Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1864-04-07

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| 18th, New Creek, Va....... % -. 20 -.
18th, Huntsville, Ala. II 45 2S
Interesting Incidents in the Life of President
Lincoln.
| In the House of Representatives, recently,
Mr.. ARNOLD, of Illinois, made q remarkably
able and beautiful speech upon "Reconstruc-
tion," of which he made Freedom the corner
stone, and ABRAHAM LINCOLN the architect
We reproduce the following most interesting
incidents in the Presidents life:
ar. LINCoLN's TRAINING.
His previous training for his great work
was not the training of. the schools; it was
better. 1t was a struggle with difficulties
perfect integrity, truth, candor, sobriety, self
control, reliance, modesty. With clear judg-
ment, sound common sense, shrewd knowl-
edge of human nature, he Is the most american
| of all americans. He had served a single
term in Congress, but his education, his prep
| aration was among the people, in humble and
| homely positions hat-boatman, q rail-split-
| ter, surveyor, member of the Legislature
in frontier State, lawyer in the log court
house of the West While he had no univer-
sity schooling, few, if any have had better
training to develop and strengthen his intel
tual powers than he. This may seem strange
but let me explain, and it's truth will, | think
be conceded.
He was trained at the bar in school where
| giants were his competitors, and he bore off
! the crown.
| WHO WERE HIS COMPETITORS
Some twenty years ago, there gathered
around the plain, pine tables of the frontier
| court houses of central Illinois very remark
able combination of men. Among them, and
concededly their leader, was Abraham Lin
coin Stephen A. Douglas, his great political
rival; Lyman Trumbull, chairman of the Ju-
dietary Committee of the Senate E. d. Ba-
ker, the able, the eloquent Senator, soldier,
and martyr to liberty; Gen. James Shields,
who won high reputation at Washington
and on the battle-felds of Mexico Gen. John
j. Hardin, an able and eloquent lawyer, who
fell on the bloody field of Buena Vista; Jas.
A. McDougall, the present Senator from Cal
| ifornia William A. Richardson, present Sem
ator from Illinois and Gen. John A. Nc
| Clernand, now in the field. Besides these
was the late Gov. Bissell, whose manly vindi-
cation of the bravery of the Illinois volun-
| teers in Mexico, against the aspersions of
Jefferson Davis, will be well remembered
a vindication which resulted in a challenge
from the traitor Davis, which was accepted
by Bissell, but from which Davis backed
down, it is said, under the advice of General
| Taylor. These men, Of national reputation,
and others equally able, but whose pursuits
| have been confined at home, were the COM
petitors with Lincoln. These were the men
in contest with whom Lincoln was trained for
the terrible ordeal through which he is pass
ing.l
| CONTEST BETWEEN LINCOLN AND DOUGLAS.
The contest between Lincoln and Douglas,
| in 1853, was the most remarkable in Ameri-
can history They were the acknowledged
leaders, each of his party. Both men of
great and marked individuality of character.
The prize was the Senatorship of the great
| State of Illinois, and the success of the Re-
publican or Democratic party. Douglas had
the additional stimulant of the Presidency in
view. These two trained leaders met, at des-
| ignated places, and, in the presence of i'm
mense crowds OF people, debated the great
questions at issue.
Douglas went through this campaign like a
conauering hero. He had his special train of
| cars, his band of music, his body guard of
| devoted friends, a cannon carried On the train,
| the firing from which announced his approach
to the place of meeting. Such a canvass in
volved, necessarily very large expenditures,
and it has been said that Douglas did not ex-
pend less than 1000 in this canvass. Some
| idea of the plain, simple, frugal habits of Mr..
Lincoln may be gathered, when l tell you
| that at it's close, having occupied several
months, Mr. Lincoln said, with the idea, ap-
parently, that he had been somewhat extrava-
| CANT, 81 do not believe l have spent a cent
less than $500 in this canvass"
Sanator Douglas was at that time the lead
l IL
| had been accustomed to meet for years in
| Congress the trained leaders of the nation,
| and never, either in single combat, or taking
| the fire of a whole party, had he been discom-
| flied. He was bold, defiant, confident, ag
| gressive; fertile in resources, terrible in de-
| nunciation, familiar with political history,
practiced in all controversial discussion, OF
indomitable physical and moral courage, and
Enthusiastically the most formidable man in
the nation on the stump The friends OF Mr..
Lincoln were not without misgiy1ngs when
the challenge was given and accepted tor
campaign with Douglas on the stump.
Mr. Lincoln was cool, candid, truthful,
logical, never betrayed into an unfair state
ment: and it was wonderful how, IN these
discussions, as in every other act OF his
public life, he has impressed the people with
his honesty and fairness Every nearer of
these debates went away with the conviction,
whatever his political views, Mr.. Lincoln
believes what he says, he is candid, and he
would not misstate fact, or take an unfair
advantage to secure triumph" He had
one advantage over Douglas. He was always
good -humored. He had always his apt story
for illustration, and while Douglas was some
times irritable, and would lose his temper,
Lincoln never lost his. s.. ... g'..s s-
Douglas carried away the most popular APP
plause, but Lincoln made the deeper and
more lasting impression. Douglas did not
disdain an immediate triumph, while Lincoln
looked to permanent conviction Douglas
addressed the feelings and preiudlces with a
power and adroitness never surpassed LIN
coin stated his propositions and proved 'neir
the majority of the Legislature of Illinois, |
but Lincoln had the majority of the popular