The Washington herald., 1914-05-29
Love Feast on an Anniversary.

. Inc NepuOicans OF Senfral ILLINOIS VIII hold
love feast at Bloomington today. The time and place
are appropriate as it at Bloomington on May 20
1886, that the first Republican convention in Illinois
was held. The Republicans of Illinois did not claim
to have first organized the new party nor was Abra-
ham Lincoln identified with it in 1854 when some men
in Illinois and elsewhere the necessity for new
party But that convention at Bloomington fy-eighi
years ago today organized in a practical way, and
it not dominated by sef-seekers but by men who
planned to draw to the party all those who
opposed to the then dominant policy of the Demo
cratic party and the Democratic administration, that
slavery was national and Congress had no power to
exclude it from the Territories
Abraham Lincoln was present at that convention
and his presence was marked by two incidents which
showed the political wisdom of the man. He made a
speech, which for eloquencc and mastery arraign-
ment of the party in power, was said to have sur
passed all other speeches of Lincoln before he became
the great Republican leader and the first Republican
President That speech enthused the delegates and
all others who heard it. that Joseph Medill, Horace
White and other well-known newspaper men, at the
press table forgot take notes. and this day it is
known as "The Lost Speech of Lincoln" None of
Lincoln's biographers have reproduced that speech
Joseph Medi said afterward, that he so excited
that he lost all his newspaper instincts and training
and did not take note He was not scooped how
ever for all the other newspaper present. had the
same experience They did not report what Lincoln
said. They simply described the effect it had on
the convention Lincoln never wrote out the speech,
and it has gone into history as "The Lost Speech
There have been other magnetic speeches before
other conventions since that time and they have had
the same momentary effect on the men who heard
them, but few of them have resulted in the same
way The Republicans at Bloomington, in 1856 want
ed to nominated Lincoln for governor, but he said
"No." It was not to be one-man party. He had
been the Wing leader in the State and the Wing
ddate for United States Senator two years before In
that campaign he had stumped Illinois and secured the
election of legislature opposed TO Douglas and
Shields but there were FIVE Free Soil Democrats in
that majority and they would not vote for Wing
Lincoln then made his first great personal sacrifice
for principle and persuaded his Wing followers to
vote for the Free Soil candidate, Lyman Trumbul
who was elected to the Senate.
And again at Bloomington in 1886, after carrying
that convention by storhe said the delegates that
they must nominate some man who would not be sus-
pected of organizing party for his own personal
advancement He suggested Judge Bisseif Free
Soil Democrat who nominated and elected as the
first Republican governor of Illinois.
In these days of speculation and maneuver to
bring together the two factions of the old Republican
party the example Of Lincoln in 1856 is worth con-
sidering A Democratic administration and Demo-
cratic Congress have written old Democratic policies