The true northerner. [volume] (Paw Paw, Mich.) 1855-1920, 1895-08-02


less object. certainly shall not OBJ
ject That would be too pleasant CON-
pliment for me TO tread in tho dust.
And besides. il anything should happen
(which. however is not probability by
which Baker should be thrown out of
the fight. would be- ut liberty to &C
cept the nomination il could get IL.
do, however, feel myself bound not to
hinder him in any way from getting the
nomination. l should despise myself
were to attempt it. 4"
Bakers friends had used as an argu-
ment against Lincoln that he belonged
to a proud and aristocratio 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 ! do
not remember of but one who ever came
to see me. and while he was in town he
was accused OF stealing a 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 All 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 "aristocratic
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 aris-
tocratic and proud. why, Jim" he
said, Il 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 to
congress in August, 1914, than Lincoln
began to manifest longing for the
tempting prize to be contended for in
1916. Hardin and Baker both having
been required to content themselves with
a 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 his popularity
seemed so apparent, that Logan soon
realized his own want of strength and
abandoned the field to his late law part
ner.
The 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
ly 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 BIZ told who the Democrats placed
in the field against him. 1t was Peter
Cartwright, the famous Methodist di-
vine and circuit rider. An energetic cam
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 in the law Office entire
ly. Cartwright had extensive family
connections all over the district, was al
most % years older than Lincoln and in
every respect a dangerous antagonist.
Another thing which operated much to
Lincoln's disadvantage was the report
circulated by Cartwright's friends with
respect to Lincoln's religious views He
was charged with the grave offense of
infidelity, and sentiments which he was
reported to have expressed with refer
ence to the inspiration of the Bible were
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 years
before, to the insincerity of the Chris.
tian people was not forgotten. 1t, too,
played its part. but all these opposing
circumstances were of no avail. Our la
borious efforts met with q suitable re-
ward. Lincoln was elected by major
ity of /, 81 l in the district, larger vote
than Clay's two years before, which was
only Ola.
On the 9Th of December, the day be-
fore the house organized, Lincoln wrote
me letter about our fee in lawsuit
and reported the result of the Wing eau
Gus the night before. On the 18th he
wrote again, Dear WILMINGTON let
ter, advising me of the receipt of our
fee in the bank case, is just received,
and / don't expect to hear another as
good piece of news from Springfield
while am away" He then directed me
from the proceeds of this fee to pay
debt at the bank, and out of the balance
left to settle sundry dry goods and gro
Gerry bills The modest tone Of the last
paragraph is its most striking feature.
LAS you are all so anxious for me to
distinguish myself, he said, II have
concluded to do so before long" Jan. 8
he writes: "As to speechmaking, by
way of getting the hang of the house, I
made little speech two or three days
ago on postoffice question of no gen.