525

414. Henry C. Whitney to William H. Herndon.

Lawrence Ks 30th Decr 1866.

Bro Herndon —

Dr Oliver Wendell Holmes of Boston is quite anxious that it should be incorporated in You life of Lincoln the high estimation he had for his poem "The Last Leaf": — of course you Know that it was a great favorite of Mr Lincolns — & Gov. Andrew of Massachusetts says that in the darkest days of our history while being in consultation with Lincoln that the latter repeated to him the Entire poem: excuse me for mentioning this matter but it is so proper that it should find a place in your life of Lincoln & Dr Holmes is so justly anxious that it should do so that I could not avoid bringing it to your attention

Your Friend
Henry C Whitney

It will not pay you to send for copy of Lincolns entry on the docket in Champaign Co. here is a copy of it: —

"Plea in abatement by B. L. Green a Dft. not servd led Saturday at 11 o' clock A.M. April 24th 1856. stricken from file by order of Court. Demr to Dec. if there ever was one overuled — Defendants who are servd now at 8 o'clock P.M. of the last day of the term ask to plead to the merits which is denied by the Court on the ground that the offer comes too late & therefore only nil dicit judgment is rendered for the Plff against the Defts who are servd in the process:

Library of Congress: Herndon-Weik Collection. Manuscript Division. Library of Congress. Washington, D.C. 2921

nts

Notes.

1. Holmes's "The Last Leaf " was first published in 1831.

2. John Albion Andrew.

3. See §§489, 521.