Muscatine weekly journal. [volume] (Muscatine, Iowa) 185?-1890, 1860-05-25
BiOgra plical Sketch Of Abraham
LiMcOlia. e. E

county, Kentucky. He was borno on the 18th
day of February, 1909. His perents were
both from Virginia, and were certainly not OF
the first families. His patef nal grandfather,
Abraham Lincoln, emigratedA from Rocking
ham county, Virginia, to Kentucky, about
l7Sl or 2, where year or two later he was
killed BY Indians, not in battle, but by stealth,
while he 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.
Descendants of the same stock still reside in
the eastern 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
county, Indiana, in 1916. The family reach
ed 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 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 acquir-
ed more skill in the use of a rifle than knowl-
edge of books. There were institutions here
and there, known by the Aattering denomina-
ton Of SCHOOLS" but no qualification was
required Of teacher beyond "readin', writin',
and cypherin'," as the vernacnlar phrase ran,
as far as the rule of three. If straggler
supposed to understand Latin happened to
sojourn in the neighborhood, he was looked
upon as wizard, and regarded with an awe
suited to so mysterious character.
Hard work and plenty of it was the order
of the day, varied, indeed, by an occasional
bear hunt, a not unfrequent deer chase, or
other wild sport. OF course when young
Lincoln came of age he was not Scholar
He could read and write, and had some
knowledge of arithmetic, but that was about
all and as yet, he had but little ambition to
know more of what was tobe found in books.
His attainments otherwise were not to be
despised. He had grown to be six feet four
inches in stature, was active and athletic,
could WELD the axe, direct the pillow, or use
the rifle, as well as the best of his compeers,
and was fully up to all the mysteries Of
prairie farming, and fully Injured to hardship
and toll. Since he arrived at age he has not
been to school. Whatever his requirements
are, they have been picked up from time to
time as opportunity occurred, or as the pres.
sure of some exigency demanded.
At twenty-one he removed to Illinois, and
passed the first year in Macon county, in
active labor on farm, where he and fellow
laborer, (named Hanks,) SPLIT THREE
THOUSAND RAILS, in the year 1880. II
will be interesting to the millions before
whom he Is now placed as a candidate for the
highest office in the gift of a. free people, to
know that ne once managed 70t-boat on
the Ohio River. The anecdotes which he
sometimes relates to his friends of his mari.
time experiences before the introduction Of
steam on the western rivers, are indescribably
laughable. From Macon county he went to
New Salem, in what is now Menard county
where he remained about year. Then
came the Black Hawk war. A company Of
volunteers was raised in New Salem and the
surrounding country, and young Lincoln was
elected captain-as 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
Returning 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 business = the result of which was that
young Lincoln's surveying apparatus was sold
on execution by the sheriff. Nothing daunt-
ed by this turn of ill luck, he directed his
attention to the law, and borrowing few
books from neighbor, which he took from
the Office in the evening and returned in the
morning he learned the rudiments of the
profession in which he has since become so
distinguished, by the light of a. fireplace!
| About this time the Wings of his county
conferred upon him nomination for the
Legislature. He was successful in this and
three succeeding elections, by triumphant
majorities. While member of the Legisla
ture he first gave indications of his superior
powers as debater, and he increased, by
frequent practice, his natural faculty for pub.
lie speaking. He improved industriously the
opportunities that were here offered for self.
cultivation. From the position of subaltern
in the ranks of the Wing party, a position
that was appropriately assigned him by his
unaffected modesty and humble pretensions,
he soon became recognized and acknowledged
as champion and a leader, and his unvary-
ing courtesy, good nature and genial man
| ners, united with an utter disinterestedness
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
ne rose rapidly to distinction in his profession.
lie displayed remarkable ability as an advo-
cate in jury trials, and many of his law argu-
ments were masterpieces oflogcal reasoning.
forensic efforts. They all bore the stamp of
mo ,1Sv,a L.l
ural easy mode of illustration, that made the
most abstruse subjects 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 Wing party
Of Illinois, and was ON the electoral ticket in
several Presidential campaigns. At such
times he canvassed the State with his usual
vigor and ability. He was an ardent friend
Of Henry Clay, and exerted himself power
fully in his behalf in 1874, traversing the
entire State of Illinois, and addressing public
meetings daily until near the close of the
campaign, when becoming convinced that his
labors in that field would be unavaling, he
crossed over into Indiana, and continued his
efforts up to the day of election. The contest
of that year in Illinois VS. mainly on the
tariff question. Mr.. Lincoln, on the Wing
side, and John Calhoun, on the Democratic
side, were the heads of the opposing electoral
tickets. Calhoun, late OF Nebraska, now
dead, was then. in the full vigor Of his powers,
and was accounted the ablest debater of his
party. They stumped the State together,
or nearly so, making speeches usually on al
ternate days at each place, and each address
ing large audiences great length, sometimes
four hours together. Mr.. Lincoln, in these
elaborate speeches., evinced a thorough mas
terry Of the principles Of political economy
which underie the tariff question, and pre-
scented arguments in favor of the protective
policy with power and conolusiyeness rarely
equaled, and at the same time in manner SO
lucid and familiar and so well interspersed
with happy illustrations and opposite anec-
dotes,a to establish reputation va ich he has
never since failed to maintain, as the ablest