[Presidential] Lincoln, Abraham. Manuscript Document, signed

Citizen Lincoln and His Neighbors Call for the Construction of a Road

Sangamon County, Illinois, June, 1855. Manuscript petition, signed by Abraham Lincoln in pencil ("A. Lincoln") and by over 180 Sangamon County citizens. Five joined sheets, together 46 x 8 1/2 in. (1,168 x 216 mm); comprised of one sheet of blue bond paper, with four white lined and unlined sheets attached at bottom edge; creasing from old folds, separations and repairs along same; scattered smudging and soiling.

A petition signed by Abraham Lincoln and over 180 of his fellow citizens, calling on the County Court of Sangamon County for "the relocation of so much of the State Road from Springfield to Peoria as lies between the Northern limits of the City of Springfield and Henry Converse's house on said road..."

An ardent Whig and admirer of Henry Clay, in his public life Lincoln supported the call for internal improvements, or infrastructure projects, as a means of bringing economic prosperity throughout America’s far-flung towns and cities. In his first bid for political office, in 1832, the 23-year-old Lincoln summarized his political principles thusly, “My politics are short and sweet, like the old woman’s dance. I am in favor of a national bank. I am in favor of the internal improvement system, and a high protective tariff. These are my sentiments and political principles.” These principles matured over the course of Lincoln's life, but they reflected his larger view of seeing the government as an active, and positive, agent in American life--its role stated by him as “to do for a community of people, whatever they need to have done, but can not do, at all or can not, so well do, for themselves.'”

Provenance:

Louise Taper, Beverly Hills, California

Property from the Abraham Lincoln Presidential Foundation

This lot is located in Philadelphia.

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1600 W. Girard Avenue, Philadelphia. Please contact the Auction Specialist for details.

Darren Winston

SVP, Head of Department, Books and Manuscripts, Philadelphia

darrenwinston@freemansauction.com 267.414.1247

Darren Winston, Senior Vice President at Freeman’s, has served as Head of Department for Books & Manuscripts, Philadelphia, since 2018. He has been a trustee of the Rosenbach Museum and Library since 2022, is a member of The Manuscript Society, The Bibliographical Society of America, and Philadelphia’s Philobiblon Club.

Raised in northern New Jersey, Darren moved to New York City in 1988 and began his career there as a bookseller in 1995. He spent the next 18 years selling to private clients and at East Coast book fairs. In 2003 he moved with his young family to Sharon, Connecticut where, in 2009, he opened his own bookshop. Darren Winston, Bookseller offered rare and vintage books, prints, fine art, and more, and hosted over 50 book signings and art shows. He was a trustee and, later, Board President, of the Sharon Historical Society, and for six years a trustee of Indian Mountain School in Lakeville, Connecticut.

Darren has hosted the radio program "Darren Winston's Book Report" for NPR-affiliate WHDD since 2009, appeared in the 2014 book-themed documentary The Paper Trail, and in 2024 he joined Antiques Roadshow as a books and manuscripts appraiser. From 1999 to 2005, Darren was the buyer and consultant to the Fine and Rare Books Department at Asprey, the British luxury goods company, at its New York headquarters. While there he spearheaded various in-store events including readings by Salman Rushdie and Dominick Dunne.

In 1993, Darren was hired as a Creative Consultant to Columbia Records, where he assisted in the repackaging of their 12-record Aerosmith back catalogue. He later sold his extensive collection of Aerosmith memorabilia, which he began amassing at the age of 14, directly to the band.

Darren now lives on the Main Line, outside Philadelphia, with his wife, two children, and dog. The family travels frequently to his wife's native England and Scotland. When not bookselling, he plays guitar in Pumped, an Aerosmith tribute band. Darren also appears on the top-rated PBS television program Antiques Roadshow.

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[Presidential] Lincoln, Abraham. Manuscript Document, signed

Property from the Abraham Lincoln Presidential Foundation

This lot is located in Philadelphia.

Fine Printed Books & Manuscripts, Including Americana

[Presidential] Lincoln, Abraham. Manuscript Document, signed

Fine Printed Books & Manuscripts, Including Americana

[Presidential] Lincoln, Abraham. Manuscript Document, signed

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