The Lansing state Republican. [volume] (Lansing, Mich.) 1855-1874, 1860-08-08
Why He Split Rails.

Had Abraham Lincoln Decu oOru III NC" 1nS
and or New York, where the means of education
in the indispensable branches were within the
reach OF the humblest, forty years ago, as they
are at this day, he would never been heard Of as
a rail-split;cr. To southern institutions, and to
the social condition springing out Of them, Lin
coin owes his raiLsplitting experience. The
South stands in the same relation to Mr.. Lincoln,
and his present position before the people, which
Mr.. Anthony Weller occupied toward Sam, his
only son. Mr.. Weller, senior, boosted that Sam
owed his advancement to the excellent educa-
tional facilities extended by his fond parent.
Upon inquiry, "What those advantages had
BEEN" he replied that be chad let Sam run about
the streets Of London and get sharp" "Now.
said the fond aud proud parent, see what he is.
The South, or to speak more exactly, Kentucky
may point with equal pride, and doubtless would
DO SO but for her false pride, and cay, look at
Lincoln and sec in him what my institutions
have done.
Thomas Lincoln, the father OF the Republican
candidate for the Presidency, was that most for.
lorn and wretched of all objects on earth, poor
white man in a community Of slaves. Unedu.
Gated himself, because the children of poor white
folks in slave States have no access to even the
shallowess and sparest springs of knowledge, he
had no power, II he had the desire, to educate
his children; consequently, Abraham grew up in
ignorance-lucky for him that he did not grow
up also in vice and sloth. He and those who
went before him were looked upon as far lower
and baser than slaves, by those more ou.wardly
fortunate around them. whom wealth had pam
pered and slavery had hardened. The children
Of such man had no access to schools, and no
money or time to devote to learning, even had
the social position Of their parents been such as
70 gain them admission. Their life was struggle
tor bread, by the application Of main strength to
the toughest tasks-such tasks as even slavery
shrank from.
To tell Michigan household that Abraham
Lincoln's parents were poor, would excite there
neither wonder nor pity, but when it is explained
that to be poor in Kentucky, forty years ago,
meant to be deprived of schools, of books, of
knowledge Of their use, of the means of grace,
and Of religious instruction, of the privilege of
meeting neighbors in social intercourse, and of
access to the house OF God, they can understand
that then and there, to be poor, meant to be
wretched.
Under disadvantages, a true picture of which
would be inconceiva5le to our readers, Abraham
Lincoln acquired the rudiments of an English ed.
ucation, but he advanced no farther toward en-.
hghtenuent, than to become aware that to live.
he must work, and that TO thrive, he must be
temperate and honest.
Mr.. Lincoln had no early discipline to make
his days work worth dollar or two dollars TO
nybody-cousequen,ly all the article which be
had 70 ocer in the market was the rough, ffty.
cent DAVIS work at raiIspli,ting This he did Of.
fer, and faard consumers and payers, and this
~as Why he split rails. Bought negroes could
be found TO co ordinary teamwork, but rail.
splitting required great strength and some skill,
and even slave owners found it for advantage to
hire poor white man to DO it, the slavery sys.
TEN be ng to employ "the poor white man. in
nothing which paid for negro could do. When
Lincoln LETT Kentucky for Indiana, he carried with
him the notions which be had formed in the for.
mer State, and swung his axe in profound uncon.
sciousuess that he was intended by his maker for
more profitable labor. 1t was only by alov de.
gree. a. the blind recover sight, or a. the D.
sieas ssnes back to strength, that Mr.. Lincoln
became aware that the work of his brain was Of
more value to his feIlow.men than the work Of
ms hands-shas in sae former there was more
remuneration and less composition, and 80, step
by step. he climbed toward positions IN which he
might exercise his mind In this progress, he |