The Lehi banner. [volume] (Lehi, Utah) 1891-1917, 1899-02-04

! X/lNE 4" lions ludl ever COu-
~TwnN> vulsed the world
M@W " and therefore pos
sessing all the
grandeur OF association that Is accord
cd to the most noted personages in his
tory. still he has never been. in any
public act OF his life, elevated above
the understandings and affections Of
the masses OF the people. Kind-hearted
and overlooking with sympathy by ma
ture, yet he was controlled by an hon
esty Of purpose that kept him unyield-
Ing where principle was concerned.
making him self-poised amid opposi-
ton, and perfectly self-reliant when
the hour OF action arrived, yet In small
as well as in great matters the inner
ent humor OF his mental composition
prevailed. II is easy, therefore. to
imagine. that II Mr.. Lincoln deemed It
necessary to appear as principal in
duel, he would naturally attract to
himself such surroundings as might
turn all the Intentions OF a tragedy in
to the realities OF farce. The year
1872 was one OF great political excite
ment In the state of Illinois. and con-
spicuous among the master spirits
were Mr.. Lincoln and Gen. Shields.
Both at the time were practlcing law
yers at the Springfield bar, both held
prominent official positions, and both
were accepted leaders in their respec-
tive parties. These gentlemen were
warm personal friends, though opposed
In politics. and differing as much in
their mental qualities as they did In
their personal appearance. Gen. Shields
being OF medium height, Mr.. Lincoln
OF unusual altitude.
What eventually brought about a
disagreement between these gentle
men. that made Gen. Shields feel II
necessary to send challenge to Mr..
Lincoln, was never certainly known.
When 1t is recollected, however that
these gentlemen, as party leaders fire.
quently came together on the stump"
II Is not difficult to imagine that Mr..
Lincoln may have got of one OF his
telling stories at the expense OF his
friend that might have been at the
moment construed into n personal af-
front. Whatever was the cause. II ia
certain that the cartel" was seriously
written and solemnly borne to Mr..
Lincoln by Gen. Whitesides. a gentle
man then holding a prominent place at
the bar aud an important command in
the Illinois militia.
Up to the time OF which we write
there he'd been but one duel fought
within the limits Of Illinois, and that
occurred In her territorial condition.
One OF the combatants was shot dead
on the field. and the survivor was in
stantly hanged to the limb OF neigh
boring tree by the friends OF the slain.
Such summary punishment made the
code OF honor" unpopular, and a pro-
vision was consequently engrafted up
on the state constitution rendering
principals and seconds engaged In a
duel ineligible for any political office.
This made affairs OF honor" impolitic
and Questionable. and all personal
difficulties were deemed honorably set
tied by a rough and tumble fight, or
by an appeal for justice to the good
sense OF the community.
In society, therefore. where dueling
had been for years morally and legally
offensive. II was not easy to find
friend" possessed OF the requisite
knowledge TO conduct such a proven
bially delicate affair; in fact, at this
time there was but one person in or
about Springfield who was supposed to
have the required experience, and the
reputation was founded upon vague
tradition rather than from any abso-
Lutte knowledge, The gentleman al
luded to as this expert was Or. Merry
man, a popular physician, distinguish
ed for his good nature, professional
skill and varied literary and scientific
attainments. In his youth he ran of
to sea- Trained In this rough school,
he naturally. in his maturer years. aft
err obtaining his diploma as surgeon.
accepted a professional position on
board OF South American priyateer.
The doctor was fond Of joke and not
indisposed. while attending to his bust
ness calls, to tighten the gloom OF the
sick room by detailing to his patients
his terrible experiences on the Span /
ish main," all OF which the honest "in-
land people" received with due awe
snd admiration. The doctor was also
known to have acted once as princl- !
pal In a duel. and to have been asso-
ciated with several in his capacity as I
surgeon, and he boasted in his pecul-
lar way, that he had killed a white
man, negro and an Indian by virtue
OF his diploma. He was. withal. a J.
good shot on the wing, a capital fencer
and conscientious believer in the
thirty-six articles of Galway
To this gentleman, his most intimate
personal friend, bearing the warlike
message put in his hand by Gen.
Whitesides. Mr.. Lincoln weLt for ad-
vice, expressing In advance his readS