Mower County transcript., 1895-07-24
SKETCHES OF LINCOLN.
Congressional Aspirations and
Their Fulfllment. =

-F,sese
Their Ful6llment. :
UNIQUE AND AMUSING INCIDENTS.
Brief Partnership With Stephen T. Logan
Precedes the More Lasting One With
William H. Herndon-Political Defeat.
Elected to Congress-.
(From "The Life Of Lincoln" by William II.
Herndon and Jesse W. Weik. Copyright, 1883,
by Jesse W. Weik. Copyright, 1892, by D. APP
pleton s. Co.
After April ii, 1S41, when Lincoln
retired from the partnership with Stu
art, who had gone to congress, he had
been associated with Stephen T. Logan,
q man who had, as he deserved, the
reputation of being the best nisi prius
lawyer in the state. Judge Logan was
a very orderly but somewhat technical
lawyer:
In 1913 Logan and Lincoln both had
their eyes set on the race for congress.
Logan's claim to the honor lay in his
age and the service he had rendered the
Whig party, while Lincoln, overflow
ing with ambition, lay great stress on
his legislative achievements and de-
manded it because he had been defeated
in the nominating conventions by both
Hardin and Baker in the order named.
That two such aspiring politicians, each
striving to obtain the same prize, should
not dwell harmoniously together in the
same office is not strange. Indeed we
may reasonably credit the story that
they considered themselves rivals, and
that numerous acrimonious passages
took place between them.
I was not surprised, therefore, one
morning to see Mr.. Lincoln come rush
ing up into my quarters and with more
or less agitation tell me he had deter.
mined to sever the partnership with
Logan. I confess I was surprised when
he invited me to become his partner. I
was young in the practice and was pain
fully aware Of my want of ability and
experience, but when he remarked in
bis earnest, honest way, BILLY, can
trust you if you can trust me-" I felt
relieved and accepted the generous pro-
posal. In after years, when he became
more prominent and our practice grew
to respectable proportions, other ambi-
tious practitioners undertook to sup
plant me in the partnership. One of the
latter, more jealous than wise, charged
that was in certain way weakening
the influence of the firm. am f1attered
to know that Lincoln turned on this last
named individual with the retort: II
know my own business, reckon. know
Billy Herndon better than anybody, and
even if what you say of him is true I
intend to stick by him.
A Dangerous Rival.
sional nomination in 1643 brought out
several unique and amusing incidents.
BE and Edward D. Baker were the two
aspirants from Sangamon county, but
Bakers long residence, extensive ac-
quaintance and general popularity were
obstacles Lincoln could not overcome
Accordingly, at the last moment, Lin
field In letter to his friend Speed,
dated March "a, 1843, he describes the
situation as follows: 1--WE, had meet
ing of the Wings of tho county here on
last Monday to appoint delegates to Z
district convention, and Baker beat me
and got the delegation instructed to &C
for him. The meeting, in spite Of my
attempt to decline it, appointed ne one
Of the delegates, SO that in getting Baker
the nomination I shall be fixed good
deal like fellow who is made grooms
man to q MAN that has cut Lin out and
is marrying lis own dear gal." Only q
few days before this he had written q
friend ancut the congressional matter
''Now, if you should hear any ono s2y
that Lincoln Cont want to 60 to con
gress, wish you, as u personal FRIEND
Of mine, would tell him you have rea
son to believe he is mistaken. The truth
is would like to 90 very much. Still
circumstances may happen which may
prevent my being a candidate. II there
are any who be my friends in such a;
enterprise, what now want is that they
shall not throw me away just yet" II
another friend in the adjoining county
of Menard, a few days after the meeting
If the Wings in Sangamon, he explains
how Baker defeated him.
Accused of Being an Aristoc-at.
The entire absence of any feeling o.
bitterness, or what the politicians cal
revenge, is tho most striking feature O.
tho letter. 1T is truly gra1ifying," h
Gays, 'to me to learn that while tI1t
people Of Sangamon have cast me- off my
old friends OF Menard, who have knowl
me longest and best, stick to me. :!
would astonish if not amuse the olde:
citizens to learn that l, a strange, friend
less, uneducated, pcnniless boy, work
ing on a hatboat at $40 per month, have
been put down here as the candidate O.
pride, wealth and aristocratic family
distinction. Yet SO, chiefly, it, was
There was, too, the strangest co1nbina
tion of church influence against me
Baker is q Campbellite, and therefore
as I suppose, with few exceptions, go
all that church. NV wife has some rela