The Jeffersonian Democrat. [volume] (Chardon, Ohio) 1854-1865, 1865-05-05
Abraham Lincoln.


story Of his early life Is one of the bsrdships
and trials. the energy and perseverance,, 90
woll developed by the difficulties of the
fs0SsieT. Al the age Of seven years he DO.
gan bis school life with the Bible and copy
Of Dilworth's spelling book--good tools IN
the hands Of an earnest SOUL Thomas
Lincoln, bis father, dissatisfied with the
prospect held out 10 man of moderate.
means 10 q slave State. removed with bis
family to Indiana 10 1877. There also all
was new country, and the last l8 miles Of
their journey to Spencer Co. had TO be lit.
orally cut through the woods. Father and
son built with their own hands q log cabin.
and lived there twelve years. Abraham
LiDcoin's mother, who seems to have given
him the rudiments Of that sturdy moral
strength afterwards so conspicuous 10 his
character, died when be was ten years old. |
The son continued hin efforts for an educa. |
tion OF the cabin Of one of the settlers, and
In his rough back woods costume, began |
arithmetic and eagerly read such books -
fell In bis way. At nineteen years Of age
be had an adventurous fatboat voyage to
New Orleans, 10 the course Of which he en-.
countered and overcame, with the boAt's
crew. a maraudipg party of seven negroes.
In 1880 tbs family again removed 10 Hi.
nois,and Abraham. now tweDty.one, aided
his father in fencing 10 and planting the
new farm. before entering into service on
bis own account. IL was for that fence
that be split the rails which, as an honora-
Bile symbol Of free labor, have become his.
torical, and at Que time rail splitting fur.
nished hin, as II did most other frontier men,
constant employment.
Our space will not allow us 20 recount
the successive steps by which the young pi.
oueer fought bis way into respect aud con.
fidence Of his fellows. He was fertile In 70.
sources, quick Of perception, never discour.
-aged, and lost no honorable chance to bet.
ter bis coudition. In the Black Hawk war
his hardy bravery pointed him out as fit
man fer a captain, and, two years afterwards,
in 1884. he was elected to the Legislature.
After three years service in the political
fold, he began the practice Of Law, knowl.
edge Of which be had acquired wbile serv.
ing as clerk 10 store. or guiding his fat
boat down the river. For six years no con.
tiuued his legal studies and practice with
uniform and lsudabie success. 1t wss st
that time that he acquired the art of put
ting facts which he wanted 10 express into
langaage-plsio and b0meiy. indeed-but
the meaning Of which no man could mis-.
take. In 1874. Mr.. Lincoln was rocog.
nized a. one Of the leading politicians Of
Illinois, and stumpet the Siste during the
Presidential campaign. In l847 he served
his first term in Congress. where bic course
was somevhat in advance of the general
position ortbe Wbig party. 1t will be 70.
membered that. while he would not neglect
the soldiers in the field. nor withhold from
them supplies. be refused TO acknowledge
the justice Of the Mexican war. He urged
the abolition Of siavery in the District of
Columbia. and advocated stripgepi meas.
ures against the slave trade; he voted, ~ be
said, more than forty times for the Wilmot
ProvisO. ia whatever form II came up, ind
placed his name on record as consistent
and earnest opponent Of the aggrossions oi
slavery. He was member Of the national
convention that nominated Zachary Taylor
IN lS48, and was defeated as candidate fol
the United States Senate the next year.
During the time when the vexed question
OF Kansas and Nebraska occupied the pub.
Iio attention, Mr.. Lincoln was truo to bis
record. and as he had Opportunity opposed
bis plain good sense and honest speech to
the sophistries of bis opponents. At the
national republican convention which nom.
mated John G. Fremont, Mr.. Lincoln re-
coived one hundred and eleven votes for
Vice.President. In lS5O.be was nominated
again for the Senate, and then took place
the memorable debates between himself and
Stephan A. glas,-debates in vbich oil
the mental characteristics of tho statesmen
of the back woods wero brought out and
displayed to the best advantage. The read
or of .hose debates will not fail to observe
how clear perception, strong good sense
aud unwAveripg truth wore more than q
match for adroitness and skill of fence-
Mr.. Lincoln lost the election to the Senate
but he really won the victory with the peo'
pie In 1860, he made that celebrated
speech at New York City which so admirs.
bly, discussed the questions at issue before
the country. sud made him the second
choice of New York for the Presidency.
In the republican convention al Chicago,
which followed soon after, Mr.. Lincoln was
elected for the Presidency on the third bal
lot, and In the election received the cleo
toral vote of every free State except New
Jersey.
South Carolina passed the act of seces.
sion on the 20tb Of December; Mississippi
January 9th; Alabama and Florida, Janus.
ry lltb; Louisiana on the 26th, and Texas
on the 9th Of FEBRUARY. On the 4th of Feb
ruary Jefferson Davie was elected President
and A. H. Stephens Vice President, of the
States in revolt, and they we're inaugurated
on the 18th.
Recruiting began at once in the Southern
States, q military force of lO0. 900 men was
organized, and all the machinery of REBEL.
ion set on foot before the new President
could declare bis policy or exercise bis pow
or. Mr.. L,ncoln left Springfield, H., on
FEBRUARY 18th, and on his way to the capi.
tai foresbaGowed the course Of his admins
tration in series Of speeches made at the
chief places along bic route. II Is said thai
his assassination was plotted at Baltimore