The Indianapolis journal., 1885-03-01
LINCOLN, THE LAWYER.
Ehe Martyr President as He Appeared in the
Practice of His Profession.
Eawardsville. H.. Letter


ahe Martyr President as He Appeared in the
Practice of His Profession.
Eawardsville. ILL.,. Letter.
Captain T. w. S. Kidd editor and proprietor
of the Daily Monitor, of Springfield H. delv
cred his lecture on Lincoln. the Lawyer by
the Crier of the Court, to night before an intel
Hgent and appreciative audience at the st.
Johns NJ K. Church, in this city. Tho lecture,
which is of an entirely new and interesting char
&cter, is of an attractive nature, since it deals
with phase in the life of the martyr President
Of which the world at large knows very little,
and Is anxious to learn much. Captain Kidd,
from his extended and intimate acquaintance
had ample opportunities to fully acquaint him
self with the prevailing traits of Abraham Lin
coins character, and it is evidenced by the fund
OF knowledge he has from which to draw for en-
tertaining facts in regard to Mr. Lincoln, that he
must have studied him very closely.
From 1854 to 1858 Mr. Kidd was deputy sheriff Of
the Circuit Court of Sangamon county; during 1853
and 1859 sheriff of the Illinois Supreme Court; and
from 1859 to 1915 he was crier of the United
States Court, at Springfield From this it will
be seen that his observations of Dir. Lincoln
were at time when he was in his zenith as
lawyer, was paving the way which led him to the
presidency and gave to the world the great states
man of modern times The lecturer was intro
duced by Rev. r. H. Manier as 'the crier of the
court in which Abraham Lincoln practiced law. :"
Mr.. Kidd, who is a medium sized gentleman, of
pleasant address. possessing good round head,
remarks by saying that court criers have made
so little stir in the world that it is not to be ex
pected that one Of them would be able to select
graduates language in which to describe honest
Abraham Lincoln, so distinguished member of
that honorable profession" The lecturer stated
that his remarks would consist in describing
Abraham Lincoln, the lawyer, as he appeared in
the practice Of his profession, in his every day
life as citizen and neighbor, and the ordinary
walks of everyday life. Mr. Lincoln has puzzled
wiser heads than carried uDon the shoulders
Of court criers
In speaking of Mr.. Lincoln as lawyer the
speaker said he would not be classed among the
FIRST in all classes of the law; others who prac-
ticed with him allowed him crediS for having
great legal ability and said he was what was
termed a good lawyer. He possessed general
knowledge OF law In some branches of the law
he possessed wider knowledge Of primary law
than his brothers. Above all things, Mr.. Lincoln
was an honest lawyer, strange to say, and be-
heved that the duty of the lawyers was to settle
litigation, not to create it, and he was seldom
seen on the wrong side of case.
His strength was most apparent before jury.
He was man of extraordinary moral courage,
to do what was right, at the bar and, afterwards,
as the chief executive of the Nation In his ex-
animation of witness he was earnest and orig
inal His face was constantly strained and his
appearance one of intense anxiety. When ques-
tionlng willing witness his interrogatories
would be 80 plaintive and seemingly entreating
in their tones that the witness could almost
know what was wanted. Mr. Lincoln never took
unfair advantages of his opponent but watched
him closely, and would. if possible, ridiculc him
before the jury when he feared the jury liable
to find against his client. His manner of ad-
dressing jury was calm and ready much
more like ordinary talks than anything else. He
had happy faculty of singing out a particular
Juror upon whom he dssired to sufficiently i'm
press his views, and, addressing himself to that
juror would argue the case in such manner as
to almost invariably secure the sympathy of the
juror and by this process win almost hopeless
case.
At times his bursts Of eloquence were quite
remarkable. The lecturer cited an instance
where, in defending q young man for murder,
there was not dry eye in the court ROOM His
great goodness of heart was one thing that made
him so much beloved by the people and respected
By juries. One case was cited where he moved
tor new trial in the case of young lrishman
who had been sentenced to an inexcusably long
term In the pentientiary account of his at
torney's failure to attend to the case properly.
The young Irishman was defended by Lincoln
and acquitted. 1t was not often that Mr.. Lin
coin resorted TO what he termed ''leaving the
world to climb the aerial tree of his own imag-
ination," though he often quoted scriptural pas
sages and Shakespeare to aid his arguments. He
was very sarcastic toward anyone who attempt
ed to make great display of erudition, especial
ly when it took the form of quotations from the
classics.
The speaker said Mr. Lincoln was never more
at his ease than when sitting in the middle of
group of lawyers telling stories or listening to
others, for he was good listener as we'll as a
good narrator. His stories never lost any of
their charm by his telling them, but the attempt
by another might prove disastrous Contrary
to an almost universal rule, Mr. Lincoln could
tell story anc be- as he always was, one of the
heartiest laughers without its being considered
unusual He had an unlimited number of prac-
tical jokes and pranks, the victims of which he
was liable at any time to make his brother at
torneys or the judges while travelling the circuit
In conclusion, the lecturer paid very high
tribute of respect to the abilities of the men who
with Lincoln helped shape the destiny of Illinois,
and give to her name which might be handed
down by fame
Mr.. Kidd paid q glorious tribute to Mr. Lin
coins honest convictions and his moral courage,
and the effect of his powers upon the people of
the circuits where he practiced, and how these
characteristics won for him the love of the peo-
pie generally. From Mr.. Lincolns life he made
applications to the youth of the country, and
said it would be well for the bar if more Of such
energy and devotion to the profession were dis
played by the members Of the present day, and
by those who are preparing themselves for the
law Men did not have extensive libraries and
precedent cases to refer to at that time in the
history of the State. He pointed proudly to that
class of lawyers produced among number of the
welknown lawyers of the State who made rep
utations both for themselves and the State be-
fore laying their life brief before the Judge of
AL
The lecture was listened to with marked atten-
ton. The many anecdotes and stories, either
quoted from Mr.. Lincoln, or told concerning
him, kept The audience in constant good
humor. The speaker was frequently interrupted
by applause.
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