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　opinionif　my
  opinion　is　of　any　consequence　in　this　case；　in　which　it　is　no
  business　of　mine　to　interfereremains　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。
  End　of　Volume　2