The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1896-08-23

The making and keeping OF money
was something which Abraham Lin
coins contemporaries always declared
he did not understand. His idea Of the
value of his service in the law was 50
modest as sometimes tc be ridiculous,
while his scale of expenditures was en-
conpaissed by the simple formula
spend no more than you earn.
In the day when he began the prac-
tice of law, fees in Illinois were natur-
ally much smaller than now, nor dc
they always come in cash. The Zee
book, of Stuart and Lincoln show more
than one entry Of merchandise. Nor
during the first fourteen years Of Lin
coins practice did his fees materially
INCREASE. In 1S47 he and his partner
had only about $1,000 entered on their
books. The largest fee they received
that year was one OF 500 $50 are not
rare, but there are more OF $50, more
still of $40, most of all OF 50, and even
a few OF So.
But Lincoln's fees were as a rule
smaller than his clients expected or
his fellow lawyers approved Of Mr.
Abraham Brokaw of Bloomington, III,
tells the following story illustrating
Lincoin's idea Of q proper fee: one OF
Mr. BrokaW's neighbors had borrowed
dDOuL |JUU LlOAll nm cAl4A SoANC-A liz
note. When it became due the man
refused to pay. Action was brought,
and the sheriff levied on the property
of the debtor and finally collected the
entire debt; but at about that time the
Sheriff was in need OF funds and used
the money collected. When Brokaw
demanded It from him he was unable
to pay it and was found TO be inSolVent-
Thereupon Brokaw employed Stephen
A Douglass to sue the sureties on The
official bond of the sheriff. Douglass
brought the suit and soon collected
the claim. But Douglass was at that
time in the midst of his campaign as
candidate for congress and the funds
were used by him with the expectation
of being able TO pay Brokaw later.
However, he neglected the matter and
went TO Washington without making
any settlement with Brokaw. Brokaw,
although a lifelong and ardent Demo-
Graf and a great admirer OF Douglas,
was a thrifty German ana did not pro-
pose to lose sight Of his money. After
fruitlessly demanding the money from
Douglas, BrokaW went TO David Davis,
then in general practice at Blooming
ton. told him the circumstances and
asked him to undertake the collection
of the money from Douglas. David
protested that he could not do 1t, that
Douglas was q personal friend and
brother lawyer and Democrat and it
would be very disagreeable for him to
have anything to 90 with the matter.
He finally said to Brokaw, You wait
until the next term of court and Lin
coin viii be there. He would like
nothing better than to have this claim
for collection. l viii introduce you to
him and l have no doubt he will under
take il" Shortly after, BrokaW was
presented to Lincoln. stated his case
and engaged his services. Lincoln
promptly wrote Douglas, still at Wash
inston that he had the claim for col
lection and that he must insist upon
prompt payment. Douglas, very indig-
nant, wrote directly to Brokaw that he
thought the placing Of the claim in Lin
coins hands gross outrage, that he and
Blol1aw were old friends and Demo-
Gratis and that Brokaw ought not to
place any such weapon in the hands Of
such an Aboiitionist opponent as Lin
coin ana il he could not wait until
Douglas returned he should at least
have placed the claim for collection in
the hands of a Democrat. Brolzaw's
thrift again controlled and he sent
Douglas letter TO Lincoln. Thereupon
Lincoln placed the claim in the hands
of Long" John Wentworth, then a
Democratic member Of congress from
Chicago. Wentworth called upon
which shortly after was made, and
Erokaw at last received his money.
And what 10 you suppose Lincoln
charged me?' Brokaw says, in telling
the story. After hearing a few guesses
he answers: HE charged me exactly
$3.50 for collecting the nearly $780,
Such charges were felt by the law
yers OF the eighth circuit, with some
reason, to be purely quiXotic. They
protested and argued, but Lincoln went
on serenely charging what he thought
his services worth. Ward Lamon, who
was one of Lincoln numerous circuit
partners, says that he and Lincoln fre-
quently fell out on the matter of fees
On one occasion Lamon was particu-
larry incensel. He had charged and
received good-sized fee for d case
which the two had tried together and
won. When Lamon offered Lincoln
his share he refused it. The fee was
too large, he said; part of it must be
refunded. and he would not accept a
cent until part of it had been re-
funded Judge Davis heard of this
transaction. He was himself a shrewd
money-maker, never hesitating TO take
all he could legally get, and he felt
natural disgust at the disinterested at
Jitude Of Lincoln. on money. Calling
Lincoln to him. the judge scolded
rouGdly. You are pauperizing this
court, Mr.. Lincoln. you are running
your fellows Unless you quit this RI
6iculous policy we shall all have to go
to farming" But not even the ire of
the bench moved Lincoln. He contin-
ned TO try cases and accept insignifi-
cant fees, even frequently to refuse
fees when his clients were needy.
Although so constantly engaged in
politics he used little money for cam
paign purposes, and frequently after
election returned to the donors. al
most the full amount he had received.
All Of his expenses had been provided
for in other ways. he would say. The
heaviest drafts upon him for politics
came in the years between 1856 and
1860, when he was engaged in fighting
Douglas and the repeal of the Mis-
souri, compromise. He was so active
in the campaigns. giving nearly all his
time and force to politics. that he
could not. Of course. attend closely to
his profession. The result was that he
was seriously cramped most of the
time. In November Of 1858. Just after
the close of the senatorial canvass
against Douglas, he wrote the chair
man OF the state Republican commit
tee, who evidently wanted to be help
ed OFT;
L am wiling to pay according to nv
ability; but l am the poorest hand liv-
ing to get others to pay. 1 have been
on expenses SO long without earning
anything thar I am absolutely without
monev now for eyea household pur-
poses. Still, if you can put in two hun
dred and fifty dollars for me toward
dischaTging the debt of the committee
I viii atlow it when you and I settle
the private matter between us This.
with what | have already paid. and
J,