Fairhaven herald. [volume] (Fairhaven, Wash.) 1890-????, 1891-05-19


"After / got to Boston | came by n rail
road TO New London, took a steamboat
! across to Long Island, took railroad from
! Long Island to New York, and when got
to New York | was three days from Wash
ington. And now you can 20 there in five
hours. 1t took day to get from New York
to Philadelphia. l am really contempt
raneous with the development of steam
power. I saw it in its infancy with the
very first steamboats,, aud in my early man
hood all of our travelling was done by
steamboat or by stage. Twas nearly thirty
years of age when the railroads began to
be developed, and was present at the open
ing of the third railroad in the United
States, which was built from Bangor thir-
teen miles portherly. All this mighty reyo-
luton brought on by the development of
steam power is wholly within the scope of
my remembrance. You men of the younger
generation are going to see another Won
derful development. What it will lead TO
no man can tell, but it seems to me that
the promise of wondrous things of cleo
tricity is far greater than was the promise
of development through the application of
steam power"
Something suggested the name of Robert
Toombs, and Mr.. Hamiin said that he
knew him very well, but was not inclined
TO speak in extravaganza terms of Toom bs'
ability. | said that there had been some
dispute about whether Nj Toomhs ever
made use of an expression which has be-
come historic about calling the roll of his
slaves on Bunker Hill, adding that Mr.
Toombs had in his later years denied using
this expression Again there came the
twinkle of his eyes, aud he blew great
clouds of smoke for a minute from his
mouth, and then said smilingly, "Well,
Toombs may not have used those exact
words, but he said something so near like
that that we all thought that that was
what he meant"
As we were nearing New York Mr..
Hamlin's thoughts seemed to turn to the
object of his visit, and he spoke about
the celebration Of the Lincoln club. This
naturally suggested some comments about
Lincoln himself, No more touching or
delightful tribute could be rendered by
one mau to the name of another than Mr.
Hamiin displayed at the mention of Lin
coins name, 1t was not what he said, but
rather the manner with which he spoke, that
showed how profound and almost rever-
entail is his feeling for Abraham Lincola
1t seemed as though all his other associa-
tons with greet men were but as temporary
Incidents, momentary recollections, the
pleasing acquaintance of brief friendships
beside the respect, admiration and love
which he has come to entertain for his
great associate on the presidential ticket
of 1861. He spoke in the gentle, tender way
almost, which characterizes the speech Of
those who have lost dear friends bound TO
them by ties of blood and love.
''I have been reading" said he, that life
of Mr., Lincoln which was written by Col
Hay aud Maj. Nicoiay. | have read it care
fully from beginning to end, and | often
take it up and read and re-read some pas
sages contained in it which suggest to me
the most solemn and tender memories Of
my official life. | have read all of the other
lives of Lincoln that have been Published,
think, and / enjoy hearing all that can
about him from those who were ever
brought into any relations with him. It
seems to me as time goes by and these
various recollections appearit demonstrates
the mighty hold which the memory Of Mr..
Lincoln has taken upon the rising genera
ton, and | am rejoiced that it is 50.
think Col. Hays and Maj Nicolay's book
is the life of Lincoln which will remain.
Those of us who knew him and were asso-
ciated with him can read it, knowing that
the statements contain ned in it are accurate,
and we can draw our own impressions from
this history. In my own case the reading
confirms and strengthens the impressions
which | first had concerning Mr. Lncoln's
character, and I think those who did not
know him will, If they read this book, get
a fair estimate of what he was"
Mr.. Hamlin said that be remembered
Mr.. Lincoln as a member OF congress in
1913, but only slightly After he left
congress Mr.. Lincoln was forgotten in
the east until he began to be heard Of
through his debates with Stephen A.
Douglas in Illinois. Then men who
had served in congress with him, like
Mr.. Hamlin, recalled the rather OBJ
scure, tall, gaunt and somewhat peculiar
country lawyer who represented the San
CANON district in the last of Folks ad-
ministration. Mr.. Hamlin said that he
remembered very well Lincoln's trip to
the east in the winter Of 1860 when he de-
ivered an address in Cooper Union of such
pre-eminent ability that the friends of Mr..
Seward were willing TO accept Mr.. Lincoln
as a second choice for presidential candi-
date
AFTER this Cooper Union speech Mr..
Lincoln made brief trip through New
England, speaking finally in Boston," Mr..
Hamlin said, and he rec0llects well how
profound was the impression these speeches
made upon thinking men in the east, His
own acquaintance with Mr. Lincoln, how
ever, did not begin until after the presi-
dental ticket Of Lincoln and Hamlin had
been elected. Mr.. Hamlin narrated the
anecdote Of that meeting. 1t seems that
by some accident these two associates upon
the ticket were brought together without
introduction. They met in Mr. Iincolns
room at the hotel in Chicago, and Mr..
Lincoln held out his hand, saying, 81 do
not think we have ever been introduced,
Mr.. Hamlin, but l remember you very
well, because when I was in congress
heard you make speech in the senate
which very greatly admired" Mr. Ham
lin laughed and said, "Why, this is a singu-
lar coincidence, because my first recollec-
ton Of you is that / heard you make a
speech in the house that was so bristling
with fun and good humor that l and every
one else in the chamber were delighted
with it." This was speech Mr.. Lincoln
delivered upon the Mexican war.
1t would be impossible to suggest in cold
type the depth Of feeling which Mr.. Ham