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Springfield Jan 26/61 I arrived here, at the Capitol of the great Prairie State of Illinois this morning after an all nights ride in the car The Legislature is at work which brings a great many people from all parts of the State in the city, and not only that but I suppose you know that Old Abe Lincoln lives here, and his visitors alone are enough to eat up any ordinary sort of a city. Judge Fort of Lacon (you probably know him) came down with me, he and our representative to the
Legislature with two wild fire eaters from the very blackest part of the South went with me or I with them to see "Old Abe" - A nigger came to the door and showed us in. "Abe" who, seated beside a huge pile of letters as high as a mountain (I presume all from [ours?] after office) rose and welcomed us with a good jolly shake hands. We stayed about half an hour, during all of which the old fellow went on talking so that one of us could hardly get a word in edge ways. I think he almost converted the "fire eaters" into Black Republicans. however their opinion of him was very much altered. You would
explode with laughter to hear him tell about the southerners trying to assassinate him. He has got stacks of preserved fruit and all sorts of such trash which he is daily receiving from various parts of the South sent to him as presents. He had several packages opened and examined by medical men who found them to be all poisoned. Not time to write more this evening. Will likely go to Jacksonville the first of next week. If I cant hear from you I think I take revenge by making you read lots of my scratching. Your affectionate son, Joshua Allen