The Fairmont West Virginian. (Fairmont, W. Va.) 1904-1914, 1905-02-15
W'|I'I'HIE;.NlsLIN'iC,OlLN
(. FACED douglas
story Told BY a Man Who Was "a
friend enc Of Lincoln Before the Lat. a
ter's Joint Debates With Ste.
phven Dousl q
An Impressive Scene When Lincoln
Arese s &: Il Douglas Meeting ii Il
Response 70 the Shout, ;c' the Y! h,
Audience. 5y5 n

Audience. VI y
HVASHINGT ON, Feb. I'm the
early tlfties Judge Lawrence Weldon.
now q member OF the United States
Court Of clf.ms. was a you il MAJ, man
studying law In the ONCE Of B. h.
Harrison, afterwards Judge Harrison,
OF Columbus, and "a famous member
OF the Ohio bar. al cewsi years later
Weldon moved to the West, to 3Illi.
nois, and began tho practice VI Of his
profession. He was filed with ali
the enthusiasm which belongs BY
right to q man OF lineage he then2,w,aais,
and threw himself with all his heart
intosnot only his profession, but TIE III,
public questions Of the day. Stephen
a; = Douglas was then a member 81
the United States Senate and a he i
lending man in the Democratic par.
.ty,s The Republican party had not
yet been born n. II
Weldon became q Democrat and d
friend and intimate gof the z Illinois
leader. Abraham Lincoln had not
yet appeared as a leading figure upon,
the stage of public life. although he he
was recognized Sas a. young man q.
promise, ssure5to be heard from ID the
future. ~ year Or two after moving
to Illinois Judge Weldon, met MI
Lincoln for5the first time. The 3ques.
tion Of slavery was then coming Sto
the front, and was being discussed IN IN
every part i Of the country. Lincoln.
had become one Of 1.-THE, chief n OBJ opp !!
nents Of It's extension: The meeting
was at the trial Of q lawsuit In which
both Lincoln and Douglas were en-.
gagged. l3 n st5;8
introduced BY Douglas. IL; Il
" MI. Douglas was at his room room 3 X
the hotel surrounded By friends friend !.
among whom was Mi, Weldon. when Vi len
Lincoln came into the room room Il W A ,t
yancing to meet the latter Douglas lliu,
took young Weldon with him and said a.
1Mr. Lincoln here is a young man mar. j j
want you to meet. He Ia one az ny
close friends,"' From that time the
relations between Weldon and LIN
coin became close, and Weldon. short rs,r,a
" afterwards Joined with the / new new
Republican party. and became, among MOI, Z,
the most earnest Of the men opposed opposed
to the extension Of the institution sot
slavery. Judge Weldon lis one 81 tho tho
few men now living who knew Mr..
Lincoln intimately in those, early and al d
formative days Of his career care r. and he
is, there fore, qualified to speak$of hin
as but one or two in ali tho country r,uI
can. y!t n y II. \ i}sssS53ii
Among the many interesting B aid
delightful incidents which he i: relates
none tells in better way the char .,iir
acter. Of Mr. Lincoln. nor better: shows
his wonderful power Of sc,f.c.ocSntrol
than that surrounding a political
meeting held at Clinton, Ill, ii 1883!
This story Judge Weldon related ia; sto
Mr.. D q * K. Watson, member 81 the
United States Codifying Commission! |
and Judge Watson has incorporated
it7in his powerful address upon ,lj II In in.
coin the lawyer. II, r: s 5.5,;s
pouslas' Great Speech.
In 1858 Nj. Lincoln challenEed l
Judge Douglas TO q series III debates
upon the political issuesas 81 the 8day.
Judge Weldon says that on the, DEC ssc.l II
nd day after Nj Lincoln; had iissuedt
lis challenge. and before ii had been |
leeepteds ~ Lincoln and he heard
DOUGLAS speak az the Clinton raeesl
g. which Judge Weldon ehasaeter.
zesS @ ethe greatest political speseat
e ever heard When Douglas fnish.t