Mr. Joshua R. Stanford.

Sir:—­I hope the subject-matter of this letter will appear a sufficient apology to you for the liberty I, a total stranger, take in addressing you.  The persons here holding two lots under a conveyance made by you, as the attorney of Daniel M. Baily, now nearly twenty-two years ago, are in great danger of losing the lots, and very much, perhaps all, is to depend on the testimony you give as to whether you did or did not account to Baily for the proceeds received by you on this sale of the lots.  I, therefore, as one of the counsel, beg of you to fully refresh your recollection by any means in your power before the time you may be called on to testify.  If persons should come about you, and show a disposition to pump you on the subject, it may be no more than prudent to remember that it may be possible they design to misrepresent you and embarrass the real testimony you may ultimately give.  It may be six months or a year before you are called on to testify.

Respectfully,
A. Lincoln.

1854 To O. L. Davis.

Springfield, June 22, 1854. 
O. L. Davis, Esq.

Dear sir:—­You, no doubt, remember the enclosed memorandum being handed me in your office.  I have just made the desired search, and find that no such deed has ever been here.  Campbell, the auditor, says that if it were here, it would be in his office, and that he has hunted for it a dozen times, and could never find it.  He says that one time and another, he has heard much about the matter, that it was not a deed for Right of Way, but a deed, outright, for Depot-ground—­at least, a sale for Depot-ground, and there may never have been a deed.  He says, if there is a deed, it is most probable General Alexander, of Paris, has it.

Yours truly,
A. Lincoln.

NEBRASKA MEASURE

TO J. M. PALMER

[Confidential]

Springfield, Sept. 7, 1854. 
Hon.  J. M. Palmer.

Dear sir:—­You know how anxious I am that this Nebraska measure shall be rebuked and condemned everywhere.  Of course I hope something from your position; yet I do not expect you to do anything which may be wrong in your own judgment; nor would I have you do anything personally injurious to yourself.  You are, and always have been, honestly and sincerely a Democrat; and I know how painful it must be to an honest, sincere man to be urged by his party to the support of a measure which in his conscience he believes to be wrong.  You have had a severe struggle with yourself, and you have determined not to swallow the wrong.  Is it not just to yourself that you should, in a few public speeches, state your reasons, and thus justify yourself?  I wish you would; and yet I say, don’t do it, if you think it will injure you.  You may have given your word