Los Angeles herald., 1905-02-12

~ = t'.4+ 4
formed, is made by boiling down the
shadow of Il starved pigeon
This was only one among the num-
erous wltticisms with which his great
speech was interlarded. The closing
portion of it, however, was full of
pathos and patriotic sentiment, stirring
the hearts of his hearers to such a
degree that many eyes became moist
ened with tears that could not be re-
strained
Once while l was journeying by
steamboat down the Illinois river the
boat landed at Beardstown and re-
mained there an hour or more. From
the boats deck l discerned the tall,
gaunt form of "Old Abe" as he stood
on the levee watching the steamers
crew as they were Juggling freight on
board, working like galley slaves and
being literally cursed by the brutal
mate. Going ashore | enjoyed pleas
ant chat with the future war president.
who was in Beardstown looking after
some law business and had walked
down to the river simply to see. the
steamer and her people.
[ remember specially one phase of
his talk on that occasion. 1t related
to the boats crew. He freely eX-
pressed his disgust at the tyranny of
the mate and his tender sympathy for
the white slaves whose lives, appar-
entity we're devoid of all enjoyment
save that which pertains to the mere
animal Those expressions showed the
humanitarian instinct of the man and
were an index to that great, warm
brave heart which subsequently won
for him the title of THE Great Eman-
cipatoI."
| attended the Republican convention
in the wigwam at Chicago in May,
1860 and heard the deafenng ap-
plause that shook the building when
"Old Abe" was declared nominated.
One of his quaint sayings he had given
out to a friend a few days prior to
the opening of that convention. A
Springfield friend who met him on the
street inquired If he was going to at
tend the convention Old Abe's re-
sponse was, 'Well, 1 hardly know
whether to go or not. reckon L am
too much of "A candidate to be in the
convention, and not enough of can
didate to stay away from it,"
But when the time came to decide.
he stayed away-and no doubt wisely.
During the campaign that followed
met Lincoln once only. 1t was in the
! United States court at Springfield
where he had a motion pending. He
was calm, cool and apparently un-
conscious that the eyes of the nation
were upon him.
Honest Abe's Word
| once heard remarkable state
ment from the lips Of Judge Howe, a
prominent iurist of Illinois, who was
doing some campaign speaking there
in behalf of Lincon's nomination fol
the presidency. These were the judges
words:
"Fellow citizens, so well is it knowr
in and about Springfield that the title
Honest Abe is but another name fol
| Abraham llncOln lnal were ne " eA'
ecute a promissory note payable at g
specified time to a specified person, II
is my candid opinion that such note
would be legally binding and collect
ibe"
1t was in the fall of 1854 or 1855, an
not quite positive as to the date, wher
a great public exhibition was in prog
ress at Springfield, and the city con
tanned a large percentage of visitors
Lincoln and Douglas were there, anC
\ the respective friends of those popular
men arranged to have a speech from
each of them The meetings were hel'
IN the day time, so that farmers nigh
conveniently attend. The place selected
was Representative hall. i'm the ole
state house. 1t was before the old anti
slavery element in the Whig and Demo
cratic parties had crystallIzed into tn
Republican party. Lincoln was still |
staunch Whig of the Henry Cla.
school. The country was intensely in
terested I'm the slavery question, II
consequence Of the repeal of the Mis-