The Wonderful Story of Lincoln Part 8

persisted the farmer.

"'Well, I would,' replied the man, 'if he had come at me with the other end of the dog.'"

IV. TURBULENT TIMES AND SOCIAL STORMS

One of the most singular, as well as undignified, experiences of Lincoln is closely involved in the most important measures of his life. This refers to the duel which he never fought with a man who was a stormy disturber for many years in many exalted yet unbecoming affairs.

In 1840 Lincoln became engaged to Miss Mary Todd of Lexington, Kentucky, who was visiting her sister, Mrs. Ninian Edwards of Springfield. She came of a noted and rather aristocratic family of Kentucky. That two persons, so unlike in ancestry, in social experience, and in education, should be attracted to each other has seemed to be mystery enough to breed much speculation, a great number of curious stories, and much ungracious comment.

Lincoln was aware of these differences as much as any one, and this, if there were no other cause, would account for his seeming uncertainties, his hesitation and the delays in his courting affairs which have been the source of so much elaboration and explanation.

Lincoln had much social self-depreciation and he had a poetical fancy idealizing his own sensitiveness toward women. It may well be concluded that his judgment was helplessly unsettled from the impossibility of any foresight in a matter of such vital life-importance. The endless gossip that swarmed about Lincoln's love affairs may well be dismissed as worthless in the presence of the facts.

Lincoln married Mary Todd November 4, 1842. During the summer before, in commercial and political affairs, there had arisen the greatest dissatisfaction with the money-interests and currency of the state.

The current money had depreciated to half its value. Though the people had to use that kind of money in all their transactions, the state officers required their salaries to be paid in gold.

The auditor of the State was a young Irishman named James s.h.i.+elds. He was exceedingly vain, pompous and of violent temper. Therefore, he was a s.h.i.+ning mark for the wit of those opposed to the present management of the state.

In the "Sangamo Journal" there appeared an article of witty satire, ridiculing s.h.i.+elds and the financial methods of his political a.s.sociates. It was signed, "Rebecca from Lost Towns.h.i.+ps."

s.h.i.+elds became furious and demanded to fight the man responsible for it. The significance of this is rather in the peculiar popularity and yet unpopularity of such a man as s.h.i.+elds. His reckless adventures, his incessant boasting, and his whirlwind career of turmoil all loaded him with praise and ridicule for many a year.

s.h.i.+elds went into the Mexican War and came out with his own brand of glory. But it won popularity enough to make him Senator of the United States. As an indication of his amazing character, he wrote a preposterous letter to the man he defeated, declaring, that if Judge Breese had not been defeated, s.h.i.+elds would have killed him.

It can be imagined what the fury of such a man must have been against the "Rebecca" letters.

The next week another "Rebecca" letter appeared which was this time unmistakably written by some mischief-loving woman. She offered to settle the quarrel by marrying the aggrieved gentleman. This was too much for s.h.i.+elds and he stormed the newspaper office to know whom he should hold responsible for the "Rebecca letters."

V. THE FRONTIER "FIRE-EATER"

The public taste and the public requirements of its individuals change, as all know, from generation to generation. The development of Lincoln's life can be appreciated only as the community in which he lived is understood. The public custom is necessary to explain Lincoln's part in this peculiar episode.

The truth in this clownish affair was that Lincoln had written the first letter, and two young ladies, one of them Mary Todd, were the authors of the second letter. Mary Todd was at that time estranged from Lincoln, and probably did not know that he was the writer of the first "Rebecca Letter."

s.h.i.+elds sent his friend, General Whiteside, with a fiery demand to the editor of the paper to know the authors of the "Rebecca letters." The editor at once consulted Lincoln, who told the editor to tell General Whitesides that Lincoln held himself responsible for the "Rebecca letters."

Nothing suited s.h.i.+elds better. He began at once to make public the most insulting letters to Lincoln and to issue the most fiery challenges to a duel.

Though duelling was at that time forbidden by law, yet so strong was public opinion that the one who refused to fight a duel was branded as a coward and would not only lose his usefulness with the public, but his opponent would thus gain corresponding prestige.

Lincoln so far conceded to this demand as to accept the challenge, but on such terms as to make the battle ridiculous rather than heroic. He had the right to choose the weapons and the conditions, so he chose "cavalry broadswords of the largest size," and the fight was to be "across a board platform six feet wide."

Lincoln felt keenly the stupidity of the whole affair, but it would be degrading to his political standing to refuse. Fortunately, Lincoln had a friend in Doctor Merryman, who was not only a witty writer, but he loved a fight, and he used his wit with a fervor that overwhelmed even such men as s.h.i.+elds and Whitesides in the final roundup.

