text: The war had begun with a killing of American soldiers by Mexican cavalry patrol in disputed territory, and Polk insisted that Mexican soldiers had "invaded our territory and shed the blood of our fellow-citizens on our own soil." Lincoln demanded that Polk show Congress the exact spot on which blood had been shed and prove that the spot was on American soil.The resolution was ignored in both Congress and the national papers, and it cost Lincoln political support in his district.One Illinois newspaper derisively nicknamed him "spotty Lincoln".Lincoln later regretted some of his statements, especially his attack on presidential war-making powers.Lincoln had pledged in 1846 to serve only one term in the House.Realizing Clay was unlikely to win the presidency, he supported General Zachary Taylor for the Whig nomination in the 1848 presidential election.Taylor won and Lincoln hoped in vain to be appointed Commissioner of the General Land Office.The administration offered to appoint him secretary or governor of the Oregon Territory as consolation.This distant territory was a Democratic stronghold, and acceptance of the post would have disrupted his legal and political career in Illinois, so he declined and resumed his law practice.Prairie lawyer In his Springfield practice, Lincoln handled "every kind of business that could come before a prairie lawyer".Twice a year he appeared for 10 consecutive weeks in county seats in the Midstate county courts; this continued for 16 years.Lincoln handled transportation cases in the midst of the nation's western expansion, particularly river barge conflicts under the many new railroad bridges.As a riverboat man, Lincoln initially favored those interests, but ultimately represented whoever hired him.He later represented a bridge company against a riverboat company in Hurd v.Rock Island Bridge Company, a landmark case involving a canal boat that sank after hitting a bridge.