Marshall County Republican. (Plymouth, Ind.) 1856-1878, 1860-06-14

vent to my enthusiasm over the nomination
of Hon. Abraham Lincoln for President
of the United States. Mr.. Lincoln, OF
"Old Abe" as his friends famiiarly call
him. is a self-made man. A Kentuckian
by birth. he emigrated to Illinois in his
boyhood. where he earned his living at the
anvil, devoting his leisure hours 10 study.
Having chosen the law as his future call
ing. he devoted himself assiduously to its
mastery, conlending at every step with
adverse fortune. During this period of
study, he found home under the hospit-
able roof of one Armstrong. farmer. who
lived in a log hoase some eight miles from
the village of Petersburg, Menard county.
Here. clad in homespun. with elbows out.
and knees covered With patches, yonng
Lincoln would master Ms lessons by the
fire-liyht of the cabin. and then walk to
town for the purpose OF recitation. This
man Armstrong was himself poor, but he
saw the genius struggling in the young
student. and opened to him his rude home
and bid him welcome to his coarse fare
How Lincoln graduated with promise
how he has more than fulfilled that promise
how honorably he acquitted himself
alike on the battle field. in defending our
border settlements against the ravagcs of
savage foes, and in the halls of our nation
al legislature, are matters of history. and
need no repetition here. But one little
incident of more private nature. stanling
as it does as sort of sequel to some
things already alluded to, deem worthy
of record. Some few years since, the old
est son of Mr. Lincoln's old friend Arm
strong. the chief support Of his widowed
mother-thc good old man having some
time previously passed from earth-was
arrested on a charge OF murder. "A young
man had been killed during riotous me-
lee. In the night time. at camp meeting.
and one of his associates stated that the
death wound was inflicted by Young Arm
strong. Il preliminary examination was
gone into. at whirh the accuser testified so
positively that there seemed to lie no doubt
of the guilt of the prisoner. and therefore
he was held for trial. AS is too often the
case, the bloody act caused an undue de-
gree of excitement in the public mind
Every improper incident in the life of the
prisoner-each act which bore the least
semblance to rowdyism-each schoolboy
quarrel-was suddenly remembered and
magniiied. until they pictured him
fiend of the most horrible hue. AS these
rumors spread abroad, they were received
as gospel truth, and a ieverish desire for
vengeance seized upon the infatuated pop
nlace. whilst only prison bars prevented
horrible death at the hands of a mob The
events were heraldel in the county papers,
painted in highest colors, accompanied ty
rejoicing over the certainty of punishment
being meted out to the guilty party. The
prisoner, overwhelmed by the circum-
stances under which he found himself
placed. fell into melancholy condition,
bordering uPon despair; and the widowed
mother. looking through her tears, saw no
cause FOR hope from earthly aid.
AT this juncture. the widow received
letter from Mr.. Lincoln. volunteering his
services in an effort TO save the youth from
the impending stroke Gladly was his
aid accepted. although it seemed imposs-
Die for even his sagacity to prevail in such
a desperate case but the heart of the at
torney was in his work, and he set about
it with will that knew no such word as
fail Feeling that the poisoned condition
Of the public mind was such as to preclude
the possibility of impanneling an impartial
jury in the court having juris liction. he
procured change of venuc anil n post
poncment OF the trial lie thei went stu
diously to work unraveling the history of
the ease. and satisfied himself that his eli
ent was the victim of malice, and that the
statements Of the accuser were tissuc of
falsehoods. When the trial was called nd,
the prisoner, pale and emaciated, with
hopelcssness written on every feature, and
accompanied by his half hoping, half
despairing mother-whosc only hope was
in mothers belief Of her sons innocence,
in the justice of the God she worshippe.l.
and the noble counsel. who. without the
hope OF fee or reward npon earth. had un-
dertaken the cause-took his seat in the
prisoners box. and with q "stony firm
ness" listened to the reading Of the indict-
ment. Lincoln sat quietly by, whilst the
large auditory looked on him as though
wondering what he could say in defence of
'"S "HOrC sum ict,aIicu as ccFtain-
The examination Of the witnesses for the
State was begun. and well arranged mass
of evidence, circumstantial and positive,
was introduced. which seeme,l to impale
the prisoner beyond the possibility of ex-
traction. The counsel for the defense
proponnded but few questions. and those
of character which excited no uneasiness
on the part Of the overwhelmingly, in
most cases, requiring the main witnesses
to be definite as to the time and place.
When the evidence of the prosecution was
ended, Lincoln introduced few witnesses
to remove some erroneous impressions in
regard to the previous character of his eli
ent, who. though somewhat rowdyish.
had never been known to commit a vicious
act ; and to show that greater degree of
ill-feeling existed between the accuser and
the accused than the accuser and the de-
ceased. The prosecutor felt that the case
was clear one. and his opening speech
was brief and formal. Lincoln arose. while
deadly silence pervaded the vast audience
and in clear and moderate tone began his
argument. Slowly and carefully he re-
vicwei the testimony. pointing out the
hitherto unobscrved discrepancies in the
statements Of the principal witness. That