Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1885-07-30
Lincoln and His Law Office.

| As a lawyer Mr.. Lincoln never at
tanned the high rank and reputation OF
Evarts, Brady, Seward, Carpenter, or
Webster. He never had their kind of
practice, nor did he have fifty thousand
dollars as retainer. or great city
press to report his speeches to the MILL
ion. His largest fee WAS $1,000 in a
railroad case.
Although notably successful, his PEE
culiar strength lay in his reasoning OF
facts more than the law he cited. Few
men ever lived with broader grasp OF
human nature and clearer way of ex-
planning things. This came to him by
his genius and intuition. and that early
battle with poverty of resources to
gain wisdom that gave him a marvel
Gus memory of all he learned.
A large, ungraceful frame, that to 9th.
ers would have been hindranee, was
to him, in Illinois, an element of great
ness. As trial lawyer, his grasp Of
the merits and mastery of the right
theory to win with, made him a power
full advocate before jury. His man.
ner was so plain that it enforced at
tention; his eyes were piercing, his
look so earnest, his words so apt while
speaking, that even an adversary be-
came convinced by his reasoning. One
who heard him in Leavenworth, dur.
ing the early Kansas troubles, said
although his audience was largely Of
enemies, fifteen minutes later they
were cheering him like friends He
put a clear reason in all that he said,
and clinched it by an incident that car.
ried conviction straight to the hearts
of his hearers. His keen, quaint, crisr
stories were only side-lights to bring
out his word-painting in holder relief
Like the brilliant Carpenter, whose
style was somewhat similar, he hello
his audience by flower or a tear, a.
best suited his purpose, even without
seeming to be eloquent.
His modest Office in Springfield wa.
in the second story of plain red-bricl
block, reached by narrow, dingy stairs
large and poorly furnished, supplied
with numerous odd-looking chairs and
tables and not very inviting in appear.
ance. Such conveniences as type
book-racks were then unknown il
Springfield. A few old briefs remained
in his plain handwriting, and very
many law books lined the walls, il
cases, but neither rich c'rpets nor fin,
ceilings adorned the iir Office. Tn,
days of good law-oilice, ,td not ar
rived, and the solid co tprts of tn,
average city lawyer were all unknown
to Mr.. Lincoln, save as he found then
with his favorite counsel, Leonard
SWEET, in Chicago.
Born and reared in poverty, he in
herited by it both fund of humor ant
vein of sadness that never left him
In his struggle with the world in you'll
and with war in manhood; called Il
high stations before he was fully known
to the people, it is doubtful if he eve
fully realized the fame he had won as
an advocate, or the genius he possess
ed as a man. He was born of his time
a creature of the age of giants, gen
ius from the people, all the greater fol
his struggles, for he really did NOR
than any man of his day to destroy
caste and give courage to the lowly
and therein he wrote the brightcs
pages of human progress.
With Lincoln promoted labor becam
honorable, and men no longer denie,
their humble beginning.
Lincoln, the lowly, the exalted, tn
pure man in rude marble, the plail
cover to gentle nature, the gian
frame and noble intellect! The shat
that marks his silent resting place, tn
books he read, the Office he used, tn
strong body that covered his warn
heart and wise purposes were only tn
outer symbols to the higher gifts 0
his Creator! All gifts and graces ar
never found in one person. He is grea
if the good predominates All ar
not born equal. Gifts are diversified
but if ever man had the genius 0
greatness it was Lincoln. AS all ar
eloquent in that which they know, b
was eloquent in the affairs of life
W. DonoUaR, iaa the Current.