President Lincoln was born on February 12, 1809, in Hardin County, Kentucky. He was the second child of his farming parents. In 1840, Lincoln became engaged to Mary Todd and the two were married on November 4, 1842. Lincoln was a dedicated attorney and very passionate about his practice of law. He had a partnership with Stephen T. Logan formed in 1841 and during this period he produced an income equivalent to that of a governor, with a salary of $1,200. He ended the business relationship with Stephen T. Logan to create a different partnership with his mentee William H. Herndon. Lincoln served in Congress from 1847 to 1849 during the Mexican War. After serving his term in Congress, Lincoln ran as a Whig presidential candidate, but lost to Zachary Taylor, due to his strong opposition to the Mexican War and his belief that there should be no of slavery on American lands acquired in Mexico. After this, Lincoln returned to Springfield, the city of his residence, and became one of the state's most prominent lawyers. By the 1850s, Lincoln's caseload had increased significantly and his annual income reached approximately $5,000. Lincoln became involved in politics again in 1854, after the Kansas-Nebraska Act which overturned the Missouri Compromise of 1820 and authorized slavery in the Louisiana Purchase territory. After being defeated and returning to his law practice, Lincoln helped found the Republican Party in Illinois in 1856. He later became the leader of the Illinois state party. He then attempted to become a vice presidential candidate, but unfortunately lost. However, in 1858, Lincoln again became very active in the political world. The Republican Party...... middle of paper ......dency » American Government, .Np.Web. March 8, 2014. Belz, Herman. Np.Web. February 9, 2014. .Lincoln, Abraham. “Executive Order – Arrest and Imprisonment of Irresponsible Journalists and Newspaper Editors,” May 18, 1864. Online by Gerhard Peters and John T. Woolley, The American Presidency Project. March 8, 2014. United States. National Archives and Archives Administration. The Bill of Rights. January 29, 1998. November 10, 2009. March 8, 2014. Williams, Frank J. “Abraham Lincoln and Civil Liberties in Wartime” Np. Internet. February 9 2014. .