The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1895-05-31
offering to instruct the Menard delega


tion for him he replies: "You say yor
shall instruct your delegates for me un.
less object certainly shall not OBJ
ject. That would be too pleasant COM
pliment for me to tread in the dust.
And besides, if anything should happen
(Which, however is not probably by
which Baker should be thrown out of
the fight, would be at liberty to &C.
cept the nomination if could get it. /
do. however, feel myself bound not to
hinder him in any way from getting the
nomination. 1 should despise myself
were to attempt it. :"
Bakers friends had used as an argu-
ment against Lincoln that he belonged
to a proud and aristocratic family, re-
ferring doubtless to some of the distin-
guished relatives who were connected
with him by marriage. The story reach
ing Lincoln's ears, he laughed heartily
over it one day in Springfield store
and Remarked:
'That sounds strange to me, for I dc
not remember of but one who ever came
to see me, and while he was in town he
was accused Of stealing jewsharp.
In the convention which was held
shortly after at the town of Pekin
neither Baker nor Lincoln obtained the
coveted honor, but John J. Hardin OF
Morgan, destined to lose his life at the
head of an Illinois regiment in the Mex.
lean war, was nominated and in the fol.
lowing August elected by good major.
ity. Lincoln bore his defeat manfully.
He was no doubt greatly disappoint.
ed, but by no means soured. He con-
ceived the strange notion that the pub.
licity given his so called "aristocratie
family distinction" would cost him the
friendship of his humber constituents
his Clary's grove friends. He took his
friend James Matheney out into the
woods with him one day, and calling UP
the bitter features of the canvass pro.
tested 'vehemently and with great EN-.
phasis'' that he was anything but arts
tocratic and proud. "Why, Jim," he
said, II am now and always shall be the
same Abe Lincoln was when you first
saw me. ;"
A Tempting Prize.
No sooner had Baker been elected tc
congress in August, 1914, than Lincoln
began to manifest a longing for the
tempting prize to be commended for in
1916. Hardin and Baker both having
been required to content themselves with
single term each, the struggle among
Wing aspirants narrowed down to Logan
and Lincoln. The latter's claim seemed
to find such favorable Judgment with
the party workers, and bis popularity
seemed SO apparent, that Logan soon
realized his own want of strength and
abandoned the field to his late law part.
ner,
Tie Tie convention which nominated Lin.
coin met at Petersburg May /, 1916.
Hardin, who, in violation of what was
then regarded as precedent, had been
seeking the nomination, had courteous
~ withdrawn. Logan, ambitious to Sc
cure the honor next time for himself.
with apparent generosity presented Lin
coins name to the convention, and,
there being no other candidate, he was
chosen unanimously. The reader need
not be told who the Democrats placed
in the field against him. 1t was Peter
Cartwright, the famous Methodist di.
vine and circuit rider. An energeticcan.
vass of three months followed, during
which Lincoln kept his forces we'll in
hand. He was active and alert, speak.
ing everywhere and abandoning his
share of business i'll the law Office entire.
ly. Cartwright had extensive family
connections all over the district, was al
most % years older than Lincoln and il
every respect dangerous antagonist,
Another thing which operated much tc
Lincoln's disadvantage was the repor'
circulated by Cartwright's friends will
respect to Lincoln s religious views Ht
was charged with the grave offense o.
infidelity, and sentiments which he wa!
reported to have expressed with refer
ence to the inspiration of the Bible We're
given the campaign varnish and passed
from hand to hand. His sighting allu
sion expressed in the address at the Pres
byterian church before the Washington
Temperance society Feb. 2, four year.
before, to the insineerity of the Chris
tian people was not forgotten. 1t, too
played its part, but all these opposing
circumstances We're of no avail. Our la
borious efforts met with suitable re
ward. Lincoln was elected by major
ity of l,511 in the district, a larger vot
than Clay's two years before, which wa
only Ola.
On the 9Th of December, the day be
fore the house organized, Lincoln wrot
mes letter about cur fee in lawsui
and reported the result of the Wing eau
Gus the night before. On the 18th ht
wrote again, "Dear William-Your let
ten, advising me of the receipt of GU,
fee in the bank case, is just received
and I don't expect to hear another a
good piece of news from Springfield
while am away" He then directed m,
from the proceeds of this fee to pay {
debt at the bank, and ont of the balance
lett to settle surdry dry goods and gro
Gerry bills. The modest tone of the las,
paragraph is its most striking feature
AS you are ALI SO anxious for me t.
distinguish myself" he said, II have
concluded to do so before long" Jan. S
he writes: cas- to speechmaking, by
way of getting the hang of the house,
made a little speech two or three DAYS
ago On postofice question of no gen