Abraham Lincoln, should restrain them from holding those gentlemen in Chicago to their promises made before the fire. In consideration of the munificent liberality manifested by them in so many ways when in prosperity, all felt that they should be consulted before calling on any other city to take their place in supplying the Infantry Group. It was decided that, as the initial step to further proceedings, Governor Oglesby should visit Chicago and ascertain their feelings on the subject. After spending a day or two there, the Governor wrote a letter to the Hon. O. M. Hatch, Secretary of the Association. The letter was dated Chciago, Dec. 8, and when it was received Mr. Hatch informed Vice President Dubois, who called a meeting Dec. 11, 1871, for the purpose of hearing a report from the Governor.

He said that at an interview with the Hon. J. Young Scammon, he opened the conversation about the future purposes of the Association, and suggested that it might be under the necessity of calling upon some other city to take the place of Chicago in supplying one of the groups of statuary. Mr. Scammon said he thought not, and inquired into the terms of the contract with the sculptor, as to the time of payments. The Governor informed him that one-third of the price was to be paid when the order was given for the work to proceed; but then added very explicitly, that the Association did not, under the present circumstances, expect Chicago to contribute anything, and assured him of the profound regret felt by the members at the necessity of looking somewhere else for the Infantry Group. Mr. Scammon said he thought that unnecessary, and then to the surprise and gratification of the Governor, proceeded to say: "Your Association may give Mr. Mead the order to proceed at once to prepare the cast for the Infantry Group, and I will furnish you in cash onethird of the $13,700; and I think by the time the second payment becomes due, we shall be able to meet

that and the last also." The Governor conferred with Mr. Chauncey T. Bowen, and other gentlemen, who heartily approved of the action of Mr. Scammon, and expressed the determination of Chicago to have one of the groups if no other city did so.

One of the rules of the Association is, never to order any work until they have the money in hand to pay the whole amount; but the Governor recommended a deviation from that rule in the case of Chicago. The other members adopted his views, and on motion of Dr. S. H. Melvin, it was

"Resolved: That, in consideration of the proposition-magnanimous under the circumstances-made by the Hon. J. Young Scammon to President Oglesby, as detailed in his letter just read, the Executive Committee be, and they are hereby directed to request or order Mr. Mead to proceed to execute the work upon the Infantry Group, and prepare the same for the Monument, as stipulated and contemplated in his contract with the Association."

The following order was then issued, with instructions to Mr. Mead to draw on Mr. Scammon for $4566.663:

SPRINGFIELD, ILL. U. S. A. Dec. 11, A. D. 1871.

Mr. Larkin G. Mead, FLORENCE, ITALY.

SIR-You are hereby directed to proceed to the construction of the Infantry Group for the National Lincoln Monument, as specified in your contract with the Association, this order being given upon a resolution of the Association, a copy of which is herewith transmitted.

Respectfully yours,

JOHN T. STUART,

JOHN WILLIAMS, Executive Committee.
JACOB BUNN,

Ex-Governor Oglesby and D. L. Phillips, of the committee appointed May, 1871, again started east via Chicago about the eighth of February, 1872, for the purpose of completing their labors and of enlisting the patriotic citizens of some of the eastern cities in the

laudable work of supplying the means to secure the remaining groups of Statuary, and to make arrangements for having the Statue of Lincoln placed upon the Monument when completed; also, to secure the consent of some distinguished American citizen to deliver the oration on that occasion.

At a meeting of the Association on the fourteenth of March, the committee made their report, of which the following is the substance: One or both of them visited New York, Philadelphia, Boston, Chicopee, Albany and Auburn. At New York, Boston and Philadelphia, each, they received positive assurances from gentlemen eminent for their love of country, that the money would be raised to pay for a group of statuary. At each place the parties giving this assurance had a book prepared for recording one hundred and thirty-seven subscriptions, of one hundred dollars each, making $13,700, the amount required. When the subscriptions are completed, the books are to be forwarded to Springfield and placed in Memorial Hall, as an additional attraction to the contributors, or their friends, when visiting the Monument.

