler. I doubt whether since I saw you, you have done a good whole day's work, in anyone day. You do not very much dislike to work; and still you do not work much, merely because it does not seem to you that you could get much for it. This habit of uselessly wasting time, is the whole difficulty; and it is vastly important to you, and still more so to your children that you should break this habit. It is more important to them, because they have longer to live, and can keep out of an idle habit before they are in it; easier than they can get out after they are in. You are now in need of some ready money; and what I propose is, that you shall go to work, "tooth and nails" for some body who will give you money [for] it. Let father and your boys take charge of things at home-prepare for a crop, and make the crop; and you go to work for the best money wages, or in discharge of any debt you owe, that you can get. And to secure you a fair reward for your labor, I now promise you, that for every dollar you will, between this and the first of next May, get for your own labor, either in money, or in your own indebtedness , I will then give you one other dollar. By this, if you hire yourself at ten dolla[rs] a month, from me you will get ten more, making twenty dollars a month for your work. In this, I do not mean you shall go off to St. Louis, or the lead mines, or the gold mines, in Calif[ornia,] but I mean for you to go at it for the best wages you can get close to home [in] Coles county. Now if you will do this, you will soon be out of debt, and what is better, you will have a habit that will keep you from getting in debt again. But if I should now clear you out, next year you will be just as deep in as ever. You say you would almost give your place in Heaven for $70 or $80. Then you value your place in Heaven very cheaply for I am sure you can with the offer I make you...