Lincoln writes to David A. Smith, who represents the St. Louis Perpetual Insurance Company. Smith seeks Lincoln's help in collecting money that U.S. Senator Stephen A. Douglas owes to the company. Lincoln explains, "This is my first day at this place, & on reaching here I found your letter in relation to your business with Douglass. I met him afterwards, but disliking to dunn him at the first meeting with him, I let it pass . . . I will attend to it shortly however & write you." Account Book, 10 November 1847, Private Collection; Abraham Lincoln to David A. Smith, 3 December 1847, CW, 1:416.