New York being the largest seaport in the United States, the Naval Group was very appropriately assigned to that city. The assurances that the money would be raised for that group was supported by exGov. E. D. Morgan, Russel Sage, Col. G. T. M. Davis and Winthrop S. Gilman. S. Gilman. Gov. Morgan went to work among his friends and very soon became convinced that he would have no difficulty in raising the money. The following letter, written the day before Messrs. Oglesby and Phillips made their report, explains itself:

Hon. R. J. Oglesby, Decatur, Ill:

NEW YORK, March 13, 1872.

MY DEAR GOVERNOR-I have been at work since Thursday last upon the matter of obtaining the autographs of one hun

dred and thirty-seven of our citizens, for the purpose of contributing one of the Bronze Groups for the monument to Abraham Lincoln. I have gone far enough to enable me to assure you, and the Association represented by you, that I am certain to be successful; so certain that I will be responsible for raising the sum of thirteen thousand seven hundred dollars, being the amount necessary to pay for the group representing the Navy. Each autograph on my book means a check for $100, and it may be until the middle of April before the matter will be complete, and the certificate of deposit in the United States Trust Company forwarded to you. Therefore, that no time'should be lost in ordering the modeling to be done by the artist (Mr. Mead), I want you to advise him and get him to work without delay. My subscribers are all chosen, and none refuse, while many thank me for giving them the privilege; and yet, time is required to see so many gentleSome are not in town, and others not always at their place of business when I call; but be assured that success is certain, and that there ought not to be any delay in forwarding the order. The artist may get engaged in some other heavy work.

men.

I am very truly yours,

E. D. MORGAN.

The letter was transmitted by President Oglesby to Secretary Hatch, with instructions to call a meeting at once. The meeting was called for March 22d. When the Association was convened, and the letter read, the following resolution was unanimously adopted:

Resolved, That in consideration of the letter from Hon. E. D. Morgan, just read, we hereby request and direct Larkin G. Mead, Esq., to proceed without delay to prepare and construct the Naval Group for the Monument, as contemplated and specified in his contract with this Association, and draw upon them for one-third of thirteen thousand seven hundred dollars. The Secretary is hereby directed to cause to be transmitted to Mr. Mead a copy of this order.

The order was at once forwarded to the artist at Florence, Italy. The money was all paid, and received by the Treasurer of the Association at Springfield, October 4, 1872. The models for the Infantry and Naval Groups were completed and shipped to Chicopee, Massachusetts. In crossing the Atlantic ocean both Groups were somewhat injured, but in such a manner as not to affect the work when completed. A letter from the Association inquiring into the progress of the work, elicited the following re

sponse:

CHICOPEE, MASS., Oct. 10, 1874.

National Lincoln Monument Association, Springfield, Ill.

GENTLEMEN: By request of O. M. Hatch, for the Association, on the 7th inst., would say that the amount of cannon on hand is 44,511 pounds; have purchased similar stock at twenty cents per pound. We are in receipt of the models of the Navy and Infantry Groups. The models for Navy Group are repaired, and the moulding in a good state of forwardness in the foundry, part of the castings being in a finished state. The models for Infantry Group are not all repaired, but will be ready to follow Navy Group when out.

Yours Truly,

AMES MFG. CO.

The Cavalry Group was assigned to Boston, and the assurance that the money will be raised is supported by such names as ex-Gov. Claflin, Nathaniel Thayer, Alpheus Hardy, J. Wiley Edmonds, Horatio Harrison and others. Hon. Henry Wilson, VicePresident of the United States, was so pleased with the monument, while on his first visit to Springfield to participate in the ceremony of unveiling the Statue of Lincoln, that he expressed his decided opinion that when the people of Boston were informed of the progress of the work, they would no longer delay, but would raise the money at once to pay for the Cavalry group.