Montpelier examiner. [volume] (Montpelier, Idaho) 1895-1937, 1921-12-09

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of each filed an evening and Lincoln's
speech gave him new hope Of himself.
Wise men began to have great conn
dence In his future. He had taken
the style of Webster for his model.
He no longer used the broad humOr
which had characterized his efforts on
the stump. A study of the best
speeches of the great New Highlander
had made him question It's value In
a public address. Dignity, clear rea-
soning and impressive were the
chief aims Of his new method, the lat
ter of which is aptly illustrated by
this passage from his speech In reply
to Douglas in the debate mentioned:
"If ever feel the soul within me
elevate and expand to those dimen-
sions not wholly unworthy of Its Al
mighty Architect, 1t is when con-
template the cause Of my country de-
serted by all the world besides, and
/ standing up boldly and alone and
hurting defiance at her victorious OPP
pressors. Here without contemplating
consequences before high heaven and
In the face of the world swear eter-
nal fidelity to the just cause, as 1
deem 1t, of the land Of my life, my
liberty and my love"
In these perfervid utterances one
may find little to admire save great
spirit seeking to express itself and
lacking as yet the refinement Of taste
equal to his undertaking. He was
no heaven-born genius sprung in full
panoply from the head Of Jove." He
was just one of the slow, common
folk, with a passion for justice and
human rights, slowly feeling his way
upward. His spirit was growing.
Strong In It's love and knowledge of
common men and of the things neces-
sary to their welfare, It was beginning
to seek and know "the divine power
of words" Every moment of leisure
he gave to the study Of Webster and
Burke and Byron and Shakespeare and
Burns. He had begun to study the
art Of Irving and Walter Scott and of
a new writer of the name Of Dickens.
There were four men who slept with
him in the room above Speeds store,
and one of them has told how he used
to lie sprawled on the floor, with his
pillow and candle, reading long after
the others had gone to sleep. Samson
writes that he never knew man who
understood the art of using minutes as
he did. A detached minute was to
him q thing to be filled with value.
Yet there were few men so deeply in
love with fun. He loved to laugh at
a storytelling and to match his hui
NOR with Thompson Campbell-a ia
nous raconteur-and to play with
children. Fun was as necessary to
him as sleep. He searched for it IN
people and in books.
He came often to Samson's house
to play with ''Mr. Nimble" and to talk
with Joe. Some Of his best thoughts
came when he was talking with Joe
and some of his merriest moments
when he was playing with "Mr. MIN
ble." He confessed that it was the
latter that reminded him that he had
DGlJCA DC AUOAAlk 1OE q WA1Gs
But Lincoln was only one Of many
remarkable personalities in Springfield
who had discovered themselves and
were seeking to be discovered. Sun
dry individuals were lifting their heads
above the crowd, but not with the
modesty and self-distrust Of Honest
Abe. "Steye" Douglas, whom Samson
had referred to as that little rooster
Of man." put on the stills Of brave
and ponderous vigor. His flve-foot
stature and his hundred pounds of
weight did not fit the part Of Achilles.
But he would have no other. He blus-
tered much with a spear too heavy for
his hands. Lincoln used to call him
a kind Of popgun.
This free-for-all joust Of individual
ism-one OF the first fruits Of freedom
In the West-gave to the life Of the lit
tie village a rich flavor of comedy.
The great talents Of Douglas had not
been developed. His character was as
yet shifty and shapeless. Some of
the leading citizens openly distrusted
him. Lincoln never liked this little
man, In opposing whom he. was to
come to the fuIness of his power on
the platform. It is evident that Lin
coin regarded him as an able advocate
OF small sincerity looking chiefly for
personal advancement.
There Is a passage In the diary
which illustrates the character of Dou-
glas and Lincoln's knowledge of it.
The passage relates to a day In the
famous debates of 1853. Lincoln had
not reached Havana in time to hear
the speech Of his opponent. A great
crowd had come. by train and In
wagons. Taking advantage of his alb
sence, Douglas had called Lincoln "a
liar, coward and sneak" and de-
clared that he was, going to fight him.
Lincoln heard Of this and said In
his speech:
Il shall not fight With Judge Doug
las. A fight could prove nothing at
Issue In this camnaiQn. II MIGHT nyovo