Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1874-11-24
Lincoln on Negro Logic.

President Lincon's irrepressible PEN
chant for narrating humorous necdotes,
and his frequent application OF them TO
affairs of the most grave and weiShty
consequence. are proverbill.
This exuberlnt How of vivAcious met.
aphorcal wit seemed 10 issue from a
perennial source, anl rs his stories lor
the most part were fresh and decidedly
unique, it has been coniectured by some
that they may have been the conceptions
OF prolific Imagination, induced by the
spontaneous voli,ion OF the moment, and
not actual occurrences. However this
may have been, it is quite certain that
were uniformly opposite. rs well as ioici
bic Illustration OF his sentiments.
nave (wrlcs Il distinguished military
correspondent OF the Drawc) vivid
recollection that upon one occasion when
happened at tue White House. just
previous to the promulg CATION OF his
Emancipation Proclamation, Mr.. Lincoln
observed to prominent pro slavery man
present that the subject had been under
consideration Tor some time and that
he WAS fully impressed with the
conviction that It would prove the most
prompt and eliicacious method OF
terminating hoslililics besides being
An act OF Justice 10 the nogroes.-
The other begged to differ from. bin
rs to the wisdom OF the policy oil
| lmmvdia late universal emancipation, re-
marking that. IN bis judgment. the de
cided preponderapce OF the animal over
The Intellectual faculties, US developed in
the organization OF the African eranium.
rendered that race ethnologicaIy SO far
beneath the white man in reasoning and
other mental faculties that It would be
unsafe 10 intrust the former with the un
restricted exercise OF the elective fran
chise. or with plenary participation IN
legislation or other important govern
| menlai functions.
The President admitted that the blacks
had as ye, received but little political or
parliamentary training. yet he had known
instances going 10 show that they were
by nature singularly astute. and logical
reasoners. "lndeed." added he, "when
| Was q small boy. living in Kentucky,
some of The more intelligent slaves in our
neighboihOod started sort OF diaeclic
association for debating questions OF
interest 10 them; and once attended one
OF their periodical meetings, upon which
occasion the following was enuneinted us
the subject Tor discussion IF certain
hen lay len eggs, and different hen sits
upon aud matches ou. those eggs, which
of the two fowls is entitled 10 tho mater
nifty OF the chickens?' The mccliag was
duly organized, and the subject most
thoroughly canvassed in all It's imagin.
able phases and bearings, until the pros
apd cons had been well exhausted. and
the presiding officer was about rendering
his dccis ion upon the merits OF The argu.
ment, when an antiquated individual who
was seated upon barrel in q remote
corner OF the apartment saddenly rose to
his feet, aud in a lremulous and craked
but ludicrously solemn inlonalion Of voice
propounded lbe following startling inter.
rogaiory: But, Mis'cr Pres' dent, s'posin'
dem eggs. what dar ole hen lay. an tie
obdenlical eggs what dat dal udder hen
she holch out, be dUck eggs! Den dis
Niger like Tor to know, el de cha'rplaze,
who am de mudder Oh de chickens"
This at first seemed poser 10 the
umpire, but alter a'moments hesitation he
replied: Dat venerable pusson, my
ticker frien' Mis'er Jeemes, will PLACE
iur 10 presume his bar'l, as de duck eggs
am not in de queschum iur dis ebenin.'
lie then concluded in the 10 lowing words.
DE pedegee oh de fowl specie am
qiprally monslrous onsarlin, an de tick.
Ter birds what de s'iety been cussin' on
dis kashun am periently more onsariiner
nur de ginralty oh de hen genus. Mabby
dis we're chicken got ten fadersi den,
ag'in, mabby so he hain't got but one /;
but dat he hab two mudder am. in de
,ninion oh dis char, Sdrtin Surc.'n