Burlington free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1827-1865, 1860-09-14
ABRAHAM LINCoLNs, INTEGRITY.

!,
AN INTERESTING STORY OF HIS EARLY LIFE.
A correspondent of the Portland Oregonien
sends this narrative:
To the Editor of The OTegonidn
The following incident in the
early history of Mr.. Lincoln, now the Repub-
lican candidate for President, illustrates
more fully than any thing else that can be
said or done n0w, his great integrity of char
acter, and his peculiar fitness in that respect,
for the Office OF President. 1t shows that be
would take especial care that not dollar of
the peoples money should be used imIrop-
erly.
During the Presidency of Gen. jackson,
and while Mr. Barry, CT Kentucky, was
Postmaster General, Mr.. Lincoln was Post
master of the little town Of New Salem, in
| Sangamon CO., Ill. The Governments
portion of the receipts of the Office for the
| two years he held it, amounted TO $50 OF
| 5000 all Of which was permitted to remain
IN his hands, uncalied for by tho Postmaster
| General, for three or four years aftc. Mr..
| Lincoln resigned the Office, and removed to
| Springfield, where he now lives. IL the
| mean time, Mr.. Kendall having succeeded
| Mr.. Barry, in the Post Office Department,
set about relieving the Department from its
| pecuniary embarrassments, by picking up
| the crumbs " which Mr.. Barry had thrown
away as not worth the trouble of saving, and
in the fall of 1884 or '35, drew On Mr.. Lin
coin, in favor of mail carrier, for the amount
standing against him on the books OF the |
department. The mail carrier, enqulred OF
me for Mr.. Lincoln, at the same time showing |
me the draft on him for near two hundred |
dollars. felt that this would be a large sum |
for poor man like Mr.. Lincoln, to raise on |
demand, and on meeting him, offered to aid I
him, if necessary. He thanked me and said |
he did not need assistance went to his room |
and returned IN a few minutes with a pack |
age in his hand, containing money, and on l
counting it out, it was found TO be the exact /
amount called for by the draft, and the UeTy |
money recared By HIM tour and fire years
preriOHs.
During all this period, money was being
loaned for and 5 per cent. per month, and
MIR. Lincoln was often, from inability to col
lect what was due him, sorely pressed for S.
to pay board BILL Besides, it was then
the policy OF the Government to allow the
banks to use the peoples money for speouia- !
tive purposes, and it was not thought wrong |
IT dlsreputable for a government officer to /
use the In Iney IN his p session, prerldcd he |
had reasonable prospect Of raising 1t when |
it was wanted for disbursement. But Mr.. !
Lincoln bell, we'd it was wrong to use what /
did not belong to him, and his stern unbend- (
ing integrity, enabled him to resist, not only /
the temptation of " pinchlng poverty but |
the all powerful influence of public sentiment |
Now, Mr.. Editor. feel very sure that |
when the people come TO understand the true |
character Of Mr.. Lincoln, and reflect upon |
the present lsxity of public morals on the !
subject Of using the public money, and the /
great need there is of reform in this particular,
they will say of Abraham Lincoln, IN NOv'r /
next, as was said of old of the faithful servant |
10y the Great Judge Of human naturc-"thou \
hast been faithful over te'0 things tcs |
- ,riH make thee ruler ousr many things" II.
LAFAYETTE. July 10, 1860.
BIC SSAKE-A correspondent at Crown
Point sends us the following
About two weeks ago large b lack snake
in the North part of Ii was seen to deyour
u rabbit. When FIRST seen the snake WIS
hanging from pole on the fence near where I
the observers were at work. He had his head |
near the ground, and seemed TO be watching
something The men stood still 10 see what
the reptile would be up to His motions
were scarcely perceptiblo as he let himself
out little by little from the fence. BY and by
a large rabbit came out from the brush, and
making few jumps from the place, turned
in again, and was Immediately caught by the
nose. As quick as flash his snakeship fe
upon the ground, wound IN the rabbit, and
gave it deadly squeeze. The poor victim
gave but one sharp cry, and was dead. The
snake still held him by the heed, and soon
had him, legs and all down his voracious
throat. 1t was near an hour from the time
tho men first saw the snake before his meal
was completed.
The men then iclI upon the serpent, and
captured him. lie is now in box at 4 Mr..
Carr's in Ii, and shows but little life. They
think he must be not less than nino feet
ono