Red Wing sentinel., 1860-06-06
STATIONERY BOOTS.

Illinois has reputation at Washingto,
in the business Of stationery. Some ye r
ago, John Wentworth represented this dis
trict in Congress. An &c :'dent to the mai
1t Buffalo, requirea the opening Of crrtai1
bags "docu,nents'' frankett to our mem
oer, and the result was the discovery o
whole bags Of pu lie property taken b
Wentworth, and franked home by that in
dividual. An investigation followed in Con
gress. and the result was that the publi
stationery was put under lock aud key, an,
a book keeper appointed whose duty il i
to deliver TO each me nber Is il is called 10
such articles IS he may dssire-keeping a,
account of the same at cost prices. When
the amount taken exceeds a certain sum
the excess is taken from his salary. .
Now when Lincoln went to Congress. h,
thought he would make shine fashionable
boots were high, even at figure above tn,
Springfield rates. After studying the cas-,
for long time, he worked out how he coult
supply himself with boots, and yet not pa,
for them out Of his pocket. He first though
delivering lecture. but no one could b
found who would come down, with the 500
He then thought Of making speeches an,
charging twenty y-five cents . head. Just =
he did recently in New England, but b
could not get persons to come to hear him
In this extremity his fertile genius suggested
that he would buy the boots and have then
paid for out Of the public money. lie Their
fore ordered pair At eight dollars; the.
were sent up by Abe's orders to the station
cry clerk at the capitol. and ':honest" Ab
drew them rs stationery. At the next ses
sion he drew another pair Of boots in tn
same manner-they being paid for out o
the public money. When he was leavin.
for home-quitting Washington torever-h
ordered an extra fine pair at NINE dollars
and they were boxed up. with his book
and franked to "Hen. Abraham Lincoln
Springfield, Illinois" eaa@ 5
The record Of this boot transaction stand
thus on the books Of the clerk of the Hous,
|of Representatives and in his vouchers II
the treasury at Washington: ~
g Hon. Abraham Lincoln: .--.....,..-
Three pairs Of boots, e25.'
The idea 'that this government canno
permanently endure half free and halfsave, ,
when members Of congress can provide
themselves with boots--nine dollar boots
At the expense Of the people is preposterous
Just think Of Honest Abe, "having his boots
sent up to the Capitol, to drawn out by him
as Stationery" Just think ofthe simplicity
Of the honest man. who taxed the people to
pay for his boots when he was drawing eieh,
dollars per day, and mileage. ~,
Col. Lane Of Indiana, when speaking q
Lincoln in the Republican convention. clos.
ed his remarks by saving: 4t 5f3sftt5s
Thirty years ago. You might have seen
near the boundary line between Indiana and
Illinois, Abe Lincoln leading barefooted o1en
70 the pasture ana following them with the
plow." @ .5 f. .s.se>,, .s..-,. =
L!ncolnn's early experience With "bare.
footed oxen" might have given him some
strange notions about boots but certain il
is the first moment he got to Congress be
provided himself with the best boots he
obtain. - Chicago Times. ISIS
Here 10 evidence Of tho use made Of priz.
fighters 10 England: 49, t31