Lincoln writes to William Martin of Alton, Illinois, regarding the case of Alton & Sangamon RR v. Barret, scheduled to come before the Sangamon County Circuit Court in the March term. Lincoln & Herndon represent the railroad, which is suing James A. Barret, who refused to pay his subscription payments for railroad stock. Barret stopped the payments after the railroad altered the construction of a route line. Barret owned property along the railroad's original proposed route. The route alteration bypassed Barret's property. Lincoln explains to Martin, a commissioner for the sale of stock in the railroad, that Barret "has sent in a proposal" in an attempt to resolve the issue. Lincoln asks Martin to respond to the question of whether or not "the board...[has] the legal authority to release a stockholder in whole or in part" from his subscription obligation. Abraham Lincoln to William Martin, 27 February 1851, Alton & Sangamon RR v. Barret, Private Collection; CW 11:6.