Ellis v. Locke (SC), suit to foreclose mortgage by scire facias, from Cook County, is argued by Lincoln for appellant and Logan for appellee. Judgment of lower court is later affirmed. Chase v. Debolt (SC), appeal from Peoria County, is argued by Powell for plaintiff and Lincoln for defendant.Record.

Court orders plaintiff to file abstracts by tomorrow in Buckmaster v. Beames et al. (SC). Trumbull and Lincoln represent plaintiff. Record.

[John H. Morrison of Tremont in letter to John J. Hardin says: "Lincoln will probably get all the vote of Tazewell County even if Hardin were a candidate. The regular succession principle has been accepted. It is Abrahams turn now."John J. Hardin Papers, Chicago History Museum, Chicago, IL.]

Rysinger v. Cheney (SC) is argued by Lincoln for plaintiff and Stuart and Edwards for defendant. Lincoln wins case when court reverses lower court. He appears with Trumbull for plaintiff in Buckmaster v. Beames et al., appeal from Madison, and for defendant in Wright v. Bennett (SC), appeal from Menard County.Record.

Lincoln for plaintiff and Brayman for defendant argue Moore v. Hamilton (SC), appeal from Hancock County. Lincoln loses when court reverses judgment.Record.

Lincoln appears before Supreme Court in Sargeant v. Kellogg and moves court to have order of reversal set aside and case again placed on docket.Record.

He gives Johnson Whaley receipt for ten dollars, fee in Whaley v. heirs of McElyea in Sangamon Circuit Court.Emanuel Hertz, Abraham Lincoln: A New Portrait, 2 vols. (New York: Liveright, 1931), 2:553.

Lincoln writes to John J. Hardin, of Jacksonville, Illinois, in response to Hardin's criticism of Lincoln's interest in running for Congress. Hardin's congressional term ended nearly a year earlier and Edward D. Baker now holds the seat. Lincoln writes, "It is certain that struggles between candidates, do not strengthen a party; but who are most responsible for these struggles, those who are willing to live and let live, or those who are resolved, at all hazzards, to take care of 'number one'?" Abraham Lincoln to John J. Hardin, 7 February 1846, CW, 1:360-65.

Lincoln and Fridley argue motion made by Lincoln yesterday in Sargeant v. Kellogg. Motion is resisted by Peters and court considers.Record.

Lincoln writes B. F. James about recent article in "Morgan (Jacksonville) Journal" that attempted to show Lincoln unwilling to have fair expression by Whigs on claims of Hardin and himself for Congress.Abraham Lincoln to Benjamin F. James, 9 February 1846, CW, 1:365-66.

Argument is concluded in Supreme Court in Sargeant v. Kellogg and court reinstates case. In Chauncey v. Jackson, Lincoln's motion that judgment of reversal be vacated is allowed, after he files deposition that because of other business he neglected to notice that defendant was ordered December 31, 1845 to file joinder in error. Lincoln writes and files his own affidavit in Thornton v. Jackson, appeal from Cook County.Record; Photocopy.

Supreme Court adjourns.

[If Lincoln fulfils intention expressed January 14, 1846 in letter to B. F. James, he leaves to canvass counties to north for nomination to Congress. Democratic state convention meets in House of Representatives.Sangamo Journal, 12 February 1846.]

[Hardin writes public letter declining to be candidate for Congress. He publishes his plan for selecting nominee—primary in place of convention.] B. F. James in Tazewell Whig February 21, 1846 prints letter and says: "We conceive it due to Mr. Lincoln, that the people of this district should pay a substantial tribute to his worth, energy and patriotic exertions in behalf of Whig principles."

[Springfield Whigs elect five delegates from each precinct to attend county convention on first Monday in Mar.]

Lincoln writes answer of Virgil Hickox, which Hickox signs, in Lamb v. Hickox et al. (filed March 30, 1846).Herndon-Weik Collection, Library of Congress, Washington, DC.

Lincoln writes to fellow attorney and fellow poetry aficionado Andrew Johnston, of Quincy, Illinois. Lincoln writes that he is "Feeling a little poetic this evening," and notes that he encloses a poem that Johnston had "expressed the wish to have." Lincoln asks if Johnston "would...like to see a piece of poetry of my own making?" He confides that he has "a piece that is almost done, but I find a deal of trouble to finish it." Abraham Lincoln to Andrew Johnston, 24 February 1846, CW, 1:366-67.

Lincoln probably completes his poem of 24 quatrains, "My Childhood-Home I See Again." He wrote to Johnston yesterday: "I have a piece that is almost done, but I find a deal of trouble to finish it." He sends first ten stanzas to Johnston April 18, 1846, remainder September 6, 1846, indicating that Lincoln drafted verse, was not fully satisfied with it, and retained it while considering improvements."My Childhood-Home I See Again, [25? February] 1846, CW, 1:367-70; Abraham Lincoln to Andrew Johnston, 24 February 1846, CW, 1:366-67.