, 1879-08-06
ABRAHAM LINCOLN.

te'l invited plain Abraham Lincoln, OF Illinois,
TO this city To make d political speech In repy
10 one that ''ad been tnstlo here short time bc-
IoTo Nv Stephen a. D0ugtas. This was Bomo
tttno after tho famous campaigns Of Lincoln
mil Douglas In the State of ltipos mud by
which both acquired and maintained so grcat
National reputation, which, Lincoln pcycr
had before, hut The reputation OF DOUG
las hnd long since become Sas!e,na, irom his
career In tho United states Senate. Douglas
had been here, nlHl lad tnado very gtta. Dem
ocrntfc speech. and tho Republicans thought II
quite necessary that the great otIcct u It snui
be modified md nmcltorutcd by Bpccrl from
Ills own home rival, Alr. Lincoln. So Lincoln
WIS invited, and he cane. arriving on tic early
evening Of Sept. II. 1859, and he was duly t.
cortcd to his wclt.rrcparetl quarters nt the Bur.
net House bY Republican committee. AT intf-
past o'clock n long procession. headed hr
Afcntcrs famous brass band, reached The f3urnet
House, and there taking Mr. Lincoln along with
tl,csn, marched to tho Fifth Street Market apacc
mud thctc,- from the balcony Of sir. Iifnscy's
house. above his ssorc, str. Lincoln mado one of
the best poiitic4' speeches of hts life to tle im-
mense cuneottraa OF 3is fciluW-cttizens n4semb1ed
To hear him Tor ihe first tinc...
i was Iiviug Mt the l3urnct linuse at t,Ie fmc,
and tinv. Thomas Corwfn bad been living tllerc
forscvcral mont,s, and he proposed to nIn to
acep,npanv him TN to the meeting to hear
cnnuch of Lincolh's spccetl to get the tcnnr and
run Ut 1t. 50 iliat wc might b. enabled 10 talk
ah,t II with tsie orator after It was all aver. for
Mr.. Corrin Ind arranged for Mr.. 1.[ncnln to
spend good portion nf ttlc night With him IN
Ills aS.s rOon at tho i,urnet ltouse, n,,,l hal per-
soualIy invited me to be one Of the comi,anv.
wont With 3r. Corwih, an. starsnt. on ,hc luar-
yet .paec with thu rest uf 1lic multitude. we
listened With great intcrst 10 Air. Lincoln from
tho beginning to tile end Of Ills eloquent sl
ce,ld mot ret away. from his elo4ne''ce. The
,lfrht was calm md beautiful, tho atmosphere
baitny md delightful, aud llr clear loud, f,cts-
ct.ating tones Of old Aoe'e vore {for he was
points Of tue cxtsnded market, space, and my
one there could plainly nnh distinctly hear
everything he Fa!d. 1 full remember tho modest
am, humble beginning q l,!s great saeech:
manner md plain true Of roicc, "this Is the
first tl1no l ever undertook to speak to the
people InlsabitIhg Ro 1urge ettv, and am not
In the habit of making specches III SO htg Il city,
and therefore Lopa will he excused fur any
errors or biun'lcss that 'nay snako bcfurc 81
lurge meetiH2."
Thts was truly humble beginning, and the
very simplicity anl homeapun manner anu
method OF Ills cxDrd!lim commanded at 0ncc the
attention 0f the people, atid Tor full tHO hnurs
tl,at vast concoursc listened to lin without iii
terruption, sarc by thcir own applause. After
hc was through, Mr. Corw!n. bctrE seen Iu the
snucch on ncconnt Of the latenoss Of tile hour.
