Western Reserve chronicle. [volume] (Warren, Ohio) 1855-1921, 1867-02-27

less garments, revolving some problem
set by village client,that had expand.
ed to q great human principle. At
these times he seemed to be dreamer
reasoning. Again, he drove miles over
the prsiries with his lips close shut,
wrinkling, softly humming, and return
ed again at night strangely white and
exhausted
Before his great public call came he
had passed the world through his silent
thonght, as if it had been a legal case
to be stated and argued
"Did he ever quarrel, Mr.. Herndoni'
"Seldom, friend but sometimes.
Once 1 saw him incensed at a Judge
for giving an unfair decision. 1t was a
terrible spectacle. As he was grand IN
his good nature, so he was grand in his
rage. At another time l saw two men
come to blows in his presence; he
picked them up separately and tossed
them apart like couple OF kittens.
He was the strongest man / ever knew,
and has been known to lift man of
his own weight and throw him over a
worm fence. Once, in Springfield, the
Irish voters meditated taking posses
sion of the polls. News came down
the street that they would permit no
body TO vote but those of their own
party. Mr.. Lincoln seized an axe-han-
die from a hardware store and went
alone to open away to the ballot-box.
His appearance intimidated them, and
we had neither threats nor collisions
all that day. He was never sick dur
ing the whole of our long acquaintance;
but being man of SLOW circulation,
and of most regular habits, capable of
| subsisting upon a morsel, he was wiry
and indurated beyond the best of our
Western men, and even with Booths
bullet in his brain he lived ten hours.
His life, in general, was smooth and
unrufhed. He had no prejudices against
any class, preferring the Germans to
any OF the foreign element, yet tolera-
ting-ss l (Herndon) never could
even the Irish"
Did he ever drink ?"
Only in Indiana, when ne took
Whiskey as ague medicine. After his
nomination for the Presidency it was
suggested to him that the Visiting Com
mittee would require some hospitality.
Very WE'LL he said, any food that is
proper l am authorized to be purchss-
ed"
SO But these gentlemen will expect
some liquors."
as can't permit to strangers what I
do not do myself. No liquors, Billy
there's the tavern"
0fmiscellaneous books, Mr.. Lincoln's
favorites were Shakespeare and Pope.
He never read Byron aud of cotempo-
rary American poets preferred by the
patriotic selections chiefly. Milton he
knew by heart, and was a good literary
reader of the Bible. His friends were
selected with regard to their sincerity,
chiefly /; he loved not cliaues, and those
who knew him best were younger than
he. He was cautious in friendships,
no hero-worshipper, and for Mr.. Doug
las, his most prominent antagonist, had
much less admiration than rep ulsion.
Douglas was uneasily arrogant in Lin
coins presence the latter never sensi-
tive nor Hurried, so grew by his imper-
tubaDility, that when he reached the
White House, Mr.. Douglas was less sur
prised than anybody else. The great
Senatorial campaign, in which they fig
ured together, Is remembered by every
Spring6elder. Douglas, with his pow
erful voice and facile energy, went into
it under full steam. Lincoln began lu-
eidly and cautiously. When they came
out of 1t, Douglas was worn down with
rage and hoarseness, and Lincola ~as
fresher than ever. He prepared all
the speeches of this campaign by silent
meditation, sitting or lying alone, study
ing the flies on the ceiling. The best
evidence of his superiority in this de-
bate, is the fact that the Republicans
circulated both sets of speeches as a |
campaign document in 1860, and Mr.. |
Douglas friends refused to do so.
The most remarkable episode ofl
Herndon's conVersation-Which 1 am
repeating by memory, only-relates to
Mr.. Lincoln's Presidential aspirations.
In common with most people, 1 had |
concluded that this great honor came
to Mr. Lincoln without paving, as un-
expected as it was unsolicited, and to |
him staggering piece of luck, like a
lottery prize. This estimate if q charm
ing one, but it is not true one. When |
the Douglas and Lincoln contest was
ended, the defeated man said to his
partner:
Billy, 1 knew I should miss the
place when competed for it. This de-
feat will make me President"
He refused, in the interim, any pro-
position looking to his acceptance of a
lesser Office. and this with the concur
renee of his friends and family. At the
same time he took no-immediat9 means
to precipitate his opportunity, rather,
like man destined, sat more closely
to study and vigilance, read all the is
sues as they developed, and waited for
his call.
1t came at last, in a special invitation
to visit New York and speak in the
Cooper Institute. He felt intuitiTely
that this was the Rubicen, and, with a
human thrill, paused and hesitated.
1t is possible that at this moment,
had any close friend whispered "stay,"
the Republic might be dead and Abra-
ham Lincoln living.
go, Mr.. Lincoln" said Herndon,
u make your best effort. Speak with
FOUR usual lucidity and thoroughness."
Home said 60" also.
He appeared in New York, as all of ,
Iou remember, and his success there
irew the attention of the country to
lis name. The West can originate men: !
he East must pass them, and the firm !
# Lincoln and Herndon died, in reali- /;
y when the Convention met at Chicago. !
lie had by this time reached the high
st usefulness in his State, of which / T
lis nature was capable. q
The best lawyer in it, the hero of }
lebate equivalent to a Senatorship, ,
nth a mind too broad and grave for a $
mere gubernatorial place, and already t
y four years destiny and preparation v
resident of the United States, he went G
p to the post with dignity and ease ?
hat made men stare, because they had I
ot seen the steps he took upon the D
Dad. e
At last he came to his Office for the n
ast time.
Billy" he said, "we must say
ood- bye" IL
Both of them cried speechlessly. n
"a You shall keep up the firm name, a
lilly, if it will be of use to you" a
They shook hands upon it with tears a
! their eyes. n
al love the people here. Billy, and Il
We them all that l am If God spares K
~ life to the end, shall come back d
nong you and spend the remnant of W