However, the duel progressed so far that the parties thereto went to Alton and crossed over to Missouri for the fight. But friends arrived and persuaded s.h.i.+elds to withdraw the challenge. The next week s.h.i.+elds wrote a bombastic article in the "Sangamo Journal" crowning himself as a hero and Lincoln as a coward. Then Dr. Merryman came to the rescue. The next week the "Sangamo Journal" had another version of the now ridiculous duel. It showed up the s.h.i.+elds' side as so utterly absurd that the humor and tragic aspect of the affair among such prominent people became the sensation of the day. General Whitesides challenged Doctor Merryman and Merryman responded, with the declaration that his selection would be rifles at close range in the nearby fields. This would not do, because duelists could not hold office in Illinois and Whitesides was fund commissioner. His boasts proved that he was not afraid to lose his life but he did not want to give up his fat office.

The same thing happened to s.h.i.+elds. He challenged Mr. Butler, one of Lincoln's close friends. Butler accepted at once, choosing "to fight next morning at sunrise in Bob Allen's meadow, one hundred yards'

distance with rifles."

s.h.i.+elds declined.

It was a burlesque and a comedy farce, and so it ingloriously ended.

But s.h.i.+elds had no less singular luck than he had singular friends. He was commissioned Brigadier-General in the Mexican War while still holding a state office and before he had ever seen a day's service.

At Cerro-gordo he was wounded and that wound was doubtless what made him United States Senator from Illinois. After serving one term in constant commotion with his a.s.sociates, he removed to Minnesota and from there was returned to the Senate of the United States.

In the War of the Rebellion Lincoln appointed him Brigadier-General and he was again wounded in battle when his troops defeated Stonewall Jackson.

He moved into Missouri and from there was sent for the third time to the United States Senate. A few years later he became the subject of one of the bitterest and most disgraceful controversies in Congress over the question of voting him money and a pension.

VI. HONOR TO WHOM HONOR IS DUE

Lincoln always seemed to be far more proud of his fist fight with Jack Armstrong of the Clary gang than of his near-duel with s.h.i.+elds and his political ring. He had many an occasion to refer to the Clary boys, but never to the s.h.i.+elds crowd.

It was not Lincoln's disposition to have personal quarrels.

Only one other is known. He got into a verbal encounter with a man named Anderson at Lawrenceville. Anderson wrote him a harsh note demanding satisfaction.

Lincoln replied, "Your note of yesterday is received. In the difficulty between us of which you speak you say you think I was the aggressor. I do not think I was. You say my words 'imported insult.' I meant them as a fair set-off to your own statements, and not otherwise; and in that light alone I now wish you to understand them.

You ask for my 'present feelings on the subject.' I entertain no unkind feeling toward you, and none of any sort upon the subject, except a sincere regret that I permitted myself to get into such altercation."

Mr. Anderson was "satisfied" and henceforth counted himself as one of Lincoln's friends.

Another example shows Lincoln's idea of quarrels. It ought to be impressed upon every boy's mind, as the belief of this great leader of men.

In the midst of the war a young officer had been court-martialed for a quarrel with one of his a.s.sociates, and Lincoln had to give him an official reprimand. It was as follows:

"The advice of a father to his son, 'Beware of entrance to a quarrel, but, being in, bear it that the opposed may beware of thee!'

is good, but not the best. Quarrel not at all. No man resolved to make the most of himself can spare time for personal contention. Still less can he afford to take all the consequences, including the vitiating of his temper, and the loss of self-control. Yield larger things to which you can show no more than equal right; and yield lesser ones, though clearly your own. Better give your path to a dog than to be bitten by him in contesting for the right. Even killing the dog would not cure the bite."

[Ill.u.s.tration: Lincoln and His Cabinet at the First Reading of the Emanc.i.p.ation Proclamation.]

But the s.h.i.+elds' quarrel and its skyrocket burlesque had another effect probably of priceless consequence to Lincoln. There was a certain whole-souled, self-effacing champions.h.i.+p in it of the two girls who had written the last "Rebecca letter." Mary Todd appreciated it, and she had to express her appreciation to the man whom she knew loved her, but who feared that he could not make her happy. Merely to be made happy is not all that a real woman of true womanhood is concerned with in her choice of a husband. Doubtless, she saw in him qualities to love rather than form or manners. She had abundance of time to consider all things and we may well believe that she was wise and good in her choice. Considering their differences, it is really a great testimony and tribute to her that so little could ever be found for cruel gossip about incompatibility and unhappiness in the Lincoln household.

Mary Todd ignored the coldness that Lincoln's sensitiveness had brought between them, in the mutual adjustment of courts.h.i.+p, and she thanked him for keeping her out of the s.h.i.+elds' gossip and controversy. The coldness disappeared and never returned. They were married, and we must believe that humanity owes her a priceless debt, that she was one of the three great souls who made the immortal man, that together in glory are three great names, Nancy Hanks Lincoln, Sarah Bush Lincoln and Mary Todd Lincoln.

CHAPTER VII

I. SIMPLICITY AND SYMPATHY ESSENTIAL TO GENUINE CHARACTER

Greatness of mind, valued as worth while in historical characters, has always been characterized by simplicity and sympathy, especially as interested in children and in those without means for the needs of life. Lincoln said pityingly of the poor that the Lord surely loved them because he had made so many.