New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1860-07-09
POLITICAL INTELLIGENCE.
LrNcoLNs EARLY DAYS.

;hes m his histrv and individual character, noble
.ne,;,nou of true moral courage and manhood-the
hest sample among us of the gigantic growth OF intel
lst and character under the fostering influences OF
American institutions and socety, when not dwaIfed
by idleness dissipation or dishonesty. Every aoorng
man ia the country tong under the weight OF power
Nv with view to better days, and every student
strueplng for knowledge and advancement under
whatever difficulties, has stock in Old Abe, aud may
be iustly proud of him as one OF his class who has
demonstrated the distinguished success that may crown
any honorable ambition, properly cultivated.
Forty-four years ago Mr.. Lincolns father emgrated
from Kentucky to Spencer County Indiana, where he
purchased small farm. Ten years go after, the
nro;ect Of a public school in the neighbOrhood was
started, and meeting with encouragement log school
house was built at which Abe, then about l6 years
ala. and who had never attended school before, was
installed Exactly six weeks after the school com.
pepced an execution against his father-the result Oh
mdorsing note for a friend-swept away tne Nttie
farm and the student compelled to leave ssnooi 70
ion bis parent who greatly dishearteped by his nus
forune had determined 10 emgrate 10 in9is wiz ns
family The six weeks schooling in that log school
houe is all that Mr.. Lincoln ever received: lie Is
indebted for whatever education be possesses solely to
his own unaided exertions, made during the leisure
hours of aboIous life often consuming the uue Una.
soud have been devoted 70 rest, and always IN the
earlier part Of his life under circumstances OF great
difficulty, induced by poverty.
In due time the lincoln family reached Coles Coun-
ty where il was decided to seek their fortunes. BY
dint Of hard labor at low wages, enough money was
aved in the Of two years to purchase and pay
for eighty acres Of Government land. The son as
sisted his father for some time IN the cultivation OF
this farm but becoming irnbued with the sprit OF en-
terprse be eventually started opt to try his own Tor
tunes and coming to Macon County, after considerable
difficulty in obtaining work. came across Mr. Hawks,
with whom he closed contract 10 cut and split three
thousand rails While at work at this job he found
heretofore improve his mlnd ana IL
ia related of him that when noon arrived he would
mount log, swallow MS dinner In from eight TO ten
minutes, and then spend my minutes N cTSg seu ~"
before commencing the afternoons work. Whue en-
QsQed upon this Job our hero made the acquaintance OF
man Whose name have fOTgotten) who proposed
that they build Aatboat that he would stock 1t win
grain and provisions, and that Abe should command
said hat-boat on an expedition down the Sangamon
River to the Illinois; down the Illinois River TO the
Mississippi, and down this riyerto New-0rlsans when
the haboat and cargo should be disposed Of The en-
terprise looked promising the haboat was built ana
loaded Capt lincoln proceeded on bis voyage, Ia due
time arrived in New-Oreans, disposed OF boat and
sarRo and shipped for home as deck-hdnd on board
,ope of the Mississippi River steamboats,. On this trip
ND the river Mr. Lincoln states that he first met the
Hon. Jesse r. Du Bos, the present State Auditor OF
Illinois and candidate the Republican ticket for re-
election, who also dschargng the duties OF deck
hand.
The fret fiat expedition proved so successful that two
others projected and by the time they were COM
ple,ed, Lincoln had saved several hundred dollars
With this money he opened a small store at settle
ment known as New Salem and with the usual fOel-
shness of new beginners in business he took in part
ner. reckon now" said Lincoln, abiding to the
enterprise on OCCASION with of those proveTb
ally comical expressions of eountenance II reckon
now that that was the store, and Judge from hls
ludcrOus description Of its miscellaneous contents that
IL might have been. However, the new business went
along badly and did not prove profitable. The partner
inssted that they must add some whisky TO their stock
m trace if they themselves, but TO this prop
osition Lincoln stouty objected but the partner
stoutly insisting, Lincoln finally sold out 10 him.
About ths time the Black Hawk war was the sub
ject Of excitement new militia company was to be
formed and there strife to who should be the
Captain. There a tall, pompOus fellow in the
peighborhood, glOrying In the military title OF
{" Major who very anxious for the new office,
and who felt confident OF obtainiDgt. When the day
of election arrived there proved TO be from dozen TO
fifteen candidates for the captamcy The plan of cleo
ton adopted was novel. space was cleared, and 1t
was agreed that each candidate should march across
this space with his friends following him IN single lille,
and The man who lad the largest procession of friends
should be declared the Captain. While the process
eiOns were forming, Of the "boys" caught Lam
coin by the arm and declared that he should be can
ddate. He protested that he knew nothing about mil.
itary matters but stout fellow pushed him forward
while his supporters formed behind. Great was the
astonisbment and modification of the Major when he
discovered that Lincons procession outnalnbered bis
ewn by two men; and Lincoln therefore declared
10 be Captain.
that his old partner had been bis best customer in
the whisky traffic, and that he had decamped" with
out pay ing the debts of the trading concern amounting
To 81 100 and without leaving anything TO pay them
with. "Here, then, was sand Mr. Lincoln once to
friend, 81 100 in debt, 81 100 worse of than at
any time in my life before for had not single dollar
10 paw this Indebtedness with. What 10 do / was at
ioss 10 know. thought the matter over for many
day and greatly distressed 10 go 10 worbat the
customary wages of hired hand and earn 81 100
IL seemed az if / coud not do it, But determined at
last TO try. never in my life knew man, who, re-
solved to do his duty did not have some means opened
MP TO him, matter how impossible, seemingly, was
the accomplishment of that duty at the start And so
proved in this case with honest Abe. Stumbling upon
accidentally book on survey ing he at once made HIM
self master Of the science and commenced the business
of Surveying as profession, having in the mean time
reuovedto Springfield. Here be made frends very
fast, and soon became exceedingly popular-so much
that he was selected as a Nhg'candldate for the
Legislature and WAS trlumpbanty elected holding the
Office Tor four years, during whi:h time he became
noted as a shrewd ana intelligent debater. He saved
money enough during these four years to pay of all
his 81 100 Indebtedness, even 10 the last shilling. Du
ring his Legislative term he commenced studying Law
by the advice of Judge Logan and John d. Ste wart of
SpriD gfeld who had discovered in him the evidences
OF all acute and remarkable intellect lie admitted
TO the bar III u few months after, got married, and at
once pushed forward the front rank bis profession
Such is Mr. Lineolns early history, given in meager
but truthful outline. need only add that IN his per-
sona habits Mr. Lincoln has always been strictly ab-
steDous using neither tobacco nor spurious liquor OF
any kind. No man, moreover, ever yet accused him
of an ungenerous or dshonorable act or thought.
Said truly that he furnishes the best sample 10 be
met with of the gigantic growth OF intellect and char
acter under the fostering influences OF American inst-
tutious and society," when not dwared by idleness dis
aipaton, or dishonesty Yours, truly, L.R. W.
AN EVENING WITH ABRAHAM LINCOLN.
Editorial Correspondence Of The Uteo Morning Herald
SPRIsGFIELD, H., June 81, 1860.
have an instructive avereion 10 dOgging the foot
steps of distinguished Nothing was further from
nv thoughts four days ago than a visit to Abraham