Abraham Lincoln: a History — Volume 01 eBook

[Relocated Footnote:  Lincoln’s life was unusually free from personal disputes.  We know of only one other hostile letter addressed to him.  This was from W. G. Anderson, who being worsted in a verbal encounter with Lincoln at Lawrenceville, the county-seat of Lawrence County, Ill., wrote him a note demanding an explanation of his words and of his “present feelings.”  Lincoln’s reply shows that his habitual peaceableness involved no lack of dignity; he said.  “Your note of yesterday is received.  In the difficulty between us of which you speak, you say you think I was the aggressor.  I do not think I was.  You say my words ‘imported insult.’  I meant them as a fair set-off to your own statements, and not otherwise; and in that light alone I now wish you to understand them.  You ask for my ’present feelings on the subject.’  I entertain no unkind feeling to you, and none of any sort upon the subject, except a sincere regret that I permitted myself to get into any such altercation.”  This seems to have ended the matter—­although the apology was made rather to himself than to Mr. Anderson. (See the letter of William C. Wilkinson in “The Century Magazine” for January, 1889.)]

CHAPTER XIII

THE CAMPAIGN OF 1844

In the letter to Stuart which we have quoted, Lincoln announced his intention to form a partnership with Judge Logan, which was soon carried out.  His connection with Stuart was formally dissolved in April, 1841, and one with Logan formed which continued for four years.  It may almost be said that Lincoln’s practice as a lawyer begins from this time.  Stuart, though even then giving promise of the distinction at which he arrived in his profession later in life, was at that period so entirely devoted to politics that the business of the office was altogether a secondary matter to him; and Lincoln, although no longer in his first youth, being then thirty-two years of age, had not yet formed those habits of close application which are indispensable to permanent success at the bar.  He was not behind the greater part of his contemporaries in this respect.  Among all the lawyers of the circuit who were then, or who afterwards became, eminent practitioners, [Footnote:  They were Dan Stone, Jesse B. Thomas, Cyrus Walker, Schuyler Strong, Albert T. Bledsoe, George Forquer, Samuel H. Treat, Ninian W. Edwards, Josiah Lamborn, John J. Hardin, Edward D. Baker, and others.] there were few indeed who in those days applied themselves with any degree of persistency to the close study of legal principles.  One of these few was Stephen T. Logan.  He was more or less a politician, as were all his compeers at the bar, but he was always more a lawyer than anything else.  He had that love for his profession which it jealously exacts as a condition of succeeding.  He possessed few books, and it used to be said of him long afterwards that he carried his library in his hat.  But the books which he had he never