Springfield globe-republic. (Springfield, Ohio) 1884-1887, 1885-02-23

In 1886 Lincoln was again a candi-
date for the legislature. and in this can
vass he greatly distinguished himself.
| On one occasion there was to be pub
lie discussion among the opposing can
didates, held at the courthouse at
! Springfield. and Lincoln, among others.
| was advertised to speak. This was his
| irst appearance ION the stump at The
| county seat. There lived at this time
| in the most pretentious house in the
| town prominent citizen with the name
| of George Forquer. He had been long
| in public life. had been leading whig,
he party to which Lincoln belonged,
but had lately gone over to the demo-
| Gratis, and received from the democratic
administration an appointment to the
lucrative post of register of the land of
flee at Springfield. Upon his handsome
new house he had lately placed light
ning-rod, the first one ever put up in
| Sangamon county. As Lincoln was
riding into town with his friends they
passed the fine house of Forquer, and
! observed the novelty of the lightning
rod. discussing the manner in which it
| protected the house from being struck
by lightning.
| There were seven whig and seven
| democratic candidates for the lower
| branch of the legislature, and, after
several had spoken, it fell to Lincoln to
| close the discussion. He did it with
great ability. Forquer, though not a
candidate, then asked to be heard for
the democrats in reply to Lincoln. He
/ GOOD Srnnlar aud trnl1 Ennun
throughout the county. His special
task that day was to attack and ridicule
the young man from Salem. Turning
to Lincoln, who stood within few feet
of him, he said, This young man must
be taken down, and l am truly sorry
that the task devolves upon me-" He
! then proceeded in a very overbearing
way and with an assumption of great
superiority to attack Lincoln and his
| speech.
| Lincoln, however. stood calm, but his
flashing eye and pale cheek indicated
his indignation. As soon as Forquer
had closed, he took the stand and first
answered his opponents arguments full
ly and triumphantly. So impressive
were his words and manner that hear
| bI btlltNts W tIils ddN
and repeat some of the expressions.
Among other things he said: The gen
tleman commenced his speech by say
ing that this young man, alluding to
me. must be taken down. am not so
Young in years As | am in the tricks and
trades of politician, but said he.
pointing to Forquer, ''live long or die
Young, | would rather die now, than,
| ike the gentleman, change my politics,
! and with the change receive an office
worth 5000 a year. and them" con-
| tinued he, ''then feel obliged to erect
lightning-rod over my house to protect
| 4 guilty conscience from an offended
| Cod
1t is difficult to-day to appreciate the
effect on the old settlers of this figure
This lightning-rod was the first which
most of those present had ever seen.
| They had slept all their lives in their
| cabins in conscious security. Here was
a man who seemed to these simple
| minded people 10 be afraid to sleep in
his own house. without special and ex-
traordinary protection from Almighty
God. These old settlers thought that
nothing but the consciousness of guilt,
the stings of guilty conscience, could
account for such timidity. Forquer and
his lightning-rod Were talked over in
every settlement from Sangamon to
the Illinois and the Wabash. When
ever he arose to speak thereafter, they
said: There is the man who dare not
sleep in his own house without light
ningrod to keep off the vengeance of
the Almighty. From ArnOid'S NeU
Life of Abraham Lincoln"