The Washington herald., 1916-08-30
AFTER-DINNER POLITICS.
Lineoln's Cooper Union Address.
BY DIR. Z. j. EDWARDS.


Many persons gave TO the late Cephas
Brainard complimentary recognition OF
his service in persusding Abraham Lin
coin to visit New York in February.
1885, and to deliver the speech now ira
ditional as the Cooper Union address.
Mr.. Brainard was not responsible for
this mistaken opinion. His only associa-
ton with Lincoln's visit was his service
as chairman of the committee which
| escorted Lincoln from the Astor House
to Cooper Union. The late James A. Briggs
whom / met at Albany in the winter Of
1850, was really the person responsible
for the visit Of Mr.. Lincoln TO New York
Mr.. Briggs was for years Of influence as
a newspaper writer and as magazine
editor. He was associated with George
| william Curtis and Parke Goodwin in the
editorship of Putnam's Magazine. He
established many intimate and valuable
relations not only with men OF literary
lrerItations, but with many who were in
public life, and 1t was on account OF this
that he was appealed 10 by a committee
which had charge Of an election bureau
to invite Abraham Lincoln. Of Illinois
and Thomas Corwin, Of Ohio, TO deliver
| lectures in this course
The course was a Brooklyn institution
| and the lectures were delivered from the
| platform Of Plymouth church by permis-
| sion Of Henry Ward Beecher.
Il had not the slightest idea" said Mr..
| Briggs. when communicated with
! Abraham Lincoln TO ask him 10 deliver
a lecture in this course that he would
DO more than read one OF the lectures
| which ] understood he had occasionally
| delivered I'm the West According TO the
! schedule prepared by the lyceum com
| mittee the lectures were to be delivered
at Plymouth church late in the fall OF
| 1853 or early in the winter Of 1850. That
brilliant speaker Tom Corwin. OF Ohio,
! accepted my proposition. saying that he
would deliver a lecture at Plymouth
| church while on his way from Ohio 10
I Washington in December. He kept his
| appointment and ! must say that there
was much greater interest in hearing the
! brilliant Tom Corwin than was revealed
| by the announcement that the Illinois
! lawyer spoken Of by one OF the New
/ York papers as "a local lawyer Of Hi
! nOis" would also deliver a lecture.
Mr.. Lincoln wrote 10 me that while
he would be glad TO read a lecture 10
. the people OF New York or Brooklyn
nevertheless he was trying an important
( case in tho courts and would not be al
! liberty until late in February. That OF
course. put an end TO Iincoln's part in
! the Brooklyn lyCeum's course. But in
! his communication to me he said that
he thought he might deliver a political
| lecture ! thought a good deal about
that and appealed to one or two organ
izations for the purpose Of getting their
! Endorsement for a lecture by Abraham
| Lincoln at Cooper Union. New York
Strangely enough. they were cold 10 my
suggestion, but ] did not give II up
appealed 10 some OF my friends, who
. Joined with me in inviting Mr. Lincoln
TO deliver a lecture at Cooper Union
We all thought It would be a true lee.
ture. Lincoln himself spoke OF It 10 me
. afterwsrd as that thing OF mine al
| Cooper Union What was the profound
! establishment Of the great company that
! Rad gathered 10 hear this local laWNeI
! OF Springfield when they found tha
they were listening TO a profound anc
mastery address which was in no sense
| a lecture.
1T WAS almost a lost opportunity. fol
iif I had abandoned the plan Abraham
Lincoln would not have delivered hi
now historic address at Cooper Union"
iCupyrigtt l9lS ny the Mcclure Nsvspspsr
SyLilCstSD