The herald. [microfilm reel] (Los Angeles [Calif.]) 1893-1900, 1895-06-23
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 BIO announced
Late the next day be authorized us, if We
thought proper to do SO, to place him in
the field" To the question from Mr.
Grimshaw whether, il 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 namo
having been used for the office of presi-
dent he would not permit it to be used for
any 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 a lecture there and asked my
advice and that of other friends as to the
subject and character of his address. We
all recommended speech on the political
situation. Remembering his poor success
as 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 H.
brary and dug deeply into political his
tory. He was painstaking and thorough
IL. IL
last he left for New York we had many
misgivings-and he not a 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 we'll 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
lawyers brief, it was logical, temperate in
tone, powerful, irresistibly driving con-
vction home to mems reasons and their
souls. No former effort in the line of
speeohmaking had cost Lincoln SO much
time and thought as this one. 1t is said
by one of his biographies that those after
ward engaged in getting out the speech as
campaign document were three weeks
in verifying the statements and finding
the historical records referred to and con-
suited by him.
The day following the Cooper institute
meeting the leading New York dailies
published the speech in full and made IA
vorable editorial mention of it and of the
speaker as well. 1t was plain now that
Lincoln had captured the metropolis
From New York he travelled to New Eng
land to visit his son Robert, who was at
tending college. In answer to the many
calls and invitations which showered on
him he spoke at various places in Con-
necticut, 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 candor and
wonderful interest For the first b. lf hour
his opponents would agree with every
word he uttered, and from that point he
would lead them off 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
agreeable, and yet he wins your attention
from the start. He INDUCES in no flowers
of rhetoric, no eloquent passages. He dis
plays more shrewdness, more knowledge
of the masses of mankind than any public
speaker we have heard since Long Jim
Wilson left for California
As Politician.
Linooin's return TO Springfield after his
dazzling success in the east was the signal