represented　would　drive　an　ascending　boat　to　the　long　pier　but
  not　to　the　short　pier；　as　they　urge。　　He　explained　from　a　model
  of　a　boat　where　the　splash　door　is；　just　behind　the　wheel。　　The
  boat　struck　on　the　lower　shoulder　of　the　short　pier　as　she　swung
  around　in　the　splash　door；　then　as　she　went　on　around　she　struck
  the　point　or　end　of　the　pier；　where　she　rested。　　〃Her　engineers；〃
  said　Mr。　Lincoln；　〃say　the　starboard　wheel　then　was　rushing
  around　rapidly。　　Then　the　boat　must　have　struck　the　upper　point
  of　the　pier　so　far　back　as　not　to　disturb　the　wheel。　　It　is　forty
  feet　from　the　stern　of　the　Afton　to　the　splash　door；　and　thus　it
  appears　that　she　had　but　forty　feet　to　go　to　clear　the　pier。　　How
  was　it　that　the　Afton　with　all　her　power　flanked　over　from　the
  channel　to　the　short　pier　without　moving　one　foot　ahead？　　Suppose
  she　was　in　the　middle　of　the　draw；　her　wheel　would　have　been　31
  feet　from　the　short　pier。　　The　reason　she　went　over　thus　is　her
  starboard　wheel　was　not　working。　　I　shall　try　to　establish　the
  fact　that　the　wheel　was　not　running　and　that　after　she　struck　she
  went　ahead　strong　on　this　same　wheel。　　Upon　the　last　point　the
  witnesses　agree；　that　the　starboard　wheel　was　running　after　she
  struck；　and　no　witnesses　say　that　it　was　running　while　she　was
  out　in　the　draw　flanking　over。〃
  Mr。　Lincoln　read　from　the　testimonies　of　various　witnesses　to
  prove　that　the　starboard　wheel　was　not　working　while　the　Afton
  was　out　in　the　stream。
  〃Other　witnesses　show　that　the　captain　said　something　of　the
  machinery　of　the　wheel；　and　the　inference　is　that　he　knew　the
  wheel　was　not　working。　　The　fact　is　undisputed　that　she　did　not
  move　one　inch　ahead　while　she　was　moving　this　31　feet　sideways。
  There　is　evidence　proving　that　the　current　there　is　only　five
  miles　an　hour；　and　the　only　explanation　is　that　her　power　was　not
  all　usedthat　only　one　wheel　was　working。　　The　pilot　says　he
  ordered　the　engineers　to　back　her　up。　　The　engineers　differ　from
  him　and　said　they　kept　on　going　ahead。　　The　bow　was　so　swung　that
  the　current　pressed　it　over；　the　pilot　pressed　the　stern　over
  with　the　rudder；　though　not　so　fast　but　that　the　bow　gained　on
  it；　and　only　one　wheel　being　in　motion　the　boat　nearly　stood
  still　so　far　as　motion　up　and　down　is　concerned；　and　thus　she　was
  thrown　upon　this　pier。　　The　Afton　came　into　the　draw　after　she
  had　just　passed　the　Carson；　and　as　the　Carson　no　doubt　kept　the
  true　course　the　Afton　going　around　her　got　out　of　the　proper　way；
  got　across　the　current　into　the　eddy　which　is　west　of　a　straight
  line　drawn　down　from　the　long　pier；　was　compelled　to　resort　to
  these　changes　of　wheels；　which　she　did　not　do　with　sufficient
  adroitness　to　save　her。　　Was　it　not　her　own　fault　that　she
  entered　wrong；　so　far　wrong　that　she　never　got　right？　　Is　the
  defence　to　blame　for　that？
  〃For　several　days　we　were　entertained　with　depositions　about
  boats　'smelling　a　bar。'　　Why　did　the　Afton　then；　after　she　had
  come　up　smelling　so　close　to　the　long　pier　sheer　off　so
  strangely。　　When　she　got　to　the　centre　of　the　very　nose　she　was
  smelling　she　seemed　suddenly　to　have　lost　her　sense　of　smell　and
  to　have　flanked　over　to　the　short　pier。〃
  Mr。　Lincoln　said　there　was　no　practicability　in　the　project　of
  building　a　tunnel　under　the　river；　for　there　〃is　not　a　tunnel
  that　is　a　successful　project　in　this　world。　　A　suspension　bridge
  cannot　be　built　so　high　but　that　the　chimneys　of　the　boats　will
  grow　up　till　they　cannot　pass。　　The　steamboat　men　will　take　pains
  to　make　them　grow。　　The　cars　of　a　railroad　cannot　without　immense
  expense　rise　high　enough　to　get　even　with　a　suspension　bridge　or
  go　low　enough　to　get　through　a　tunnel；　such　expense　is
  unreasonable。
  〃The　plaintiffs　have　to　establish　that　the　bridge　is　a　material
  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。；　1859otherwise　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　analogo　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