Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1905-12-04
LINCOLN, THE LAWYER.
A New Phase Of Lincoln's Life Taken
Up by siosraphers.

UP by eiosraphers.
At first thought it would appear as
though every phase Of Abraham LIN
coins career had Deen fully discussed
by his biographers. We have read or
the first American as rail spltter,
as Illinois legislator, as president as
man, as martyr. Nearly twenty years
have elapsed since President Lincoln
private secretaries and friends. JOHN u.
Nicolay and Jonn Hay. began the serial
publication of their monumental Lie.
Since that date score Of standard
biographies have appeared. Lincoln
lana has been enriched by hundred
volumes. What can possibly be left
for the man in search of new bio
graphical material?
Strange as it may seem, one really
important part of Abraham Llncolns
life has been overlooked or so con-
densed by his biographer as to have
lost its significance and importance.
Lincoln the lawyer is comparatively
unknown. To be sure, the majority of
people remember that he won one case
by introducing an almanac to prove
that the moon did not rise on the night
in question until an hour or more after
the prosecuting witness had testified 1t
was light enough to see objects plainly,
and another by holding a disputed bit
of paper to the light and displaying the
water mark date to be several years
later than the handwriting which it
bore. These 'apochryphal anecdotes are
to be found in almost every biography.
n N In, &C,
twenty-three years of arduOus expert
ence as a country lawyer.
The lessons of those years played an
important part i'm Abraham Llncolns
after-life. Il am sure his training and
experience in the courts had much to
do with the development of those forces
of intellect and character which he
soon displayed on a broader ARENA"
once declared Joseph H. ChOate, while
President Mckinley thus paid Tribute
to the lessons of the law: The best
training he had for the presidency,
after all, was his twenty-three years
arGuOus experience as Il lawyer travel
lrg the circuit of the courts of his dis
trict and state. Here he met in
forensic conflict and frequently de-
foated some of the most powerful legal
minds Of the west. In the higher
courts he won still greater distinction
in the important cases coming to his
charge"
Here, then, is virtually a new field
for the biographer, with material ready
to the hand in musty court records. 1t
is field which has been entered by
Frederick Trever HILL a member of the
New York bar and the author of a
number of novels dealing with court
life. Mr.. Hill begins in the December
Century the publication of his biogra-
ply of Lincoln the Lawyer" Lin
Colniana is to be further enriched
Early in his first, article Mr.. Hill
takes occasion to diSprove that Lincoln
inherited his legal. taste and ability.
A weaver two blacksmiths, three
farmers and carpenter. those are the
callings represented by the presidents
forefathers for seven generations. Lit
tie leaning toward the law there. Mr..
Hill also takes occasion to deny that it
was reading the "RffEKisedl Statutes OF
Indiana" which fnttamed the lads
imagination and inspired him to become
a lawyer. While the Revised Sta
tutes" was undoubtedly the first legal
volume read, that its musry, dry-as-
dust pages could have fascinated an
out -of-doors boy of seventeen, or i'm
bued him with any intense longing for
legal career Mr.. Fill believes to be
against all human probability. 1t was
while attending court sessions at Gen.
tryville, BOonville and New Salem, in
company with the other country people.
that the legal ambition was born in
Lincolns mind. Those were days of
picturesque chara cters and trials
Readers of pioneer Iowa history will
remember the famous case in which the
jury deliberated while seated upon a
log in the forest, it's session being in
terrupted by the defendant creeping
within earshot to see if the case was
going against him. That was no ex-
ceptional case in Lincoln's day. Mr..
Hill recites that the first court house at
Springfield destined to be the capital of
Illinois. was erected at a cost of $3.50,
being built Of rough logs and consisting
of one room, 1.-The jury retiring to any
sequestered glade they fancied for their
deliberations" An instance is on rec
ord where the presiding Judge quelled
a disturbance in his court by descend
ing from the bench and thrashing the
nearest offenders to a standstill. Il
don't know what power the law gives
me to keep order in the court" he ad-
mitted, as he resumed his coat and
bench. but know very well the power
God Almighty gave me-" Another in
stance of the informality of officials