The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1895-01-22

any man that the east possessed CnaG the
suggestion was delicately conveyed to
the eastern Republicans that he might
consent to deliver an address in New
York city. If there was no great belief
on the part of these able eastern Repub-
Hcans in Mr.. Lincoln's higher intellec-
tuaI cultivation and quality, there was
on the other hand something of curiosi-
ty to see and hear this man who had
overthrown Douglas and who had crys-
tallized public opinion in the west.
The congregation that assembled in
Cooper Union on that now historic even
ing was a splendid one. Many Of the
distinguished Republicans brought their
wives or members of their families. Ev-
arts was there, curious to see and hear
this man of whom he had heard so much,
but for whom be had not at that time
the most admiring opinion, perhaps be-
cause of premonitions that it was Lin
coin who was to defeat the darling hope
of Evarts and of that great company of
eastern Republicans who had cherished
for four years the desire to see Mr.. Sew
ard nominated for the presidency. Gov
'ernOr Morgan was there, and Moses II.
Grinnell who might have been govern
or had his partner not objected, and
young Colonel Arthur, who was after
ward to be president, and Professor
Dwight, one of the profoundest lawyers
New York has ever had, and William
Cullen Bryant, even then seeming ven
cradle in appearance and, in fact, near
" all of those men who had been con-
spicuous in the service Of the young Re
publican party in New York city.
Mr. Lincoln was introduced, and very
happily, by William Cullen Bryant,
and when he stepped forth upon the
platform a great throng saw man con-
spicuous above every other one in that
hall for height, with sort of awkward
grace suggested by his loose jointed fig
ure, a careless Indifference to nicely in
his dress, his face clean shaver, homely
and his hair tossed about his head SEEM
ingly as though his fingers had been run
carelessly through it just before he arose.
His appearance for the moment was not
such as to greatly impress those who
saw him. He spoke in voice pitched
upon high tenor key, but it was no.
ticed that his words were distinctly
enunciated, and his voice carried easily
over that hall.
His first sentence surprised the &C
complished orators and thinkers who
were before him. They expected to hear
a fiowery, rhetorical and snowy exor-
dunn, but there was no exordium at all.
He plunged Immediately into his sub
ject, taking as his text a paragraph
from speech delivered few months
before by Douglas in Ohio. Before he
had spoken five minutes these able men
perceived his intellectual strength and
began to understand why he had gained
the pre- eminence which distinguished
him in the west. There were no flowers
of rhetoric in the address. but it was
noticed that the diction was singularly
accurate simple, appropriate, and that
it was used with such remarkable fe-
licity as enabled him to express abstract
ideas so that they were understood upon
the moment of hearing.
He had that great and distinguished
audience completely in his power with
in a few moments after he began to
speak. Curiosity had vanished, and
there came in its place that impressive
recognition which intellect gives to in
tellect Before he was half through it
was perceived that ne was setting forth
the tremendous issues of the day in such
q manner as had never been done in
New York, and when he had finished
these able men turned to one another
and with common thought exclaimed,
s'That is mastery address -
The eminent ability revealed by
this address caused the profoundest inn
preston in New York city. The speech
and the man were the chief topics of in
terest when Republicans met on the fol
lowing day and for many days there
| after, and when the news came three
months later from Chicago that Mr.
| Lincoln had been nominated for the
presidency there was probably not one
of those who heard that address who did
not recall it and find consolation in the
recollection of it for their disappoint
ment over Mr.. Stewards defeat
l E. J. EDWARDS