Year: 1860




leading Peoples Party" paper, has the
following enthusiastic notice of the Chi
cago nominee:


Why should Lincoln be President.-It
is very evident that the "Republiean"
newspapers are hard put to it for some
thing to say in favor of Mr.. Lincoln. -
His record as statesman is blank. He
has done nothing whatever in any execu
tive, judicial, or legislative capacity, that
should entitle him to public respect
There is not in all the history of his life
any exhibition of intellectual ability and
attainments fitting him for the high and
responsible post in the Government for
which he has been nominated. When in
Congress, from 1S47 to 1S49, he was not
only not distinguished by any display of
parliamentary talent, or by any special
service, but those who sat in the same
Congress find it difficult to remember that
any such person as Abraham Lincoln oc-
cupied seat on the floor. His contest in
1858 with Mr.. Douglas for the election
as United States Senator from Illinois is
the beginning of his fame, and while he
EIlOWtu III illub COI'iONCloCJ thC lOHSli
strength of practiSed stump speaker,
and the pluck of champion who enters
the ring with crowd of sturdy hackers,
he exceeded even Seward in the extrav-
igance of his views respecting the slavery
question, while his coarse language, his
illiterate style, and his vulgar and vitu
perative personalities in debate; contrast
very strongly the elegant and classical or
atory of the eminent Senator from New
York. But the party organs think Lin
coin is capital man for political can
vass, because, forsooth, he was once a
fiat boatman and rail splitter. Now,
we have great and sincere respect for
what are denominated sef-made mon
for men who, springing from an obscure
condition, and struggling against adverse
circumstances, in early life manage, by
the force of natural character and heroic
efforts, to rise to honorable independence
and distinction. We do not deny TO Mr..
Lincoln the merit of having made good
use of his opportunities and means, and
we should like to see him enjoy all the
| Just rewards of his manly industry and
self reliance and sell-improvemcnt. But
there is proper measure ofdesert in these
cases, which should not be disregarded,- -
1t does not by any means follow that be-
cause an individual who, beginning life as
a flat boatman and od-chopper, raises
himself to the position of respectable
County Court lawyer and ready stump
speaker, is therefore qualified to be Presi-
dent of these United States. There is no
iiness of proportion between the two
things between the measure of merit or
title and the high arduous trust to be con
ferred. 1t is much more wise and logic
al to put the proposition thus-if a man
is, in all essential respects, eminently fit
ted for the Presidential Office, the fact that
he was once boatman and mauler of
rails, is greatly to his credit; but it will
not do to say that he is qualified to be
and deserves to be President, because, as
a boy, he split logs and steered "broad
horn" on the Mississippi. But the Gre
publican" newspaper organs must accept
the postulate in the latter form, in oder
to suit the case of their candidate; and we
shall doubtless be asked to adopt it as a
safe and judicious rule for the election of
men to the highest posts in the Govern
ment. But will the people be cheated by
such clap trap? We think not?