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JOHN BENNETT。
FRIEND JOHN：
Nathan Dresser is here； and speaks as though the contest between
Hardin and me is to be doubtful in Menard County。 I know he is
candid and this alarms me some。 I asked him to tell me the names
of the men that were going strong for Hardin； he said Morris was
about as strong as any…now tell me； is Morris going it openly？
You remember you wrote me that he would be neutral。 Nathan also
said that some man； whom he could not remember； had said lately
that Menard County was going to decide the contest and that made
thL； contest very doubtful。 Do you know who that was？ Don't
fail to write me instantly on receiving this； telling me all…
particularly the names of those who are going strong against me。
Yours as ever；
A。 LINCOLN。
TO N。 J。 ROCKWELL。
SPRINGFIELD； January 21； 1846。
DEAR SIR：You perhaps know that General Hardin and I have a
contest for the Whig nomination for Congress for this district。
He has had a turn and my argument is 〃turn about is fair play。〃
I shall be pleased if this strikes you as a sufficient
argument。
Yours truly；
A。 LINCOLN。
TO JAMES BERDAN。
SPRINGFIELD； April 26； 1846。
DEAR SIR：I thank you for the promptness with which you answered
my letter from Bloomington。 I also thank you for the frankness
with which you comment upon a certain part of my letter； because
that comment affords me an opportunity of trying to express
myself better than I did before； seeing； as I do； that in that
part of my letter； you have not understood me as I intended to be
understood。
In speaking of the 〃dissatisfaction〃 of men who yet mean to do no
wrong； etc。； I mean no special application of what I said to the
Whigs of Morgan； or of Morgan & Scott。 I only had in my mind the
fact that previous to General Hardin's withdrawal some of his
friends and some of mine had become a little warm； and I felt；
and meant to say； that for them now to meet face to face and
converse together was the best way to efface any remnant of
unpleasant feeling； if any such existed。
I did not suppose that General Hardin's friends were in any
greater need of having their feelings corrected than mine were。
Since I saw you at Jacksonville； I have had no more suspicion of
the Whigs of Morgan than of those of any other part of the
district。 I write this only to try to remove any impression that
I distrust you and the other Whigs of your country。
Yours truly；
A。 LINCOLN。
TO JAMES BERDAN。
SPRINGFIELD； May 7； 1866。
DEAR SIR：It is a matter of high moral obligation； if not of
necessity； for me to attend the Coles and Edwards courts。 I have
some cases in both of them； in which the parties have my promise；
and are depending upon me。 The court commences in Coles on the
second Monday； and in Edgar on the third。 Your court in Morgan
commences on the fourth Monday； and it is my purpose to be with
you then； and make a speech。 I mention the Coles and Edgar
courts in order that if I should not reach Jacksonville at the
time named you may understand the reason why。 I do not； however；
think there is much danger of my being detained； as I shall go
with a purpose not to be； and consequently shall engage in no new
cases that might delay me。
Yours truly；
A。 LINCOLN。
VERSES WRITTEN BY LINCOLN AFTER A VISIT TO HIS OLD HOME IN
INDIANA…（A FRAGMENT）。
＇In December； 1847； when Lincoln was stumping for Clay； he
crossed into Indiana and revisited his old home。 He writes：
〃That part of the country is within itself as unpoetical as any
spot on earth； but still seeing it and its objects and
inhabitants aroused feelings in me which were certainly poetry；
though whether my expression of these feelings is poetry； is
quite another question。〃＇
Near twenty years have passed away
Since here I bid farewell
To woods and fields； and scenes of play；
And playmates loved so well。
Where many were； but few remain
Of old familiar things；
But seeing them to mind again
The lost and absent brings。
The friends I left that parting day；
How changed； as time has sped！
Young childhood grown； strong manhood gray；
And half of all are dead。
I hear the loved survivors tell
How naught from death could save；
Till every sound appears a knell；
And every spot a grave。
I range the fields with pensive tread；
And pace the hollow rooms；
And feel （companion of the dead）
I 'm living in the tombs。
VERSES WRITTEN BY LINCOLN CONCERNING A SCHOOL…FELLOW
WHO BECAME INSANE（A FRAGMENT）。
And when at length the drear and long
Time soothed thy fiercer woes；
How plaintively thy mournful song
Upon the still night rose
I've heard it oft as if I dreamed；
Far distant； sweet and lone；
The funeral dirge it ever seemed
Of reason dead and gone。
Air held her breath； trees with the spell
Seemed sorrowing angels round；
Whose swelling tears in dewdrops fell
Upon the listening ground。
But this is past； and naught remains
That raised thee o'er the brute；
Thy piercing shrieks and soothing strains
Are like； forever mute。
Now fare thee well！ More thou the cause
Than subject now of woe。
All mental pangs by time's kind laws
Hast lost the power to know。
O Death！ thou awe…inspiring prince
That keepst the world in fear；
Why dost thou tear more blest ones hence；
And leave him lingering here？
SECOND CHILD
TO JOSHUA P。 SPEED
SPRINGFIELD； October 22； 1846。
DEAR SPEED：You； no doubt； assign the suspension of our
correspondence to the true philosophic cause； though it must be
confessed by both of us that this is rather a cold reason for
allowing a friendship such as ours to die out by degrees。 I
propose now that； upon receipt of this； you shall be considered
in my debt； and under obligations to pay soon； and that neither
shall remain long in arrears hereafter。 Are you agreed？
Being elected to Congress； though I am very grateful to our
friends for having done it； has not pleased me as much as I
expected。
We have another boy； born the 10th of March。 He is very much
such a child as Bob was at his age； rather of a longer order。
Bob is 〃short and low；〃 and I expect always will be。 He talks
very plainly；almost as plainly as anybody。 He is quite smart
enough。 I sometimes fear that he is one of the little rare…ripe
sort that are smarter at about five than ever after。 He has a
great deal of that sort of mischief that is the offspring of such
animal spirits。 Since I began this letter； a messenger came to
tell me Bob was lost； but by the time I reached the house his
mother had found him and had him whipped； and by now； very
likely； he is run away again。 Mary has read your letter； and
wishes to be remembered to Mrs。 Speed and you； in which I most
sincerely join her。