St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1890-10-23
Obe Californian
81. John-bury, Thursday, Oct. es, 1890
"REMINISCENCES OF LINCOLN.
Hitherto I-upubIfshed Facts Relative to

Especial correspondence OF the OaledOnIau- ]
These sketches will consist mainly
of "reminiscences and recollections of
conversations with distinguished
persons and the relation of facts
known only to the writer, and not
hitherto published. Conspicuously
among these will appear the names
of Abraham Lincoln and Horace
Greeley With both of these remark
able men | enjoyed what might be
called "a lively acquaintance" In
timacies, outside their own families,
neither had any, | think. From the
identity of name, and travel over the
prairie country, | became early
familiar with the characteristics of
Mr.. Lincoln that made him a popu-
lar idol among Il rather rough pOpu-
lation. This the year before made
his acquaintance
In 1851, at the convention that
met in Philadelphia to nominal e
candidates for president and vice
president, Mr.. Lincoln received ITO
votes for vice president, standing
next to Mr.. Dayton, who was nomi
mated. This gave evidence of the es-
timation in which he was held by
Western men. Being already aware
of the clements of popularity which
he possessed. | then declared my be-
lief that he would become the next
republican candidate for the presi
dency. Being a Springfield the fol-
lowing winter | sought his acquaint
ancc. At that interview | told him
my belief that he would receive the
hi he.
presidency; that he had a party i'll
his favor already started, for | had
cspoused his cause. At this he
laughed heartily and said Il think
they all want Seward" Meeting as
did from time to time the leading
republicans of his state, l became
satisfied that Mr.. Lincoln would
prove q formidable candidate before
the next nominating convention.
Little things sometimes prove i'm
portant. In this connection | will
relate an incident that of itself had
little Importance and yet the discOv-
cry of the fact, gave to the friends of
MIR. Lincoln the most powerful pOllt-
ical war club known in American
elections. The fact discovered was
that Mr.. Lincoln in his young days
had been a rail splitter. t was
about the new year, winter of 1859
90, that one night just at sunset, !
crossed over the Illinois river to the
little town of Naples on the east
bank. | had taken my supper and
sat doing over the sitting-room fire
when the landlord appeared. "Where
am | to sleep tonight" | inquired.
Il don't know" he answered, 'un-
less the old gentleman over there
will take you in with him. He has a
double bed"
What is your name?" asked the
man across the room.
My name is Lincoln l replied.
"Lincolnl" he exclaimed. You
can share my bed on account of your
name. Do you know Abe !? " he
asked.
q have a slight acquaintance with
him" said And do you know
him ~ | asked in return.
Il think | ought to know him for
and worked upon my farm. The
country was new and we were try
ing to fence in some of our prairie
land. To do this it was necessary
to go into the woods and cut the
timber and split the rails for the pur-
pose. Young Lincoln would go with
us and work all day at this, the
hardest of all work. At night after
having his supper he would strike a
light and go to studying, and in this
way he acquired the surveyors art"
Continuing the old man said: Il
CHANGED to know Gen. Ewing, the
surveyor general of the state, an
appointee of President Jackson.
Meeting him one day | told him of
the young man who had become a
practical surveyor by night study in
my family, and asked him to give
him job. The general took from
his pocket memorandum book and
portion of a neighboring county
that I would like to have surveyed,
and if your young friend is as com
petent as you think him, he may do
the work 1t will give him about
six hundred dollars Much pleased
with the result of my interview, l re-
turned home, and calling up A be told
him of it. He listened attentivelv
and then dropping his head thought
fully for a moment answered: | am
greatly obliged to- you, Mr. Simmons,
for what you have done, but if l do
that work the Jackson men will de
mand money for their political fund.
This | could not give Therefore |
think l must decline the job, and he
did"
At my last interview with Mr..
Lincoln, at which l spent an evening
with him in his office at the White
House, this story of the rail splitting
came up, when he said ''Pollard
Simmons was about the best friend |
ever had This was about six
weeks before his assassination.
Already, at the time of my inter
view with Mr.. Simmons the name of
Mr.. Lincoln was upon many Ups in the
West as a possible presidential can
didate | saw at once what a pow
erful political war club | had dis
covered and determined to make the
story of the rail splitting public
From Sandoval, H., | wrote letter
to the Press and Tribune of Chicago,
a part of which was as follows:
SANDOvAL, ILL, ian. 9, 1860.
Editor of Press and Tribune:
Sir: l find in your paper this morning
an article headed "Presidentia1'' Nv |
business takes me over the West two or
three months each winter, and | rarely
spend two nights in the same place
Hence | hear much said for this and that
candidate for the republican nomination
for the coming campaign But among
them all | hear no name so kindly men
toned as that of your own good citizen, |
Abraham Lincoln of Springfield, or in |
hotel phrase, ''Old Abe
7 then gave in detail the converSa-