Dear Sir: June 24, 1849
I understand my personal friend and fellow Illinoian, A. F. Patrick, has been removed from a clerkship in your Department, on some charge implicating his capacity or business habits as a clerk. In such an implication I suspect injustice has been done him, not by you, but by those on whose information you acted. If this be so, you can ascertain it; and I shall be much obliged if you will wipe the injurious stigma from him. This is one thing; another is that if not inconsistant, I much wish he could have some temporary employment till about the meeting of Congress. When I say ``if not inconsistent'' I mean that I wish you to be consistent in all things; and that if obliging Mr. Patrick, democrat as he is, in the matter of temporary employment, would at all interfere with your consistency,'' I wish you not to do it. Your Obt. Servt
A. LINCOLN