Mineral Point weekly tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1859-1868, 1860-06-26
Correspondence ofthe Cleveland Leader)
Thrilling Episode in the Life of .IAbe Lincoln -

AS Western man. wish space to give vent
| 10 my enthusiasm over the nomination of fon
| Abraham LIuc"ln for President of the United
States Mr.. Lincoln, or "Old Abe "a his
friends famliiarly call him, is a self-made man
| A hentuckE oy birth he emigrated to Illinois
! IN his boy hood, where he earned his living a,
the anvil, devoting his leasure hours TO study
Having chosen the law as his future ealing. he
devoted himself assiduously TO its mastery con-
tending at every step with adverse fortune
During this period Of study, he found home
under the rcof OF one Armstrong, a farmer who
iived IN log house me eight miles from the
! village OF Petersburg, Menard County. Here
cad IN hofnespun. with elbows out aud knees
covered with patches, young Lincoln would
master his lessons by the fire-light of the cabin
and then walk to town for the purpose of reci-
/ tation. This man Armst. ong himsel. poor
but he saw the genius struggling in the Young
student, and opened Ia HIM lis rude home and
I bid hln welcome to his coarse fare. How Lin
coin graduated with promse-how he has more
than fulfilled that promise-how honorahlv he
I acquitted himself alike the battlefield, in
| defending our border settlements against the
| raVages OF savage foes, and IN the halls of our
4 nationa! Legislature. matters of history and
/ need 10 repetition here But one little Incl
/ dent of more private nature, stand ng as il
/ does as a sort of sequel TO some things already
| alluded to, deem worthy of record Some few
years since the oldest son of Mr.. Lincoln's old
/ friend Armstrong, tie chief support of his
/ widowed mother-the good old man having
some time previously passed from earth-was
arrested on the charge of murder. \ young
! man had been killed during riotous melee in
/ the night time, at camp-meetng, and one OF
! his associates stated that the death wound was
Inflicted by young Armstrong. A preliminary
| examination was gone into, at which the
/ ser testified so positively that there seemed
doubt OF the guilt of the prisoner and therefore
/ he was held for trial. AS is too often the case
/ the bloody act caused undue degree of ex-
/ cltement IN the public mind Every improper
4 incident IN the life of the prisoner-each act
which bore the least inblance of rowdyism-
each schooiboy quarrel-was suddenly remem-
befed and magnitied, until they pictured him as
a hend of the most horrible hue. As these ru-
mors spread abroad. they were received as gos-
pei truth, and a feverish desire for vengeance
seized upon the infatuated populace. whilst on lv
prison bars prevented horrible death at the
hands of a mob. The events were heraded III
the county papers, painted in highest colors, ac-
compauied by rejoicing over the certainty of
punishment beipg rneted out to the guilty par
~. The prisoner, overwhelmed by the cir
cumstances under which he found himself pla-
ced, fell into d melancholy condition, bordering
upon despair; aud the widowed mother, looking
through her tears, saw no cause for hope from
earthly aid.
At thi. juncture, the widow received a letter
from Mr. Lincoln, volunteering his services in
effort to save the youth from the impending
stroke Gladly was his aid accepted although
1t seemed impossible for bis sagacIty TO
prevail III St.CA ate case out the ieart
of the attorney was in his work and lie set about
II with q viii that knew such word a. fail
Feeling that tie poisoned condition Of the pub
lc mIud WAS such as to preclude the possibility
/ Of lmlauuelllug an impartial jury IN the court
having jurisdiction, lie procured change Of
4 venue and postpouement OF the trial He then
/ went studIously TO work upravellIug the hlsto-
~ of he ca, and satisfied himself hat his eli
cut was the victim OF malice, and that the state
meuts ot the accuSer were a tissue of talSehOods,
. W eu the t,Ial called on, the prisoner, pale
and emaciatcd, with hepelessuess written on
. every feature. and accompanied by his half
. hoping hali-deSpaIrlHg mother-whOse only hope
was i'll 4 mothers belief Of her sons Innocence
/ IN the justice of the God she worahipped, and
/ IN tie noble counsel, Who without the hope OF
/ fee or reward upon earth, had undertaken the
I cause-touk his seat in the prisoners box, and
/ with a stony frsnuessn liste ed To the reading
ofthe indictment Lincoln sat quetly by, whilst
the LARGE auditory looked on INN though
wondering what he could say IN defence of one
4 whose guilt they regarded a. certain. The
/ animation OF the witnesses for the State was be-
] gun, and well arranged mass OF evidence, CIR
cumstantial and positive, was IHtrod uced, winch
seemed 10 Impale the prisoner beyond the pos
sIbIIty of extraction The counsel To- the de-
/ fence propounded but few questions, and those
I Of character of which excited no uueasineSs
on the part of the pGosecutor-merely, In most
cases. requiring the main witnesses 10 be defl-
mite as 10 the time and place. When the e7l-
I troduced few illnesses to remove some crro-
neous impressions Ia regard to the previous
character of his client, " bo. though somewhat
ruwdvish, had never been known to commit q
vicious act; and to show that greater degree
Of ilI-feeling existed between the accuscr and
the accused than the accuser and the deceased
The prosecutor telt that the Vas clear one
and his opening speech was brIet and formal
Lincoln arose, while deathly silence pervad-
ed the vast audience. and In a clear and mode
rate tone Ire began his argument. Slowly aud
carefully he reviewed tie testimony, pointing
out The IN herIo unohserved discrepancies =
the statements of the principal witness. nat
which had seemed PLAIN and plausible, he made
/ To appear crooked aS a serpiuts path Ihe VII
ness had stated that the affair took pace at n
certain hour in the evening. and that by the
aid of the brightly shining moon, he saw the
prlsoper iufllct the death blow with a slung
/ shot Mr.. Lincoln showed that at the hour re
ferred to- the moon had not yet appeared above
/ the horizon, aud con equcntly the whole tale
was a fabrication. An almost instantaneous
change seemed TO have been wrought IN the
! minds of his auditors. and the verdict OF mot
guilty was at the end of every tongue. But
the advocate was not conten: with this intellect
/ uai achievement. His Whole beng had Tor
months been bound up in this work OF gratitude
and mercy. and, the lava OF the overcharged
crater. bursts from lis imprson ment. 50 great
thoughts aud burning words leaped-ior from
The soul of the eloquent Lincoln he drew a
picture OF the perIurer horrId and ghas'Iy
that the accuser could sit under 1t DO longer
! but zee ed and staggered from the court room
whilst the audience fancied they could see the
brand upon his brow. Then ia words OF thriI-
! ling ratios Lincoln appealed 10 the jurors a,
fathers Of sons who might become fatheriess and
husbands of wives who might be widowed to
yield to 10 previous impressions, no lIl-iound-
e. prejudice. but to DO has client justice; ana a.
he alluded to the debt of gratitude which he
owed to the hoy's size, tears were seen 10 tail
from many eyes unused to weep. II was pear
night when he concluded by saying that II lus-
was done-as he believed 1t would be-beiore
the sun should set II wo'd shine upon his cleI
Il d free man. The Jury retired. and the court adj
=, iourred for the day. Half q hour bad not
elapsed. when 3 the officers Of the court an1
The eyoluutcefattorney ~ the iea-tab!e OF theI
hotel. q messenger announced that tie 5uTy has
returned Io their seats. All repaired lmmedi
a,,Iv Ill The court house and whilst the prison
in er Ms beiu, bro ght from the jail, tie eour
!. NOM w. MOD - .Ee-l.wIus VIII eL.Lzens o