Wilson, Douglas L., ed.; Davis, Rodney O., ed.; Treat, Judge Samuel. 'Judge Samuel Treat (statement for William H. Herndon)' in 'Herndon's Informants: Letters, Interviews, and Statements About Abraham Lincoln' . Urbana: University of Illinois Press, 1998. [format: book], [genre: interview]. Permission: University of Illinois Press
Persistent link to this document: http://lincoln.lib.niu.edu/file.php?file=herndon483b.html

380. Judge Samuel Treat (statement for William H. Herndon) ^[1].

[1865 — 66]

Mr. Lincoln' first appearance in the Supreme Court of Illinois.

A case being called for hearing in that court, Mr. Lincoln stated that he appeared for the Appellant, and was ready to proceed with the argument. He then said: "This is the first case I have ever had in this Court, and I have, therefore, examined it with great care. As the Court will percieve by looking at the abstract of the record, the only question in the case is one of authority. I have not been able to find any authority sustaining my side of the case, but I have found several cases directly in point on the other side. I will now give these cases to the Court, and then submit the case." ^[2]

Library of Congress: Herndon-Weik Collection. Manuscript Division. Library of Congress. Washington, D.C. 3978 — 79; Huntington Library: LN2408, 2:183