The Evening critic., 1883-01-15
LINCOLN AS A LAWYER.
Mr. Nidds' lecture East Nixat-An
Eloquent Introduction by Colonel
Robert q. IuEprsOII.

Kidd, famlllarly termed "Lawyer Lincoln by
the Crier OF tho Court" ana the preface by
Colonel Robert G.. Ingersoll, whose picturesque
and panoramic oratory Is world famed.
Promptly at 8 O'Clock tho lecturer, accom-.
panied by the genial Colonel, stepped out be.
fore the footlights and were greeted with tor.
rents OF applause. The latter Mt once pro.
ceeded TO tho fore and In his familiar and
grandly eloquent manner introduced the l9c-
turer IN brief but gold-nuggeted and APP
plause checked address,
LADIES AND GENTLEMEN: We are to hear
lecture about Abe Lincoln-not Lincoln, the
President; Lincoln, the liberator; Lincoln,
the statesman, but Lincoln, the lawyer; Lin
coin, the man; something about him as he was
when he fell heir 70 agony and TO famoi some
thing about his mode OF life, his habits, his
thoughts, his words; that is to say, his daily
life. Because such peculiarlties IN their char
acters are omitted by their biographers,
nearly every great figure OF history fs a kind
Of great monstrosity. We know nothing about
Washington. He Is a steel engraving. No dlr8of
humanity clings to his roots. We will hear
about Lincoln, who lived where men were free
and equal, and was acquainted with people
not much with books Every man is In some
sort book. He lived the poem of the year
In the fields, the woods, the blessed country.
Lincoln had the advantage of soclability; he
was Thoughtful and he saw on the horizon of
his future the perpetual star Of hope. To him
every Held was landscape, every landscape
q poem, every flower lesson and every
grove fairy land. lApplause.l oaks and elms
are far moro poetic than streets and houses
a man the Idea Of home. Ho hears the rain on
the roof, the rustles Of the breeze, the music
OF natures fullest choral. You have no idea
how many men education spolls. Colleges are
institutions whore brlcibats are polished aud
diamonds dimmed. [Applause.l If Shek.
speare had graduated at oxford he would
probably have become pettlfogging attorney
or hypocritical parsOn. LtncOln's education
was derived from men and things, and hence
he had.chance to develops
He had many Sides; he not only had laugh
ter, but he had tears lapplausel, and never
that kind OF solemnity which is mask to hide
tho features. He was not afraid to seek for
knowledge where he had It not. When man
is too dlgni1ed to ask, he ceases to learn.
Lincoln was logiclan. Logic is capacity, 1t
Is the child OF good heart and good head.
He was always honest with himself. He was
an orator-that is, he was natural. II you
wish to be sublime, you must keep close to
the grass; you must sit close by the hearth of
human experience. Above the clouds 1t is
too cold. lApplause.l
If you want to know the difference between
an orator and speaker, read the grafton of
Lincoln, at Getiysburgh, then read the speech
OF Everetts at the same place. one came from
the heart, the other was born only Of the voice.
Lincoln's speech VIII be remembered forever.
plucked flowers. [Applausel If you want to
nnd out what man Is TO the bottom give him
power. Any man can stand adyersity, only a
great man can stand prosperity. 1t Is the
glory Of Abraham Lincoln that he never
abused power only on the side of mercy.
!ApplauS%e,.l He was was a perfectly honest
llidus hhSh hc BOhOE ut usbu IL
In mercy. He loved to see the tears
OF the wife whose husband he
had snatched from death. [Applause.l
Then raising his musical voice and filling
the auditorium from pit to dome with
Its oratorical grandeur he said
"Abraham Lincoln would never have
turned a man out Of oflice without q hearing,
and left stain upon his name-he was too
grand; too magnanimous." CONTINUED ap-
plause.
Captain Kidd
t,oa hat Int col Tn,
began his interesting lecture In an easy and
graceful manner. After a few prelimi.
nary remarks the lecturer said; 'My
an honest mans life. Will viii not View view Lincoln
through political glasses, as estimates thus
formed are unreliable; but as saw him going
In and coming out of the court during his
early practice, and need not relate that Mr..