lie prupcrly excused himself Nj. Corwln and
! weutics! our way bact TO the Bnrnct lloisc,
office, aud after l!s friends and a1mlrcrs tad
left him aud tho Bnrncs House. We approached
hin. aud, bv hls invitation. accom- panied him
to his private room, 10. IS. OIL tho first floor
adjoluIi,r the large hall Ut thu oirc+ nll took
seats with HIM. 1t was now about Ii O'Clock at
night hut Mr. Ltbcoln showed no signs Ut cx-
l1austson or fatigue; on the conlrary. llo was
lively unI cheerful. uml full Of talk anu fur Tic
ordered thrrc whisky pu1cllcs fur his quests
aud himself anil we soon bernu OIL them; md
then there carne Il flood Of dramatic aneudote
from Corwl;l, snmc s1orios from rue, md u del
uge oi dry anccdotcs III tills ts not q parouox)
from old Abe. lIr sat In his chair. with ha
icct n,4 long legs npun nn1 over the centre
liable, aud nc hegan to tell hts dry stories. In his
dry wav, a..,f kent Mr. Corwln anl myself for
several huuss IN entertainment and h!iasity. !
hud heard OF Mr. Lincoln Us tsorv-telier, but
never Knew 1lIat hu wna such SERIOUS, einrcre,
| carncBt, funny one rs he shnHetl hiuasclt tlmt
night. lie beat, Corwln oil hollow: nnl NJ.
palu, OF storytelling 10 MIR. L!nco'n. Dnt our
Interview wns nut alt storytelling. T'hera was
d good deal Of serious political talk aul p1o-
soplicai reflection, and some personal talk, anl
manlIestng In 4 ulnskca deetec tho thurough
simplicity. huniE1tr, asM n!udeatY Of character
"Well; sr. L!nroin," said Nr. corrtn, the
CEu{HS Utt4tu hEFIONeI W t&AIER AHRuk 1Qu ho u
candidate for the Presidency"
L:ncoin-"Oi, tl,at is al talk OF aon,o en-
tl'asiaste frlcls q mine IN ll'inofs. There y
nofh!,g In IT, Mr. Eorw!n. tl,rscss uoil hing in It."
s1r. Curwih-" Oil but there IL. Ite talii fH
not cou.ncd to the Stata Of Illinois. buf It is alt
oYer the country. You llavc enthusiastic
friends al over ,he country who arc talking Ut
| sou for ,le Presidency
j.tncoin-"O lie talh is uot serious at nil:
| II Is lust au enthusiastic Impulse, and ! dun'r
| mind H."
Corwn-'s hut 1t Is serlous. nlil as The con.
rcatIol' Of tle Republicans will assemble early
irxt year, 1t ts the purposc to placc yu,lr nutle
| before thu Convention for lhe Presidency, anu
! ti,ry will perhaps nominate you"
| l.nroln-" Whatt nominate n,c. whcn there
a[s ;,'S' great men US Seward and chasu III the
Curwn-"Tl,crc is the very point; tue friends
| ct Chahu anl Seward arr already m In nrms
| aEA!nst each other, and who SD Tt IT. como III
u.,i reconcile al tie interests md an:ason!sn.
or tic c,ntcitttnE frenus Of tl!csu ra.,uilaledt"
tanrs oi ne; = ws {I IT, afy Go7H WIS dos Is t!nf II
iheru is anything III It, nl.d tho Tact Is, don't
encourage the idea, as''l shall not encourage the
ilcA, fur have liz ambition to be President.
| That never entered my heal. indeed, Mr.. Cor
| win, do not think ain lit to bo tho President
Ut tnsu United States. llAsu not thu retl,s!.u
| ability ! mn not 'enfnpstcAt to I'LL tue ircst-
! drnry. / cannHt con!pare IN nlIythnE with
| Chase anil HeWaril. Now. Ut tell you wt,ut-
l uam willing To run for Viec-rrostdcpt, II tho
the itepubllean ,'artY IL w!In'g l thtn! that
with little study nt Cushi,ls's lciIorson's
Manual might aytutrs enough knowledge tu
sill in TIC chaf M tl'a Vice: c:rrcsideDt nis, preside
IL dues not require great genius tu do that,
and this think could ou capable Ut with IT.
tie extra Ktuly.h
corWin-" Dat t,4s people % not think so.
| They will want you for President"
! l.tnculn-"l lon's think tle people will ho 50
foolish ns Tint, MIR. EorWn, for tkuw that an