Helena weekly herald. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1867-1900, 1872-04-18
A sketch of Abraham Lincoln Written
by Himself bi# t

by Himself. 34#
From the Bloomington Qn) Pantagraph.
An interesting and valuable manuscript of
President Lincoln Is in the possession of
Jess w. Fell, of Normal The circumstances
under which it was written were these: It
was suggested to Lincoln In the latter part
of 1850, by Fell and others, that he might be-
the Presidency In 1850, but it was q long time
before Lincoln would believe that he could
come prominently before the convention, In
asmuch as Seward, Cameron, Banks and
others, who had been prominent party lead
ers, wers all mentioned in connection with
the Office. Fell wished to present Lincoln's
name in Pennsylvania in the event of Cam
eron's withdrawal, and requested Lincoln to
write a brief sketch of who he was, so that
an accurate statement of his points as q can
didate might be placed before the people of
that State. 1t was not until after repeated
solicitations that Lincoln responded to the
request, and when he did, in December, 1860,
he sent to Fell the manuscript referred to,
which is brief statement of his ancestry
and his early life, and a characteristic de-
scriptiOn of his personal appearance.
Fall sent the document to Joseph j. Lewis
of Pennsylvania, late Commissioner of Inter-
nal Revenue, who from it prepared sketch
of Lincoln's life and services, and his strong
points as q candidate for President. The
article thus prepared appeared originally, we
believe, in the North american of Philadel-
phia, in January, 1860, and was the most ac-
curate and comprehensive paper on the SUBJ
ject that appeared. 1t was Immediately copied
into all the leading papers of Pennsylvania
and other Eastern States; and, indeed, the
Illinois press either generally copied it or
obtained their leading facts and arguments
from it. The manuscript has been in Lewis
possession until recently, when he returned 1t
to Fell. Of course, it was never imagined by
the writer that the paper would ever either be
published or be seen by any person except
Fell. 1t was evidently written Off-hand, as it
has frequent interlineations and erasures. The
language is, therefore, his own natural ex-
pressions, such as he would use to friend in
private conversation. For instance, he says
his parents "were both born in Virginia of
undistinguished familes-second families,
perhaps, should say" Further on he saws
that his father moved to what is now Spencer
county, Indiana, in Lincoln's eighth year,
where he grew up. ''There were some
schools, so-called; but no qualification was
required of a teacher beyond readin', writin'
and cipherin' to the rule of three. If strag-
gler, supposed to understand Latin, happened
to sojourn in the neighborhood, he waslooked
upon as wizard" ..-.... .
He goes on to say that he was raised to
farm work, which he continued until he was
twenty-five. His last year in Illinois he spent
in Macon county; then ne was at New Salem
(now Menard county, 'as sort of clerk in
store" He then refers to the Black Hawk
war, and to his election to the Legislature and
to Congress, winding up with the following
sentence: +: "
"If any personal description of me is
thought desirable, it may be said / am in
height six feet four inches, nearly; lean in
flesh, weighing, on an average, $50 pounds;
dark complexion, with coarse, black hair,
and gray eyes; no other marks or brands
recollected." ........ ........, s.
The manuscript has been neatly framed,
and for day or two past has been on exhibi-
ton. 1t is one of the most valuable souvenirs
of Lincoln in existence, and the only thing of
the kind he ever wrote .... 49,.