The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1885-07-12
THE AMERICAN LIBERATOR.
RecOllections of Abraham Lincoln by
People Who Knew the Man.
The Poverty in Which He Was Born and
Raised-Ilis answering HOnesty-His
Career as Lawyer and Politician.
Written for the Journal by Robert Mcintyre.

Standing whitley in the grass of hillside
grave yard, nine miles from here is monument
twelve feet high, With this inscription: Thomas
Lincoln, father of the martyred President, born
Jan. 6, 1778, died Jan. Z, 1851" During A Lin
coins last visit here just before his inauguration
he said to the man l talked with, II will send a
monument here, and you must see to putting it
up" His cares crowded the promise from his
mind He expected rest at the end of his term
| to attend TO it, but rest came to the weary man
II such fashion that he came to Illinois to
sleep forever, and Robert Lincoln erected this
shaft at his grandfateer's grave about six years
ago. 1t is Of plain marble, BELTS the plain
! pioneer who rests under it. By his side lies his
second wife. Abes step-mother, true woman,
VINO did much to develop the most unique char
acter in American history. From the log cabin
of this lowly pair, the boy broke out to meet his
fate, and climb the browning slope of fame and
all this region is rich in unpublished incidents of
farm where the old folks lived; within ten miles
live several relatives by marriage his old teach
er, his congressional and legal associate, and old
| lifetime friends. Knowing the interest IN every
| thing pertaining to Lincoln, 1 have collected
| for the Journal some imprinted "reminiscences,
winnowed them, and as they come from reputa
BILE people, present them as absolutely authentic.
To Mr. A. H. Chapman, relative by marriage,
and intimate friend of Lincoln's, said: He is
called Honest Abe. How came he to have this
| title?
''Yes, sir; in mis- law practice on the Wabash
| circuit he was noted for his answering honesty.
| No argument or fee could move him from this
resolution; SO people learned to trust him they
would q law of God; juries listened receptively
to the lank, sad-faced his unstudied
manly words went to their hearts. He was not
so eloquent, scholarly or profound some of his
associates. He rested his case, like true work
| man, on its merits; opened it with some quaint
scrap of story, asked for plain Western justice,
and the texture of the man was such that even
his ungainliness helped him before pioneer
jury. Nothing sOrdid or sour, sweetened by
kindness, his tall frame with outspread hands,
and sincere, strong face, burning to win them,
| made him resistless a pleader, natural
product Of the West like pine. [ remember
one instance of his remorSelesS honesty. He
was conducting here, and for the
| defendant. He was satisfied of his clients
|
prove it. This witness, on the stand, told what
Abe knew to be a lie; no one else knew it, and it
| helped Abe's case, but when he addressed the
jury, he said Gentlemen, depended on this
witness to clear my client He has lied. l ask
| that no attention be paid to his testimony. Let
his words be stricken out if my case fails,
| do not wish to win in this way" His superb
scorn Of lie touched the jury. He laid the case
| before them with resstess logic, and won, as
they felt that man who could do such thing
must be right. From such work came his name
| Honest Abe"
| 'Was he shrewd and sklful in legal encount-
ers and in managing cases."
VERY; nothing shabby about him. but he had
natural tact. His methods were like his
stores-inexhausrible and nothing could stale
them. He knew little of books generally, knew
considerable of mathematics, and loved poetry
| Burns, Ossian and Pollock. His book lore
was limited but in reading men he had no equal.
This is the chief among his enduring gifts he
could suppress braggart witness with word
and that lean forefnger, or lead out aconlc,
timid soul to surprising speech. This faculty
alone made him leader in Illinois politics
| recall an incident of his tact 1t was the first
case of damages for seduction ever tried here.
| In the early days this offense was not brought
| into court as now, and people smiled at the idea
of Lincoln getting damages from the guardian
who had ruined his ward. No one noticed his
plan of selecting jurors until the case began,
| when one remarked: We'll, I'm blest if every
man on that jury isn't married man and father
| OF two three daughters And how Lincoln
brought the black deed home to their cabins
painting the Internal meanness of one who could
SO blast young girls lite. The farmers, with
| their brown hands, brushed the tears from their
cheeks, and thought of their own girls, and Lin
| coin Won"
! WAS he emotional and touching in speak
| ing9"
''Often he was. Under his i'll fitting coat was
! hot big heart He had at his tongues end the
little items that made up the humble world of
| the pioneer farmer, and used them we'll. Once
| at hotel, in the evening, during court lawyer
said: Our case is gone, when Lincoln quit this
evening he was crying, the jury was crying, the
judge was crying, and was little damp about
the lashes myself. We might as we'll give up"
| You knew Abe's father we'll; tell me about
him."
Thomas Lincoln was what farmers call an
unfortunate man, losing stock and crops, and
| lacking thrift He never drank more than one
drink in any crowd, and was strictly honest,
| moral and religious, a consistent member of the
| Baptist Church from youth until he died He
was no taker Abe got his talking streak from
his mother. His father was poor manager,
and was satisfied if he had bread and milk. He
made a trip to New Orleans with boatload of
stuff and was swinded out of his pay; he walked
home without dollar. He was rough cabinet
maker, and made doors, tables and castings when
| not farming When Abes mother died, in In
diana, with the milk sickness he made
the coffin, cutting out the lumber with
a whipsaw. There were scarcely enough we'll
people to bury the dead in Spencer county, In
diana, that year-18l8-so bad was this plague
| of milk sickness Young Abe helped make the