The united opinion. [volume] (Bradford, Vt.) 1881-1970, 1895-09-06
RESIDENCE AT SPRINGFIELD.

ton and election. With his characteristic
modesty he doubted whether he could get
the nomination even if he wished it and
asked until the next morning to answer us
whether his name might be announced
Late the next day he authorized US, if we
thought proper to do So to place him III
the field" To the question from Mr.
Grimshaw whether, if the nomination for
president could not be obtained he would
accept the post of vice president he an
swered that he would not; that his name
having been used for the office of presi-
dent he would not permit 1t to be used for
.-.--s--- other Office, however honorable It
might be- This meeting was preliminary
TO the Decatur convention and was also
the first concerted action in his behalf on
the part of his friends.
A Great Speech.
In the preceding October he came rush
ing into the office one morning with the
letter from New York city inviting him
to deliver lecture there and asked my
advice and that of other friends as to the
subject and character of his address. We
all recommended a speech on the political
situation. Remembering his poor success
as a lecturer himself, he adopted our sug-
gestions. He accepted the invitation of
the New York committee at the same
time notifying them that his speech would
deal entirely with political questions, and
fixing day late in February as the most
convenient time. Meanwhile he spent the
intervening time in careful preparation
He searched through the dusty volumes of
congressional proceedings in the state Ii
brary and dug deeply into political his
tory. He was Painstaking and thorough
in the study of his subject, but when at
last he left for New York we had many
misgivings-and he not few himself-of
his success in the great metropolis. What
effect the unpretentious western lawyer
would have on the wealthy and fashion |
able society of the great city could only be |
conjectured. A description of the meeting |
at Cooper institute list of the names of |
the prominent men and women present or |
an account of Lincoln in the delivery of |
the address would be needless repetition |
of well known history 1t only remains to |
say that his speech was devoid of all rhe- |
torical imagery, with a marked suppress
sion of the pyrotechnics of stump oratory.
1t was constructed with view to accuracy
of statement simplicity of language and
unity of thought. In some respects like a
lawyers brief, it was logical, temperate in
tone, powerful irresistibly driving con-
viction home to mems reasons and their
souls. No former effort in the line of
speechmaking had cost Lincoln so much
time and thought as this one. 1t is said
by one Of his biographers that those after
ward engaged in getting out the speech as
a campaign document were three weeks
in verifying the statements and finding
the historical records referred Co and con-
suited by him.
The day following the Cooper institute
u l.
published the speech in full and made ia
vorable editorial mention of it and of the
speaker as we'll 1t was plain now that
Lincoln had captured the metropolis
From New York he travelled TO New Eng
land 60 visit his son Robert, who was at
tending college. In answer TO the many
calls and invitations which showered on
him be spoke at various places In Con-
neoticuJ, Rhode Island and New Hamp-
shire. In all these places he not only left
deep impressions of his ability, but he
convinced New England of his intense
earnestness in the great cause. The news
papers treated him with no little consid-
Grafton. One paper characterized his |
speech as one of great fairness, deliv- |
cred with great apparent oandor and
wonderful interest. For the first half hour !
his opponents would agree with every
word he uttered, and from that point he !
would lead them of little by little until it !
seemed as if he had got them all into his !
fold He is far from prepossessing in per :
sonal appearance, and his voice is dis 9
agreeable, and yet he wins your attention !
from the start. He INDUCES in no flowers 6
Of rhetoric, no eloquent passages. He dis ?
PLAYS more shrewdness, more knowledge e
IF the masses Of mankind than any public v