The herald. [microfilm reel] (Los Angeles [Calif.]) 1893-1900, 1895-04-21
SWITCHES From THE LIFE OF LIN colin


him twice in succession, caused no dim
mutton in the admiration and pride his
men felt in their captains muscle and
prowess. They declared that unfair advan-
tage had been taken of their champion,
that Thompson had been guilty of foul
tactics, and that, in the language of the
sporting arena, it was 'dog fall" Lin
coins magnanimous action, however, in
according his opponent credit for fair deal
ing in the face of the widespread and
adverse criticism that prevailed, only
strengthened him in the esteem of all.
The term for which the volunteers had
enlisted had now expired, and the major
ity, firing of the service the novelty Of
which had worn off, and longing for the
comforts and good cheer Of their homes,
refused either to re-enlist or renderfurther
service They turned their faces home
ward, each with his appetite for military
glory we'll satiated. But the war was not
over, and the mighty Black Hawk was
still east of the Mississippi. A few re-
manned and re-enlisted. Among them
was Lincoln. This time, eschewing the
responsibility of captaincy and to avoid
the possible embarrassment of dragging
about camp wooden sword, he entered
the company of Elijah Hes as dignifed
private
1t has pleased some Of Mr.. Lincoln's
biographers to attribute this re.enlistment
to pure patriotism on his part and con-
scientious desire to serve his country.
From the standpoint of sentiment that Is
a comfortable view to take of 1t, but I
have strong reason to believe that Mr..
Lincoln never entertained such serious no.
tions of the campaign. In fact, may say
that my information comes from the best
authority to be had in the matter-the SOL
der himself. Mr.. Lincoln had no home
He had cut loose from his parents, from
| the Hankses and the Johnstons; he left
behind him no anxious wife and children,
and no chair before q warm flreside re-
manned vacant for him. II was out of
work." he said to me oSice, land there be-
ing no danger of more fighting could do
nothing better than enlist again"
Return to New Salem.
After his discharge from this last and
brief period of service, along with the re-
mainder of the Sangamon county soldiers,
he departed from the scenes of recent hos
tilities for New Salem again. His soldier
days had ended, and he returned now to
enter upon far different career. How
ever much in later years he may have pre-
tended to ridicule the disasters of the
Black Hawk war or the part he took in
it, yet believe he was rather proud of it,
after all. When congress, along in the
| fifties, granted him land warrant, he
was greatly pleased. He located it on
some land in Iowa and declared to me
one day that he would die seized of that
land, and although the tract never yielded
him anything he never SO far as my
knowledge extends, parted with its own
ership.
The return of the Black Hawk warriors
| to New Salem occurred in the month Of
| August but q short time before the gen.
| eral election. A new legislature was to
be chosen, and as Lincoln had declared to
his comrades in the army he would, and
| in obedience to the ELUSIVE declaration of
principles which he had issued over his
signature in March, before he went to the
war, he presented himself to the people of
his newly adopted county as a candidate
for the legislature.
The handful or circular alluded to an
nouncing his candidacy was a sort of lit
erary illumination, but on account of it's
length deem it unnecessary to insert it
here.
On the Stump.
The election being near at hand, only a
! few days remained for his canvass. One
who was with him at the time, describing
| his appearance, says: HE wore a mixed
| jeans coat, claw hammer style, short in the
| sleeves and bobtail-in fact, 1T was so
short in the tail he could not sit on it
flax and tow linen pantaloons and straw
| hat / think he wore vest, but do not
| remember how it looked. He wore pot
| metal boots" His maiden effort on the
| stump was speech on the occasion of
| at vii
miles west of Springfield. After the sale
was over and speeohmaking had begl
fight--a general fight" as one of the
bystanders relates-ensued, and Lincoln,
noticing one of his friends about to sue
| cumb to the energetic attack of an infuri-
ated ruffian, interposed to prevent it, He
did so most effectually. Hastily descend
ing from the rude platform, he edged his
] way through the crowd, and seizing the
| bully by the neck and seat of his trousers
| threw him by means of his strength and
long arms, as one witness stoutly insists,
"12 feet away" Returning to the stand
and throwing aside his hat he inaugurated
his campaign with the following brief but
| juicy declaration:
| Fellow citizens presume you all
know who am. I am humble Abraham
| Lincoln. I have been solicited by many
friends to become q candidate for the leg
islature. My politics are short and sweet,
like the old woman's dance. am in favor
| of national bank. I am in favor of the
internal improvement system and high
| protective tariff. These are my sentiments
and political principles. If elected, shall
be thankful; If not, it will be all the
| same.'
Home Endorsement.
The election, as he had predicted, re-
| suited in his defeat-the only defeat, as he
| himself afterward stated, that he ever suf-
| fered at the hands of the people. But there
was little defeat in it, after all. Out of
| the eight unsuccessful candidates he stood
| third from the head of the list, receiving
! 657 votes. Five others received less. The
| most gratifying feature of it all was the
| hearty support of his neighbors at New Sa-
| lem. OF the entire 20S votes in the pre-
| cinct be received every one save three.
1t may not be amiss to explain the cause
| Of this remarkable Endorsement of Lincoln
by the voters in New Salem. 1t arose
chiefly from his advocacy Of the improve
| ment of the Sangamon river. He proposed
| the digging of canal few miles east Of
the point where the Sangamon enters the
Illinois river, thereby giving the former