The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1912-02-25

HE gift of oratory. tn. power to
hold and thrill the multitude by
tho lure OF speech. was pos
sessed by at least two or our Presi
dents--Abraham Lincoln anu andrew
johnson. Others have been adept In
tho art of spellbnding to lesser de-
gree. but the great Civil War Pres-
Gent and his successor worc orators
In the best sense of the term.
Abraham Lincoln was not born ora
tor. Ills first political speech made
coon after he returned from the Black
Hawk War and had become at cand'.
date for election to the State Legs.
lature, Is witness to that fact. Cen
temcn and fellow citia ans, ii ran. =
presume YOU all know who [ am.
am in favor of a national bank.
am humble Abraham Lincoln. J have
been solicited by many friends TO be
come candidate for this State Leg
islature. My politics are short and
sweet. like the old woman's dance. !
am In favor OF Che internal improve
ncnt system and of nigh protective
tariff. hese nrc my sentiments an.
political principles. IL am elected.
i shall be thankful: II not. il will he
oil tn, same"
Here was originality. hut not clo-
Quence. Lincoln Was defeated, but
again became n candidate for the po-
aition and made stamping tour
through SanSaiG0n county. ThJse VINO
heard him discovered that the man had
expanded wonderfully. had acquired
Iowcr. even cioqucncc OF nomcly
aor,. His talk went straight to thc
reason and hearts OF mis- audiences
This time ne was elected. and wh III
the Legislature assembled at vundaiia
he walked hundred miles 10 j" II his
colleagues. During the session. l.n
coin was silent. isiarIng, obscrvant
When the session was ended he re.
turned home on foot. 1t Was about
this time that a SangamOn county To-
cal politician declared at Il party meet
ins. ABE Lincoln ain't no spouter noI
never VIII b."
Blu; they returned him 20 the Leg
islaturc next year. aud again no loot
cd IT, 10 Nnndala Here for tho nEst
time lie met Stephen ~ Dousias. who
WAS to be his opponent n - many
oratoricai battles At tho age OF iwer
ty-thrtc, the young Democratic poll
tician was already a brilliant speaker.
HIS skill as a dcbater Inspir I'd Lin
coin 10 take issue with him, ana from
that moment the member from Sanga-
mon county threw himself heart and
soul into the business OF meeting his
young rival on his Own ground. At
once he took rank as an able iebat r
aud parllamentar!an. idly nvowins
his antislavcry convictions and defend
ing his position against all the skill
his adversary could summon
In isi7 the Saugamon district sent
Lincoln 10 Congress. In al IN vital
questions OF that critical period tho
new member took "a decided part. and
he left no doubt that he would fol-
low hls convictions whcreSc CT th,y
might lead him. They led him. vent.
uaily. 10 deliver that series OF Immortal
campaign speeches in which he pl,t"d
his strength against h.a powcrf vi
rival Stephen = Douglas. Lincoin's
speeches ~ that tims made him famous
throughout the Union. His audiences
were Immense, sometimes numbering
more than 10000 speilbound men and
women. E:verywher. he proved hts
superiority both in intellectual power
and In soundness OF reasoning.
Intensely radical as he was nc had
won national reputation and was
recognized as party leader. Invita-
lions TO speak cam. from all sides, He
went TO Kansas and afterwards to New
York and New England, everywhere
captivating his great audiences wheth-
err they were gathered from the west
ern frontier or from the polished and
cultivated cities OF the older sections
of the land AZ Cooper Institute, which
was filled with those who had como TO
pick flaws In the man who was con-
vuis!ng the country, his speech arous-
ed unbounded enthusiasm. His audi
ence OF representative New Workers
had expected 10 b. entertained by the
quaint, unlettered Western lawyer
whose odd personality had been food