Editing Abraham Lincoln (section)

===U.S. House of Representatives (1847–1849)===

Lincoln professed to friends in 1861 to be "an old line Whig, a disciple of Henry Clay".{{sfn|Donald|1996|p=222}} Their party favored economic modernization in banking, tariffs to fund [[internal improvements]] such as railroads, and urbanization.{{sfn|Boritt|Pinsker|2002|pp=137–153}} In 1843, Lincoln sought the Whig nomination for [[Illinois's 7th congressional district|Illinois's 7th district seat]] in the [[United States House of Representatives|U.S. House of Representatives]]; [[John J. Hardin]] was the successful candidate, though Lincoln prevailed with the party in limiting Hardin to one term.{{sfn|Burlingame|2008|loc=v. 1 pp. 215–218}} Lincoln not only pulled off his strategy of gaining the nomination in 1846, but also won the election.{{sfn|Burlingame|2008|loc=v. 1 pp. 231–241}} The only Whig in the Illinois delegation, he was assigned to the [[United States House Committee on Post Office and Post Roads|Committee on Post Office and Post Roads]] and the [[United States House Committee on Expenditures in the War Department|Committee on Expenditures in the War Department]].{{sfn|Burlingame|2008|loc=v. 1 pp. 263&ndash;265}} Lincoln teamed with [[Joshua R. Giddings]] on a bill to abolish slavery in the [[Washington, District of Columbia|District of Columbia]], but dropped the bill when it eluded Whig support.{{sfnm|Harris|2007|1p=54|Foner|2010|2p=57}}<ref>{{Cite web |title=Lincoln, Abraham |url=https://history.house.gov/People/Listing/L/LINCOLN,-Abraham-(L000313)/ |accessdate=July 1, 2022 |website=History, Art & Archives|publisher=United States House of Representatives }}</ref>

Lincoln spoke against the [[Mexican–American War]], for which he said President [[James K. Polk]] "had some strong motive ... to involve the two countries in a war, and trusting to escape scrutiny, by fixing the public gaze upon the exceeding brightness of military glory—that attractive rainbow, that rises in showers of blood".{{sfnm|1a1=Heidler|1a2=Heidler|1y=2006|1pp=181–183|2a1=Greenberg|2y=2012|2pp=250&ndash;251}} He supported the [[Wilmot Proviso]], a failed proposal to ban slavery in any U.S. territory won from Mexico.{{sfn|Holzer|2004|p=63}} Lincoln emphasized his opposition to Polk by drafting and introducing his [[Spot Resolutions]]. Polk insisted that Mexican soldiers had begun the war by "invading the territory of the State of Texas ... and shedding the blood of our citizens on our own soil";{{sfn|Burlingame|2008|loc=v. 1 p. 265}} Lincoln demanded that Polk tell Congress the exact spot, "implying that this spot was actually Mexican soil".<ref name=anb/> His approach cost Lincoln political support in his district, and newspapers derisively nicknamed him "spotty Lincoln".<ref name=anb/>

Lincoln had pledged in 1846 to serve only one term in the House.{{sfn|Donald|1996|p=124}} Realizing Henry Clay was unlikely to win the presidency, he supported General [[Zachary Taylor]] for the Whig nomination in the [[1848 United States presidential election|1848 presidential election]].{{sfn|Donald|1996|pp=122&ndash;130}} Taylor won and Lincoln hoped in vain to be appointed Commissioner of the [[United States General Land Office]].{{sfnm|Donald|1996|1pp=138&ndash;140|Burlingame|2008|2loc=v. 1 pp. 296&ndash;303}} The administration offered to appoint him secretary of the [[Oregon Territory]] instead.{{sfn|Burlingame|2008|loc=v. 1 pp. 305&ndash;307}} This would have disrupted his legal and political career in Illinois, so he declined and resumed his law practice.{{sfn|Harris|2007|pp=55–57}}