The Logan Republican. [volume] (Logan, Utah) 1902-1924, 1907-02-27
Lincoln S
Love Affairs
And His Early Expert
ences as a Lswmaker
BY WARD HILL LAMON,
Lincoln's Friend and Bodysuard
Lincoln's Friend and Rodyeuard

season, for the great measures or the
WhIg party. 1t was to his individual
exertion that the wings were Indebted
In no small degree for the complete
success of their favorite schemes at
this session.
1T was maxim with many politi-
clans Just to keep along even with the
humor of the people, right or wrong"
and this maxim Mr.. 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. 1t was
most decidedly their "humor'' to have
the capital Mt Springfield and to make
great man of the legislator who
should take 1t there. Mr.. Lincoln was
doubtless thoroughly convinced that
the popular view of all these matters
was the right one, but even If he had
been unhappily afflicted with indlyld-
ual 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 rivallng the
fame Of Clinton, and here also was
fine opportunity Of repeating in high
or strain and on a loftier stage the in
genlous 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.
"The internal Improvement bill" says
Mr.. Wilson Zone of the Long Nine'o
''and bill to permanently locate the
seat of the government OF the state
were the great measures of the session
of 1867. Vandalia was then the seat
of government and had been for a
number of years. A new statehouse
had Just been built. Alton. Decatur
Peoria. Jacksonville, Illlapols and
Springfield were. the points seeking the
location II removed from Vandalia
The delegation from Sangamon were II
unit, acting In concert in favor of the
permanent location at Springfield. The
bill was introduced at an early day In
the session TO locate by n joint vote of
both houses of the legislature. The
friends of the other points united to
defeat the bill, as each point thought
the postponement of the location to
some future period would give strength
to their location. The contest on this
bill was long and severe. Its enemies
laid 1t on the table twice, once on the
table to the 4th day of July and once
indefinitely postponed 1t. To take n
bill from the table Is always attended
with difficulty, but when laid on the
table TO n day beyond the session or
when indefinitely postponed 1t requires
vote of reconsideration. which al
ways Is an intense struggle. In these
dark hours, when our bill to all mp
pearances was beyond resuscltatlon
and all our opponents were jubllant
over our defeat and when friends
could see no hope, Mr.. Lincoln never
for one moment despalred, but, collect
Ing his colleagues to his room for con
sultation, his practical common sense
his thorough knowledge of human ma
ture, then made him an overmatch for
his compeers and for any man that
have ever known.
1--WE surmountcd all obstacles, pass
ed the bill and by joint vote of both
houses located the seat of government
Of the state of Illinois at Springfield
Just before the adjournment of the leg
islature, which took place on the 4th
day Of March, 1897. The delegation
acting during the whole session upon
all questions az unit gave them
strength and influence that enabled
them to carry through their measures
and give efficient aid TO their friends
The delegation was not only remarka-
bio for their numbers, but for their
length, most of them measuring six
feet and over 1t was said at the time
that that delegation measured fifty
four feet nigh. Hence they were
known as the Long Nine SO that
during that session and for a number
OF years atterward all the bad laws
passed at that session of the legisla-
ture were chargeable to the manage
ment and influence of the Long Nine
"He [Mr. Llncolnl was on the stump
and In the halls of the legislature a
ready debnter manifesting extraordl-
nary ability in his peculiar manner Of
presenting his subject He did not fol-
low the beaten track of other speakers
and thinkers. but appeared to compre-
bend the whole situation of the sub
1ect and take hold of Its principles. He
had remarkable faculty for concen-
tration, enabling him to present bis
subject In such manner rs nothing
but conclusions were presented"