been less unwilling to accept them; but in this case
favor to me would be injustice to the public, and therefore I must
beg your pardon for declining it. That I once had the confidence of
the people of Sangamon County is sufficiently evident; and if I
have since done anything, either by design or misadventure, which
if known would subject me to a forfeiture of that confidence, he
who knows of that thing and conceals it is a traitor to his
country's interest.

I find myself wholly unable to form any conjecture of what fact or
facts, real or supposed, you spoke. But my opinion of your veracity
will not permit me for a moment to doubt that you at least believed
what you said. I am flattered with the personal regard you
manifested for me; but I do hope that on more mature reflection you
will view the public interest as a paramount consideration, and
therefore determine to let the worst come.

I assure you that the candid statement of facts on your part,
however low it may sink me, shall never break the ties of personal
friendship between us.

I wish an answer to this, and you are at liberty to publish both if
you choose.

Very respectfully,
A. LINCOLN.

COL. ROBERT ALLEN.

The campaign resulted in Lincoln's election to the Legislature of 1836.
The nine delegates from Sangamon County happened to be men of remarkable
stature, each one measuring six feet or more in height; and very
naturally they were nicknamed the "Long Nine." Lincoln overtopped all
the rest, and as a consequence was called "the Sangamon Chief." The
State capital was then at Vandalia; and Lincoln's journey there from
Springfield was made mainly on foot. As he was trudging along the muddy
road, he fell in with Judge John Dean Caton, one of the early lawyers of
Illinois, afterwards Chief Justice of the State, who became an intimate
friend of Lincoln. Judge Caton gives an interesting account of their
first meeting, which occurred at this time. "I first met Mr. Lincoln,"
says Judge Caton, "about the last of November, 1835, when on my way to
Vandalia to join the Supreme Court, which met there the first Monday in
December, at the same time as the meeting of the Legislature. There were
a great many people and all sorts of vehicles on the road from
Springfield to Vandalia. The roads were very bad, and most of the
passengers got out and walked a consid