Mineral Point weekly tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1859-1868, 1864-04-06
Interesting Incidents in the Life of President
Lincoln.

Interesting Incidents In The Lille OF ffesidcut
Lincoln.
In the House of Representative recently,
Mr. ARNOLD, of Illinois, made a remarkably
able and beautiful speech upon Reconstruc-
ton" of which lac made Freedom the corner
stone, and ABRAHAM LINCOLN the architect.
We reproduce the following most interesting
incidents in the Presidents life:
Mr.. LNcoLNs TRAINING.
His previous training for his great work
was not the training of the schools; it was
better 1t 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, shrewd knowl-
edge of human nature, he is the most american
of all AnaeT1caRS. He had served a single
term i'll Congress, but his education, his prep
aration was among the people, III humble and
homely positions a tiat-boatman, II rall-spllt-
ter, Il surveyor, member of the Legislature
in d frontier State, lawyer III 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, | think,
be conceded.
He was trained at the bar in a 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
concedediy their leader, was Abraham Lin
coin; Stephen A. Douglas, his great political
rival; LYMAN Trumbull, chairman of the Ju-
ioia of no T.
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 Sen
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 yolun-
teers in Mexico, against the aspersons of
Jefferson Davis, will be well remembered
a vindication which resulted In a challenge
from the traitor Davis, which accepted
by Bissell, but from which Davis backed
down, it is said under the adv.ce 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.i
CONTEST BETWEEN LINCOLN AND DOUGLAS.
The contest between Lincoln and Douglas,
in 1858, was the most remarkable II 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
conquering hero. He had his special train of
cars, his band of music, his body guard of
devoted friends, cannon carried on the train,
the firing from which announced his approach
to the place OF meeting. Such canvass in
volved, necessarily very large expenditures,
and it has been said that Douglas did not ex-
pend less than $50, 900 in this canvass. Some
idea of the plain, simple, frugal habits of Mr..
Lincoln may be gathered, when L tell you
that at its close, having occupied several
months Mr.. Lincoln said, with the idea, APP
parently that ne had been somewhat extraya-
CANT :" do not believe l 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 combat, or taking
the fire of 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
unuuestionably the most formidable man in
the nation on the stump The friends of Mr..
Lincoln were not without misgivings when
the challenge was given and accepted for a
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 h:
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 mlssvate 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.
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 preludices with a
power and adroitness never surpassed Lin
coin stated his propositions and proved their
truth with irresistible logic. Douglas carried
Che Wa3or3t2 of the -LeRisiatura of Illinois