When Mr. Lincoln had prepared his brief letter accepting the
Presidential nomination he took it to Dr. Newton Bateman, the State
Superintendent of Education.
“Mr. Schoolmaster,” he said, “here is my letter of acceptance. I am
not very strong on grammar and I wish you to see if it is all right. I
wouldn’t like to have any mistakes in it.”.
The doctor took the letter and after reading it, said:
“There is only one change I should suggest, Mr. Lincoln, you have
written ‘It shall be my care to not violate or disregard it in any
part,’ you should have written ‘not to violate.’ Never split an
infinitive, is the rule.”
Mr. Lincoln took the manuscript, regarding it a moment with a puzzled
air, “So you think I better put those two little fellows end to end, do
you?” he said as he made the change.