Rock Island Argus., 1905-08-10

read his noted utterance to the effect
that the people of the south thought
that slavery was right and should be
extended, while the people of the north
thought it was wrong and should be
restricted. This letter shows Lincoln S
wonderful diplomacy and his absolute
mastery of clear and beautiful English,
such as this ''unlettered backwoods-
man illustrated again in his speech
| at Gettysburg and many times in state
papers and in his personal correspond
ence.
Many pictures of Lincoln as a strug-
ling attorney, covering the circuit in
Illinois. are grouped here in their pro-
per position. 1t is interesting to hear
the comments of visitors upon these
pictures as compared with those taken
after Lincoln became president. Until
Lincoln was elected to the presidency
he wore no beard: his peculiar cast of
countenance was not Obscured by the
growth of whiskers which he wore at
Washington.
Say. Lincoln made a big mistake
when he turned out them whiskers,"
remarked an old soldier from Illinois,
who himself wore a billy-goat affair
underneath his chin. why, he was
heap purifier without a beard.
Reckon he was too busy to shave
after he got to be president" was the
explanation volunteered by another Wis
Eltor.
Gathered by Mrs. Palmer.
The entire collection was gathered
and installed by Mrs. Jessie Palmer
Weber, secretary of the State Historl-
cal society of Illinois. Mrs. Weber is
a daughter of the late Gen. John Nj.
Palmer, one of the IS full major-gener-
ais of volunteers which Illinois FUR
nished during the civil war, and sue
cessively governor of the state, Unlteu
States senator and nominee for pres
ident of the United States on the
Palmer-Buckner ticket of 1896. 1t was
Mrs. Weber's purpose to present his
torical view of Illinois from the begin
ming. and to this end the displays in
the Lincoln home are chiefly pictorial
and documentary. Mr.. Weber is par
ticularly proud of a series of portraits
of the governors of Illinois, including
not only those who bore the title OF
governor. but several most celebrated
individuals who nominally were gov
ernors of the territory embraced in the
present state of Illinois long before It
became even a territory. 1t may sur
prise some people to learn that Louis
XIV, king of France, was one OF the
governors of Illinois. Mrs. Weber has
placed the kings likeness first in the
row of governors, because Of the fact
that France was the first owner of the
territory embraced in the state. BY
the same token George Ill, king of
England, and familiar to the schoolboy
through his connection with our revo-
lutionaTy war, was another Illinoisan
governor, and his picture is placed i'll
the row, next to that of La Sale, who
was a more active governor than was
his ruler, Louis XIV Later, we find
that Patrick Henry, as governor or
Virginia, was also an Illinois chief eX-
ecutive, the prairie state having been
county of Virginia. Other COVER
nors not generally accredited to the
state were Gen. Arthur ST Clair, gov
ernor of the Northwest Territory, and
Gen. William Henry Harrison, COVER
nor of the territory of Indiana when
Illinois was one of the counties there
in; and, finally. We come to Ninian
Edwards, the first active governor of
the territory of Illinois, who served
from 1909 to 1918, when the territory
became a state and Shadrach Bond
was elected the first state governor.
Executive Commissioner Fred II.
Hand. of Cambridge, ILL.,, is in charge
of the building at Portland. The host
ess is Miss Mary l.. Berkey, who has
much experience in that capacity. The
building and all it's exhibits are open
free to all visitors. There is a cosy
rest pavilion adjoining the Lincoln
home. where weary exposition sight
seers may occupy comfortable chairs
and enjoy the beautiful scenery.
Ordinary household accidents have
no terrors when there's a bottle of DR..