Worcester daily spy., 1860-05-26
VISIT TO MIR. LINCOLN.
CHICAGO, Monday, May 81, 1860.

other gentlemen, went IN special tram 10
Springfield in this state, to give Mr.. Lincoln
official notice that he had been nominated as
the republican candidate for the presidency.
/ went with this party and will give you some
account of the visit. The special train was
furnished by the management of the Illinois
Central railroad, and went under the supern'
tendence of Col. J. w. Foster, late of Monson,
Mas sachusetts, and now land commissioner OF
the Illinois Central company. Col Foster
earned the warmest gratitude of the party, by
his untring and successful efforts to make the
trip as agreeable as possible BY the route we
took the distance from Chicago to Springfield
is PA miles. We went down the Illinois Cen
trail railroad to Tolona, and then across the
country to Springfield by way Of Decatur
The train being special and Independents
did not stop at many of the stations but,
wherever it did stop, the company was receiv-
ed with the most jubilant demonstrations OF
applause, and brief stump speeches were in
great demand Several of the gentlemen on
board had on this occasion their first introduc-
ton TO the Illinois prairies. We reached
evening and here the excitement was i'm
mense, indescribable. The whole city was in
motion. The train was received with salute
of cannon, with cheers and shouts, with
displays OF fireworks, and with every demon
stration of delight which the excited people
could devise. Our company was escorted to
the Chenerey House, and then, after brief
pause went quietly to the residence of Mr.
Lincoln.
We hear so much now of Honest old Abe,
the rail-splitter," that it may not be re-
membered by some persons, that the republi'
can candidate for the presidency is only 81
years old, and that he is one of the most dis
tnguished and successful lawyers in all the
northwest. He resides in a large, pleasant
and handsomely furnished house, on one Of
the more quiet and suburban streets of Spring
field and here we were received without os
tentation or parade of any kind, but in such
style as admirably suited the dignity and i'm
portance of the occasion. The gentlemen of
the committee and those with them, were
ushered into large, double parlor, where the
official formalites of the interview took place.
Mr. Ashmun's brief speech, and Mr.. Lincoln's
reply, were Immediately telegraphed all over
the country. Therefore will not repeat them
here. Both speeches were just what the oc-
casion required, and the whole interview, from
beginning to end, was admirably conducted,
on both sides, because there was no attempt
to be otherwise than sincere, frank, an3 man.
- Ill o,1
there was not man in the whole company
W no did not leave his residence with height
ened admiration for his character and capaci
ty. He has that manifest aud untailing supe-
riority of nature which makes a man equal to
any occasion, and keeps him always, under all
circumstances, 'master of the situation" 1t
was by virtue of this natural superiority, that
he rose from the lowest and most unfriended
social condition, to be one of the foremost
ME of the nation. One does not need to see
him very long, TO comprehend the secret OF
his great popularity and power in the north
W est, or to see his eminent fitness for the po-
sit ion in which he has been placed by the re-
publican national convention.
l must say here in behalf of Mr.. Lincolns
personal appearance, that he looks an hundred
fold better than any picture of him have ever
seen. The pretended portraits given in some
of the papers caricatures of the vlest de-
scription They do not resemble him in any
respect. And there are pictures of him "taken
from photographs" now circulating here in
Chicago that are fit for nothing but a bonfire
An itinerant vender has just asked me to buy
one for "only twenty-five cents" If Mr.. Lin
coin were smooth, proper" and perfumed
Adonis, he would be of much less consequence
to the world than at present; but, although he
is nothing of that sort, and could never by any
possibility be classed with that kind of human
creatures, he has a strong, manly, cordial,
winning look, which attracts every one. He
is six feet and four inches tall, with an angular
and not very graceful form, but lie seems full
of power, cearness, and frank good nature
one of those whom the crowd will instinctively
admire and follow. He is handsome after the
style of Gen. Jackson, Henry Clay, and other
m en- of that type, with an unusual amount of
hat brightness and magnetism of countenance
which is given by heart warm smiles, when
engaged in friendly conversation.
The gentlemen of the party were severally
presented to Mrs Lincoln also, who received
them in another apartment; and some of us
had the good fortune to secure a somewhat
heightened and very pleasant interview with
her. She is an intelligent and accomplished
lady, simple, dignifed, and friendly in her
bearing, ready and entertaining in conversa-
ton, and evidently equal to any social posi-
ton. Mrs Lincoln is a Kentuckian by birth
daughter of Dr. Todd, and a connection o.
the Preston family. She is rather below me
dium height, with smooth and handsome
form, a fair face, and light brown hair. He
age may be ten or twelve years less than tina
of her husband. Her manner charmed ever,
one Mr.. Lincoln has three children, all sons
The oldest is now a student in Harvard Col
lege. The others were at home and seeme
to be from ten TO twelve years old. gentle
man of Chicago informs me that Mr.. Lincoll
is strict temperance man. Twenty AM
twenty-five years ago, he conformed to th'
custom of the west, where wshiskey has lonl
been one of the institutions but he resolved
to disregard the custom, and his vigorous will
has firmly and fully executed this resolve. L
is stated, also, that his neghbors, last Saturday
evening proposed to supply him with all sorts
OIL choice liquors for the entertainment Of hi.
guests. But he refused the offer, saying =
ne duly appreciated their kindness, but he