On October 7, the Sangamo Journal ran a letter by “An Old Settler” (probably Lincoln) accusing Adams of fraud in yet another land transaction. He sententiously declared that Adams “may wince, and screw as other men of the same character usually do, under the lash of Justice and the power of Truth, still he shall not escape.” Eleven days later, Lincoln deplored the general’s “rascality” and called his defense “foolish,” “ludicrous,” and “contradictory.” Once again, Lincoln had the better argument, but his snide, contemptuous tone undermined his effectiveness.
Source: Abraham Lincoln ∶ A Life ▫𓂃
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