Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1884-06-14
Lincoln and Stanton.

| In the summer OF 1857 Mr.. Lincoln made
| his first visit to Cincinnati. He was orig
inal counsel for the defendant in a patent
reaper suit pending in the United States
! Circuit Court for Northern 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 re-
manned during his stay at the house of a
| friend. The case was one Of large import
ance pecuniarily and in the law questions
involved. Reyerdy johnson represented
the plaintiff Mr. Lincoln had prepared
himself with the greatest care; his ambi-
ton was up to speak IN the case, and to
| measure swords with the renowned lawyer
from Baltimore. 1t was understood be-
tween his client and himself before his
coming that Mr.. Harding, of Philadelphia,
was to be associated with him in the
case, and was to make the me
chancal argument" Mr.. Lincoln was
little surprised and annoyed, af-
ter reaching here, TO- learn that
his client had also associated with him Ed
win NJ. Stanton, Of Pittsburg and a lawyer
of our own bar, the reason assigned being
that the importance of the case required a
man of the experience and power of Mr.
Stanton to meet Mr.. johnson. The Gin
cinnati lawyer was appointed for his
local influence" These reasons did not
remove the slight conveyed in the employ
meRt, without consulting him, of this
additional counsel He keenlv felt it, but
acquiesced. The trial of the case came on;
the counsel for defenSeTmet 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 acquieSced in. 1t had
always been understood that Mr. Harding
was to speak TO explain the mechanism of
the reapers. So this motion excluded either
Mr. Lincoln or Mr.. Stanton from speaking
which? BY the custom of the bar, as
between counsel of equal standing, and in
the absence Of any action Of the client, the
original counsel speaks. BY this rule Mr. |
Lincoln had precedence. Mr.. Stanton |
to Mr.. Lincoln TO make the !
speech. Mr.. Lincoln answered, No; |
do yoH speak" Mr.. Stanton promptly |
replied, 4" | will, and, taking up his hat, |
said he would go and make preparation. |
Mr.. Lincoln acquiesced in this, but was |
deeply grieyed 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 10 melan-
chOly which so marked his character. His |
parting on leaving the city cannot be for
gotten. Cordially shaking the hand of his
hostess he said You have made my stay
here most agreeable, and | am a thousand |
times obliged 10 you. But in reply to your
request for me TO come again / must say to
you | never expect to be in Cincinnati
again / have nothing against the city, but
things have so happened here as to make
it undesirable 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 a larger theater, TO become the chief
actors in a great historical epoch.-L Har-
pcr's Magazine.