Papers Of Abraham Lincoln

Peter Menard to Abraham Lincoln, 4 April 18491
Tremont. April 4^th 1849.Dear Sir
I have recd[received] a letter from my Nephew Ferdinand Maxwell of Kaskaskia, he tells me he has been recomended by many in Southern part of this State to the office of register at that place. aware as I am that you have been harast to deth by applicants for the various ^offices^ to be fill in our State– It is therefore with a degree of difidence I have undertaken the Task of Soliciting your aid in furtherance of his application– If you Should thik that your Shoulder to the wheel will help a little– I receive as favour if you will drop a few lines in his favour he is competent and honest–2 I hope you will be our next Candidate for congress– At the last Election, I wanted you to be our Candidate, for I did not like Logan, he is too Selfish And I like Baker less—for he is full of imperfection, and I was the first one in this County who began to role the ball against him– I like a man to have Some Stability3
With & in Consideration
I remain Your friendP. MenardA LincolnSpringfield

1Peter Menard wrote and signed this letter.

2On February 12, 1849, Richard B. Servant wrote Lincoln recommending Ferdinand Maxwell for the office of register. A day after his uncle wrote Lincoln, Maxwell wrote Lincoln inquiring about the appointment. Maxwell did not get the office in 1849; the incumbent Jacob Feaman retained his post until May 1850, when Maxwell received the job. Maxwell held the position until 1853.
Register of all Officers and Agents, Civil, Military, and Naval, in the Service of the United States, on the Thirtieth September, 1849 (Washington, DC: Gideon, 1849), 135; Journal of the Executive Proceedings of the Senate of the United States of America (Washington, DC: Government Printing Office, 1887), 8:178; Register of all Officers and Agents, Civil, Military, and Naval, in the Service of the United States, on the Thirtieth September, 1851 (Washington, DC: Gideon, 1851), 139; Register of Officers and Agents, Civil, Military, and Naval, in the Service of the United States, on the Thirtieth September, 1853 (Washington, DC: Robert Armstrong, 1853), 138.

3Abraham Lincoln had pledged to serve only one term, but many Whigs in the Seventh Congressional District favored his renomination. Lincoln was not averse to running again, but Stephen T. Logan received the nomination. In August 1848, Logan lost to Thomas L. Harris in a close race.
Howard W. Allen and Vincent A. Lacey, eds., Illinois Elections, 1818-1990 (Carbondale and Edwardsville: Southern Illinois University Press, 1992), 8, 126.