The Abilene reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1883-1888, 1885-05-07
LINCOLN AS a LAWYER.
In What His Peculiar Strength at the Bar
Consisted.


As a lawyer Mr.. Lincoln never at
tanned the high rank and reputation of
Evarts, Brady, Seward, Carpenter or
Webster. He never had their kind of
practice, nor did he have fifty thousand
dollars as retainer, or great city
press to report his speeches to the
million His largest fee was $1,000 in
a railroad case.
Although notably successful, his pc
culiar strength lay in his reasoning OF
facts more than the law he cited Few
men ever lived with broader grasp of
human nature and a clearer way of eX-
planning things. This came to him by
his genius and intuition, and that early
battle with poverty of resources to gain
wisdom that gave him marvellous
memory of all he learned.
A large, ungraceful frame, that to
others would have been a hindrance.
was to him, in Illinois, an element of
greatness. As trial lawyer, his grasp
of the merits and mastery of the right
theory to win with made him power
fui advocate before jury. His man
ner was so plain that it enforced atten-
ton; his eyes were piercing, his look
so earnest, his words so apt while
speaking, that even an adversary be-
came convinced by his reasoning.
One who heard him in Leavenworth,
during the early Kansas troubles, said:
although his audience was largely of
enemies, fifteen minutes later they were
I. l., 10
clear reason in all that he said, and
clinched it by an incident that carried
conviction straight to the hearts of his
hearers. His keen, quaint, crisp stories
were only side-lights to bring out his
word painting in holder relief Like
the brilliant Carpenter, whose style was
somewhat similar. he held his audience
by flower or tear, as best suited his
purpose, even without seeming to be
eloquent.
His modest office in Springfield was
in the second story of plain red-brick
block, reached by narrow. dingy stairs;
large and poor V furnished, supplied
with numerous Odd-looking chairs and
tables and not very inviting in appear
ance. Such cOnveniences as type
writers, file-cases, letter-fileS and book
racks were then unknown in Spring
field. A few old briefs remained in his
plain hand writing, and very many law
books lined the walls, in cases, but
neither rich carpets nor fine ceilings
adorned the firms office. The win
dows were of small glass and not at
tractive. The days Of good law offices
had not arrived, and the solid COM
forts of the average city lawyer were all
unknown to Mr.. Lincoln, save as he
found them with his favorite counsel,
Leonard SWEET, in Chicago.
Born and reared in poverty, he in
herited by it both a fund of humor and
a vein of sadness that never left him.
In his struggle with the world in youth,
and with war in manhood; called to
high stations before he was fully known
to the people, it is doubtful if he ever
fully real ;zed the fame he had won IS
an advocate or the genius he possessed
as a man. He was born of his time,
creature of the age of giants, a genius
from the people, all the greater for his
struggles, for he really did more than
any man of his day TO destroy caste and
give courage to the lowly. and therein
he wrote the brightest pages of human
progress.
With Lincoln promoted labor became
honorable, and men no longer denied
their humble beginning.
Lincoln, the lowly, the exalted, the
pure man in rude marble, the plain
cover to a gentle nature, the giant
frame and noble intellect! The shaft
that marks his silent resting place, the
books he read, the office he used. the
strong body that covered his warm
heart and wise purposes were only the
outer symbols to the higher gifts of his
Creator! All gifts and graces are never
found in one person. He is great if the
good predominates. All are not born
equal. Gifts are diversified; but if ever
man had the genius Of greatness it
was Lincoln. As all are eloquent in
that which they know, he was eloquent
in the affairs of life ". DOn0ra1,
IN Current.