[JANUARY 1?] Springfield. With selection of U.S. senator impending, Lincoln buys stack of small notebooks and lists members of legislature, labelling each Democrat, Whig, Anti-Nebraska Democrat (D., W., A.N.D.), or otherwise. His analysis shows, in Senate, 11 Democrats, 9 Whigs, 5 Anti-Nebraska Democrats. In House he finds 30 Democrats, 28 Whigs, 14 Anti-Nebraska Democrats, 1 Nebraska Whig, 1 Abolitionist, 1 vacancy. Lincoln copies this into several notebooks and gives them to friends as guides in senatorial campaigning. CW, II, 296-98.
JANUARY 3. Illinois legislature completes organization. Anti-Nebraska members elect speaker and all other officers of House; in Senate they elect secretary and clerk. Lincoln, watching developments with his own candidacy in mind, telegraphs result to E. B. Washburne. CW, II, 303.
JANUARY 4. Lincoln writes and signs Lincoln & Herndon to mechanics lien bill in Stigleman, Johnson & Co. v. Paddleford & Co., Sangamon Circuit Court case. DLC--HW. Lincoln addresses evening meeting of Colonization Society. He reviews history of slave trade, the society, and apparently intends to have society adopt resolutions, from his draft, for amending Kansas-Nebraska Act. He writes draft for submission to legislature. CW, II, 298-301.
JANUARY 5. In Clark v. Stigleman et al. in U.S. Circuit Court, before court at July term, 1854, Lincoln files Calvin Stigleman's affidavit for continuance. Photo. He writes, signs, and swears his own affidavit in Stigleman, Johnson & Co. v. Paddleford & Co. DLC--HW.
JANUARY 6. In letter to Washburne, Lincoln sums up situation in legislature as it affects his candidacy. "I understand myself as having 26 committals; and I do not think any other one man has ten." But "I do not know that it is much advantage to have the largest number of votes at the start." Lincoln and B. S. Edwards write legal opinion regarding settlement of estates of Joseph Smith and James Bradford. CW, II, 301-04.
JANUARY 12. Lincoln buys pair of gloves and sewing materials for Mrs. Lincoln. H. E. Pratt, 147.
JANUARY 20. [Evening heavy snow, accompanied by strong wind, commences. Illinois Journal, Jan. 23.]
JANUARY 21. Snow and wind continue all day, making travel impossible. Trains are marooned on prairies, telegraph lines are down, no mails arrive, churches abandon services. Ibid. Lincoln, like all residents of Springfield, is snowbound.
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