The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1879-02-20

Ex.Candidate for Congress In the Becont
West virginia District.
New York Correspondents Of The IniIauapOll
Lamon was virginian by birth, and
left there about 1850, when he was 81, and
went to Illinois. He was rich spris Of
an old slaye.holding family, and was worth
$4,000 or $4,000. He studied law, but
the amount Of law he knew was never
excessive. He drummed up business in
Vermtllion county and got Lincoln to try
the cases. He was reckless, dashing,
pleasant, social, good.looking fellow, an
admirable singer, free with money and
fond OF comic stories, and when Lincoln,
David Davis, Leonard SWEET aud Dan
voorhees, met at court, Lamon usually en-.
tertalned them. He wore white hat and
and drove dashingspan OF horses, and was
q brave man, was a fine boxer, and was
proud OF his herculean frame. He was not a
student. II isn't likely that Ward Lamon,
or Chill, ]" as his cronies Of that day called
him This middle name), ever read a book
through In his life. About all the "office"
he had was in buggy behind span OF
bob.tatled horses. He had no culture, and
couldn't make a speech more than four
words long, His most striking character
istic was personal devotion to Lincoln.
Lincoln reciprocated the liking, as was
natural. When he became President he
took Lamon along as he would have taken
bulldog. He was famous all over ILL
nois as unconquerable in a hand.to.han
fight. He could "clean out" any dozen
men any time. He generally carried two
revolyers about him, besides knife IS
inches long and a slung.shot. No better
man for the service could have been found,
and he justified the choice. Lincoln fell
that 1t was necessary to surround himself
with pluck and decision, and Lamon was
made marshal Of the district. He would
have given his-life any day for that OF
his master. The idea that there was an
active conspiracy to assassinate the Presi-
dent took possession OF his soul, and he
kept watch at the White House every
night with his body.guard. Fearing that
the guard would not be vigilant, he went,
alter Lincoln retired to bed, and lay on a
sofa in the hall outside Of his door. Lin.
coin found him there watching one night
on emerging from his room unexpectedly,
and got q bed for him, insisting that be
should use 1t. Lamon was often charged
with pro-slaveryism, with disloyalty, with
dtssolnteness, but Lincoln kept him in
office by sheer force Of will; for he knew
that, even II his policeman had not very
earnest convictions, he had a personal de-
votion which was OF more value than any
sentiment. Lincoln always ignored his
old partner, Herndon, after his great Gle
walton. The reason probably is that
Herndon was formerly irregular in
his habits, and Lincoln feared that
he might relapse. Whatever the
cause, Herndon keenly felt the slight,
and after Lincoln's assassination went TO
Kentucky and Obtained letters and mem
oranda amounting to 800 pages bearing on
Lincoln's birth and boyhood. These he
sold to Lamon, and they reappear in
the two first chapters Of Lannon's book.
But not all them, or even thesubstanCe OF
all OF them. In those chapters I.amon
made one itestatement which he was
compelled to omit; for when he invited
David Davis, Leonard SWEET and Jesse
Fell land Schuyler Colfax. 1 believed TO
meet him at the Briggs House, Chicago,
and there read to them what he intended
TO print, they denounced him as all migrate
and ruttian, and threatened him with all
the penalties they could think Of il he
should presist in making the charges
which he called his revelations. After
spending all night under appeal and
menace, he was at last induced TO modify
1t SO much that nothing OF it seems to re-
main except hunt for a marriage certii-