Prescott journal. [volume] (Prescott, Wis.) 1861-1871, 1864-04-16

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Interesting Incidents In the Life of President
Lincoln. .8la.sss -
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:
MR. L1NcoLN's TRAINING. stsl "t'H
His previous training for his great work
| was not the training of the schools; it was
better. It was a struggle with difficulties
among the people. He had the foundation of
perfect integrity, truth, candor, sobriety, self
control, reliance, mOdesty. With clear judg-
| ment, sound common sense, shrevd knowl-
edge of human nature, he IS tie most -Ansericaa
| of all americans. He had served single
term in Congress, but his education, his prep
aration was among the people, in humble and
| homely positions flat-boatman, a rail-split-
ter, surveyor, member of the Legislature
| in a 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 its truth will, l think,
| be conceded ~ fet.. s4..1
He was trained at the bar in school where
giants were his competitors, and he bore off
| the crown. - 4sse. ~. s
| 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 b. ID. Ba-
ker, the able, the eloquent Senator, soldier,
and martyr to liberty; Gen. James Shields,
who won a 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
yindication which resulted in challenge
from the traitor Davis, which was accepted
by Bissel, 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 we're the men
in contest with whom Lincoln was trained for
the terrible ordeal through which he is pass
ing.iao am hes ~zzHkT
i CONTEST BETWEEN LINCOLN AND DOUGLAS.
The contest between Lincoln and Douglas,
in 1858, 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 as 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. - bas shoot y 80.
Douglas went through this campaign ike a
conouering 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
yolyed, necessarily very large expenditures,
and it has been said that Douglas did not ex-
pend less than $780, 900 in this canvass. Some
idea of the plain, simple, frugal habits of Mr.
Lincoln may be gathered, when tell you
that at its close. having occupied several
months, Mr.. Lincoln said, with the idea, APP
parently, that he had been somewhat extrava-
CANT, 81 do not believe have spent cent
less than $500 in this canvass"
Sanator Douglas was at that time the lead
ing debater in the United States Senate. He
had been accustomed to meet for years in
Congress the trained leaders Of the nation,
| and never, either in single eombats or taking
the fire of whole party, had he been discom-,
flied. He was bold, defiant, confident, ag-
gressiye: fertile in resources, terrible in de-
nunciation, familiar with political history,
practiced in all controversial discussion, of
iDdomitaf,le physical and moral courage, and
unouestionably the most formidable man In
the nation on the stump The friends OF Mr..
Lincoln were not without misgiylngs when
the challenge was given and accepted for
campaign with Douglas on the stump. Dts
Mr.. Lincoln was cool, CANDID trutnful,
Iogicals 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 a triumph" He had
one advantage over Douglas. He was always
good .humored. 3 He had always his apt story
for illustration, and while Douglas was some
times irritable, and would lose his temper,
Lincoln never lost his. 80 E9f g 20 z.
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 preiudices with a
power and adroitness never surpassed. Lin
coin stated his propositions and proved their
truth with irresistible logic. Douglas carried