Weekly Minnesotian and times., 1860-05-26


less tornado, and carry him into power on tn
crest of the wave of popular indignatio:
against the sham Democracy, and popula
feeling in favo- of the great party of freedom.
Biographical sketch of '' Honest Olt
Abc.''
We do not think VIC can give our reader.
anything more interesting for their perusal
this morning, than the following biographica
LINCOLN. 1t is a copy from the Chicag'
Press and Tribune, of May 10:
"HONEsT OLD ABE"
The P<opfe's Candidate for. I'r<sidemt-x"th
aud E2at.E0nIs-LOg Cabins and Hare
tYder Come .9gns".
BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCH OF ABRAHAM LINCOLN
Abraham Lincoln is Il native of Hardin Co.
Kentucky. lie was born ON the 18th day o
February, 1903. His parents were both from
Virginia, and were certainly not of the frs
families. His patcrnal grandfather, Abraham
Lincoln, cmigratcd from Buckingham county
Virginia, to Kentucky, about 1871 or y
where, a year or two later he was killed by
Indians, not in battle, but by stealth, while h.
was laboring to open farm in the forest
His ancestors, who were respectable members
of the Society of Friends, went to Virginia
from Berks county, Pennsylvania. Descend
ants of the same stock still reside in the east
ern part of that State.
Mr.. Lincoln's father, at the death of his
father, was but six years of age, and he grew
up literally without education. He removed
from Kentucky to what is now Spencer coun
ty, Indiana, in 1916. The family reached
their new home about the time the State was
admitted into the Union. The region in
which they settled was rude and wild, and
they endured, for some years the hard expe-
rience of a frontier life, in which the struggle
with nature for existence and security is to be
maintained only by constant vigilance. Bears,
wolves, and other wild animals still infested
the woods, and young Lincoln acquired more
skill in the use Of the rifle than knowledge of
books. There were institutions known here
and there by the tlattcring denomination of
Schools" but TO qualification was required
beyond "readin', writin', and cipherin'," rs
the vernacular phrase ran, as far as the rule
Ofthree. If a straggler supposed to under
stand Latin happened to sojourn in the neigh
borhOod, he was looked upon as a wizard,
and regarded with an awe suited to so Omystc-
riOuS character.
Hard work and plenty of it was the order
of the day, varied, indeed, by an occasional
bear hunt, a not unfrequent deer chace, or
other wild sport. Ofcourse when young Lin
coin came of age, he was not a scholar. He
could read and write, and had some know
ledge Of arithmetic, but that was about all
and as yet, he had but little ambition to know
more of what was to be found in books. His
attainments otherwise were not to be des-
pissed. lie had grown to be six feet four inch
es in stature, was active and athletic, could
WELD the axe, direct the plow, Or use the rifle
as well as the best of his compeers, and was
fully up to all the mysteries of prairie farm
ing, and fully Injured to hardship and toll
Since he arrived at age he has not been to
school. Whatever his requirements arc, they
have been picked up from time to time as OPP
pOrtunity occurred, or as the pressure of some
eXigency demanded.
At twenty-One he removed to Illinois, and
passed the first year in Macon county, in ac-
tive labor on farm, where he and fellow
laborcr, (named Hank,) SPLIT THREE
THOUSAND RAILS, in the year 1880. 1t
will be interesting to the millions before
whom he is now placed as candidate for the
highest office in the gift of free people, to
know that he once managed d. J1at bout ON the
Ohio River. The anecdotes which he some
times relates to his friends of the maritime
experiences before the introduction of steam
on the western rivers, are indeScribably
laughablc. From Macon county he went to
New Salem, in what is now Mcrnard county,
where he remained about year. Then came
the Black Hawk war. A company Of volun-
teers was raised in New Salem and the sur
rounding country, and young Lincoln was
elected Captain; a success which, he has since
said, gave him more pleasure than he has ever
since enjoyed. He served with credit during
the campaign, and became popular. Return
ing to SangamOn county, he learned the art
of surveying, and prosecuted that profession
until the financial crash Of 1887 destroyed
the value of real estate and ruined the bus-
ness-thc result of which was that young
LincOln's surveying apparatus was sold on
execution by the Sheriff. Nothing daunted
bv this turn of i'll luck, he directed his attcn-
ton to the law, and borrowing a few books
from ncighbor, which he took from the Of
flee in the evening and returned in the morn
ing, he learned the rudimcnts of the profess
sion in which he has since become so distin-
guished, by the light cJ'a .f,e-place!
About this time the Wings of this county
conferred upon nomination for the Legisla
turc. lie was successful in this and three
succeeding elections, by triumphant majori-
ties. While member of the Legislature he
first gave indications of his superior powers
as debater, and he increased, by frequent
practice, his natural faculty for public speak.
ing. He improved industriously the Opportu-
mites that were here offered of sefcultivation
From the position of subaltern in the ranks
of the Whig party, position that was apprO-
priately assigned him by his unaffected mod
esty and humble pretensions, he soon became
recognized and acknowledged as champion
and leader, and his unvarying courtesy,
good nature and genial manners, united with
an utter disintercstedness and abnegation of
self, made him universal favorite.
During his legislative period he continued
his law studies, and removing to Springfield,
he opened an office and engaged actively in
practice. Business flowed in upon him, and
he rose rapidly to distinction in his profes-
sion. lie displayed remarkable ability as an
advocate in jury trials, and many of his law
arguments were master pieces of logical rea-
soning. There was no refined artifciality in
his forensic efforts. They all bore the stamp
of masculine common sense; and he had a
natural easy mode of illustration, that made
the most abstruse subject appear plain. His
success at the bar, however, did not withdraw
his attention from politics. For many years
he was the "wheel horse of the Whig party
of Illinois, and was on the electoral ticket in
several Presidential campaigns. At such
times he canvassed the State with his usua
vigor and ability. He was an ardent friend
of Henry Clay, and exerted himself powerful
ly in his behalf in 1914, traversing the entire
State Of Illinois, and addressing public meet
ings daily until near the close of the cam
paign, when becoming convinced that hi
labors in that field would be unavailing, he
crossed over into Indiana, and continued hi,
efforts up to the day of election. The con
test of that year in Illinois was mainly on the
tariff question. Mr.. Lincoln on the Viii,
side, and John Calhoun, on the Democratic
side, were the heads of the opposing electora
tickets Calhoun, late of Nebraska, now
dead, was then in the full vigor ofhis powers
and was accounted the ablest debater of hi
party. They stumped the State together, o.
nearly so, making speeches usually on alter
no 70 dayc Of 90 oh y,loco oDd oo oh o5Iroce;,,