To Joseph Gillespie1Jump to section
My dear Sir Feb. 7, 1858
Yesterday morning the Court overruled the Demurrer to Hatch's Return in the Mandamus case. McClernand was present, said nothing about pleading over; and so I suppose the matter is ended.
The court gave no reason for the decision; but Peck tells me confidentially, that they were unanamous in the opinion that even if the Govr. had signed the Bill purposely, he had the right to strike his name off so long as the bill remained in his custody & control Yours as ever A. LINCOLN---
Annotation
[1] ALS, owned by Charles S. Gillespie, Edwardsville, Illinois. See Lincoln to Gillespie, January 19, supra, for circumstances and persons involved in this case.