Five Mile Beach weekly journal., 1922-02-03

hrsng4ne this oppression upon US
The next year he stumped Massa-
.hnsa+ts for zach" Taylor and heard
Gov seward deliver his remarkable
speech on slavery. which contained
this striking u~tteranee;
Congress has no power TO inhlolt
any dutv commanded by God on Mount
SINAI or BIZ His Son on the Mount OF
Olives"
On his return home Lincoln con-
tossed that we had 500 to deal with
that question.
l was in his Office when Herndon
said:
7 tell you that slavery must be
rooted out"
4yyhat makes you think soT' Mr..
lincoln asked.
Il fee. it in my bones" was Hern-
don's answer.
After that he used TO speak with
respect Of Bill Herndon's bone phil
osophy."
His term in congress having ended.
he came back 10 the law In partner
shin with William h. Herndon-a mar
Of character and sound judgment.
Those DAYS Lincoln wore black trou-
sers coat and stock, a waistcoast OF
satin and q Wellington high hat. He
was wont TO carry his papers In his
hat. Mary had wrought a great
change in his external appearance.
They used TO call him "a dead square
LAWYER" I remember that once Hern-
don had drawn up a fictitious plea
founded on a shrewd assumption. Lin
coin carefully examined the papers.
as il founded on fact?' he asked.
NO" Herndon answered.
Lincoln scratched his head thought
July ana asked:
BILLY. hadn't we better withdraw
that plea? You knowlits a sham and
generally that's another nam for a
lie. Don't let ii go on record. The
cursed thing may come staring US in
the face long after this suit has been
forgotten"
On the whole be was not so COM
municatiye as ne had been in his young
manhood. He suffered days of depfes-
sion when he said little. Often. in
good company, he seemed TO be think
ing of things in no way connected
with the talk. Mary called him a
rather "shut-mouthed man."
Herndon used TO say that the only
thing he had against Lincoln was his
habit of coming in mornings 6ad
sprawling on the lounge and reading
aloud from the newspaper.
The people Of the town loved him.
One day, as we were walking along
the street together, we came upon a
girl dressed up and crying in front
Of her fathers door.
whats the matter?" Lincoln asked.
II want to take the train and the
wagon hasn't come for my trunk" said
she.
Lincoln weL@a and got tnetr[
and carried ii to the station on his
back, with people laughing and throw
ing jokes at him as he strobe along.
When l think of him. his chivalry and
kindness come first TO mind.
He read much, but his days of book
study were nearly ended. His learn
ing was now got mostly in the school
of experience. Herndon says, and l
think it is true. that he never read
TO the end of a law book those days.
The study Of authorities was left TO
the Junior partner. His reading was
mostly outside the law. His know!-
edge of science vas derived from
Chambers Vestiges of the Natural
History of Creation.
He was still afraid of the Abolition
Movement in 1852 and left town to
avoid a convention of its adherents.
He thought the effort TO resist by
force the laws of Kansas was criminal
and would hurt the cause of freedom.
Let US have peace and re~volutiOniZe
through the ballot box" he urged.
In 1854. a little quarrel in New York
began 10 weave the thread of destiny.
Seward, Weed and Greeley had welded
decisive power in the party councils
Of that state. Seward was a high
headed, popular idol. His plans ana
his triumphant progress absorbed his
thought. Weed was dazzled by the
splendor Of this great star. Neither
gave a thought TO their able colleague
"a poor man struggling to build up
a great newspaper. An Office, with
fair pay, would have been a help in
those days. But he got no recognition
of his needs and talents and services.
Suddenly he wrote a letter to Weed
In which he said:
'The firm of Seward. Weed and
Greeley is hereby dissolved by the res
ignation Of its junior member"
When Greeley had grown in power
and wisdom until his name was known
and honored from ocean to ocean, they
tried to make peace with him, but
In vain.
tn