The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1896-02-09
Copyright, 1895

his silk hat, Lincoln discovered a bullet
mark at the top of the crown. Misled by
It's night, the WOuld-be assassin had over
shot his mark. 1t is needless to say that
that
Lincoln once met with a mishap TO his
quorum hats In order to prevent a
quorum, he leaped from window and
crushed his tile beyond recognition. Had
Lincoln lived and been a member of the
Fifty-frst congress- Tom Reed would
have had no trouble in seeing and count
ing that monumental plug.
Judge Springer of Illinois told me that
Lincoln's hat was the most indispensa-
bic part of his whole outfit.
1t was, in fact a sort of file rack
said the judge. Here were all the briefs
or his various law cases. Curiously
enough, he carried the accounts in his
head, and that is why he lost so much
and kept his accounts in his hat and the
cases in his head he would have been
better off. His hat served for his sachel
on journey, and all that was needed be
sides this were his saddle-bags and his
horse.
Cartoonists and correspondents of news
papers, had good deal of sport out az
the noble tile. While Lincoln was one or
the long time" in the Illinois legisla-
ture, not only was he guyed about there
being so much of himself on the
ground" referring to the size of his feet
but he was also twitted about there be
ing so much of him towering above
ground. In the collection of Lincoln relics
in Washington | saw one of the cartoons
/ that were used in the early political
campaigns. One sketch sets forth the ad-
vantage of the high hat. Mr.. Lincoln is
represented as being concealed by his
admirers on his trip to Washington. The
artist pictures the friends encircling him,
and then portrays the towering somewhat
after the fashion of the present Wash
| ington monument.
Lincoln used to carry a good many ideas
under his hat which he would not always
nNrn IN mil eli nj
| these reveal the inner character of the
man. l learned the other day from the
Rev. Robert Collyer, pastor of the Uni
was practically a Unitarian, and was very
| fond of reading Charming and Parker 8
works. This accounts for his broad and
| liberal views, optimistic to the last de-
| gree.
Two incidents in his career were
| strangely prophetic. In a. speech deliv-
cred in Philadelphia in 1861 on Washing
| toms birthday, from notes carried as usual
in his silk tile, he pronounced this strik-
| ing passage: But If this country cannot
be saved without giving up the principle
/ that all men are created equal / would
rather be assassinated than surrender it,
| Again, in 1860, he was engaged on a
case involving the ownership of some land
on the Chicago river. During the preced-
| ing autumn he had been defeated by Doug
/ las in the canvass for the United Senate.
In order to have a little quiet fun at his
| expense, the opposing attorney, Mr.. Ar
mold, took occasion to remark:
- ~ "a - No pCth Siedl CildilBeS IN inns
i suit since its commencement Everything
/ is possible in. this life. For example il rs
| within the range of possibility that my
| learned friend, Abraham Lincoln may
| some time occupy the presidential chair -
| The remarks caused a good deal of fun
| at Lincoln's expense, and as he walked
away from court that evening he little
| dreamed that he was one day to occupy
a pinnacle in the nations history as high
as that of George Washington.
| Lincoln's hat was only typical of his
| character. He was generous and broad
| in all things. 1t is well-known fact that
he would invariably throw up his brief
when he had a bad case. He would only
| undertake suits that he believed to aim al
| justice. What he would have carried IN
| his trusty tile in the way of the recon
struction and regeneration of the south,
had he lived, can only be conjectured. But
| II is safe to surmise that the hat would
| have contained many a good scheme for
| the welfare of the country
Francis Leon Chrisman.