Decorah public opinion. (Decorah, Winneshiek County [Iowa]) 1895-1928, 1909-02-10


ally acquainted and associated with
Abraham Lincoln during his life
time, and especially during his ca
reer as a lawyer and politician, be-
fore he became President of the
United States, is Hon. Abraham
Jacobson, of Springfield township,
formerly state representative from
this county. In response to our re-
quest, Mr.. Jacobson has prepared
the following very interesting
sketch of his boyhood associations
with Mr.. Lincoln, whose name is on
the lips of every loyal American at
this time. We have no doubt that
it will be read with great pleasure:
Springfield, Illinois, the home of
Abraham Lincoln, was only small
town in 1852 when l came there to
attend school.
On my way to Springfield l came
to Chicago during the most inter-
esting portion of the political cam
paign between Gen. Scott and Frank
lin Pierce.
The first political speech l ever
heard was in Chicago delivered by
John Wentworth, best known by
the name of Long John" He was
prominent democrat
Just after my arrival in Spring
field the death of Henry Clay and
Daniel Webster were made known
through the newspapers and much
was said about these great men. In
this connection | have a dim recol-
lection of having heard the name of
Lincoln mentioned as an ardent
friend and admirer of Henry Clay
as the leader of the Whig party and
its political principles.
Being a boy only sixteen years Old
l took no particular interest in pub
| lie affairs and public men at this
time. l had all that | could we'll
attend to with my studies at school.
| The first recollection / have of
seeing Mr.. Lincoln was on the street
with two small boys, one on each
side, who appeared with difficulty
to keep pace with him. From that
time | saw and heard him at fairs
and conventions held at Springfield,
time and again.
The so-called illinois State Uni
yersity," the school that | attended.
was built and carried on by Luther
an people, with financial support
gathered from other congregations
in the east. The Lutheran congre-
cation in Springfield had at first ne
! church and used the court house for
their Sunday services.
AS an INDECENT student l was given
the position of janitor and usher.
for which services | received small
compensation. The custodian of the
court house soon gave me the care
of the court room, not only during
the time the court was in session,
but for concerts and other large
gatherings; there being at that time
no large hall in the city. Thus il
happened that I frequently heard
| Mr.. Lincoln address meetings and
plead at the bar.
The only personal transaction |
ever had with Mr.. Lincoln, was
when he called on me to light up
the court room for meeting to be
held about the colonization of Iii
IBERIA in Africa by free negroes
from the United States. This sub
Ject claimed much attention at thar
time among anti-slavery people OF
the north and Mr.. Lincoln was
much interested. BY the way, |
rang a large hand bell to call the
peCIle together. For this service
MIR. Lincoln gave me a paper dollar
no doubt shinplaster' of the
kind commonly called wild cat
money because it's home was some
where in the backwoods and NOT
easy to find. If | had kept that pa
per dollar till today it would have
been a valuable curiosity.
| can relate of two cases in court
where Mr.. Lincoln acted for the
defense.
The first was a young man, a
school teacher out in the country.
who had gotten in trouble with q
young woman, a pupil in his school
and was sued for large sum of
money. Though l heard most of
the testimony and the pleadings Of
the lawyers afterward, it was Mr..
| Lincoln's opening speech which
| more than all else made an in
| delible impression on my mind
He said that Judging from the ac-
cusation against his client, his case
| looked bad. in fact very bad, and
some people would say that no
honest lawyer ought to take such a
case or defend such c scamp. Nj.
Lincoln said he had never promised
to defend this man, or any other
man for doing that which was un-
lawful or wrong. He had never
promised to clear him IL proven
guilty of a crime. He wanted the
Judge. jury and all present to un-
derstand that he considered ii his
sworn duty, according to his pro-
fession. when called upon to see to
1t that justice was meted out to his
client.
Mr. Lincoln pointed out that there
is a wide difference between being
accused of crime and being proven
guilty of the same Even If the
accused should be proven guilty. the
law provides for a just and ade-
quate punishment and no more. He
said that we all know that IL the ac-
cused was given into the hands of
his adversaries the punishment
would be entirely too severe. With
this understanding he would not
hesitate, in the least, to enter into
a trial of this case.
After examining the witnesses,
Mr.. Lincoln in his pleading admit
ted that serious wrong bad been
nernetrated INT under eytenuatiro