A story told by a Cabinet member tended to show how accurately Lincoln
could calculate political results in advance--a faculty which remained
with him all his life.
“A friend, who was a Democrat, had come to him early in the canvass and
told him he wanted to see him elected, but did not like to vote against
his party; still he would vote for him, if the contest was to be so
close that every vote was needed.
“A short time before the election Lincoln said to him: ‘I have got the
preacher, and I don’t want your vote.’”