Martinsburg herald. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1881-1920, 1894-12-22
ABRAHAM LlNcoLN's TEMPER.
ANcE

ANCE.
The following. from Kate Fields
Washington, will be read with interest
by the many friends Of the late Hon.
Ward H. Lamar
, In June, 1880, when Colonel Ward
H. Lamon, Abraham I-incoln's old
friend and biographer, was an inmate
of Garfield Hospital. ! wrote to him
with the view of settling a nooted
question, as | had been publicly de-
nouuced for quoting the martyr Pres
ident in my address on the Intemper-
ance of Prohibition. Colonel Lamon
has since passed over the range and
his reply to my inquiry is now pub
lished for the first time:
WAsHINGToN. d. c., July 4. 1880.
/ / have the honor of receiving your
favor Of the goth ultino, and in re-
ply have to say: You ask my rec
objection of Mr.. Lincoln's views on
the questions of temperance and
prohibition.
looked upon him as one OF the
safest temperance men / ever knew.
He seemed on this subject as he was
on most others-unique in profession
as we'll as in practice. He was neither
what might be called drinking
man, total abstainer nor prohibit
/ ZIONIST.
/ My acquaintance with him COM
menced in IS47. He was then, as af-
terward, politician. He mixed
much and well with the people. Be-
lieved what the people believed to be
right, was right. Society in Hi
nois at that early day was as crude as
the country was uncultivated Peo-
pie there were tenacious of their natu-
raj as we'll as their acquired rights, and
this state of things existed until Lin
coin left the State to assume the du-
ties of President at Washington.
The people Of Illinois firmly believ-
ed it was one of their inalienable rights
to manufacture, sell and drink whisky,
as it was the sacred right of the South
ern man to rear, work and aooll0b his
own niger. And woe be unto him
who attempted to interfere with these
rights as the sequel afterward
showed, when Mr. l.. and his friends
tried to prevent the Southern man
FROM "wollopping his own niger" in
the Territories.
| was present at several temperance
lectures delivered by Mr.. Lincoln in
Illinois Il have now in my possession
the manuscript OF some of them). He
made temperance speeches as he made
other speeches. He was always ready
to make speech whenever called on
to do so, and cared very little about
what subject he addressed the people
upon. He was always happy when
discussing questions before the people
and always deferred to the audiences
choice of subjects.
! l recollect many years ago at Dan
vile, Illinois, Mr. L. happened in at
emperance-meeting, the "Old Wash
iiIgton Society" | think, ard was
called upon to make speech. He
got through it we'll, after which he
and the other members of the bar who
were present were invited to an enter
tainment at the house of DR.. Scott.
Wine and cake were handed around
Mrs. S., in handing Mr.. Lincoln
glass of homemade" wine, said: 81
hope you are not a teetotaler Mr..
Lincoln, if you are temperance lee
turer." by no means, my dear
madam" he replied, for l assure
you''-with humorous smile-'I
am fond of my 7Odd," play upon
his wife's maiden name.
Il by no means oppose the use of
wine. | only regret that it is not in
more universal use. l firmly believe
if our people were to habitually drink
wine, there would be little drunken
ness in the country"
Irecollect his making this remark,
during the conversation, which
afterward became general Judge David
Davis, Honorable Leonard Sweet and
others present, joining in the discus
sion: Il AM an apostle of temperance
only to the extent of coercing moder-
ate indulgences and prohibiting ex-
cesses by all the moral influences
can bring to bear
II hope the day MAY not be far dis
tant, when wine instead of whisky
will become our National drink.
With the highest respect have the
honor to be Miss Fields humble SER
want. WARD H. LAMoN.