text_original: For this reason it must not publicly appear that I am paying any attention to the charge." [Sidenote] Lincoln to Dr. Theodore Canisius, May 17, 1859. His position on the main question involved was already sufficiently understood; for in his elsewhere quoted letter of May 17, 1859, he had declared himself against the adoption by Illinois, or any other place where he had a right to oppose it, of the recent Massachusetts constitutional provision restricting foreign born citizens in the right of suffrage.
text_transcription: FOR THIS REASON IT MUST NOT PUBLICLY APPEAR THAT I AM PAYING ANY ATTENTION TO THE CHARGE HIS POSITION ON THE MAIN QUESTION INVOLVED WAS ALREADY SUFFICIENTLY UNDERSTOOD FOR IN HIS ELSEWHERE QUOTED LETTER OF MAY SEVENTEENTH EIGHTEEN FIFTY NINE HE HAD DECLARED HIMSELF AGAINST THE ADOPTION BY ILLINOIS OR ANY OTHER PLACE WHERE HE HAD A RIGHT TO OPPOSE IT OF THE RECENT MASSACHUSETTS CONSTITUTIONAL PROVISION RESTRICTING FOREIGN BORN CITIZENS IN THE RIGHT OF SUFFRAGE
phonemes: fɔːɹ ðɪs ɹˈiːzən ɪt mˈʌst nˌɑːt pˈʌblɪkli ɐpˈɪɹ ðæt aɪɐm pˈeɪɪŋ ˌɛni ɐtˈɛnʃən tə ðə tʃˈɑːɹdʒ." [sˈaɪdnoʊt] lˈɪŋkən tə dˈɑːktɚ. θˈiːədˌɔːɹ kænˈɪsɪəs, mˈeɪ sˈɛvəntˌiːn, wˈʌn θˈaʊzənd ˈeɪthˈʌndɹɪd fˈɪfti nˈaɪn. hɪz pəzˈɪʃən ɔnðə mˈeɪn kwˈɛstʃən ɪnvˈɑːlvd wʌz ɔːlɹˌɛdi səfˈɪʃəntli ˌʌndɚstˈʊd; fɔːɹ ɪn hɪz ˈɛlswɛɹ kwˈoʊɾᵻd lˈɛɾɚɹ ʌv mˈeɪ sˈɛvəntˌiːn, wˈʌn θˈaʊzənd ˈeɪthˈʌndɹɪd fˈɪfti nˈaɪn, hiː hæd dᵻklˈɛɹd hɪmsˈɛlf ɐɡˈɛnst ðɪ ɐdˈɑːpʃən baɪ ˌɪlənˈɔɪ, ɔːɹ ˌɛni ˈʌðɚ plˈeɪs wˌɛɹ hiː hæd ɐ ɹˈaɪt tʊ əpˈoʊz ɪt, ʌvðə ɹˈiːsənt mˌæsɐtʃˈuːsɪts kˌɑːnstɪtˈuːʃənəl pɹəvˈɪʒən ɹᵻstɹˈɪktɪŋ fˈɔːɹən bˈɔːɹn sˈɪɾɪzənz ɪnðə ɹˈaɪt ʌv sˈʌfɹɪdʒ.