The Rock Island Argus and daily union. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1920-1923, 1922-05-05
LINCOLN MADE
FIRST SPEECH
FOR WATERWAY
Maiden Appearance on National
Stage Was nj Chicago Conven-
ton In Is47.

Springfield. ILL.,, May 5.-Abra-
ham Lincoln's first appearance on
what might be called a national
stage was in behalf of waterways,
James Shaw, librarian OF the Au-
rora public library, said in an ad-
dress yesterday at the 23rd annual
meeting of the Illinois State His
toricai association. Mr.. Shaw's
subject was "A Neglected Episode
in the Life OF Abraham Lincoln"
"In 1876 President Polk vetoed
as unconstitutional bill that had
passed congress, appropriating
something over million dollars
for the improvement of rivers and
the construction OF certain harbors
on the great lakes" Mr.. Shaw said
in outlining the occasion for one Of
the first public appearances of the
future president. an incident which
he said had escaped mention by
his formal biographers.
1.-THE veto and the consequent
defeat of the bill caused great in,
dignation all over the west, and
particularly in the lake region.
After much preliminary work, a
convention was called to give ex-
preston to public opinion on the
veto, and also on the general sub
sect of Internal improvements This
movement marked a stage in the
struggle between two opposing the
cries of the constitutional powers
of congress.
Met In Chicago.
1.-THE convention was held at Chi
cago July 5. 6 and Z, 1S47. 1t was
an immense affair Sober estimates
placed the number OF people in at
tendance at 10000. There were
about 5000 accredited delegates.
Many eminent men were present.
David Dudley Field, acclaimed by
his friends as the most command
ing figure of the American bar:
Horace Greeley. just rising into
fame as the editor of an inf1uen-
tial newspaper, and Thurlow Weed.
one of the early political bosses.
came from New York. Senator Tom
Corwin, Governor Babb and two or
three former governors came from
Ohio: Edward Bates, afterwards
member of the cabinet of President
Was d Q6lSsdtt lIOn
souri, and was president of the con-
gention. From Indiana came a flu
ture vice president, Schuyler Col
fax Iowa, Wisconsin, Michigan
and Minnesota sent large numbers
of actual and potential governors.
congressman and judges. Illinois
was represented by an immense
delegation. From Sangamon coun-
A l.. l.
Letters were received from Dan
lei Webster, Henry Clay. Martin
Van Buren,. Thomas Hart Benton,
Silas Wright and many other dis
tinguished men.
Answered Field.
''Mr. Field was an ardent Demo-
crat and a warm friend and sup
porter of the Polk administration
He was in the convention, no doubt
to tone down and render as harm
less as possible anything the con-
vention might do or say Parties
were getting their forces in order
for the presidential election of
1S4S. Mr. Field made an adroit
speech counseling moderation. Mr.
Lincoln was called upon to answer
Mr.. Field. Mr. Greeley. in his
Tribune letter, thus quantity de-
scribed the incident: In the after
noon Hon Abraham Lincoln, a tall
specimen of an Illinoisan, just
elected to congress from the only
Wing district in the state, was
called out, and spoke briefly and
happily in reply to Mr.. Field And
the convention expressed in unmis- !
taxable terms its position in favor
of internal improvements.
This convention must, of course, !
have been an important event in .
the life of Abraham Lincoln. 1t
was his first appearance on what /
might be called a national stage. |
There for the first time he had an
opportunity to measure himself J
with men of national reputation.
These circumstances would nat
urally have an important influence
on his mental development Yet it
is a fact that the incident has es- /
capped mention by all his formal
biographers."