Lincoln has puzzled wiser heads than that
carried through life by acourt crier." Then
followed review of his habits and manners
while pleading and while otherwise engaged
before the county courts.
Gas lawyer Lincoln was not classed in the
front ranks Of the profession, fer many of
those who practiced with him could lay claim
TO greater number OF legal successes, al
though In some branches he possessed more
knowledge than some of his brothers. He was
always impressed with the idea that should be
recognized by all members of the profession,
that a lawyers mission is to settle aud not to
complicate and capture. EApplause.l His forte
was before jury, and have often heard his
clear, ringing and impressive voice pleading
the cause OF some unfortunate with impassion-
ed oratory. Lincoln was an honest man and a
lawyer, TO which fact he owed his success 1t
was his moral courage to do the right which
lifted him slowly but steadily above his fell
lows and to the Presidency
"When defending prisoner his face was the
personi0cation OF solemnity, and he would
watch the witness faces with a nervous close.
ness. In cross-examinlng he framed his ques-
tions in tenderness, and never failed to soften
the most venomous Witness"
The lecturer detailed the celebrated Har-
rison murder case, in which Lincoln appeared
as counsel for the defendant, who was the son
of a lifelong friend, while the murdered
man was student In Lincoln's law
class. During the trial Lawyer Lincoln
asked the prosecuting attorney to amend a
statement he had made. The latter did as re-
quested, with the side remark, 81 could deny
my child as soon as could Mr.. Lincoln"
fayorite phrase OF Mr.. Lincoln's when jury
pleading and one he had used quite often was,
"Now 1t does seem to me, gentlemen Of the
Jury, this must be So" He never went into
the "ancients" for phrases or quotations, but
frequently quoted Shakespeare and the Bible.
He at once commanded the attention OF Judge
and jury by his wonderful eloquence, and his
humor would cause the most solemn Judge to
wrinkle his face with laughter.
On one occasion Lincoln, who was outside of
the court, and heard that the body was about
to adjourn, and as he desired to make n motion
before that event occurred, he hastily entered,
and said to the Judge: "Excuse me, Your
Honor, hut I'm much like the Irish sailor"
81 Will excuse you," answered that ofIlcer, "if
you Will explain about the sailor" "I'll do
that" said Lawyer Lincoln. "You see the
sailor was at sea, and his ship was In great
danger q sinking. Immediately he dropped
on his knees, and prayed: oh, Lord, bedad
and Its not ofthen that Oh bodder Ye; but II
Yell hear me now 0fll never bodder Ye
again." The judge allowed him to enter his
motion.
on another occasion a lawyer who was fond
of airing his Latin, used a series of compli-
Gated Latin phrases In his speech, ana turn.
Ing to Lincoln asked: "Is not that so, Mr.
Lincoln Z" The latter arose, and addressing
the Judge, said "AIay It please Your Honor,
II that Is Latin the gentleman had better call
another witness to prove it," Lincoln made
no false pretenses to learning. He would con-
fess his ignorance and claimed that he learned
by so doing. He would go out from the court,
after measuring legal swords with lawyers,
and play ball with whoever happened to be-
playing,
On one occasion Lincoln was to accompany a
party consisting OF the county Judge and
several lawyers, on horseback, TO a neighbor-
Ing county. Tho time TO depart arrived, but
Lincoln was missing. A brief search found
him clinging, arms and legs, to a most OBJ
streperous mule. "What on earth are you
trying TO do?" asked one of the party. sim
trying TO convince this half-and.half crea.
ture," he replied, 'that I'm on here for keeps
and that won't leave town wrong end fore
most" on the journey they came to a stream,
which In its muddy uncertainty gave no evil
dencerof Its depth. At Lincoln's suggestion
the entire party dismounted, stripped OF their
clothing and strapped the garments to the
the animals into the stream, crossing in safety,
as the water did not come up to the horses fet-
locks. 81 don't think, judge" said Lincoln as
they were getting back into their garments,
"that n bridge across that stream would
seriously interfere with navigation" Some
time afterward lawyer who frequently, but
unsuccessfully, tried to twit Lincoln, met him
on the courthousel steps and began to twlt