e Lincoln was most skillful. He knew human nature
and how to handle it. Log-rolling was the order of the day and so
skillfully did the Long Nine function that they succeeded in removing
the capital from Vandalia to Springfield. Though Lincoln did prove that
he knew "the tricks and trades of the politician" he was true to his
convictions; as shown by the fact that, when the legislature passed
resolutions "highly disapproving" of the formation of abolition
societies and the doctrines promulgated by them, he voted against the
resolutions; and furthermore he drew up a protest against the
resolutions, and inducing his colleague, Dan Stone, to sign it with him,
had his protest entered on the journal for March 3, 1837. While this
protest was cautiously worded it did declare "the institution of slavery
is founded upon injustice and bad policy." This was a real gratuitous
expression of a worthy ideal contrary to self interest, for his
constituents were at that time certainly not in any way opposed to
slavery. It was only within a few months after this very time that the
atrocious persecution and murder of Lovejoy occurred in the neighboring
town of Alton.

When the Long Nine came home bringing the capital with them Springfield
planned such a celebration as had not been seen since the day the
Talisman came up the Sangamon. To this banquet Lincoln was not only
invited but placed at the head of the board; having been only the pilot
of the enterprise this time did not exclude him. He made a speech and
made many friends in Springfield. The time was now opportune for him to
move to Springfield. So in the year 1837, Abraham Lincoln, being
twenty-eight years of age and a lawyer, packed his meager possessions in
a pair of saddle-bags and moved to the new Capital, then a town of less
than two thousand inhabitants, here to begin a new era in his life.
Besides being very poor he still carried the burden of the "national
debt" left to him from the failure of the partnership with Berry, but he
had friends and a reputation for honesty. In time he pays the debt, and
his friends increase in numbers.

The morning that Lincoln went into the store of Joshua Speed in
Springfield, and indicated that he was looking for a place to stay,
Speed said: "The young man had the saddest face I ever saw." Speed
indicated that Lincoln could share Speed's own bed in a room above;
Lincoln shambled up, dropped his saddle bags, shambled down again and
said: "Well,