SPRINGFIELD，ILL。，October15，1860
L。MONTGOMERYBOND，Esq。
MYDEARSIR：IcertainlyaminnotemperandhavenopurposetoembitterthefeelingsoftheSouth，butwhetherIaminclinedtosuchacourseaswouldinfactembittertheirfeelingsyoucanbetterjudgebymypublishedspeechesthanbyanythingIwouldsayinashortletterifIwereinclinednow，asIamnot，todefinemypositionanew。
Yourstruly，A。LINCOLN。
LETTERSUGGESTINGABEARD