Francis B. Carpenter, Six Months at the White House

“‘ [112] will be six hundred dollars!’ Pleased as I could be, I hastened to Abe, after I got home, with an account of what I had secured for him. He was sitting before the fire in the logcabin when I told him; and what do you think was his answer? When I finished, he looked up very quietly, and said, ‘Mr. Simmons, I thank you very sincerely for your kindness, but I don't think I will undertake the job.’ ‘In the name of wonder,’ said I, ‘why? Six hundred dollars does not grow upon every bush out here in Illinois.’ ‘I know that,’ said Abe, ‘and I need the money bad enough, Simmons, as you know; but I never have been under obligation to a Democratic administration, and I never intend to be so long as I can get my living another way. General Ewing must find another man to do his work.’ ”

I related this story to the President one day, and asked him if it was true. “Pollard Simmons!” said he: “well do I remember him. It is correct about our working together; but the old man must have stretched the facts somewhat about the survey of the county. I think I should have been very glad of the job at that time, no matter what administration was in power.” Notwithstanding this, however, I am inclined to believe Mr. Simmons was not far out of the way. His statement seems very characteristic of what Abraham Lincoln may be supposed to have been at twenty-three or twenty-five years of age.