The Fairmont West Virginian. (Fairmont, W. Va.) 1904-1914, 1907-02-06
CONTINUED from Yesterday

event Is notable principally because
sfr. Douglas WAS nominated by d con.
vention and not by the old system Of
self announcement, which. under the
Influence OF eastern immigrants. like
himself. full of party zeal and attached
to the customs Of the places whence
they came. was gradually but surely
failing into dfsfavor. Mr.. Douglas
served only one session and then be.
came register OF the land office at
Springfield. The next year he was
nominated for congress IN the Peoria
district under the convention system.
md In the same year Colonel STEPHEN.
son was nominated for governor In the
same way. The Wings were soon com.
PEELED to adopt the device which they
saw marshaiing the Democrats In
state OF complete discipline while they
themselves were dIsorganlzed by host
Of volunteer candidates and the opera
lions of lnnumerable cllques and fac.
lions. At first ut was considered
Yankee contrivance." intended TO
abridse the liberties OF the people, but
tue Wing people" were MS fond Of
victory, Offices and power rs their en-.
entes were. and In due time they took
very kindly to this eTectunl means of
gaining them. a speech of Ebeuezer
Peck of Chicago before a great meet.
Ing of the lobby during the special ses-
Sion of iS:t3-36 ut Nanlalia." being
production OF special Ingenuity and
power. Is supposed to have contributed
largely to the introduction of the con-
Sentlon system into the middle and
southern parts Of the state. Mr.. Peck
was then II fervent Democrat, whom
the wings delighted 10 mallgH as u ca
madam monarchlSt, hut in after times
lie was the fast aud able friend OF
their great leader. Abraham Lincoln.
1t was when the counters OF western
Mnd offices We're piled high with ITu-
sorry bank notes iu exchange for pull,
lie lands and when It was believed that
The west was now at last about to
bound forward In career OF uncxam-
pied prosperity under the forcing proc
ess of public improvements by the
states. with the aid and countenance
OF the federal government. that Mr..
Lincoln went up to attend the first ses-
sion OF the new legislature at Van
dalia. He was big with projects. His
real public service was Just now about
to begin. In the previous legislature
he had been silent. observant. studlous.
He had improved the opportunity so
well that OF all men In this new body
Of equal age In the service he was the
smartest parliamentnrian and the cum
ningest clog roller.r lie was fully de-
termincd to Identify himself conspicu-
ously with the liberal" legislation in
contemplation and dreamed of a fame
very different from that which he ac-
tually obtained as an antislavery lead
er. 1t was about this time that he told
his friend Mr.. Speed that he aimed at
the great distinction of being called
1.-The Dc Witt Clinton OF Illinois"
Meetings with view to this sort OF
legislation had been held In all or near
ly all the counties In the state during
the preceding summer and fall. Hard
money, strict construction, no monop-
oily, antiprogresslve Democrats were in
u sad minority. In truth, there was
little division Of parties about. these
matters, which were deemed SO essen
tlal to the prosperity of a new state.
There was Mr.. Lincoln and there was
Mr.. Douglas In perfect unison as to
the grand object to be accomplished,
but mortally Jealous NJ to which should
take the lead in accomplishing 1t.
Mr.. Lincoln served on the committee
on finance and was most labOrlous
member. Instant In season ana out OF
season, for the great measures OF the
Wing party. 1t was to his Individual
exertion that the Wings were indebted
In no small degree for the complete
success OF their favortte schemes ut
this session.
1T was maxim with mahy poiitt.
clans Just to keep along even with the
humor OF the people, right or wrong"
and this maxim MIR. Lincoln held then
In very high estimation. But the "hu.
NOR" of his constituents was not only
Intensely favorable to the new scheme
OF internal improvements. It was
most decidedly their ''humor'' to awe
the capital ut Springfield and to make
n great man Of the legislator who
should take It there. Mr.. Lincoln was
doubtless thoroughly convinced that
SHe boI'utui view VI Hll luese IIHlItTS
was the right one, but even II he had
been unhappily afflicted with iudlvId.
uni scruples Of his own he would have
deemed 1t but simple duty to obey the
almost unanimous voice of his con.
stltuency. He thought he never could
serve them better than by giving them
just what they wanted and that to col
lect the will OF his people and register
1t by his own vote was the first and
leading obligation OF representative.
1t happened that on this occasion the
popular feeling fell In very pleasantly
with his young dream OF rivalIng the
fame of Clinton, aud here also was n
fine opportunity of repeating in n high
er strain and on loftIer stage the In
genious arguments which in the very
outset Of his career had proved so hard
for "Posey and Ewing" when he over
threw those worthless in the great de-
bate respecting the Improvement OF
the Sangamon river.
Wins Capital Removal.
.eThe internal Improvement bill" says