The Guthrie daily leader. [volume] (Guthrie, Okla.) 1893-1996, 1905-12-23
Lincoln, The Lawyer
Evening by JeJ Dunn A


~ oarlched the century past with
their deeds. their achievements and their
ses. and conspcuousy prominent /
above them all will stand one born Of /
obscure and humble parents, whose am
csetry and lineage reach backward into
the boys where the sunlight Of research
is lost
Con those over who. since the begin
ming Of history. have stood high above
their fellows. like beacons showing the
pathway up which the human race has
struggled toward the light, and among
them none will glow with greater brill I
lance, or steadier than he who, as a /
child. was nurtured by Whnt, envi-
rored by Ignorance. and schooied by Ad- /
versity
Choose from history-sacred and pro- (
gathered from every Land and
cline the names Of those who have en-
deared themselve sto humanity by their
unswerving devotion 70 n great prin-
ciple, and none will be found more uni
vcrsally respected. more loved and re-
vered, than he who said; "The story Of
my life Is one Of the short and simple
annals q the poor
The United States was twenty years
old when he was born. Indiana was
yet a territory when his parents moved
there from Kentucky; and he grew to
manhood amid It's primitive wilds. The
conditions and surroundings fixed the
habits, occupations and lives Of the peo-
pie among whom he lived and in
measure shaped his own.
The woods were everywhere. and cab
ms grew IN the clearings lie helped to
make these elearings. to build these cab
ins. TO split the rails to fence the TILED
lands and p, ticipated fully in all the
toll and privation of that early day.
He was twenty-one when he moved TO
Illinois, and all Of hts boyhod years had
been spent in manuel labor, in field and
forest He was a stout. healthy boy
and his services were in demand. His
schooling, secured at odd iimes, was less
than year, all told: and the scope Of
his reading consisted Of the Bible Ae-
sops Fables. Robinson Crusoe Pilgrims
Progress. a history Of the United states,
and weem's Life Of Washington.
This was the extent OF the experience
and education of the tall. homely angu-
lar. rawboned. dark Skinned, unpre-
possessed youth who, in 1880, with his
little bundle Of clothes, left his fathers
cabin and challenged the world for a
name and a place.
And. mark you, he was without friends
who could help him; he had no money
or property; he nad no trade. no pro-
fesslon his scholastic attainments were
most meager, and his surroundings on
every hand were as poor as he. The
world and its ways presented an uneN-
piored wilderness.
A decade earlier. the now grand and
wealthy state OF Illinois was a territory.
n then contained no railroad or city; its
highways were trails; its settlements tain
and wide It's people pioneers in now
country, possessing nothing, and with all
in the future.
This, then was the field OF this mans
achievements. and the foregoing reches
his attainments and means. There was
little or nothing at home or abroad to
Induce him TO strive, no friendly hand
to lead him on. No, he stood alone,
and that he accomplished what he did,
Through his own unaided efforts, Is the
grandest commentary on American op-
portunities ever produced. 1t means
something-it teaches everything-to the
aspiring youth Of today. II tells him a
lesson he can grasp; it brings to him
a theme he can understand; Il makes
him now and realize She important
truth that high birth. lavish educational
opportunities. and wealth. are non essen
tials to greatness The poor boy can
know he Is not prescribed: that he too.
may aspire, take new nope and find that
hope justified. Ii teaches the grand
truth that success comes from within,
not from without, and
Whether the prize be a ribbon or
throne,
Tho winner Is ho who can so It alone "
What ala he do. what dd he accom-
plish 20 what heights did ne ascend?
Consider again his lcWly begi,ning and
he'ir the expressions OF mis- contempora-
ris:
Lawrence weldon: eHe was the leader
Of the Illinois bar"
Hugh McCulioch; "As a lawyer and
advocate he had no supcriors IN Illinois,
and few in the older states"
Leonard Sweatt; 1T was conceded
that he was the leader OF rie bar OF
Illinois,"
David Davis: In all the elements con-
suiuiing good lawyer, he had few
equals"
David r. Locke: rHe was the great
est man IA some RESPECTS that ever
lived"
Walt Whitman. "fIe seems 10 me the
grrIldost figure on an the crowded cin-
vas OF tho nineteenth century"
John b. Alley "He Is the grandest
figure looming up ia our history as a
nation. He wss far-seelng, sagacious.
calm. modest adm among the greatest,
wisesi and best that ever lived ia any
country"
Robert G Ingerson. "Iie had almost
absolute power, and never abused H. ex-
eept upon the side OF mercy Tie is the
gentiesf memory of the world"
Expressions Of this character could be
multpred without end. and. paradox
cal as Il may appear. they are speaking
Of tho young man who. at hts majority.
went into She world empty handed and
alone, possessing nothing but a sound
body, clear head, and an honest in
tent. whose story I am TO tell, under iho
title Of Lincoln, the Lawyer"
10 speek well, a lawyer requires an
issue. minister a text i am sermon
ixng today. so I have a text and li O.
ono chat has grown SO without rs treat-
ment that The primary question has been
not 50 much what 10 nut IN. as what
20 leave out
The earliest account OF his studying
law IS given By an old settler nea- hiH
home. al New Salem. who employed
Lincoln 20 chop wood He passed me
place and observed h-s l0nF-legged
shoch-headed LarefooieG employe
perched ou Top Of the wood pile with 8
hood ID hiH hand. III said: "What are