Five Mile Beach weekly journal., 1906-10-17
fCoNTINUED.1 ]

CONTINUED
About the year 1882 or 1888. MIR.
Lincoln made his first effort at public
speaking debating club, of which
James Rutledge was president, was
organized and held regular meetings.
As he arose to speak his tall form tow
cred above the little assembly. Both
hands were thrust down deep in the
pockets of his pantaloons. A percepti-
BILE smile at once lit up the faces of the
audience. for all anticipated the rela-
ton of some humorous story. But he
opened up the discussion in splendid
style, to the Infinite astonishment of
his friends As he warmed with his
subject his hands would forsake his
pockets and would enforce his ideas by
awkward gestures, but would very
soon seek their easy resting places
He pursued the question with reason
and argument so pithy and forcible
that all were amazed. The president at
his fireside after the meeting remarked
to his wife that there was more in
Abe's head than wit and fun; that he
was already fine speaker; that all he
lacked was culture to enable him to
reach the high destiny which he knew
was in store for him. From that time
Mr.. Rutledge took deeper interest In
him.
Yielded With Reluctance.
"Soon after Mr. Rutledge urged him
to announce himself ,as candidate for
the Legislature. This he at first de-
clned to do, ayerring that 1t was i'm
possible to be elected. 1t was suggest
ed that a canvass of the county would
bring him prominently before the peo.
pie and in time would do him good.
He reluctantly yielded to the solicita-
tions of his friends and made partial
canvass"
In those days political animosities
were fierce enough. but owing to the
absence of nominating conventions
party lines were not, as yet, very dis
tinctly drawn In Illinois Candidates
announced themselves. but usually 1t
was done after full consultation with
influential friends or persons of con-
siderable power In the neighborhood of
the candidates residence. There were
often secret combinations among a
number of candidates, securing II mr-
tual support, but in Mr.. Lincoln's case
there is no trace OF such an unue.-
standng. "
This 1892 was the year of General
Jackson's election. The Democrats stig-
matized their opponents as Federal
l.Ae 1att otn "
struggling to shuttle off the odious
name. For the present they called
themselves Democratic Republicans,
and it was not until 1888 or 1884 that
they formally took to themselves the
designation of Whig The Democrats
We're known better as Jackson men
than as Democrats and We're inexpress-
IDLY proud of either name.
Since 1926 every general election In
the state had resulted In Democratic
victory. The young men were mostly
Democrats, and the most promising tai
ents In the state were devoted to the
cause, which seemed destined to
achieve success wherever there was a
contest. In new country largely peo-
pied with adyenturers from older
states there were necessarily found
great numbers who would attach them
selves to the winning side merely be-
cause 1t was the winning side
It Is unnecessary 10 restate here the
prevailing questions in national poll
ties - Jackson's stupendous struggle
with the bank, hard money, no mo-
nopoly. internal Improvements, the tar
iff and nulliheation-or the personal
and political relations of the ehieftains,
Jackson Clay and Calhoun. Mr.. Lin
coin revealed in an address to tho
people of Sangamon county which of
those questions were of special interest
TO the people of illinois and conse-
quently which of them principally oc-
cupied his own attention.
The Democrats We're divided into
"whOle hog men" and nominal Jack
son men," the former being thoroughly
devoted TO the fortunes and principles
of their leader, while the latter were
willing to trim little for the sake of
popular support. i IS probable that
Mr. Lincoln might be fairly classed as
n nominal Jackson man." although
the precise character of some of the
Views he then held, or is supposed to
have held, on national questions is In
volved IN considerable doubt He had
not wholly forgotten Jones or Jones
teachings He still remembered his
high disputes with Offutt in the shanty
at Spring Creek, when he effectually
defended Jackson against the "abuse"
of his employer. He was not Whlg.
but "Whiggish," as Dennis Hanks ex-
presses it.
1t is not likely that man who de-
ferred so habitually to the popular sem
timent around him would have selected
the occasion of his settlement in new
place to go over bodily to a hopeless
political minority. At all events we
have at least three undisputed facts
10, xa1o hA