The Winchester news., 1909-01-27

OF 1851! Inc people demanded tneSe
internal Improvements. elected their
representatives on that sort of plat
form, and in the legislature itself
there was practical unanimity in push
ing these bills. The purpose was good.
1t grew out Of the right spirit-that of
optimism and construction. The only
trouble was that the Illinois legislators
Of that early day were not high fnan-
ciers and had not learned how to water
stock. Lincoln never did know any
private. But he always belonged to
the constructive side and placed the
nation above self, and that is more
than most financial experts can boast.
In his last two legislatures lincoln
was the Whig candidate for speaker.
which made him the minority leader
of the house He was on important
committees and was regarded not only
as one of the most convincing debat-
ers of the body. but. better still. as one
of its most effective working members.
His service in congress did not begin
till 1S47. six years after he left the
legislature That it was so long de-
layed was not his fault He tried to
get in earlier, but there were too many
other able and ambitious men in his
district. AS a result three or four of
them had to take turn about" and
Lincoln's turn came last
If Abraham Lincoln had remained in
congress more than one term ne would
have become a leader, just as he hau
been in the legislature 1t requires
long service to gain prominence in
either house in Washington. Mr.. Lin
coin was much more to the front than
the average new member He gained
fame as a debater and wit, his
speeches were made campaign docu-
ments, he was soon known as the best
story teller in congress. and be was
winning his way in more solid and
substantial things Like most Of the
conscientious Wings Of his day, how
ever, he was not in full accord with
the Mexican war. Several great and
good American statesmen have COM
some of Uncle Sans wars. In this
very struggle Thomas Corwin, one of
the greatest stump orators in Ameri-
can history. prepared the oven for his
political cremation. Nor was he the
only one. Lincoln himself was forced
out of public life for practically ten
years. That he survived and was able
to re-enter at all showed his hold on
the people of illinois, His district.
which had been Whig, was changed
permanently to Democratic. We preach
and practice free speech in this coun-
tl.y-except in wartime. This is one
reason why the sooner war is ended
forever the better. Anything that pre-
vents liberty of thought and express
sion is false thing.
Lincoln's chief sin against the genius
Of the Mexican war was in the intro
Guction of what were known as the
spot" resolutions. The reason he
could not be forgiven for them was
that they could not be answered. They
rut the administration in a hole, a sit
N-ehbAOh al uO flhCS
to be. The Mexican war is a period in
cur national history concerning which
most patriotic students do not care to
lie too inQuisitive. generally try to
skip it myself-not the fighting. mean.
but the causes that led up to it. The
fighting was rather one sided. but was
glorious from our viewp int. But as
for the things that produced it-well.
why not talk about something else?
One of LincOlns most famous
speeches in congress was that in which
lie exploited General Cass as a mill
tary hero. 1t belonged to the order
Of campaign stump speeches, but was
coed of its kind The relation of cam
raign speeches to real oratorS is about
the same as that of campaign songs to
real poetry. In fact. the average cam
paign as it has been conducted is a
peculiar combination of mendacity. pet
tifogging and barroom wit This is its
public aspect. The inside part of it
would usually put somebody into the
penitentiary if it were public. Cheap
adulation of our candidate and cheap
abuse Of the other have been the rule.
Fortunately we are beginning to es-
cape from the crassest features of the
thing. In Lincoln's day they were at
their height. That was not his fault.
The tool Of campaign oratory he took
as be found it and used it effectually.
In this particular General Cass
speech Lincoln recounted his own ex-
ploits in the Black Hawk war. His
manner of handling the subject showed
a great and redeeming virtue-he did
not take himself too seriously.
To understand Mr.. Lincoln both in
this earlier part of his career and at
n later period it must be borne in mind
that in the best sense of the term he
was politician. This was true Of him
as Whig and later as Republican.
Nor should it be forgotten that Mr..
Lincoln was a party man. He in
sisted on organization and on strength
cning the party at every possible
POINT One of his reasons for oppos-
ing any alliance with Judge Douglas
ut the time Mr.. Greeley and other in
fiuential Republicans were urging
such union was that it would dis