The times., 1890-02-07

York in his life, and his body was
brought there after his death. The first
visit must have been made while he was
member of congress in 1847 or 1848.
All that is known of it is that he said at
the time of his second visit that he had
been there once before.
But if he came and went obscure at
first, he was well known the second time,
for then he was almost curiosity. His
fame had preceded him as the long,
lank, country lawyer of Illinois who had
met and floored 1.-THE Little Giant"
Stephen A. Douglas, in series of joint
debates upon the slavery question in
Illinois. The fame Of that intellectual
contest, its uniqucness, the revelation
that it made of the astonishing gifts of
the plain lawyer, and the excitement
that the principles discussed had already
created throughout the country-all this
caused the name of Abe Lincoln to
be frequently heard beyond the bor-
ders of Illinois. Douglas was then at
the zenith of his power, and was re-
garded as the inevitable candidate of tic
Democracy for president.
There was Republican club in New
York in the winter of 1860, and some
body in it suggested that this new giant
of the west be asked to address it. A
suspicion afterwards arose that some OF
Lincoln's western friends had inspired
this invitation, desiring that the east
should see and know this man, who was to
be Illinois candidate'for the presidential
w. =.
when we come to understand the genius
of political management, which,, extend.
ing through several years, and wholly
unsuspected by the general public,
brought at last the nomination to Lin
coin, although Mr.. Seward had seemed
to be the inevitable candidate.
Mr.. Lincoln accepted the invitation,
and the speech was delivered in Cooper
Union on the evening of Feb. 81, 1860.
William Cullen Bryant presided. The
great hall was packed and many of the
audience were women, the wives and
daughters of eminent citizens. Curiosity
to see and hear this wonder of the prai-
ries unquestionably brought the larger
number to the hall. But curiosity de-
parted after Lincoln had been heard,
and in its place came the homage that
pre-eminent ability commands.
When Mr.. Bryant introduced Lincoln
the audience, according to Henry j.
Raymond, did not know just what they
ought to do. Lincoln's great height, his
bony and loose jointed figure, his swarthy
and smooth shaven face, all made the
greatest of contrasts with the dignifed
and learned Bryant. Besides Lincoln's
voice was peculiar, pitched on high
key, but he had not spoken five minutes
before he commanded the audience, and
they perceived how it was that 'sthe Lit
tie Giant" had met his superior.
The speech, Mr.. Raymond afterward
declared, "made Mr.. Lincoln the second
choice of the great body of Republicans
of New York, or the candidate of the
party for the presidential campaign of
1860. In less than three months he be-
came tho first choice, for he was nom-
mated in May, and in just one year,
lacking one week, he again visited New
York, this time as president-eiect, on his
way to Washington to take the Office.
Two or three hours after Lincoln made
this speech in Cooper Union, that is,
about midnight, he went to the office of
the Tribune, ,,where the manuscript of
his speech was in the hands of the
printer. lie was very anxious that there
should be no errors in the report, and a
young compositor helped him read the
proofs.
He chatted with the young fellow, and
being pleased with him put the manu-
script of the speech into his possession
for final revision. When the paper was
printed the young compositor tossed the
manuscript away, as printer would be
likely to do with the manuscript of
speech after it was in type. The COM
positor afterwards served in congress,
and last fall was reelected from one of
the New York districts without opposi-
ton. 1t was Amos j. Cummings. Had
he kept the manuscript of that speech
he would have had G valuable memento of
Lincoln, of great pecuniary as well as
memorial value.
For day or two after the speech
Lincoln remained in New York, staying
at the Astor House. He was delighted