The united opinion. [volume] (Bradford, Vt.) 1881-1970, 1895-08-02

! Btu IllGj duu Wllll6 uc was III lOWn llo wa
accused of stealing jewsharp."
In the convention which was held short
! ly after at the town of Pekin neither Ba
ker nor Lincoln obtained the coveted hon
or, but John J. Hardin of Morgan, des
tined to lose his life at the head of an Hi
nois regiment in the Mexican war, was
nominated and in the following August
elected by good majority. Lincoln bore
his defeat manfully. He was no doubt
greatly disappointed, but by no means
soured. He conceived the strange notion
that the publicity given his SO called ar
istocratio family distinction" would cost
him the friendship of his handler constit-
uents-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 protested
"vehemently and with great emphasis
that he was anything but aristocratic 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 tempt
ing prize to be contended for in 1916.
Hardin and Baker both having been re-
quired to content themselves with single
term each, the struggle among Wing as
pirants narrowed down to Logan and Lin
coin. The latter's claim seemed to find
such favorable Judgment with the party
workers, and his popularity seemed so ap-
parent, that Logan soon realized his own
want of strength and abandoned the field
to his late law partner.
The convention which nominated Lin
coin met at Petersburg May l, 1916. Har-
din, who, in violation of what was then
regarded as precedent, had been seeking
the nomination, had courteously with
drawn. Logan, ambitious to secure the
honor next time for himself with appa
rent generosity presented Lincoln's name
tn the con vention, and, there being no
other candidate, he was chosen unani-
mously The reader need not be told who
the Democrats placed in the field against
him. 1t was Peter Cartwright, the famous
Methodist divine and circuit rider. An
energetic canvass of three months fol
lowed during which Lincoln kept his
forces we'll in hand He was active and
alert, speaking everywhere and abandon
ing his share of business in the law office
entirely. Cartwright had extensive family
connections all over the district, was al
most 20 years older than Lincoln and in
every respect dangerous antagonist. An
other thing which operated much to Lin
coins disadvantage was the report circu-
lated by Cartwright's friends with respect
to Lincoln's religious views He was
charged with the grave offense of infidel
ity, and sentiments which he was reported
tp wit fo ba in,
spiration of the Bible were given the cam
paign varnish and passed from hand to
hand. His sighting allusion expressed in
the address at the Presbyterian church be-
fore the Washington Temperance society
Feb. 2, four years before to the insincer-
ity of the Christian people was not forgot
ten. 1t, too, played it's part, but all these
circumstances were Of no avail.
Our laborious efforts met with a suitable
reward Lincoln was elected by major
ity of 1,511 in the district, larger vote
than Clay's two years before, which was
only 914.
On the 9th of December, the day before
the house organized, Lincoln wrote me a
letter about our fee in lawsuit and re-
ported the result Of the Wing caucus the
night before. On the 18th, he wrote |
again, Dear William-Your letter. adj
7ising me of the receipt of our fee in the
oank case, is just received, and don't ex-
1ect to hear another as good a piece of
news from Springfield while am away"
lie then directed me from the proceeds of
his fee to pay debt at the bank, and out
# the balance left to settle sundry dry
'oods and grocery bills. The modest tone
f the last paragraph is its most striking
eature. AS you are all so anxious for
ne to distinguish myself" he said, II
ave concluded to do so before long"
an. he writes: las to speechmaking, by
7ay of getting the hang of the house,
nade little speech two or three days ago
n postoffice question of no general in
crest. find speaking here and elsewhere
bout the same thing. was about as
adly scared, and no worse, as am when
speak in court. 1 expect to make one
within week or two in which hope to
ucceed well enough to wish you to see
t" Meanwhile, in recognition of the as
urances l had sent him from friends who
esired to approve his course by a re-elec-
ion he says 1T is very pleasant to me to
earn from you that there are some who
esire that l should be reelected. l most
earthly thank them for the kind partial
ty, and can say, as Mr.. Clay said of the
of Texas, that, personally, l
7ould not object to a reelection, al
hough l thought at the time, and still
hink, it would be quite as we'll for me to
eturn to the law at the end of a single
erm. made the declaration that would
OF be a candidate again, more from q
fish to deal fairly with others, to keep
eace among our friends, and to keep the
istrict from going to the enemy than for
ny cause personal to myself, so that if it
Mould happen that nobody else wishes to
3 elected l could not refuse the people
lie right of sending me again. But to en-
II myself as a competitor of others, or to
lthorize any one so to enter me, is what
~ word and honor Forbid
Chicago Speech July TO- 1858.
"My friend has said that I am a DOOR