The Topeka state journal., 1909-02-26
As "Uncle Joe" Saw Lincoln.

As "Uncle Joe'' Saw Lincoln.
Some of the most interesting remi-
niscences of Lincoln which the CEN
tennial has brought out come from
the pen of Speaker Cannon, says the
Literary Digest. Although Mr.. Can
non did not know Mr. Lincoln inti-
in the same judicial circuit where
Mr.. Lincoln had practiced many years.
Here he saw something of Lincoln,
and, what was next best, came to
know most of the future presidents s
intimate friends.
To let Mr.. Cannon tell his own
story, as he gives it in Leslie's
Weekly:
My first meeting with Mr.. Lincoln
was in June, 1860, when the Repub-
lican state convention was held at
Decatur to select delegates to the ma
tional convention. I lived at Tuscola,
drove across the prairies to Decatur
to attend the convention. The dis
tance was about forty miles, and we
travelled in a two-horse farm wagon.
When we drove into Decatur and
through the main street, one of our
party, man by the name of Van
deron. said, There's Abel" and call
ed out to a tall man on the sidewalk,
responded. with like familiarity.
"Howdy, Archi" A little later one of
our party wanted to send telegram,
and we went to the railroad station,
where the only telegraph Office in the
town was located. There we met Mr..
Lincoln, and Mr.. Vanderon expressed
surprise at seeing him, and asked If
he had come to the convention being
looked at his questioner or mo-
ment, and then, with a draw1, re-
piled. "I'm most too much of a can
didate to be here, and not enough of
one to stay away
The convention was held the next
day, in what was called wigwam,
though It would hardly be called that
now. It was an open space or lot be-
tween two buildings Posts made
from sap1ings had been set into the
ground at the open ends of the lot.
so as to form support for roof of
green boughs to serve as shade,
and rough boards were placed on
short lengths of logs to form the seats.
The two ends were open. The con-
vention was practically out of doors.
I went to the convention and was in
the crowd outside the line of supports
for the roof of boughs. Soon after
the convention was opened there was
a call from the platform to open
passage and let John Hanks and Dick
through, with two big wal
nut rails that had been split by Lin
coin and Hanks The crowd surged
ba ok to make a passageway for Hanks
and OgIesby, and they carried the
rails to the platform, where they were
placed. with cotton streamer bear
made by John Hanks and Abraham
Lincoln in 1890"
A little while later in the proceed
ings there was another announcement,
this time from outside, "Mr. Lincoln
is here" He had appeared on the out
skirts of the crowd, was instantly
recognized, and his presence an
nounced to those on the platform. The
70 hY-iY1 h fO hn LOT
form, but there was then no way of
getting through the dense crowd that
filled the whole place and surrounded
the platform. But strong and en-
and literally passed him hand over
hand to the platform. while everybody
cheered and demanded speech.
When he reached the platform. Mr.
Lincoln smiled and bowed, but re-
fused to make a speech and take up
the time of the convention. He was
asked if he had split the rails that
had been brought into the convention.
and he replied, "John Hanks says
split those rails. I don't know wheth-
ar we did or not, but we have made
many a better one"
Their Next Meeting.
Mr.. Cannon's next meeting with |
Mr.. Lincoln was after he had been |
made president.
1 was on the train going from Tus- |
cola to Mattoon, and met Mr.. Lincoln, |
who was also on the train, going to |
Charleston to pay last visit to his |
stepmother, who lived at Pennington, |
4 few miles from that place. He was, |
IF course, the most distinguished man |
On the train, and he was constantly |
surrounded by the other passengers, |
who desired to shake hands and have |
! word with him. But he was just |
1ne of the passengers in the day |
coach, in all his bearings. He had no |
body guard, and Senator Tom Mar |
= nfxr We iS w
travelling companion. I was again in
.roduced. but exchanged only a few |
words with him, because all were |
anxious to meet him. That was the /
asst time I saw Lincoln. I was not in |
at any time during his |
administration. I have. like all Illi-
aois people who met Mr.. Lincoln, felt |
hat 1 knew him well. I became the
intimate friend of many who were
with Mr.. Lincoln, and from
hem I no doubt absorbed much of
his feeling that 1 knew the man al
most intimately.
The reputation of Mr.. Lincoln as a