The Perrysburg journal. [volume] (Perrysburg, Ohio) 1853-1861, 1860-07-19
,ken vocation to oratory, they mercirully e1


! learning was u marvellous and fearful exceptinN
the debating school flourishcd, in part as u lit.
ernry institution, and IN part AS rustic froliC
Lincoln delighted in ptscticing poemics, MS
! it wal called. aud used to walk six or seven
miles through the woods to attend the disputn.
tions in his neghborhoud, OF course, many Of
the debates were infinitely funny, for the dispu-
tants were. as general thing, men without ed
ucstion Aero, no doubt. lincoln stored h,s
mind with anesdote or comic illustration, while
! he delighted his auditors with his own wit aud
humor, and added to HE glowing popularity.
! This popularity had been early founded bo a
stroke OF hrmnoss and bravery on Lincoln's
part, when be first came into Sangemon couu.
! y.
He had returned from that famous voyage
made with OHutS imprnmtu hut-hoat to New
Orleans, aud descending the Sougpmon river. as
has already been related, fixed upon the little
| village OF New Salem, bv tortuity. rather than
| intention, US his future home. Nevertheless he
had to undergo an ordea. to which every new
conner was subjected before his residence could
be- generally Acknowledged. Then when it was
more necessary to be equal parts OF horse and
alligator, aud to be able to v,nQuiSh ones weight
! in wild cats, than now, there llnurishCd in tn
! region Ul New Salem baud OF iollv, roysterug
! blades, calling themselves 'Clnrys Grove Boys
who not only gave the law to the ncighborhood
us Regulators, but united judicial to legislative
! functions, by establishing thrm'clvcs tribunal
! to try the stun of every one who came into thut
| region. They were, at once, the protectors aud
scourge OF the whole country side, aud must
| have been some such company as that or Brum
! Bones, in Sleepy Hollow, upon whom the
| "nciGhhors all looked with a mixture OF awe
admiration aud good wl' Their mode Of re
| ceiving stranger was to appoint some one OF
their number to wrestle with him, fight with
him or run a toolace with him, according to
| their pleasure and his appearance.
| AS soon as young Lincoln appeared, the Clarys
| Grove Bows determined to Signaliae their Prov
ess anew by n triumph over stalwart fellow
who stood six feet three inches without his
stockings. Tho leader ard champion Of their
band Zone Jack Armstrong, who seems himself
TO have been another Brom Bones) challenged
Lincoln TO wrestling match. When the en-.
counter took place, the "Clary's Grove Boy"
found he had decidedly the worst halt of the al.
fair ana the fight would have ende in his iguomin,
ous defeat, had not all his fellow boys came to
his assistance. Lincoln then refused to con
tlnue the unequal struggle. lie would wrestle
with them iuirly, or he would run footrace
or if any of them desired to fight he generously
offered to thrash that particular individual He
looked every word he said and none of the boys
saw fl 20 accept his Offer Jack Armstrong
was willing to cali the alTrir drawn; and liu-
coins fearless conduct had already won the
hearts of his enemies. lie was invited to be-
come one OF their company. His popularity
was assured. The boys idolizcd him, aud when
the Black Hawk war broke out. he was chosen
their captain. and remained nt their head :hru'.
ont the campaign. Their lnvor Stll pursued
! him, and, iva years afterwards, he was elected
| to the Legislature, the influence created by his
famous wrestling match.
| Many OF the boys are now distinguished citi-
| YPnS of llIinnIS mud a I,iucplu' "a arD
est friends; though they acknowledge if he had
shown signs OF cowardice when they same to
| the rescue of their champion, it would have
Jared grovously with him.
Indeed this seems to have been one Of the
most signGca incidents Of his early life 1t
gave him reputation for courage necessary in
a new county, and opened career Ia him
which his great qualities have enabled him to
pursue with br,llancy aud success.
LGN'oLN AS A LAWYER.
| His characteristics as an advocate are an ear.
nestnrss aud sincerity Of manner aud direct.
ness, comcisenrss and $ rength of style; he ap-
p"als AT times, TO the weapons OF good humorcd
riliculc us ably as to the heavier weapons of
! { reusic combat. lie is strongest in civil cases
| but in a criminal case that eulists his sympathy
| he IL also great II is en- that the advocates
convictions presented Co the jury in terse and
torclble, yet eloquent anguIge, sometimes out
weigh the charge Of the Judge. Juries listen to
him, and concur in his Arguments, for his known
| truth has preceded his arguments, and he tri.
umphs. There may be law and evidence az ST
him, hut he belief hat Lincoln is righ', moth
| ing can shake in the minds Of those " no know
the man
tie prepares his cases with infnitc care when
he has nothing else before him, The smalles;
! detail of the affair does not escape him. All
! the parts IRE perfectly fitted together, aud the
peculiar powers OF his keen analytic mind are
! brought into full play. He has not the quick
| ness which characterIes Douglas and which is
50 useful to the man who adventures into poll
tics or law. But he is sufficiently alert and re.
| covers himself in time to achieve success Lin
coin does not grow rich al N law, and has not
grown rich to this day, though possessing d
! decent competence and owing no man nythmg.
| Poor men, who have the mlstorluu. to do with
&c urrs, come to Lincoln, who yer has been
known to exact an exorbilant tee, and whose
demands are awas proportional to their prop
| erty. There is a record Of Case winch he gain
ed for young mechanic, alter carrying it thro'
three courts, and OF his refusal to receive more
! than comparative trilc in return
LIvcoLN's MARRIAGE,
| Meantime in the year 1912, Lincoln married
a woman worthy to be The companion ~ his pro-
gr-ss towards honor aud distinction MISS Mary
! rodd, who became his wife, is the daughter OF
| Robert Todd, OF Lexington, Kentucky, man
well known in that STATE and formerly the cIctk
Of the lower House OF Congress. AT the time %!
her marriage Miss Todd was the Bell of Spring.
field socicty--accomp plshed and intellectual,
and possessing all the grsces native in the
| women OF Kentucky.
| When in the prscicc Of the law, MIR. Lincoln
was never known 10 undertake cause which
he believed founded in wong and injustice
"You are not strictly in the right" he said TOT
person who once wished him to bring certoin
suit, and who now tells the story with profound
fSsdm ireion. Il might give the other parties
considerable trouble. aud perhaps beat them at
law, but there would be no justice in il. am
souy--l cannot undertake your cause
81 never knew Licoln TO do a mean act in his
life, said Stuart, the veteran lawyer, whS first
encouraged lincoln TO adopt his pToiession.-
Good never made finer man." exclaimed tho
old bsrkwoodsman, Close, when applied 10 for