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wishes to be remembered to Mrs。 Speed and you； in which I most
sincerely join her。
As ever yours；
A。 LINCOLN。
TO MORRIS AND BROWN
SPRINGFIELD；
October 21； 1847。
MESSRS。 MORRIS AND BROWN。
GENTLEMEN：Your second letter on the matter of Thornton and
others； came to hand this morning。 I went at once to see Logan；
and found that he is not engaged against you； and that he has so
sent you word by Mr。 Butterfield； as he says。 He says that some
time ago； a young man （who he knows not） came to him； with a copy
of the affidavit； to engage him to aid in getting the Governor to
grant the warrant； and that he； Logan； told the man； that in his
opinion； the affidavit was clearly insufficient； upon which the
young man left； without making any engagement with him。 If the
Governor shall arrive before I leave； Logan and I will both
attend to the matter； and he will attend to it； if he does not
come till after I leave； all upon the condition that the Governor
shall not have acted upon the matter； before his arrival here。 I
mention this condition because； I learned this morning from the
Secretary of State； that he is forwarding to the Governor； at
Palestine； all papers he receives in the case； as fast as he
receives them。 Among the papers forwarded will be your letter to
the Governor or Secretary of； I believe； the same date and about
the same contents of your last letter to me； so that the Governor
will； at all events have your points and authorities。 The case
is a clear one on our side； but whether the Governor will view it
so is another thing。
Yours as ever；
A。 LINCOLN。
TO WILLIAM H。 HERNDON
WASHINGTON； December 5； 1847。
DEAR WILLIAM：You may remember that about a year ago a man by
the name of Wilson （James Wilson； I think） paid us twenty dollars
as an advance fee to attend to a case in the Supreme Court for
him； against a Mr。 Campbell； the record of which case was in the
hands of Mr。 Dixon of St。 Louis； who never furnished it to us。
When I was at Bloomington last fall I met a friend of Wilson； who
mentioned the subject to me； and induced me to write to Wilson；
telling him I would leave the ten dollars with you which had been
left with me to pay for making abstracts in the case； so that the
case may go on this winter； but I came away； and forgot to do it。
What I want now is to send you the money； to be used accordingly；
if any one comes on to start the case； or to be retained by you
if no one does。
There is nothing of consequence new here。 Congress is to
organize to…morrow。 Last night we held a Whig caucus for the
House； and nominated Winthrop of Massachusetts for speaker；
Sargent of Pennsylvania for sergeant…at…arms； Homer of New Jersey
door…keeper； and McCormick of District of Columbia postmaster。
The Whig majority in the House is so small that； together with
some little dissatisfaction； ＇it＇ leaves it doubtful whether we
will elect them all。
This paper is too thick to fold； which is the reason I send only
a half…sheet。
Yours as ever；
A。 LINCOLN。
TO WILLIAM H。 HERNDON。
WASHINGTON； December 13； 1847
DEAR WILLIAM：Your letter； advising me of the receipt of our fee
in the bank case； is just received； and I don't expect to hear
another as good a piece of news from Springfield while I am away。
I am under no obligations to the bank； and I therefore wish you
to buy bank certificates； and pay my debt there； so as to pay it
with the least money possible。 I would as soon you should buy
them of Mr。 Ridgely； or any other person at the bank； as of any
one else； provided you can get them as cheaply。 I suppose； after
the bank debt shall be paid； there will be some money left； out
of which I would like to have you pay Lavely and Stout twenty
dollars； and Priest and somebody （oil…makers） ten dollars； for
materials got for house…painting。 If there shall still be any
left； keep it till you see or hear from me。
I shall begin sending documents so soon as I can get them。 I
wrote you yesterday about a 〃Congressional Globe。〃 As you are all
so anxious for me to distinguish myself； I have concluded to do
so before long。
Yours truly；
A。 LINCOLN。
RESOLUTIONS IN THE UNITED STATES HOUSE OF
REPRESENTATIVES； DECEMBER 22； 1847
Whereas； The President of the United States； in his message of
May 11； 1846； has declared that 〃the Mexican Government not only
refused to receive him ＇the envoy of the United States＇； or to
listen to his propositions； but； after a long…continued series of
menaces； has at last invaded our territory and shed the blood of
our fellow…citizens on our own soil〃；
And again； in his message of December 8； 1846； that 〃we had ample
cause of war against Mexico long before the breaking out of
hostilities； but even then we forbore to take redress into our
own hands until Mexico herself became the aggressor； by invading
our soil in hostile array； and shedding the blood of our
citizens〃；
And yet again； in his message of December 7； 1847； that 〃the
Mexican Government refused even to hear the terms of adjustment
which he ＇our minister of peace＇ was authorized to propose； and
finally； under wholly unjustifiable pretexts； involved the two
countries in war； by invading the territory of the State of
Texas； striking the first blow； and shedding the blood of our
citizens on our own soil〃；
And whereas； This House is desirous to obtain a full knowledge of
all the facts which go to establish whether the particular spot
on which the blood of our citizens was so shed was or was not at
that time our own soil： therefore；
Resolved； By the House of Representatives； that the President of
the United States be respectfully requested to inform this House：
First。 Whether the spot on which the blood of our citizens was
shed； as in his message declared； was or was not within the
territory of Spain； at least after the treaty of 1819； until the
Mexican revolution。
Second。 Whether that spot is or is not within the territory
which was wrested from Spain by the revolutionary government of
Mexico。
Third。 Whether that spot is or is not within a settlement of
people； which settlement has existed ever since long before the
Texas revolution； and until its inhabitants fled before the
approach of the United States army。
Fourth。 Whether that settlement is or is not isolated from any
and all other settlements by the Gulf and the Rio Grande on the
south and west； and by wide uninhabited regions on the north and
east。
Fifth。 Whether the people of that settlement； or a majority of
them； or any of them； have ever submitted themselves to the
government or laws of Texas or of the United States； by consent
or by compulsion； either by accepting office； or voting at
elections； or paying tax； or serving on juries； or having process
served upon them； or in an