The Manchester journal. [volume] (Manchester, Vt.) 1861-current, 1908-02-20
CHAPTER H.
INCIDENTS In the Law Practice oi Mr..
inooln.

oi lit lHftfi Ftab7s "tNb w d
the srne day The names OF stephen Al
Douglas, s. II Treat, schuyler Strong
and two other gentlemen were placed
on the same roll The Little Giant
is always IN sight!
The first speech he delivered Ia the
supreme court Of The state was one
the IKE OF which VIII never be heard /
again and must have led the judges 10
doubt the sanity Of the new attorney |
We give II In the form in which II
seems TO be authenticated by Judge
Treat.
"A case being called for hearing in
the court. Mr. Lincoln stated that he
appeared for the appellant and was
ready to proceed with the argument
He then said. This Is the first case
have ever had IN this court, and have
therefore examined IL with great care /
As the court will perceive by looking
at the abstract OF the record, the only |
question In the case Is one OF author
Hy have not been able 10 find ans |
authority sustaining NY side Of the
case. but have found several cases
directly in point on the other side.
Will now give these cases and then
submit the case
The testimony OF all the lawyers, his
contemporaries and rivals Is In the
same direction. But Mr.. Llncoln's
love OF Justice and fair play" says
Mr.. Gillespie. "was his predominating
trait have often listened 10 him
when thought be would certainly
state his case out OF court II was not
IN his nature 10 assume or 10 attempt |
10 bolster up false position. He
would abandon his case first. He did
SO In the case OF Buckmaster for the
use OF Denham versus Beenes and Ar
thur in our supreme court, In which
happened TO be opposed to him
Another gentleman, less fastldious,
took Mr.. Lincolns place aud gained
the case"
In the Patterson trial--a case OF
murder which attained some celebrity |
lin Champaign county, Ficklin and
Lamon prosecuted and Lincoln and
SWEET defended After hearing the
testimony MI iinevfu -.
morally paralyzed and said SWEET
the man is guilty, You defend him'
| can't" They got fee OF nye nun
dred or d thousand dollars, OF when
Mr.. Lincoln declined TO take cent on
the ground that It justly belonged to
Swett, whose ardor, courage and elo'
ouenee had saved the guilty man from
! justice Il
II was probably his deep sense of
natural Justice, his irresistible propeh'
slty to get at the equities of the matter
{ In band. that made him so utterly I'M
/ patient to all arbitrary or technical
/ rulcs OF these he knew very little,
/ less than an average student OF SIX
months. Hence" says Judge. Davis,
IA child could make use OF the simple
and technical rules, the means ana
mode OF getting at justice. better thah
4 Lincoln could" "In this respect, says
Mr.. Herndon, 81 really think he was
very deficient
When Lincoln Rode the Circuit.
sangamon county was originally In
4 the First judicial circuit. but under the
constitution Of 1913 and sundry
changes In the judiciary acts 1t became
the Eighth circuit II was In loie
that Judge Davis came on the bench
for the first time. The circuit was
very large one. containing fourteen
counties and comprising the central
nortion Of the state. Lincoln Travelled
All over it-tirst with Judge Treat and
then with Judge Dayis-twice every
wear and was thus absent from Spring
field and home nearly II not quite SIX
months out OF every twelve. In my
obinion." says Judge Davis, Lincoln
was as happy as he could be on TINS
circuit and happy IN no other place.
This was bis place OF enjoyment As
general rule, OF a Saturday evening"
when All the lawyers would 60 home
fthe Judge means those who were close
enough 10 get there and back by the
time their cases were calledl 10 see
their families and friends, Lincoln
would refuse 10 60
1T was on this circuit" we are told
by an authority equally high, that he
shone as nlsl prius lawyer II was
on this circuit Lincoln thought spoke
and acted. II was on this circuit that
the peopIe met. greeted and cheered
on the man. II was on this circuit that
he cracked his Jokes. told bis stories,
made his money and was happy as
nowhere ia the world beside" When
in 1857 sangamon county was cut on
from the Eighth circuit By the aci
creating the Eighteenth, "Mr. Lincoln
would stIll continue with Judge Davis
arst finishing his business IN sanga
mon"
on his return from one of these lone
iourneys be found that Mrs. Llncoif
bnd taken advantage of bis absence
and. with the conBiyance aud assist
anee OF bis nelglbor. Gourly, bae
placed second story and new ROOT
on his house Approaching Il for tb'
hrs, time after this rather siartlIn'
NNsruNNu anu FtNN9a'tHA A"A :" 'NN'f@
nize Il. he called 20 a man on ih'
street. stranger. can you tell m'
where Lincoln llyesf He used 70 liT'
here
when Mr. Lincoln first began Z
s.ride the circuir' be was too poor =
own horsencsh Or vehicle and was com
pellcd 10 borrow from Bis friends, Bu
IN due time be became the prcprleio
Of a horse. which be fed and erooine'
. himself and 70 which he was yer
much attached ca this animal D
z would SET out from hosnc. 10 be son
= for weeks together, with no basgaE
bot pair u saadietags. containing
~ change ~ llnen. and so old cotton un
brrlia 10 shelter him from sun or raii
% when he goi little more of iAi
=. worlds goods he set up one bors
] buggy. Tery sorry aud shabby looi