Belmont chronicle. [volume] (St. Clairsville, Ohio) 1855-1973, 1884-05-22
Lincoln's First Meeting with Stanton

In the summer of 1857 Mr.. Lincoln
made his first visit to Cincinnati. He
was original counsel for the defendant
in a patent reaper suit pending in the
United States Circuit Court for North
ern Illinois. The argument of the case
was adjourned to Cincinnati. the home
of Judge Mclean, at his suggestion and
for his accommodation.
Mr.. Lincoln came to the city few
days before the argument took place, and
remained during his stay at the house
of friend. The case was one of large
Importance pecuniarily, and in the law
questions involved. Mr.. Lincoln had
prepared himself with the greatest care !;
his ambition was up to speak in the
case, and to measure swords with the
renowned attorney from Baltimore. IL
was understood between his client and
himself before his cunning that Mr-
Hai iding, of Philadelphia, was 10 be as+
sociated with him in the case, and was
to make the mechanical argument. Mr.
Lincoln was little surprised and an
noyed, after reaching here, 10 learn tbai
his client had also associated with hIu
Mr.. Edwin II. Stanton, of Pittsburgh,
and a lawyer of our own bar, the reaSoh
assigned being that the i'm ortance u
the case required man Of the expert
ence and power Of Mr.. Stanton to NEE,
Mr.. johnson. The Cincinnati wytI
was appointed "fOr his local inhueucr.'
These reasons did not re move the slighl
conveyed in the employment, without
consultation with him, OF this additiOna
counsel He keenly felt it, but acqules
ced. The t.ial of the case come on; the
counsel for defense met each morning
for consultation. On one of these Occa.
sions one of the counsel moved that only
two of them should speak in the case
This motion was aequiesced in. 1t had
always been understood that Mr.. Hard
ing was to speak to explain the mechan-
ism of the reapers. So this motion eX.
cluded either Mr.. Lincoln or Mr.. Stanton
from speaking which? By the custom
of the bar, as between counsel of equal
standing, and in the absen of any ac.
tion of the client, the original counsel
speaks. By this rule Mr.. Lincoln had
precedence. Mr.. Stanton suggested to
.Mr. Lincoln to make the speech. Mr..
Lincoln answered, No; do you speak.
Mr.. Stanton promptly replied, Il will,
and taking up his hat, said he wonld go
and make preparation. Mr.: Lincoln ac-
quiesced in this, but was deeply grieved
and mortified; he took but little more
interest in the case, though remaining
until the conclusion of the trial. He
seemed to be greatly depressed, and gave
evidence of that tendency to melan-
choly which SO marked his character
His parting on leaving the city can not
be forgotten. Cordially shaking the
hand of his hostess, be said: "You have
made my stay here most agreeable, and
/ am thousand times obliged to you
but in reply to your request for me to
come again / must say to you l never
expect to be in Cincinnati again. l have
nothing against the city, but things have
so happened here as to make it undesi-
rable for me ever to return here"
Thus untowardly met the first time
Mr.. Lincoln and Mr.. Stanton. Little did
either then suspect that they were to
meet again on larger tbeatsr, to become
the chief actors in great historical
spoch.-W. M. Dickson, in Harper's Mag.
azine for June.