The united opinion. [volume] (Bradford, Vt.) 1881-1970, 1895-07-05


tition, yet Lincoln's manner of presenting
his thoughts and answering his Democratic
opponents excited renewed interest. so
deep was the impression he created that
he was asked to furnish his speech to the
Sangamon Journal for publication, and it
afterward appeared in the columns OF thai
organ.
No sooner had the legislature adjourned
than he decidod--if he had not already SO
determined-to run for the same place
again He probably wanted it for vim
dication. He was pursued now more fierce
ly than ever, and he was better able TO en-
dure the utilization of political campaign
than when he first offered himself to the
voters in New Salem.
Among the Democratic orators who
stumped the county at this time was one
Taylor, commonly known as Colonel Dick
Taylor. He was a snowy, bombastic man,
with a weakness for fine clothes and other
personal adornments. Frequently he was
pitted against Lincoln and INDUCED IN
many bitter filings at the lordly ways and
aristooratic pretensions of the Wings. he
had a way of appealing to Ibis horny
handed neighbors'' and resorted to many
other artful tricks of demagogue When
he was one day expatiating in his accus-
toned style, Lincoln, in spirit OF mis-
chief, and, as he expressed 1t, Ito take the
wind out of his Sails" slipped up to the
speakers side, and catching his vest py
the lower edge gave it sharp pull. Inc
latter instantly opened and revealed TO MS
astonished hearers a ruffled shirt front
glittering with watch chain, seals and
other golden jewels. The effect was star
oopf,,caH and
dumfounded, while the audience roared
with laughter. When 1T came Lincoln S
turn to answer he covered the gallant
coloneFove in this style: while Colonel
Taylor was making these charges against
the Wings over the country, riding In line
carriages, wearing ruffled shirts, KID
gloves, massive gold watch chains with
large gold seals and flourishing heavy
gold headed cane, was poor boy, hired
on fatboat at So month, and had only
one pair of breeches to my back, and they
were buckskin. Now, If you know the ma
ture of buckskln when wet and dried by
the sun, it will shrink, and my breeches
kept shrinking until they left several
inches of my legs bare between the tops OF
my socks and lower part of breeches, and
while l was growing taller they were be-
coming SnOTU6T anu 81 luuCu plSHOCl piho
they left a blue streak around my legs
that can be seen to this day. Ii you call
this aristocracy, I plead guilty to the
charge"
He Champions a Friend.
1t was during this same canvass that
Lincoln by his manly interference protect
ed his friend E. d. Baker from the anger
of an Infatuated crowd. Baker was bril-
,4f tix,n Ion md a
full, too, of courage. as inveotive. He was
addressing a crowd in the courtroom,
which was Immediately underneath Stuart
& Lincoln's Office Just above the plat
form on which the speaker stood was a
trapdoor in the floor, which opened into
Lincoln's office. Lincoln at. the time, as
was often his habit, was lying on the fioo1
looking down through the door at the
speaker. was in the body of the crowd.
Baker was hot headed and impulsive, but
brave as lion. Growing warm in his ar
raignment of the Democratic party, he
charged that wherever there was land
office there was Democratic newspaper
to defend its corruptions. - This angered
the brother of the editor of our town pa
per, who was present, and who cried out,
''Pull him down!' at the same time adj
yancing from the crowd as if to perform
the task himself Baker, his face pale
with excitement, squared himself for resis
lance A shutting of feet, forward move
ment of the crowd, and great confusion
followed Just then long pair of leg:
were seen dangling from the aperture
above, and instantly the figure of Lincoln
dropped on the platform. Motioning witt
his hands for silence and not succeeding
he seized stone water pitcher standing
near by, threatening to break it over the
head of the first man who laid hands Oh
Baker. Hold on, gentlemen!' he shout
ed. "This is the land of free speech. Mr.
Baker has a right to speak and ought tC
be heard am here to protect him, anC
no man shall take him from this stand i
1 can prevent it." His interference hat
the desire effect. Quiet was soon restored
and the valiant Baker was allowed to pro
coed.
The 'Long Nine"
The canvass of 1910 was Mr.. Lincoln
last campaign for the legislature. Feeling
that he had had enough honor out of thu
Office he probably aspired for place o
more distinction. Jesse B. Thomas, ont
of the men who had represented the Dem
ocratic side in the great debate in tn
PRESBYTERIAN church, in a speech at tn
courthouse during this campaign, in
dulged in some fun at the expense of tn
Long Nine, rejecting somewhat NOR
on Lincoln than the rest. The latter wa
not present, but being apprised by hi
friends of what had been said fastened t.
the meeting, and soon after Thomas closet
stepped upon the platform and responded
The substance of his speech on this occa
sion was not so memorable as the manne
of its delivery.
He felt the sting of Thomas illusions
and for the first time, on the stump or II
public, resorted to mimicry for effect. Il
this, as will be seen later along, he wa
without rival He initiated Thomas il
gesture and voice. at times caricaturini
his walk and the very motion of his body
Thomas, like every body else, had SOM
peculiarities of expression and gesture
and these Lincoln succeeded in rendering
more prominent than ever. The crow,
yelled and cheered as he continued. En-
couraged by these demonstrations, the lu
| dicrous features of the speakers perform
ance gave way to intense and scathin
ridicule. Thomas, who was obliged to 81
near by and endure the pain of this uniqu
ordeal, was ordinarily sensitive, but tn
exhibition goaded him to desperation. III
was so thoroughly wrought up with SUP
pressed emotion that he actually gave wa
to tears / was not a witness of this scene
but the next day il was the talk of tn