Friend Richard: . . . Now if you should hear any one say that Lincoln don't want to go to Congress, I wish you as a personal friend of mine, would tell him you have reason to believe he is mistaken. The truth is, I would like to go very much. Still, circumstances may happen which may prevent my being a candidate.
If there are any who be my friends in such an enterprise, what I now want is that they shall not throw me away just yet. Yours as ever, A. LINCOLN.