The Saline County journal. [volume] (Salina, Kan.) 1871-1893, 1885-10-01


the country has ever seen. and which.
IN my judgement, viii never have g
parallel, should the country have an
existence for ], 900 years. Illinois was
ole ofthe seven states that voted for
Van Buren,, bat the wings contested
tb- election with great real and most
desperate energy. Galena therefore
better known as the Fevre river lead
mines, still held Its importance as the
O 1ter 81 the lead mining region and
vas regarded e. one Of the principal
toEns in the state. in point Of pODu-
lstion, wealth and political influence,
was south Of Springfield. Mr. Lin
coin was first elected 10 the lower
branch Of the legislature fthen sitting
at Nandalia) from SangamOn county
In 1894. and that was his first appear
ance In public life. He was reelected
In 1896, 1888 and 1870, having served
10 all four teFms-eight years. He
then peFemptOrily declined a further
election.
BEFORE HIS ELECTION
10 the legislature Mr.. Lincoln had
Rad law In g fugitive way Ht New
Salem; but arriving at Vandalia as a
member OF the Legislature q new field
Was open 10 him 10 the state law o.
bi4Fy a. well IS IN the miscellaneous
library at the capital. He then de-
voted himself most diligently not on
~ 10 the study of law, but 20 miseel-
laDenus reading. He always read un-
standingly, and there was no prinei-
pie Of law but what he mastered. and
such was the way IN which he always
impressed his miscellaneous readings
on his mind, that in his latter life
people were amazed at his wonderful
familiarity with bOqks-even those so
little known by the great mass OF
readers. The seat Of government OF
Illiois has been removed from Van
dalia 10 Springfield IN 1888, the latter
place then became the center OF pOlit-
ieal influence IN the state. Mr.. Lin
coin was not particularly distinguish
ed I'm his legislative service. He par
ticipated in the discussion Ofthe oTdi-
nary subjects Of legislation, and was
regarded ~ q man Of good sense and
q wise and practical legislator. His
uniform fairness was prOverbial but
he never gave any special evidence Of
THAT MAsTERLY ABILITY
for which he was afterward iistin-
guished, and which stamped him, aS
Oy common consent, the foremost
man Of all the century. He was q
prominent whig In politics, and took
q leading part in political discussions.
There were many men Of both pOliti-
cal parties In the lower house OF the
legislature, during the service Of Mr..
Lincoln, who became afterward dis
tinguishVd ia the political history Of
the state, and among them might be
mentioned Orlando b. Fickliu, John
7. Stewart, William A. Richardson,
John A. McClernand, Edward ID. Ba-
ker, Lewis w. ROOs, Samuel ID. Mar
shall, Robert Smith, William H. Bis
sell and John ]. Hardin, all subst =
quently members Of congress; and
Jamt Semple, James Shields and
LYMAN TTunbull, United States sen
stOrs.
There were also many men OF talent
and local reputation who held an
honorable place in the public estima-
tiOn and made their mark In the his
tory Of the state. Springfield was the
political center for the wings of I'LL
nOis I'm 1910.
Lincoln had already acquired a
high reputation a. q popular speaker.
and he WIS put on the Harrison
electoral ticket with the understand
ing lie should canvass the state. Ed
ward ID. Baker was also entered
AS "A CAMPAIGN ORATOR.
and wherever he spoke he carried his
audience captive by the power Of his
eloquence and the strength Of his ar
guments. He was one OF the most ef-
feeled stump speakers ] ever listened
to.
II was his wonderful elOquence and
his power as q stump speaker that
elected him TO congress from Illinois,
In a district to which he did not be-
long, and made him a United States
senator from Oregon when he was q
citizen OF California.
John T. Stewart was already known
by his successful canvass with Doug
las in 1898, as an able speaker and
popular man and John J. Hardin, Of
jacksonville KILLED at Buena VISTA,
was widely known as a popular and
successful orator. These Springfield
wings led of i'm cahvassing the state
for Harrison in 1910.
Lincoln and Baker were assigned
10 the wabash country" where, as
Baker once told me, they would make
speeches one day and lshake with the
ague the next. II Is hard 10 realize
at this day what IL was to make q p0-
litical canvass In Illinois half q cell
lury gone by. There were no rail
roads and but few stage lines. The
ar,ao hara mara oh1ftrah IN travel oft
horseback, carrying their saddlebags
filled with hickory shiats and wooden
socks. They were frequently obliged
to travel long distances and wade
through swamps and over prairies to
meet their appointments. The ae-
cOmmOdatiOns were invariably wretch
ed, and no matter how tired, jadetl
and worn the speaker might be he was
obliged 10 respond 10 the call OF the
waiting and eager audiences.