<div2 part='N' sample='complete' org='uniform'>
         <dateline>
            <date value='1852-12-03'>Friday, December 3, 1852.</date>
            <place key='41.3333, -88.8333' teiForm='name'>Ottawa, IL</place>.
</dateline>
         <p>
Lincoln and Johnston take oath prescribed in act of legislature of 
June 22, 1852, whereby they were appointed commissioners to hear 
canal claims (see November 2, 1852). Edwin S. Leland, judge of Ninth 
Circuit, administers oath.
<bibl default='NO'>Illinois Reports, 1853, No. 9.</bibl>
         </p>
      </div2>

<div2 part='N' sample='complete' org='uniform'>
         <dateline>
            <date value='1852-12-04'>Saturday, December 4, 1852.</date>
            <place key='41.3333, -88.8333' teiForm='name'>Ottawa, IL</place>.
</dateline>
         <p>
P. Lindley, recorder of circuit court of LaSalle County, certifies 
correctness of abstract submitted as evidence before Lincoln and 
Johnston.
<bibl default='NO'>Illinois Reports, 1853, No. 9.</bibl>
         </p>
      </div2>

<div2 part='N' sample='complete' org='uniform'>
         <dateline>
            <date value='1852-12-06'>Monday, December 6, 1852.</date>
            <place key='41.3333, -88.8333' teiForm='name'>Ottawa, IL</place>.
</dateline>
         <p>
Lincoln and Johnston engage R. E. Goodell as clerk. They have rented 
sheriff's office and are conducting hearings there.
<bibl default='NO'>Illinois Reports, 1853, No. 9.</bibl>
         </p>
      </div2>

<div2 part='N' sample='complete' org='uniform'>
         <dateline>
            <date value='1852-12-07'>Tuesday, December 7, 1852.</date>
            <place key='41.3333, -88.8333' teiForm='name'>Ottawa, IL</place>.
</dateline>
         <p>
Lincoln and Johnston continue to hear claims.
</p>
      </div2>

<div2 part='N' sample='complete' org='uniform'>
         <dateline>
            <date value='1852-12-08'>Wednesday, December 8, 1852.</date>
            <place key='41.8500, -87.6500' teiForm='name'>Chicago, IL</place>.
</dateline>
         <p>
"Noah Johnston, Esq., of Mt. Vernon, and Abraham Lincoln, Esq., of 
Springfield, Commissioners to take testimony in the case of Canal 
Claimants, arrived in this City on Wednesday last."
<bibl default='NO'>Chicago Democratic Press, 10 December 1852.</bibl>
         </p>
      </div2>

<div2 part='N' sample='complete' org='uniform'>
         <dateline>
            <date value='1852-12-09'>Thursday, December 9, 1852.</date>
            <place key='41.8500, -87.6500' teiForm='name'>Chicago, IL</place>.
</dateline>
         <p>
Lincoln and Johnston hear claims against canal.
<bibl default='NO'>Chicago Democratic Press, 10 December 1852.</bibl>
         </p>
      </div2>

<div2 part='N' sample='complete' org='uniform'>
         <dateline>
            <date value='1852-12-10'>Friday, December 10, 1852.</date>
            <place key='41.8500, -87.6500' teiForm='name'>Chicago, IL</place>.
</dateline>
         <p>
Lincoln and Johnston continue hearings.
<bibl default='NO'>Chicago Democratic Press, 10 December 1852.</bibl>
         </p>
      </div2>

<div2 part='N' sample='complete' org='uniform'>
         <dateline>
            <date value='1852-12-11'>Saturday, December 11, 1852.</date>
            <place key='41.8500, -87.6500' teiForm='name'>Chicago, IL</place>.
</dateline>
         <p>
"The Commission to take testimony for the state, relative to claims 
for damages to contractors on the Canal, has been in session at the 
Canal office for the past few days, and from the natural course of 
procedure we should judge its labors would close without prolonged 
delay."
<bibl default='NO'>
               <title>Chicago Journal</title>.</bibl>
         </p>
      </div2>

<div2 part='N' sample='complete' org='uniform'>
         <dateline>
            <date value='1852-12-13'>Monday, December 13, 1852.</date>
            <place key='41.8500, -87.6500' teiForm='name'>Chicago, IL</place>.
</dateline>
         <p>
[In Springfield, opening of Supreme Court, scheduled for today, is 
postponed because of absence of Justices Caton and Trumbull.
<bibl default='NO'>Register, 14 December 1852.</bibl>]
</p>
      </div2>

<div2 part='N' sample='complete' org='uniform'>
         <dateline> 
            <date value='1852-12-14'>Tuesday, December 14, 1852.</date> 
            <place key='41.8500, -87.6500' teiForm='name'>Chicago,
  IL</place>? </dateline>
         <p> Lincoln and Johnston leave for Springfield to
  continue hearings. Date of departure cannot be determined, but it was probably
  during this week. <bibl default='NO'>Illinois Reports, 1853, No. 9.</bibl> 
         </p>
      </div2>

<div2 part='N' sample='complete' org='uniform'>
         <dateline>
            <date value='1852-12-15'>Wednesday, December 15, 1852.</date>
            <place key='41.8500, -87.6500' teiForm='name'>Chicago, IL</place>?
</dateline>
         <p>
[Supreme Court begins its session in Springfield with Justices Treat 
and Trumbull on bench.
<bibl default='NO'>Register, 16 December 1852.</bibl>
         </p>
         <p>
Justice Caton does not arrive from Ottawa until night. "The different 
wagons he rode in on the trip down broke down seven times and a Troy 
coach upset with him, injuring his head badly."
<bibl default='NO'>Register, 18 December 1852.</bibl>]
</p>
      </div2>

<div2 part='N' sample='complete' org='uniform'>
         <dateline>
            <date value='1852-12-17'>Friday, December 17, 1852.</date>
            <place key='39.8000, -89.6333' teiForm='name'>Springfield, IL</place>.
</dateline>
         <p>
Lincoln and Johnston reach Springfield, where adjourned canal 
hearings resume December 20, 1852.
<bibl default='NO'>Register, 20 December 1852.</bibl>
         </p>
      </div2>

<div2 part='N' sample='complete' org='uniform'>
         <dateline>
            <date value='1852-12-20'>Monday, December 20, 1852.</date>
            <place key='39.8000, -89.6333' teiForm='name'>Springfield, IL</place>.
</dateline>
         <p>
Lincoln and Johnston resume hearings, "and will continue . . . 
probably two weeks."
<bibl default='NO'>Register, 20 December 1852.</bibl>
         </p>
      </div2>

<div2 part='N' sample='complete' org='uniform'>
         <dateline>
            <date value='1852-12-31'>Friday, December 31, 1852.</date>
            <place key='39.8000, -89.6333' teiForm='name'>Springfield, IL</place>.
</dateline>
         <p>
Lincoln deposits $3.31 cash at Robert Irwin's, probably to balance his account.
<bibl default='NO'>Irwin Ledger.</bibl>
         </p>
      </div2>