obstruction and that they have managed their boat with reasonable care and
skill. As to the last point high winds have nothing to do with it, for it
was not a windy day. They must show due skill and care. Difficulties going
down stream will not do, for they were going up stream. Difficulties
with barges in tow have nothing to do with the accident, for they had no
barge." Mr. Lincoln said he had much more to say, many things he could
suggest to the jury, but he wished to close to save time.
TO JESSE K. DUBOIS.
DEAR DUBOIS:
BLOOMINGTON, Dec. 19, 1857.
J. M. Douglas of the I. C. R. R. Co. is here and will carry this letter.
He says they have a large sum (near $90,000) which they will pay into the
treasury now, if they have an assurance that they shall not be sued
before Jan., 1859--otherwise not. I really wish you could consent to this.
Douglas says they cannot pay more, and I believe him.
I do not write this as a lawyer seeking an advantage for a client; but
only as a friend, only urging you to do what I think I would do if I were
in your situation. I mean this as private and confidential only, but I
feel a good deal of anxiety about it.
Yours as ever,
A. LINCOLN.
TO JOSEPH GILLESPIE.
SPRINGFIELD, Jan. 19, 1858.
MY DEAR SIR: This morning Col. McClernand showed me a petition for a
mandamus against the Secretary of State to compel him to certify the
apportionment act of last session; and he says it will be presented to the
court to-morrow morning. We shall be allowed three or four days to get up
a return, and I, for one, want the benefit of consultation with you.
Please come right up.
Yours as ever,
A. LINCOLN.
TO J. GILLESPIE.
SPRINGFIELD, Feb 7, 1858
MY DEAR SIR: Yesterday morning the court overruled the demurrer to Hatches
return in the mandamus case. McClernand was present; said nothing about
pleading over; and so I suppose the matter is ended.
The court gave no reason for the decision; but Peck tells me
confidentially that they were unanimous in the opinion that even if the
Gov'r had signed the bill purposely, he had the right to scratch his name
off so long as the bill remained in his custody and control.
Yours as ever,
A. LINCOLN.
TO H. C. WHITNEY.
SPRINGFIELD, December 18, 1857.
HENRY C. WHITNEY, ESQ.
MY DEAR SIR:--Coming home from Bloomington last night I found your letter
of the 15th.
I know of no express statute or decisions as to what a J. P. upon the
expiration of his term shall do with his docket books, papers, unfinished
business, etc., but so far as I know, the practice has been to hand over
to the successor, and to cease to do anything further whatever, in perfect
analogy to Sections 110 and 112, and I have supposed and do suppose this
is the law. I think the successor may forthwith do whatever the retiring
J. P. might have done. As to the proviso to Section 114 I think it was put
in to cover possible cases, by way of caution, and not to authorize the J.
P. to go forward and finish up whatever might have been begun by him.
The view I take, I believe, is the Common law principle, as to retiring
officers and their successors, to which I remember but one exception,
which is the case of Sheriff and ministerial officers of that class.
I have not had time to examine this subject fully, but I have great
confidence I am right. You must not think of offering me pay for this.
Mr. John O. Johnson is my friend; I gave your name to him. He is doing the
work of trying to get up a Republican organization. I do not suppose "Long
John" ever saw or heard of him. Let me say to you confidentially, that I
do not entirely appreciate what the Republican papers of Chicago are
so constantly saying against "Long John." I consider those papers truly
devoted to the Republican cause, and not unfriendly to me; but I do think
that more of what they say against "Long John" is dictated by personal
malice than themselves are conscious of. We can not afford to lose the
services of "Long John" and I do believe the unrelenting warfare made upon
him is injuring our cause. I mean this to be confidential.
If you quietly co-operate with Mr. J. O. Johnson on getting up an
organization, I think it will be right.
Your friend as ever,
A. LINCOLN.
1858
ANOTHER POLITICAL PATRONAGE REFERENCE
TO EDWARD G. MINER.
SPRINGFIELD, Feb.19, 1858.
MY DEAR SIR:
Mr. G. A. Sutton is an applicant for superintendent of the addition of the
Insane Asylum, and I understand it partly depends on you whether he gets
it.
Sutton is my fellow-townsman and friend, and I therefore wish to say for
him that he is a man of sterling integrity and as a master mechanic and
builder not surpassed by any in our city, or any I have known anywhere, as
far as I can judge. I hope you will consider me as being really interested
for Mr. Sutton and not as writing merely to relieve myself of importunity.
Please show this to Col. William Ross and let him consider it as much
intended for him as for yourself.
Your friend as ever,
A. LINCOLN.
POLITICAL COMMUNICATION
TO W. H. LAMON, ESQ.
SPRINGFIELD, JUNE 11, 1858
DEAR SIR:--Yours of the 9th written at Joliet is just received. Two or
three days ago I learned that McLean had appointed delegates in favor
of Lovejoy, and thenceforward I have considered his renomination a fixed
fact. My opinion--if my opinion is of any consequence in this case, in
which it is no business of mine to interfere--remains unchanged, that
running an independent candidate against Lovejoy will not do; that it will
result in nothing but disaster all round. In the first place, whosoever
so runs will be beaten and will be spotted for life; in the second place,
while the race is in progress, he will be under the strongest temptation
to trade with the Democrats, and to favor the election of certain of their
friends to the Legislature; thirdly, I shall be held responsible for it,
and Republican members of the Legislature who are partial to Lovejoy will
for that purpose oppose us; and lastly, it will in the end lose us the
district altogether. There is no safe way but a convention; and if in that
convention, upon a common platform which all are willing to stand upon,
one who has been known as an abolitionist, but who is now occupying none
but common ground, can get the majority of the votes to which all look for
an election, there is no safe way but to submit.
As to the inclination of some Republicans to favor Douglas, that is one of
the chances I have to run, and which I intend to run with patience.
I write in the court room. Court has opened, and I must close.
Yours as ever,
A. LINCOLN.
BRIEF AUTOBIOGRAPHY,
JUNE 15, 1858.
The compiler of the Dictionary of Congress states that while preparing
that work for publication, in 1858, he sent to Mr. Lincoln the usual
request for a sketch of his life, and received the following reply:
Born February 12, 1809, in Hardin County, Kentucky.
Education, defective.
Profession, a lawyer.
Have been a captain of volunteers in Black Hawk war.
Postmaster at a very small office.
Four times a member of the Illinois Legislature and was
a member of the lower house of Congress.
Yours, etc.,
A. LINCOLN.