Ashtabula weekly telegraph. [volume] (Ashtabula, Ohio) 1853-1873, 1860-05-26

r.om ths chIssso FIs.. pa IrIIs0ns.


not of FIRST families. His paternal grand |
father, Abraham Lincoln, emigrated from |
county, Virginia, to Kentucky, !
about 1881 or =, where year or two later
he was killed by Indians, while la6orlug to
open q farm in the forest. His ancestors,
who we're members of the Society Of Friends,
went to Virginia from Berks county, Penn
sylvauia.
Mr.. Lincolu'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 reached their new home about the
time the State was admitted into the Union
The region in which they settled was rude
and Wild aud young Lincoln acquired more
skill in the use Of the rifle than knowledge
Of books. There were institutions here aud
there known by the 6attering denomination
of schools, but no qualification was requir-
ed of teacher beyound "readin,' writin,'
and cypheriu'," as the vernacular phrase ran,
as far as the rule Of three.
Hard work and plenty Of it was the order
of the day, varied, indeed, by an occasional
bear hunt, q not unfrcqucnt deer chase, or
other wild sport. OF course when young
Lincoln came Of age be was not Shcolar.
He could read and write, and had some
knowledge eofarithmetic, but that was about
all and as yet, he had but little ambition
to know more of what was to be found in
books. His attachments 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
pow, or use the rife as we'll as the best Of
his compeers, and was fully up to all the
mysteries of prairie farming, aud fully inur-
ed to hardship and toll Since be arrived
at age he has not been to school. What
ever his requirements are, they have been
picked up from time to time as opportunity
occurred, or as the pressure Of some exigen-
cy demanded.
AT twenty one, he removed to Illinois,
and passed the first year iu Macon County,
in active labor on farm. 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 wa raised
in New Salem and tie surrounding cSntry,
and young Lincoln was elected captain-a
success which, he has since said, gave him
more pleasure than he has ever since enjoy
ell. lie served with credit during the cam
paign, 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 business
the result of which was that young Lin
coins surveying apparatus was sold on exc
cution by the sheriff Nothing daunted by
this ill luck, be directed his attention to the
law, and borrowing few books from a
neghbor, 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 fire place
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 Leg
islature he first gave indications Of his su-
peror powers as a debater, and he increaS-
ed, by frequent practice, his natural faculty
for public speaking. He improved indus
triously the opportunities that were here
offered of self-cultivation. From the posi-
ton OF subaltern in the ranks of the
Whig party-a position that was appro-
priately assigned him by lis unaffected
modesty and humble pretensions-he soon
became recognized and acknowledged as a
champion and a leader, and his unvarying
courtesy, good nature and genial manners,
united with an utter disinterestedness and
abnegation of self, made him universal
favorite.
During his legislative period he continu-
ed his law studies, and removing to Spring
field he opened an Office and engaged ac-
lively in practice Business flowed in upon
him, aud he rose rapidly to distinction in
his profession He displayed remarkable
ability as an advocate in jury trials, and
many Of his law arguments were master
pieces of logical reasoning. There was no
refined artiiciality in his forensic efforts.
They all bore the stamp of masculine COM
mon sense and he had a natural easy
mode of illustration, that made the most
abstruse subjects appear plain. His sue
cess at the bar, however, did not withdraw
his attention from politics. For many
years be was, the "whtel horse" of the Wing
party of Illinois, and was on the electoral
ticket in several Presidential campaigns,
At such times he eanvassed the State with
his usual yigor aud ability. He was an ar
dent friend of Henry Clay, and exerted
himself powerfully in his behalf in 1874,
trayersing the entire state of Illinois, aud
addressing public meetings daily until near
the close Of the campaign, when he crossed
: over into Indiana, and continued his efforts
up to the day of election. The contest ot
that year in Illinois was mainly on the tar
= if question. Mr. Lincoln, on the Wing
S side, and John Calhoun, on the Democrat
c side, were the heads of the opposing
electoral tickets. Calhoun, late of Ne.
braska, now dead, was then in the full Wig.
or of his powers, and was accounted the
> ablest debater of his party. Mr.. Lincoln
in these elaborate speeches, eVineed thor
7, ough mastery of the principles of politica
economy under which underlie the tarif
, question, aud presented argument in favor
of the protective policy with power anC
conclusiveness rarely equaled, and at tn
same time in a manner so lucid and familia
and SO we'll interspersed with happy illus
trations and opposite anecdotes, as to e'
tablish reputation which he has neVe