Belmont chronicle. [volume] (St. Clairsville, Ohio) 1855-1973, 1864-04-14
The Personal Character Of Mr..
Lincoln.
RcnssYks OF Mr. Arnold, of Ilis., In the
rs House of Representative,

stenhsrkh OF hEs ArnOiu, OF lhhst IN the
5 House OF Reprssshtativo.
---
His previous training for this great work
was not the training Of the school, It was bet ,
ter. 1t wasa struggle with difficulties /
among the people. He had determination |
of perfect integrity, truth, candor, sobriety, !
reliance, modesty. With clear
judgment, sound common sense, shrewd
knowledge of human nature, he is the most
American Of Americans. He had served
single term in Congress, but his education,
his preparation, was among the people, in
hum BILE and homely positions, iatboatman.
q rail splitter, q surveyor, member Of the
Legislature in frontier State, lawyer in
tho log court houses ofthe West. While he
had no University schooling. few, if any,
have had a better training to develope and
strengthen his intellectual powers than he.
This may seem stranger, bat let me explain,
and its truth will, think, be conceded.
He was trained at the bar in school
where giants were his competitors, and he
bore of the crown. I ... t.,t,..
-..' t HIS COMPETITORS. ID ,A
Some twenty years ago were gathered
around the plain, pine tables Of the frontier
Court Houses OF Central Illinois very
remarkable combination Of men. Among
them, and concededly their leader, was
Abraham Lincoln /; Stephen A. Douglas,
his great political rival; Lyman Trumbull,
Chairman of the Judiciary Committee of the
Senate f. d. Baker, the able, the eloquent
Senator, soldier and martyr to liberty ;
General James Shields, who won high
reputation at Washington and on the battle
field of Mexico General John j. Hardin,
an able and eloquent lawyer. who fell on the
bloody fields of BucDa Vista james
A. McDougall, the present Senator from
California William A. Richardson,
present Senator from Illinois, and Gen.
John A. McClernand, now in the field.
Besides these was the late Governor Bissell,
whose manly vindication of the bravery Of
the Illinois volunteers in Mexico, against
the aspersioas of Jefferson Davis, will re-
membered-a vindication which resulted in
challenge from the traitor Davis, which wa'
accepted by Bissell, but from which Davi.
backed down, it is said under the advice o.
Gen. Taylor. These men, of nationa
reputation, and otherse equally able, bu
whose pursuits have been confined at home
were the competitors with Lincoln. These
were the men in contest witt whom Lincoli
was trained for the terrible ordeal through
which he is passing.
LEAVING HOME.
l need not recall the dark and threat
eniug aspect of affairs in the winter of 1860
6l A deep-laid conspiracy, about Z
break upon the land, with all the horrors o
civil war Patriots saw the tornado coming
saw the traitors plotting and planning th
destruction of the Government, disarlning
plundering it, binding it, preparing it to IA
an easy victim int the hands of traitors
and yet had no means to resist, because a
it's machinery was in the hanis of traito RS
How impatiently and fearfully they waite
for the 4th OF March all will remember. Tn
President elect felt the oppressive weight Q
responsibility resting on him. There is nc
more simple, touching, and beautift
speech in the English language than tbs
which he uttered TO his neighbors from tn
platform of the rail-car, on bidding good-by
to his home, to enter upon the duties of th
,, Presidency: .......
For more than twenty-five years hav
lived among you, and during all that tim
have received nothing but kindness 8
your hands Here the most cherished tie
Of earth were assumed. Here my childre
were born, and here one of them lies buriee
2 ''To you, my friends, ow, all That
have, all that am. All the strange ohecl
CiCu past ScCIIlo " CTOWu nUW upon lily i1IH'
To day | leave you. go to assume tas
on General Washington. Unless the grei
God who assisted him shall be with and al
me, cannot prevail hut if the same On
: niscient hand and the same Almighty ar
that directed and protected him shall guiC
2 and support me, shall not fail 1 sho
{ succeed. Let us pray that the God of o,
fathers may not forsake us now. To Him
commend you all. Permit me to ask tina
with equal sincerity and faith, you will a
invoke his wisdom and guidance for me-"
The feeling of the people was impressiv
ly exhibited by the notices on the banne
which they extended across the stree
through which he passed on his way to Il
! Capitol. 1--WE will pray for you," was ofe
l the significant motto.
:, THE INAUGURATION.
: Not so impressive an Inauguration as TIL
/ of MIR. Lincoln has occurred since the il
! auguration of Washington. He had bee
= threatened with assassination, and the robe
had intended his murder as he passe
through Baltimore. On his arrival here i
found the public Offices filled with traitor
I Strange as it may seem, the rebel Gen. LIE
. and Joe and Albert .Iohnston, and Magr
der, Pen.berton and Wiuder, held, in Marc
9 and April, 1861, leading positions in o,
f army. The citizens of Washington wer
$ a large portion Of them, in sympathy vii
q the rebels. Secession had been prcced,
by secret conspiracy, concoctel by tho
holding the highest official trusts. It hs
Z been yelled by perjured professions Of loys
n ty. On Mr. Lincoln's arrival here, the
!, were the men he found in all the public Q
fees and he was eLcircled ON every side
spies and traitors. None who witnessed
! will ever forget the scene Of that inaugur
! ! tion, standing on the Eastern front Of ii
Capitol, the Judges Of the Supreme Cour
= the Senate and the House of Represent
!. tivss, the high officers of the army al
navy around him, mingled crowd of trs
tors and patriots, with many an eye lsokir
= searchingly into his neighbours to leal
I whether he gazed upon traitor or frien
!. standing there amidst scowling enemie
i with murder and treason In their heart
: Lincoln was cool and determined.
! ! read his inaugural with vece clear ar
= distinct enough to be heard by twice I.