"He also," says the Judge, "gave us incidents and anecdotes of Elisha Williams, and other leading members of the New York bar, going back to the days of Hamilton and Burr.

Altogether there was a right merry time.

Mr.Van Buren said the only drawback upon his enjoyment was that his sides were sore from laughing at Lincoln's stories for a week thereafter." Lincoln's eight years of legislative service had given him considerable reputation in politics, and he had become the acknowledged leader of the Whig party in Illinois.

In the exciting Presidential campaign of 1840, known as the "Log Cabin" campaign, he took a very active part.

He had been nominated as Presidential Elector on the Harrison ticket, and stumped a large portion of the State.