The united opinion. [volume] (Bradford, Vt.) 1881-1970, 1895-07-26

crushed ner PROUD, WOndUly SplflJ. DIG
felt degraded in the eyes of the world
Love fled at the approach of revenge
Some writer--it is Junius, / believe-has
said that injuries may be forgiven and
forgotten, but insults admit of no COM
pensation; they degrade the mind in its
own self esteem and force it to recover its
vel by revenge. Whether Mrs. Lincoln
rsally was moved by the spirit of revenge
or not she acted along the lines of human
conduct She led her husband wild and
merry dance. Ii, in time, she became
soured at the world, 1t was not without
provocation, and if in later years she I'M
chained the bitterness of disappointed
and outraged nature it followed as logic
ally as an effect does the cause.
l have told this sad story as l know and
have learned it, In rehearsing the varied
scenes of the drama, have unearthed
few facts that seem half buried perhaps,
but they were not destined to lay buried
deep or long. The world will have the
truth as long as the name of Lincoln is re-
membered by mankind.
willing to Forget.
There were two things Mr.. Lincoln al
ways seemed willing to forget. One was
his unparliamentary escape with Joseph
Gillespie from the legislature by jumping
through the church window, in 1889, and
the other was the difficulty with James
Shields, or, as he expressed it in letter to
Speed, 1.-The duel with Shields. Other
incidents in his career he frequently called
up in conversation with friends, but in
after years he seldom if ever referred to
the affair with Shields. People in Illinois
did gradually forget or at least cease men
tion of it, but in more remote quarters
where Mr.. Lincoln was less extensively
known the thing, much to his regret,
kept rising to the surface. During visit
which made to the eastern states in 1858,
l was often asked for an account of the so
called duel, so often, in fact, that on my
return home told Mr.. Lincoln Of it. If
all the good things have ever done" he
said regretfully, "ars remembered as long
and we'll as my scrape With Shields, 1t is
plain l shall not soon be forgotten.
James Shields, gallant, hot headed
bachelor from Tyrone county, Ireland"
and man of inordinate vanity, had been
elected auditor of state. Encouraged
somewhat by the prominence the office
gave him, he at once assumed conspicu-
GUS position in the society of Springfield
He was extremely sensitive by nature, but
exposed himself to merciless ridicule by
attempting to establish his supremacy as
a beau among the ladies. Blind to his
own defects and very pronounced in sup
port of every act of the Democratic party,
he made himself the target for all the Bit
terness and ridicule of the day. 1t hap
pened that the financial resources of the
state, owing to the collapse of the great
internal improvement system, were ex-
ceedingly limited, and people were grow
ing restless under what they deemed ex-
cessive taxation. Tho state officers were
all Democrats and during the summer
they issued an order declining to receive
any more state bank notes or bills in pay
ment of taxes. This made the taxpayers
burdens greater than ever, as much of this
paper remained outstanding in the hands
of the people. The order met with oppo-
sition from every quarter, the Wings of
course losing no opportunity to make it as
odious as possible. 1t was perfectly nat
ural, therefore, that such an ardent Wing
as Lincoln should join in the popular de-
nunciation. Through the columns of the
Springfield Journal of which he had the
undisputed use, he determined to encour-
age the opposition by the use of his pen.
No object seemed to merit more ridicule
and caricature than the conspicuous figure
of the auditor of state. AT this time Lin
coin was enjoying stolen conferences I'M
der the hospitable roof of Mrs. Francis
with Mary Todd and her friend, Julia M.
Jayne. These two young ladies, to whom
he confided his purpose, encouraged 1t and
offered to lend their aid. Here he caught
the idea of puncturing Shields. The thing
took shape in an article published in The
Journal, purporting to have come from
poor widow, who with her pockets full of
state bank paper was still unable to OBJ
tain the coveted receipt for her taxes. 1t
was written by Lincoln and was headed,
"A Letter From the Lost Townships.
The "DueIing Business"
1t ridiculed Shields social professions
without mercy He threatened vengeance,
and soon another letter appeared in which
the widow offered to deprecate his wrath
by marrying him. To this one of the Ia
dies soon added poem rejoicing over the
proposed marriage.
Through General John ID. Whiteside'
Shields demanded of Editor Francis the
name of the author. The latter hunted up
Lincoln, who directed him to give his
name and say nothing about the ladies.
There was a vast amount of correspond
ence, challenge, and a meeting on the
west bank of the Mississippi followed, but
at the last minute friends effected recon-
ciliation. Then the seconds quarreled, all
the correspondence was published, and
both principals were laughed at as they
richly deserved.
The following letter from Lincoln to his
friend Speed furnishes the final outcome
of the "dueling business:
SPRINGFIELD, Oct. 8, 1872
DEAR SPEED-You have heard of my duel
with Shields, and ! have now to inform you
that the dueling business still RACES in this
city. Day before yesterday Shields challenged
Butler, who accepted, proposed fighting next
morning at sunrising in Bob Aliens meadow,
100 wards distance, with rifles. To this White
side, Shields second, said mo" because of the
law. Thus ended duel No. 2. Yesterday White
side chose to consider himself insulted by DR..
Merryman, SO sent him a kind of quasi chal-
lenee inviting him to meet him at the Plant
er's House in st. Louis on the next Friday 10
settle their difficulty. Merryman made me
his friend and sent Whiteside note inquiring
to know il he meant his note as challenge, and
II so that he would, according to law in such
case made and provided, prescribe the terms of
meeting Whitesidp returned for answer thas If
Merryman would meet him at the Planters
House as desired he would challenge him.
Merryman replied in note that he denied
Whiteside's right to dictate time and place, but
that he (Merryman) would waive the question
Of time and meet him at Louisiana, Mo. Upon
~ ,,rasantiny this note TO WhiteSide and stat