To Joshua F. Speed1Jump to section
While I was at Springfield last fall, Wm. Herndon showed me a couple of letters of yours concerning your note against Judge Browne.2Jump to section I suppose you and we (Logan & I) feel alike about the matter; that is, neither side likes to lose the money. You think the loss comes of our fault, and that therefore we should bear it; but we do not think it comes of our fault. We do not remember ever having had the note after you received the Auditor's warrants; and, after the most thorough search, we can no where find it. We know we have never received any thing on it. In what you say, as to the note being left with us, we do not question your veracity, but we think you may be mistaken, because we do not remember it ourselves, and because we can not find it. We, like you, would rather lose it, than have any hard thoughts. Now, whatever you are short of your due upon the note Judge Browne still owes, and he must be made to pay it. You mention in your letter that you have our receipt for the note. I wish you would, at once, send a copy of the receipt to Logan. Browne will most likely be at Springfield this winter, and I wish Logan to see by the receipt, whether he or I, could, by reference to it, sufficiently describe the note, on oath, to recover on it as a lost instrument. If he decides we can, he will have a writ served on him while he is there, unless he will voluntarily pay it. Dont neglect to do this at once.
Nothing of consequence new here, beyond what you see in the papers. Present my kind regards to Mrs. Speed. Yours as ever
A. LINCOLN.