The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1885-01-18

Ne alss hssAn 70 ezsrc1ss HE forensic ability In
twins small eases before Juasices OF the Peace.
end soon aequirsd . Ioeal reputation a. q
speaker which gave him considerable practice.
But he Was scarcely able to earn in this way
money enough for his maintenance from day
to day. On one occasion IN impatient
creditor seized his horse. which was indis-
pensable to a lawyers practice In those parts.
and sold II under execution. Lincoln was dis
Outraged by this blow but, luckily. sonsiriends
bid In and restored TO him the property. Under
what grinding disabilities no lnbored for soms
years NAV be inferred nom the account Of his
arrival. Inv 1897. at Springfield. where the law
yer who lent him law books had offered him
n psrtnership. lie rode" an Old friend
tells us. Into town on . borrowed
horss. without earthly good. beyond a
pair OF saddle baes. two or three law
books. and some clothing In the bags Iio came
into my store, cot his saddle bags on the cOun-
ter. and said. Speed, tell me what the furRi-
ture for O single bedroom will coat took my
pencil, figured IL up. and found II would cost
ST. Lincoln replied: 1t Ia cheap enough. but
want to say that. cheap as Il ia. have nbt the
money to pay. But II you'll credit me until
Christmas. and my experiment here y sue
cess. win pay you then II fail win probably
never be able to pay you The voice VIVA 40 mel
very large double bed. which he was perfectly
welcome to share with mo II he chose. 'whero
is your bed 2 said Lincoln. Up stairs an
swcred. He took his saddle bags on bis arm
went up stairs set them on the floor. and came
down laughing. saying. Well. Speed. I'm
moved" The ludicrous idea OF moving all his
earthly goods and chattels BY taking his saddle
bags up stairs had made his elastic sririt rs
mirthful as just before 1t WAS depressed.
The outward inspect Of Lincoln at this time
may be de,luced from m incident In the cam
paign OF 1896. when no canvassed Sangamon
county for tue whiG ticket One OF the chIcf
orators on the Democratic side was Col. Dick
Taylor. Tho latter WAS u small but worry
pompous little gentleman. who rode about In
his carriage neatly dressed with many and
very conspicuous rufIles to his shirt. with
ratent leather boots kid gloves. diamond studs
in his linen. an immense watch chain with
many seals and pendants. presenting alto
gether II most striking contrast to the plainly
clad people whom he addressed. Affect
ing to be, withal. an extreme Democrat. tho
Colonel had great deal to say about the
bono md sinew" Of the land. tho hard
handed yeomanry," aud was worry sarcastic on
the "Whig nistocracy." the rag Barons.''
the "silk-stocking contry." Lincoln. ono OF
the spokesman OF this so-calied aristocracy.
was dressed In Kentucky Jeans. coarse boots
checkorrd shirt. buttcnod round hts neck with
out o necKte. and an old slouchod hat. As 1t
CHANGED on one occasion. Taylor. in the midst
of q most violent harangue ngainst the Whig
patriciaps. made gesture so forcible that no
tore the buttons of his vest. and the whole
maSnifccncc OF his rufes. diamond studs
gold watch chain. seals. &C.. burst forth
fully exposed. He paused moment
in embarrassment. whereupon Lincoln.
stopping to the front. and pointing to Tnylor's
ruffles, exclaimed: Behold the hard listed
Democrat: look. gentlemen. at this specimen
OF the bone and siIew. And here. gentlemen
said he. layins. his great bony hand. black
ened with work. OH his own heart. here. ut
your service" bowling. =" is your patrieian.
Here IL one OF your sill stocking gentry here,
spreading out his big bronzed palms. is your
rag Baron with his llly-white hands Yes. l
SUPPOSE continued he. that l. according to
my friend Taylor's standard. am n bloated
aristocrat." The contrast was, Of course, irre-
sistibly diverting md the crowd burst into
shouts of laughter.
There is II current impression that Lincoln.
during the first half Of his lie. at oil events.
shared tho tolerant feeling with reference to
the institution Of slavery that was entertained
by largo majority OF tho people Of Illinois.
According to Mr. Arnold this is q mistake: for
Lincoln at a very early ago began TO regard
slavery with passionate detestation, though.
like every other sober observer. he was long
unable to discern any practical method
| Of suppressing 1t. There Is tradition.
which apparently dates back TO 1881.
but which Mr.. Arnold does not vouch
for. that on the visit which he paid
| in that year to New Orleans. as deck
hand on n fiat boat. Lincoln and his companion
visited an old fortune teller. a Voudou negroes.
| Tho legend has it that during the interview tho
| prophecies became intensely excited and.
| porting over Lineoln's hand. cried out: This
| man here will be President. and tell all us
colored folks 20 free" 1t seems to be certain
| that this visit made Lincoln IN anti-slavery
| man. He saw" We read. slave. beauti-
| full muatto girl. sold Iat auction she was felt
| over. pinched. trotted around to show the bid
| ders that said article was sound. &c. Lincoln
| walked away from tho sad inhuman scene
| with deep feoling Of unsmotherabe hate. lie
| said to his companion. By God II over | get
chance to hit that institution. I'll hit 1t hard
| That no made this speech there is no doubt.
| and his demeanor on his journey homeward
made q deep impression on his companions
They remember that no was. by turns mad.
| thoughtful, distracted. sad. and depressed"
| As early as 1887, when Lincoln WAS twenty
eight years old. he began the series OF anti
| slavery measures consummated in the eman-
cipation proclamation and the amendments Of
| tho Constitution. At that time 1t required tho
most unnnehing courage to speak or write
against slavery in Illinois, whose inhabitants.
made ND largely OF emigrants from the slave
States. had enacted n body OF laws against
negroes called " The Black Codo" Of most re-
voting severity and cruelty. 1t was under
these circumstances that Lincoln boldly
jeopnrded his popularity by drawing mp
and signing SOLEMN protest against those
l -lsI
House. over hundred In number. he could
| lind only one who had the courage to Join him.
The next significant act OF Lincoln in this
direction was performed soon after his elec-
ton to Congress in 1S47. when he introduced a
bill to abolish slavery In the District OF Column
| bia. He was also found Mt this time voting
against paying for slaves lost by officers
In the Seminole war. He spent but a
single torn In Congress. not being