The Plymouth weekly Democrat. (Plymouth, Ind.) 1860-1869, 1860-05-31
HEis Record & Qualifications.

aEss Record & GsuasiGca ION $
: We take tie folio wing from Douglas
. speech. delivered August 81. 1853, a
Ottawa. where they. Douglas and Lincoln
made the first joint discussion. 1t is
true sketch, go far as we have been adj
70 learn, Of the early life and habits O
the Republican candidate for the Presi
dency; and as every body is wanting t,
know about Old Abe" we copy the bio
graphical sketch Of him. In this will b.
found lis qualifications for the Presidency
all hut his rail splitting :"
LINCOLN.
In the remarks I have made on thi,
p'i''orm. (the Republican platform made
at Springfield. H.. II, 1854 and the posi-
ton of Mr.. Lincoln upon it, mean moth
ing personally disrespcctful or unkind OF
the gentleman. | have known him for
nearly twenty five years. There were ma
nv points of sympathy between us when
we first got acquainted We we were both
com pArarivelv boys. and both struggling
with poverty in strange lard was a
school teacher in the town Of Winchester.
end he was i1ourishing grocery keeper in
the town Of Salem He was more success
full in his occupation than | was in mine.
(, in. u, ~ -, L.
Lincoln is one of those peculiar men who
perform with admirable skill everything
which they undertake made as good
school teacher as I could and when cab
met maker | made good bedsteal and
tables, although my old boss said sue
ceeded better with bureaus and secretaries
than with anything else but I believe
that Lincoln was always more successful
in business than l. for his business ena
bled him to GET into the Legislature /
met him there. however. and had SYM
pahr with him. bee use of the uphill
struggle we both Rad in life. He was
then just as good at telling an anecdotc as
now. He could beat any of the BOYS
wrestling. or running foot race, in Ditch
ing quois or tos>inn copper could ruin
more liquor than AL he boys of the town
togethcr and the dignity and impar'ialilv
Will wlirh he rresiied at 2 horse race OF
fist fight. exri'ed l'.e admiration and won
the praise ofeverv one thar was present and
participated. I svmralhized with him be-
cause he was struggling with difficulties.
and so was |. Mr. Lincoln served with
me- il the Legisla'ure Of 1886, when VIC
bo,h retired, and lie subsidized. or became
submerged. and he was lost sioht of as a
public man for some years. In 1876.
when Wilmot introduced his celebrated
proviso. and the Abolition tornado swept
over the country. Lincoln again turned M
as member of Congress from he Sanga
mon district | was then in the Senate oi
the United States. and was clad to well
come my old friend and champion. Whilst
in Congress he distinguished himself BY
his opposition TO the Mexican war, taking
tie side of common enemy against his
own country; and when he returned home
he found that the indi .nalion of the peo-
pie followed him everywhere, and lie was
again submerged or obliged to retire into
private life, forgotten by his former friends.
He came up again in 1854 just in time to
make this Abolition or Black Republican
platform, in company with Giddines.
Lovejoy. Chase and Fred Douglass, for
The Republican party to stand upon.