Warren sheaf. [volume] (Warren, Marshall County, Minn.) 1880-current, 1907-03-28
CHAPTER x.
Lincoln Removes to Springfield to Prac-


At the time Of the passage Of the act.
IN the winter Of 1869. Mr.. Lincoln
determined to follow the capital and
establish his own residence at Spring
held. The resolution was natural and
necessary. for he had been studying
law in all his intervals Of leisure and
wanted wider field than the Justices
court at New Salem to begin the prac-
ice. Henceforth Mr.. Lincoln might
serve In the legislature, attend to his
private business and live snugly at
nome. In addition to the state courts,
the circuit and district courts of the
United States sat here. The eminent
John Mclean Of Ohio was the Justice
OF the supreme court who sat In this
circuit with Judge Pope Of the district
court from 1889 to 1S49 and after that
with Judge Drummond. The first
terms Of these courts and the first ses-
sion Of the legislature at Springfield
were held in December, 1889. The
senate sat In one church and the house
In another.
Mr.. Lincoln got his license as an at
torney early in 1887 "and commenced
practice regularly as lawyer in the
town Of Springfield in March" Of that
year. His first case was that of Haw-
thorne versus Woodbridge, dismissed
at the cost Of the plaintiff, for whom
Mr.. Lincoln's name was entered. There
were then on the list Of attorneys at
the Springfield bar many names Of sub
sequent renown. Judge Stephen T.
Logan was on the bench of the circuit
court under the act Of 1885. Stephen
A. Douglas had made his appearance
as the public prosecutor at the March
term of 1886, and at the same term e.
D. Baker had been admitted to prac.
tice. Among the rest were John T..
Stuart, Cyrus Walker; S. H. Treat,
Jesse B. Thomas, George Forquer, Dan
Stone, Ninian w. Edwards, John ].
Hardin, Schuyler Strong, A. T. Bled-
soc and Josiah Lamborn.
BY this time Mr.. Lincoln enjoyed
considerable local fame as politician,
but none, Of course, as a lawyer. He
therefore needed partner and got one
in the person Of John T. Stuart, an
able and distinguished Wing, who had
relieved his poverty years before by
the timely loan Of books with which
80 study law and who had from the
first promoted his political fortunes
with zeal as disinterested as it was ef-
fective. The connection promised we'll
for Mr.. Lincoln and no doubt did we'll
during the short period Of its existence.
The courtroom was in Hoffman's row,
and the Office Of Stuart & Lincoln was
in the second story above the court
room. 1t was "little room" and gen.
orally "dirty one." It contained "a
small, dirty bed" on which Lincoln
lounged and slept, a buffalo robe,
chair and bench. Here the Junior
partner, when disengaged from the
cares Of politics and the legislature.
was to be found pretty much all the
time, "reading, distracted an1sloomy."
Springfield was a small village. con-
inhabitants. There were no pave
ments. The street crossings were
made Of "chunks." stones and sticks.
Lincoln boarded with Hon. William
Butler, a gentleman who possessed in
an eminent degree that mysterious
power which guides the deliberations
of party conventions and legislative
bodies to foregone conclusion. Lin
coin was very poor, worth nothing and
in debt, circumstances which are not
often alleged in behalf Of the modern
legislator, but Bill Butler was his
friend and took him in with little ref
erence to board bills and the settle
ment Of accounts. According to DR..
Jayne. he fed and clothed him for
years." and this signal service, render
ed at very critical time. Mr.. Lincoln
forgot wholly when he was in con-
gress and Butler wanted to be register
of the land office as well as when he
was president Of the United States and
opportunities Of repayment were null
titudinous. 1t is doubtless all true, but
the Inference Of personal ingratitude
on the part of Mr.. Lincoln will not
bear examination. It will be shown at
another place that Mr.. Lincoln regard
ed all public Offices within his gift as
sacred trust to be administered solely
for the people and as in no sense a
fund upon which he could draw for the
payment of private accounts. He new
er preferred his friends to his enemies,
but rather the reverse, as If fearful
that he might by bare possibility be
Influenced by some unworthy motive.
He was singularly cautious to avoid
the imputation of fidelity to his friends
at the expense Of his opponents.
In Coke's and Blackstone's time the
law was supposed to be "a jealous mis-
tress," but in Lincoln's time and at
Springfield she was anything but ex-
acting. Politicians courted her only
to make her favor the stepping stone
to success in other employments. Va
rious members Of that bar have left
great regulations to posterity, but none
of them were earned solely by the le-
Ultimate practice Of the law douglas
is remerahAsAa - 9 statesman. Baker