St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1884-10-30
LimcOIn's Nomination.

AT the county seat of Champaign
county, in the eighth judicial district
there WAS printed at that time week
ly newspaper, of good standing and
circulation, called the Central Illinois
Gazette. 1t was owned and nOminally
managed by an eccentric and illiterate
country doctor, who never wrote for it.
Its sole editor and real manager was Il
young man from New York, who had
barely speaking acquaintance with
Mr.. Lincoln, though, like most of his
neighbors, profoundly respecting and
even enthusiastically admiring him.
In April, 1859, Mr.. Lincoln was at the
Doane house, in Champaign, the "rail-
way half" of the county seat, in at
tendance on business before the court.
He had been to the post-Otfice quite
early one morning, returning, with n
hat half full of letters, to Il chair in the
hotel office. He came in absorbed,
gloomy, neither speaking to nor even
noticing any one as he entered. He
rested his feet on the big stove in the
middle of the room and began to open
and read his letters.
There had been sharp dispute in
the Gazette office the previous day be-
tween the doctor and the editor as to
the precise political course to be pur-
sued by that journal. As the young
man now came out from his breakfast
in the hotel dining-room, with his
mind yet full of the subject of the
quarrel, he saw the well known face
and form of Mr.. Lincoln, and suddenly
resolved to address him and ask his
advice. But something in the dark,
strong face arrested him, and he wait
ed. 1t was worth any mans while to
study such face as that. Mr.. Lincoln
tore open a letter of more than ordina-
ry length and began to read. 1t was
closely written in grabbed, black
hand writing, but it must have con-
tanned matter for thought. He read it
half through, dropped it in his hat,
and sat there as if looking at some
thing a thousand miles away. His
heavy features, deeply furrowed with
wrinkles and sallow with fatigue of
heart and brain, seemed habby and
lifeless for few moments. Then, and
swiftly as if the keeper of the light
house had kindled the great fire with
in, the eyes and the whole face began
w u anu SlON WIFI ttll lllt ldbt-
ance of the hidden life that had so long
been living there. The young watcher
had never before seen anything like
that upon the face of any living being,
and he reverently fOrebOre to speak.
He was thrilled and spellbound by
something of the force of personality
which had so often swayed multitudes
to the will of the orator.
"The greatest man | ever saw or
heard Off" he exclaimed to himself as
he quietly slipped out of the hotel. In
Il few minutes he was in his own office,
and the doctor was there before him.
"Doctor." he said, "I've made up
my mind for whom we are going for
president"
"You don't say SO! Who is it ~
''Abraham Lincoln of Illinois"
"What! Old Abe Nonsense We
might go for him for vice president.
He'd never do for any mOre'n that
Seward and Lincoln wouldn't be bad
ticket. But old Abe! Who put that
into your head ?"
'.He did. It's no Use, doctor. He's
day. Pm off for Springfield, the next
editorial"
The doctor yielded, as usual. The
young editor went to Springfield and
returned with the material. The arti-
cle was written, and early in May it
was printed. Hundreds of copies were
industriously sent out all over the
state, to be quoted, commented, upon,
and ridiculed; and the work
of nominating president, so far as
Illinois was concerned, had been well
begun before the nominee had been
spoken to on the subject. At the same
time a letter from the same hand and
to- the same general effect was
printed in Il journal in the city of New
York. Echoes came speedily from ev-
cry direction, repeating the enthusias-
tic outburst of the Champaign county
editor. 1t looked as if some kind of a
tide might be rising, but it was too
early yet for reasonable calculation.
"early mention" is sure
death to nominations; but it was well
for Mr.. Lincoln that his candidacy he
gan at so early a day, for even his en-
emies and the crisis itself worked !
in his behalf.
''Hallol said a policeman, "wha |
are you sitting out here in the cod
for Why don't yon go into the house ? |
Have yOu lost the key 7" ''No," re-
sponded the disconsolate citizen, q
hic haven't lost the key. I've -hic-
lost the keyhole III burlington Free /