Wausau pilot. [volume] (Wausau, Wis.) 1896-1940, 1919-02-11
MaTtuTed President Most Inustrious
Example of What World Calls the


he forsook farming and sought position as a
clerk in country store.
Whether Lincoln ever would have been heard
of had not the Black Hawk war occurred about
year after he went to work at New Salem, Sanga-
mon county, remains a question. 1t need not
bother any one, however because the did
occur and Lincoln did go into it as captain of
volunteers.
This might be said to have been the turning
point in his career. Up to this time he had not
found himself He was studying, but drifting. He
does not appear to have had any aim in life be-
yond the ambition to educate himself and to sue
coed.
Lincoln afterward said that his experience in
the Black Hawk war gave him greater pleasure
than anything that had occurred to him up to
tat time. He had no opportunity to distinguish
himself in that little conflict, but he returned to
New Salem man of more public Importance than
When he left it. He started store but 1t failed,
and the debts fell upon him. He was appointed
postmaster, the first federal office he ever held.
He ran for the legislature, but was defeated. But
the next election he ran again, and was elected
ana later returned for another term.
Law and Politics.
Whiie he was keeping a general store he began
the study of law. He once said that of his
first books was a copy of the laws of Indiana.
and that was about all the law he knew up to
that time
1t was while serving as legislator in Illinois
that Lincoln first turned his attention to the blot
OF slavery, which he began to oppose with all his
might and influence. After he decided to retire
from the legislature he started to practice law,
having been licensed to practice in 1887. He pc
moved to Springfield, where the remainder of his
days. until he went to Washington as president,
were mainly spent.
In 1916 he was elected to seat in congress,
but he declined reelection and settled down to
the practice of his profession in Springfield.
Lincoln spent his spare time in the store of his
friend, Joshua Speed, which was the rendezvous
of many prominent men in that section. He was
famed for his stories and for his keenness in de-
bate. 1t in this little general store that Lin
coin first met Douglas in debate. Douglas was
regarded far and wide as a little giant in debate
and he remarked that the store was no place for
him to debate any question with Lincoln.
By this time Lincoln had become something of a
politician. His party was the Wing. He took a
lively interest in political affairs and finally took
part on the Wing side in joint debate with the
Democrats. Lincoln was the last speaker in that
debate but his words took the deepest hold of the
spectators and added greatly to bis reputation.
1t in Springfield that Lincoln married Mary
Todd, who, 1t is interesting to note, was also
sought in marriage by Douglas, who thus became
LlncOlnS opponent IN love well politics,
but was beaten by him in both.
As q lawyer Lincoln might have appeared lazy
TO those who did not understand his methods. He
dsliked Office work and the drawing of legal pa
pers. but when case had to be brought to the
attention of a jury or a court Lincoln was in his
element. He was born debater and story-teer
He knew how to get the jury in good humor and
how to make his point to them reach home
He had the genius for putting the human touch to
RI an6 hiS sin iIoc
often further than his opponents knowledge
of the law.
Apostle of Abolition
But it should not be imagined that Lincoln knew
no law, for that would be mistake. He often
would sit up to the small hours of the night read
ing law and studying case, while his opponents
probably would be sOundly sleeping. When he
went into court he was master of his case, and
that goes long way toward winning a verdict.
The practice of law beginning to take
firm hold on Lincoln to the exclusion of politics
when the Missouri Compromise was enacted That
reused him, and from that time onward he was
strongly for the abolition of slavery.
His position known throughout the coun
try, for he had stumped the East for Taylor years
before and the stories of his quiet humor and
fund of anecdote had penetrated the East conse-
ouently when it evident to the country that
it stood on the of a conflict between slavery
and abolition, Lincoln made the nominee of
the party that firmly intrenched on the prin-
ciple of no compromise with Shareholders He
was nominated, and was enthusiastically elected
at the national election in 1860.
He had scarcely taken his seat when the war
burst upon the country. 1t trying time and
no one suffered under it more than did Lincoln
himself. But he meant to do his duty, and as
always had been his habit, he did it then although
II was most unpleasant and most difficult.
When the made it's inroads into many
homes Lincoln had unpleasant duty to per-
form He sympathized with the mothers left at
home and did what he could for their BOYS at the
front He received the mothers at the White
House. talked things over with them, and nearly
every one of them left feeling that her boy had a
friend who looked after him although he was far
away in army corps doing his duty.
1t was this gentle character who was codly
struck down just when the war was at an end
and the country getting ready to rejoice at
the glorious news. The whole country South as
well as North, mourned the loss, for even in the
South where the war had been most disastrous
the name of Lincoln was joined in memory with
a grand, human, just character, who was even
more than man.