Raftsman's journal. [volume] (Clearfield, Pa.) 1854-1948, 1860-08-22
AREM1N1scENcE OF OLD DAYS.

Richard Yates. Republican candidate fol-
| Governor of Illinois, delivered a speech at the
Republican Ratification Meeting at Springfield,
IN that State, on the 9TH August, from which
we take the following extracts:
81 recollect the first time l ever saw Mr..
Lincoln, and l have great mind to tell you
though don't know that 1 ought to. reyes,
| go on, go on.''l 1t was more than quarter of
century ago. A voice, 'he was Y oung Abe
then.'l l was down at Salem with friend
| who remarked to me, one day, ssI'll go over
and introduce you to fine young fellow we
have here-a smart, genial, active young fel-
low, and We'll be certain to have good talk -
| consented, and he took me down to a colec-
tlon OF four or five houses and looking over
the way l saw young man partly lying or
resting on cellar door, intently engaged in
reading. My friend took me up and introduce
ed me to young Lincoln, and | tell you as he
rose up wouldn't have shot at him then for
President Laughter Well, after some
pleasant conversation, for Lincoln talked SEN
sibly and generally, then, just he does now,
we all went up to dinner. L ought not to tell
this on Lincoln. Great laughter and cries of
'sgo on - ''go !''1 You all know very well
that we all lived in very plain way in those
times. The house was rough log house with
puncheon floor and clapboard roof, ahd might
have been built like Soomon's Temple, sswith-
out the sound of hammer or nail,'' for there
was no IRON it. Laughter The old lady
Il
dinner; the principal ingredient was a great
bowl of milk, which she handed TO each.
Somehow, in serving Lincoln, there was mis-
take made, and his bowl tipped up and the
bowl and milk rollad over the floor. The good
old lady was in deep distress, and burst out,
s'Oh. dear me that's all my FAULT Lincoln
picked up the bowl in the best natured way in
the world, remarking to her, s'Aunt Lizzy,
we'll not discuss whose fault it was-only, if
it don't worry you, it don't worry ME. IRoars
of laughter and applause.l The I'D lady was
comforted and gave him another bowl of milk
Renewed laughter
ssMy friend Green, who introduced me, told
me the first time he saw Lincoln, he was in
the Sangamon river, with his pants rolled up
some five feet, more or less, Igreat merriment]
trying to pilot flat-boat over mill-dam. The
boat had got so full of water, that it was very
ifficult to manage, and almost impossible to
get it over the dam. Lincoln finally contriv-
ed to get her bow over, 50 that it projected
few feet, and there it stood. But he then in
ventedi a new way of bailing fat-boat. He
bored hole through the bottom to let the
water run out, and then corked her up, and she
launched right over. IGreat laughter
think the Captain who proved himself fitted
to navigate the broad-horn over the dam is no
doubt the man who is to stand upon the deck
of the old ship, sstile Constitution, and guide
her safely over the billows and breakers that
surround. her. Enthusiastic and prolonged
appause.J
81 do not mention these hardships of Lin
coins early life evincing any great merit in
themselves. Many man among you may say,
ssI am rail splitter. l have done many a
hard days work, and If that entities him TO be
President it entities me to be President, tou.'
All mean to say, in regard to his having |
been poor, hard-working boy is, that est |
don't set him back any" TThat's it.l As |
the young man who courted and married We
ry pretty girl; when, on the next morning al
ter the wedding, she presented him with a
thousand dollars" Lizzie, (said he,) like |
You very much, indeed, but this thousand |
don't set you back any, [Roars of laughter
and cheers.] So if Lincoln has all the other
qualities of a statesman, it don't set him back
any with US, who know and love him, to know
that he was once Woodworking boy.''