and generality
of the Act of 1859, giving no rate of interest, no time due, no place of
payment, no postponement of the time when interest commences, necessarily
implies that the Legislature intended to invest you with a discretion to
impose such terms and restrictions as would protect the interest of the
State; and we think you have a right and that it is your duty to see that
the State Bonds are so issued that the State shall not lose six months'
interest. Two plans present themselves either of which will secure the
State. 1st. If in literal compliance with the law you issue bonds bearing
interest from 1st July, 1859, you may deduct from the bonds presented
three thousand from every $100,000 of bonds and issue $97,000 of
coupon bonds; by this plan $3000 out of $100,000 of principal would be
extinguished in consideration of paying $2910 interest on the first of
January, 1860--and the interest on the $3000 would forever cease; this
would be no doubt most advantageous to the State. But if the Auditor
will not consent to this, then, 2nd. Cut off of each bond all the coupons
payable before 1st July, 1860.

One of these plans would undoubtedly have been prescribed by the
Legislature if its attention had been directed to this question.

May 28, 1859.

ON LINCOLN'S SCRAP BOOK

TO H. C. WHITNEY.

SPRINGFIELD, December 25, 1858.

H. C. WHITNEY, ESQ.

MY DEAR SIR:--I have just received yours of the 23rd inquiring whether I
received the newspapers you sent me by express. I did receive them, and
am very much obliged. There is some probability that my scrap-book will be
reprinted, and if it shall, I will save you a copy.

Your friend as ever,

A. LINCOLN.

1859

FIRST SUGGESTION OF A PRESIDENTIAL OFFER.

TO S. GALLOWAY.

SPRINGFIELD, ILL., July 28, 1859.

HON. SAMUEL GALLOWAY.

MY DEAR SIR:--Your very complimentary, not to say flattering, letter of
the 23d inst. is received. Dr. Reynolds had induced me to expect you here;
and I was disappointed not a little by your failure to come. And yet I
fear you have formed an estimate of me which can scarcely be sustained on
a personal acquaintance.

Two things done by the Ohio Republican convention--the repudiation of
Judge Swan, and the "plank" for a repeal of the Fugitive Slave Law--I very
much regretted. These two things are of a piece; and they are viewed by
many good men, sincerely opposed to slavery, as a struggle against, and in
disreg