The National tribune., 1910-04-14

were rigged up with large fagpoles,
from which waved large American flags
Many of these wagons were loaded with
boys and girls, representing the several
States of the Union. There was one
feature in this representation that at
tracted much interest-the girls repre-
lsenting the States were dressed in white,
with red, white and blue sashes. Just
outside and at the rear of the wagon
was young lady dressed in black. She
represented Kansas Territory. The
Southern Representatives refused to ad-
NIT Kansas, because she would not
adopt a Constitution allowing slavery in
the State.
Large delegations formed and moved
near town and camped in the timber
over night that they might be ready to
join in the great procession on the
morning of the Sth. The writer be-
| longed to a party of young men who
represented the Boston Tea Party" that
threw the tea overheard in the early
days, when the Colonists refused to pay
the excessive taxes imposed by Eng
land. We were dressed in red flannel
suits, were painted up like Indians had
our tomahawks and rode horses bare
back. The procession started early, and
from all parts of the County came the
! grandest array of wagons, loaded with
people cheering for Lincoln and Ham
lin. There were excursion trains from
St Louis, Chicago, Indianapolis and
other cities. bringing thousands of en-
thusiastic men and women and large
'wide-awake clubs"
After the grand parade there were
some 25 900 people who surrounded the
six stands for speakers at the old Fair
Grounds west of the town. Here the
old wheel-horses of the Republican
Party spoke to the people. These in
cluded Zach Chandler. of Michigan;
VIM. H. Seward, of New York; Senator
Doolittle, Salmon p. Chase, UTen Love.
Joy and others.
About o'clock Lincoln came out ir
his carriage. When he arrived on the
grounds there was great cheering. He
was escorted to the nearest stand. The
people were so anxious to see him ant
to take him by the hand that They
crowded onto the stand and broke il
down. We formed an aisle with the
: 'wide-awakes' torch handles, and go
him out and to the next stand. Here
; again the crowd broke down the stand
Lincoln at the Fair Grounds.
Mr. Lincoln turned to the great mas
, of people and made them short ad
dress, saying:
'It is my purpose since I have beer
placed in my present position to max,
no speeches. This assembly having beef
drawn together at the place of my resi-
dence, it appeared to be the wish 0
those constituting this vast assembly Il
see me, and il is certainly my wish Il
see you. l appear upon this ground
here. at this time, only for the purpos
of Offering myself the best opportunit,
of seeing you and enabling you to SCI
me. confess with gratitude, be 1t un
, derstood, that l did not suppose my ap
l pearance among you would create tn
tumult which l now witness. am graft
ned, because it is a tribute which cal
be to no man, as man. 1t is the evf
; dence that four years from this tim
1 you viii give a Ike manifestation L
e the next man who is the representativ
4 of the truth on the questions that noy
'agitate the public. And 1t is because yo
: will then fight for this cause as you d
l now, or even with greater ardor tina
e now, tho / may be dead and gone"
e The crowd was so great that he coul
l not reach his carriage. He rode a hors
[ out of the grounds His carriage over
: took him, and he went back to the oil
=. State House to meet the throngs tina
j were there to greet him.
e His election was celebrated at tn
n great Republican wigwam in Spring
4 field. After the speaking and the sins
II ing by the Lincoln Glee Club some 8. 90
e people marched to Lincoln's home an
S called on him for a speech. He said
Il rejoice with you in the succcs
s which so far has attended the Repul
a lican cause. Yet in all our rejoicing Il
J. US neither express nor cherish any har
'r feelings toward any citizen who by n
e vote differed with us. Let us al a
Is times remember that all American cit
o zens are brothers of a common countr
y and should dwell together in the bone
: Of fraterual feelings"
g These were grand words coming frol
Il a man who had been elected to III
highest office in the gift of the peopl
J. He was always mindful of those WI
&c differed with him.
/ The time came when he was 20 leaI
e, his old home and go to Washington
Is assume the responsibility of the Pres
y dency. Perhaps there never was a saC
der crowd assembled than the gathel
: ing of Lincolns neighbors to bid hi
is good-by. The scene will never be fol
l. gotten by those who witnessed II. StanC