215

155. Elizabeth Crawford to William H. Herndon.

feb the 21 1866

dear Ser

your letter of the 5th Came to hand in due time and we Should have Ancerd it Sooner but our buisness bin so that we could not conveniently have time you wished me to tell you whether Abraham lincoln ever made Any pretensions of religeon during his Stay in this country I never heard of his ever making any such pretensions I dont think he ever did though he Seemed to be A well wisher he went to meeting Some times and was well behaved you also wished to know what Songes he used to Sing I cant remember many of them he use to Sing one that was cauld John adconsons lementation and one that was cauld william riley and one that was made about gineral Jackson and John adams at the time thay ware anominated for the presidency though I cant memorise but verry little of any of them he Sang but verry little when he was about the house he was not noisy as to his Jesturs or Jokes I cant recolect though he had A good many I will give you as much of his favorite Songs as I can memorise as follows

John Adconsons Lementation

O Sinners poor sinners take warning by me
the fruits of transgressing behold now and See
my Sole is tormented my body confined
my friends and dear children left weeping behind

216

much in toxication my ruin has bin
and my dear companion have barberly slain
in yanders cold grave yard her body doth lay
whilest I am condemed and Shortly must die

remember John adconsons death and reform
before death overtakes you and vengeance comes on
my griefs overwhelming in god I must trust
I am Justly condemed my Sentance is Just

I am waiting the Summons in eternity to be herled
whilest my poore little orphans is cast on the world
I hope my kind neighbors ther gardeens will be
and heaven kind heaven protect them and me

mr herndon I have given you as much of the above Song as I could memorise this was A favorite Song of Abraham lincolns now I will give you A line or two of the Jackson Song that he used to sing and then I will have to close as my eyes is so weak that I cant see the lines on the paper

let ould aquaintance be forgot
and never brout to mind
and Jackson be our president
and adams left behind

excuse bad riting

elizabeth crawford

Library of Congress: Herndon-Weik Collection. Manuscript Division. Library of Congress. Washington, D.C. 2502 — 3; Huntington Library: LN2408, 1:193 — 95

nts

Notes.

1. Cf. "John Adkin's Farewell" in Carl Sandburg, New American Songbag (New York, 1950), 52 — 53. For "William Riley," see Lair, 5. The setting of political lyrics to the tune of "Auld Lang Syne" was common in the nineteenth century. For the version that AL sang, see p. 216.