The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1895-02-10
urday afternoon with having prevented
the loss Of Mr.. Gurley's horse.
No TIME, To Talk

eiiS 1850 VI MI Iufley , nciS
NO TIME TO TALK.
THE famous debate between Lincoln
and Douglass was in 1855, and in 1883
Mr.. Lincoln delivered a speech from
the balcony of Kinsey's tewelry store
fronting what is now the Government
square in Cincinnati, TO an immense
audience. / was introduced to him dur
ing that visit by Mr.. Gurley, who was
at that time a member of congress. and
was afterwards appointed By President
Lincoln, governor Of Arizonia- AS 1
was always an earnest admirer OF Sem
ator Douglass, there was very little 70
talk about. but / ventured TO mention
the incident which gave credit to MIR.
Lincoln's timely advice for saving
Gurley's horse. He appeared TO re-
member the fire, but his only remark
was Yes, yes The Eagle not long
since mentioned that history of the
Hutchinson family by John W. Hutch
inson, was almost ready for publica-
ton and shall be disappointed if the
interview with Mr.. Lincoln in 1855 in
Springfield is not referred TO. Another
incident showing Lincoln's apprecia-
ton of the Hutchinsons is of more gem
eral interest Greeley's History of the
war relates that after they received
permission of President Lincoln and
the secretary of war TO visit the camps
across the Potomac in order to cheer
the ruggedness of winter with the carol
of some of their simple heartfelt songs,
they were stopped by the following
order: BY direction of Major General
George 3. Mcclellan the permit given
to the Hutchinson family to sing in the
camps, and their pass to cross the Po-
tomac are revoked and they VIII not be
allowed to sing to the troops
WOULD RATHER QUESTION.
-
General McCleIlans chief of staff. l
was a student several years in a law
office adjoining his Office at Cincinnati,
and often heard him relate war Incl
dents. 1t was his duty every day 10
take the report from headquarters OF
the Potomac army TO the White House,
and that gave him opportunity 10 en-
joy some of the presidents best stories.
On delivering the large envelope con-
tanning the report, Mr.. Lincoln would
seem in no hurry 10 know its contents,
and familiarly addressing the chief Of
staff as Tom he would ask him il he
had ever heard a certain story, etc.
Colonel Key soon understood that as
the presidents anecdote progressed. )his
thoughts We're busily occupied about
the army, and an unexpected remark or
the climax of the story would often
give more expression TO the ColonePs
face than could be found in the formal
report from headquarters. Military
etiquette presumes that the official re-
port stated all the president desired TO
know, and would not allow the bearer
of it to be questioned. but this new
method adopted by the president some
times proved of great value. AS is
we'll known, il was upon Mr.. Lincoln s
suggestion the ordinance abolishing
slavery in the District of Columbia was
framed by his friend. Colonel Key, in
advance of the Emancipation Procla-
nation.
1T seems to me there has been a
Scantiness of opinion respecting Abra-
ham Lincoln'S ability as a lawyer
Those who had full opportunity of
knowing his strength. believe he had
the great grasp of mind and the power
of concentration of thought, with a
clearness and directness of staement
that gave ground for CHASING him with
John Marshall and Daniel Webster. L
wish / could assist in bringing together
the facts upon which that opinion Is
founded. / shall refer to only single
instance. The railroad bridge at Rock
Island was considered an obstruction
to the navigation OF the Mississippi,
and the steamboat interests generally,
and the commercial interests of st.
Louis We're united for its removal. The
growing railroad interests of Chicago
were arrayed against the steamboat
men and the city of St Louis. It was
a great contest: T. D. Lincoln, of Gin
cinnati, represented the plaintiff and
Abraham Lincoln the defense. After
a keenly contested trial, the plaintiff
got Judgment in the United States
court at Chicago for the abatement of
the bridge, but before the case was
taken to the supreme court at Wash
ington. congress passed bill making
the bridge a post road, and thus de-
feated the steamboat and st. Louis
people.
'"T. D. Lincoln. who was referred to,
died in 1890. The Cincinnati papers
gave the following sketch of his life:
He was great admiralty lawyer, and
a famous real estate lawyer, and in the
preparation and handling of great pat
ent cases he was the peer of many
specialists. In the early part of his
career he was q partner OF Judge
Charles Fox. His death removes one
of the strongest lawyers Ohio has ever
produced. Mir. Lincoln had the most
complete law library in the country.
His estate is estimated at million. 1t
was certainly all acquired by honest
hard wark in his profession
STRENGTH IN A TRIAL.
During the war the president,
through Mr.. Mellen, agent OF the treas
ury department favored T. d. Lincoln'S
employment as counsel in a large num-
Der of cotton condemnation cases, in
which enormous fees were paid by the
government Knowing Mr.. Lincoln's
admiration for his graf nameSake, l
urged him more than once to give his
opinion as to Abraham Lincoln's legal
ability. He told me he was the strong
est man he ever met in a trial; that the
ability he displayed in the bridge cases
at Chicago was really above the re-
quirementS Of the controversy. and that
opinion was expressed of him by the
prominent lawyers of Chicago, and the
Judge who heard the case. After re-
moving TO Wichita, 1 again urged Mr..
Lincoln by letter to write something
for publication on the subject In
letter received from him in 1893 he said
he was always timid about appearing
in the literary field and l must excuse
him.
Hon. David Davis of the United
States supreme court, who for over
twenty years was the companion OF
Abraham Lincoln in the practice OF
law. said that in all the elements which
constitute great lawyer. he mad Few
equals. / have met no more faithful
picture that that given by Emerson:
He was thorough American; had never
crossed the sea: had never been spoiled
ny EnSllsH inSufGfIlt VI ASA.~i- N-SSA-
patton: a quiet, native, aboriginal man,
as an acorn from an oak; no aping for
eigners. no frivolous accomplishments
Kentucky born: working or q farm, a
ffat-boatman, n country lawyer; on
such modest foundations, the broad
structure of his fame was laid; how
slowly and Yet by happily prepared
steps he came to his place
1T has been said nobody but Lincoln
rharnrrSrhiE Ii u.
IL is generally believed he was the most
ir,dus,rfo,;s and successful politician os