The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1895-05-31

respectively, thoroughly. He knew he
did not love her, but he had promised
to marry herl The hideous thought came
up like nightmare. AS the ''fatal 1st
of January, 1841," neared, the clouds
around him blackened the heavens and
his life almost went out with the storm.
But soon the skies cleared. Friends in
terposed their aid to avert a calamity,
and at last he stood face to face with
the great conflict between honor and do
nestle peace. He chose the former, and
with it years of self torture, sacrificiaI
pangs and the loss forever of happy
home.
Willing to Forget.
There were two things Mr. Lincoln
always seemed willing to forget One
was his supplementary escape with
Joseph Gillespie from the legislature by
jumping through the church window,
in 1889, and the other was the difficulty
with James Shields, or, as he expressed
it in letter to Speed, "the duel with
Shields. Other incidents in his career
he frequently called up in conversation
with friends, but in after years he sell
dom if ever referred to the affair with
Shields. People in Illinois did gradual
ly forget or at least cease mention of it,
but in more remote quarters where Mr..
Lincoln was less extensively known the
thing, much to his regret, kept rising
to the surface. During visit which
made to the eastern states in 1853
was often asked for an account Of the so
called duel, SO often, in fact, that on my
return home l told Mr.. Lincoln of it.
eff all the good things I have ever
done, he said regretfully, 'are remem-
bered as long and we'll as my scrape
with Shields, it is plain I shall not soon
be forgotten. .
James Shields, gallant, hot head
ed bachelor from Tyrone county, Ire
land and man Of inordinate vanity,
had been elected auditor of state. En-
couraged somewhat by the prominence
the Office gave him, he at once assumed
conspicuous position in the society of
Springfield. He was extremely sensitive
by nature, but exposed himself to mer-
CHESS ridicule by attempting to establish
his supremacy as beau among the la
dies. Blind to his own defeats and very
pronounced in support of every act of
the Democratic party, he made himself
the target for all the bitterness and ridi-
Guile of the day. 1t happened that the
financial resources of the state, owing
to the collapse of the great internal i'm
provement system, were exceedingly
limited, and people were growing rest
less under what they deemed excessive
taxation. The state officers were all
Democrats, and during the summer they
issued an order declining to receive any
more state bank notes or bills in pay
ment of taxes. This made the taxpayers
burdens greater than ever, as much of
this paper remained outstanding in the
hands of the people. The order met with
opposition from every quarter, tn,
Wings of course losing no opportunity
to make it as odious as possible.
1t was perfectly natural, therefore,
that such an ardent Wing as Lincoln
should join in the popular denunciation.
Through the columns of the Springfield
Journal, of which he had the undisput-
ed use, he determined to encourage the
opposition by the use of his pen. No OBJ
ject seemed to merit more ridicule and
caricature than the conspicuous figure
of the auditor of state. At this time Lin
coin was enjoying stolen conferences un-
der the hospitable roof of Mrs. Francis
with Mary Todd and her friend, Julia
M. Jayne. These two young ladies, to
whom he confded his purpose, encour-
aged it and offered to lend their aid
Here he caught the idea of puncturing
Shields. The thing took shape in an ar
tiole published in The Journal, purport-
ing to have come from a poor widow,
who with her pockets full of state bank
paper was still unable to obtain the
coveted receipt for her taxes. 1t was
written by Lincoln and was headed, "a
Letter From the Lost Townships -
The "Dueling Business"
1t ridiculed Shields social pretensions
without mercy He threatened venge-
ance, and soon another letter appeared
in which the widow" offered to dep
recate his wrath by marrying him. To
this one Of the ladies soon added poem
rejoicing over the proposed marriage.
Through General John D. Whiteside
Shields demanded of Editor Francis the
name of the author. The latter hunted
up Lincoln, who directed him to give
his name and say nothing about the la
dies.
There was a vast amount of CORE
spondence, a challenge, and a meeting
on the west bank of the Mississippi fol-
lowed, but at the last minute friends
effected reconciliation. Then the Sec
onds quarreled, all the correspondence
was published, and both principals were
laughed at, as they richly deserved.
The following letter from Lincoln to
his friend Speed furnishes the final out
come of the "dueling business:"
SPRINGFIELD, Oct. 5, 1912.
DEAR SPEED--You have heard of my duel
with Shields, and 1 have now to inform you
that the dueling business still RACES in this
city. Day before yesterday Shields challenged
Butler, who accepted, proposed fighting next
morning at sunrising in Bob Aliens meadow,
100 yards distance, with rifles. To this White
side, Shields second said ''No'' because of the
law. Thus ended duel no. 2. Yesterday White
side chose to consider imself insulted by DIR.
Merryman, SO sent him kind of quasi chal-
lenge inviting him to meet him at the Plant
30 r Ioxy 70