The Hillsdale standard. [volume] (Hillsdale, Mich.) 1851-1909, 1860-05-29
HONEST OLD ABE"
The Peoples Candidate for Presi.
dent.
oRAILS AND FLiT-BOATS."
Log Cabins and Hard Cider
Come Again!
Biographical SIX, tch Of Abraham Lincoin.
"RAILs AND FLAT-BOATs."
Biographical SIX. tch OF Abraham Lincoln.

county, Kautucky. He was born ON the 9th
day Of February, 1903. HIS parents were
both from Virginia, aud were certainly not OF
the ti'st families. His paterual grandfather,
Abraham Lincoln, emigra,cd from Rocking
ham county. Virginia to Kentucky, about
l78l o' 2, where "A year or two later he was
killed by Indians not in battle, bu, by stealth,
Vide lie was lahoring TO open tarm 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.. Lncoln's father, at the death of his
Gather, was but six years OF age, and he grew
/ up literally without education. liz removed
: from Kentucky TO what is now Spencer coun.
ty Indiana 10 1916. The family reached
their new home about tho time the State was
admitted into tho Union. Tho region in
which they settled was rude and wild. and
. they endured, for some years, the hard expert
ence of frontier litc, in which the struggle
with nature for existence and security is 10 be
maintained only 10y constant vigilance. Bear4,
wolves aud other wild animals still infested
the woods, and young Lincoln acquire more
skill in the use Of tie rifle than knowledge Of
books. There were institutions h re aud
there known By the fattering denomination
of schools" but no qualification was required
OF teacher beyond "Ieadin', wrtin' and cv-
! pherin'," as the veruacular phrase ran, as far
AS the rule of three. If straggler supposed
to understand Latin happenel to soinn-n in
the neighborhocd, be was looked upon as
wizard, ard regarded with an awe suited 10
so mysterious q character.
! Hard work aud plenty of it was tho order
Of the dsy, varied, indeed. Is an occasional
bear hunt, a not untrequent deer H'lase, or
other wild sport. Of course when yonng
Lincoln came Of age he was not scholar. -
He could read and write, and had some KNOW
edge Of arithmetic, but that was about all; /;
and as vet, he had bu, lit,e ambition to know
more Of what was to be found in books. His
attainmens otherwise were not to be despised
He had grown TO be ak feet four inches in
stature, WAS active and athletic, could WELD
the axe, direct the plow, or use the rifle, as
well as the best Of his compeers, and was fully
up to all tho mysteries Of prairie farming. aud
fully Injured to hardship and toll. Since he
arrived at ace he has not been to school -
Whatever bis acquirements are, they have
been picked up from time to time as opporu-
nifty occurred, or rs the pressure Of some exi
gcncy demanded.
At twentv.oue he removed to Illinois and
passed the first year 10 Macon Counly, in ac.
tive labor on a farm. where hc and fr'l W
aborer, (named HASXs.) SPLIT THREE
THOUSAN- RAILS, iu the year 1880. -
1t will be interesting To- the millions b"for"
whom h" is now placed rs canjldrrc for the
highest office IN the gift of irue people, TO
know that he once n'oaogei Il .Fq'-bom on
the Ohlo River. The anecdotes which he
sometimes relates 10 A,s iri-uj~ OF hi, mari.
time experiences before the iurrJIuc ION of
steam ON the western rivers, are IN lr>c IbAhlv
auc able. From Macon County h" went to
New Salem. il what l. now Mruari County,
where he remained about year Tnen came
the Black Hawh war. A company Of vo,un
teers was raiscq iu New Salem and the sur.
rounding country, aud Young Lnc,Iu was
elected captan--a success winch, he ras since
said, gave him more pleasure than no has ever
since enjoyed. He served with credit during
tho campaign, and became popular. Return.
ing 10 Sangamon Comfy, hs leaned the art
OF surveying, and prosecuted that profession
until tho financial crash OF 1887 DESTROYED the
value Of real estate anl ruined the business
the result Of which was thai young Liucons
surveying apparatus was sold ca execution 10y
the sheriff. Nothing daunted By this turn of
i'll luck, he directed his attention to the law,
and borrowing few books from nerhb5r,
which he took from the office in the evening
anI returned IN the morning, ne learned the
rudimcnls Of the profession in which Ia has
siuc" become SO distinguished, By tie Eylt Of
a fre-piace!
About this lime the Wings of lis county
conferred upon him q nomination for the lie.
islRinrc. He was successful in this aud three
succeeding elections, BY triumphan, majorifes
While member Of the Legislature lie first
gave indications Of his superior powers as
debatcr, and he increased, by frequent practice,
his natural faculty for public speaking. He
improved industriously tho opportunities that
were here offered Of self cultivation. From
the position OF II subaltern IN the la, Es of the
Wing party, position that was appropriately
assigned him by his unaffected modestv and
humble pretensions, he soon became recog.
nized and acknowledged as a champion and a
leader, and his unvarying courtesy, good ma
ture and genial manners, united with an utter
disin,eresteduess and abuegation Of self, made
him a universal tavorite.
Daring his legislative period he continued
lis law studies, anil removing to Springfeld,
he opened an Office and engaged actively in
practice. Business flowed in upon him, and
he rose rapidly to distinction in his profession.
He displayed remarkable ability As an advo.
cate in jury trials and many Of his law argu.
menis were masterpieces Of logical reasoning.
There was 10 refined artifciality in his forcn
sic efforts. They all bore the stamp Of mas.
cuiinc common sense; and be had natural
easy mode of illustration. that made the most
ab,truse ~! !ects appear plain. His success at
the bar, however, did not withdraw his alten.
ton from politics. For many years he was
the "wheel horse Of the whir party Of Iii.
uois, aud was ~ the electoral ticket in several
Presidential campaigns At such times ho
Csnva,scd the State with bis usual vigo' and
ability. lie wss nj ard mt friend Of Henry
Clay, and ex"rreI himself powerful " IN his
behalf IN ls4i. travcr,ing tie cntiH State Of
Illinois, aud addressing public meeting. daily
until near the close Of tie carip4ign, when Toe
coming convince tat his labor, in that fi-il
would be uuayaiIue, he crossed over into In