Letter from Mary Todd Lincoln to Joseph Medill, 1867-12-16

"Whilst arranging some books belonging to my husband a few days since, I met with this little pamphlet of a past century, and it has occurred to me, that owing to the associations connected with it, it would be interesting to you. ... I observe in your paper of this morning, that you have copied from F.B. Carpenter's chapter in the Independent of last week, only those articles, that nearest approached the truth. The association that Mr. Seward & Mr. Lincoln were in Boston in 1846[?] together, is totally untrue. I accompanied my husband to Boston in Oct. 1848 when he made speeches for Gen. Taylor. Robert was with us & only 5 years old, we were detained there 3 weeks , by the illness of a younger son, whom e lost a year afterwards. I sincerely believe Mr. seward and Mr. Lincoln never met until 1861. ... As neither the late President nor myself knew a person by the name of 'Fannie M'c" this pathetic story is also a mistake. Perhaps Carpenter meant 'McCracken.' This man appears to iomagine he is a very good writer and will write himself into notice leaving the truth far in the distance. I seriously believe he never had a dozen interviews with Mr. L. who very much disliked sitting for a portrait & more than once complained to me that C. wearied him with his visits to his office when he was most engaged. He is a second edition of Herndon, with all his presumption, [illegible] & false assertions all to bring himself into notice. ... The assertion from Baker of the S. Journal that I was always insane & which found its way into your paper, did not trouble me near as much. As my husband ordered Baker from his house a month before his death when he became convinced of his liaison with the Mattesons [Joel A. Matteson, governor of Illinois, 1853-1857] in swindling our poor soldiers and as it was attribued to my influence I can excuse his malignity."