Boys' and Girls' Biography of Abraham Lincoln Part 6

"Judge Baldwin, of California, being in Was.h.i.+ngton, called one day on General Halleck, and, presuming upon a familiar acquaintance in California a few years before, solicited a pa.s.s outside of our lines to see a brother in Virginia, not thinking that he would meet with a refusal, as both his brother and himself were good Union men.

"'We have been deceived too often,' said General Halleck, 'and I regret I can't grant it.'

"Judge Baldwin then went to Stanton, and was very briefly disposed of, with the same result. Finally, he obtained an interview with Mr.

Lincoln, and stated his case.

"'Have you applied to General Halleck?' inquired the President.

"'Yes, and met with a flat refusal,' said Judge Baldwin.

"'Then you must see Stanton,' continued the President.

"'I have, and with the same result,' was the reply.

"'Well, then,' said Mr. Lincoln, with a smile, 'I can do nothing; for you must know that I have very little influence with this Administration."

MR. LINCOLN'S HORSE TRADE.

"When Abraham Lincoln was a lawyer in Illinois, he and a certain Judge once got to bantering one another about trading horses; and it was agreed that the next morning at 9 o'clock they should make a trade, the horse to be unseen up to that hour, and no backing out, under a forfeiture of $25.00.

"At the hour appointed the Judge came up, leading the sorriest looking specimen of a horse ever seen in those parts. In a few minutes Mr.

Lincoln was seen approaching with a wooden saw-horse upon his shoulders.

Great were the shouts and the laughter of the crowd, and both were greatly increased when Mr. Lincoln, on surveying the Judge's animal, set down his saw-horse, and exclaimed: 'Well, Judge, this is the first time I ever got the worst of it in a horse trade.'"

HIS FIRST SPEECH.

"The following first speech of Abraham Lincoln was delivered at Poppsville, Ill., just after the close of a public sale, at which time and in those early days speaking was in order. Mr. Lincoln was then but twenty-three years of age, but being called for, mounted a stump and gave a concise statement of his policy:

"'Gentlemen, fellow-citizens: I presume you know who I am. I am humble Abraham Lincoln. I have been solicited by many friends to become a candidate for the legislature. My politics can be briefly stated. I am in favor of the internal improvement system, and a high protective tariff. These are my sentiments and political principles. If elected, I shall be thankful. If not it will be all the same.'"

HOW HE DIVIDED MONEY.

"A little fact in Mr. Lincoln's work will ill.u.s.trate his ever present desire to deal honestly and justly with men. He had always a partner in his professional life, and, when he went out upon the circuit, this partner was usually at home. While out, he frequently took up and disposed of cases that were never entered at the office. In these cases, after receiving his fees, he divided the money in his pocket-book, labeling each sum (wrapped in a piece of paper), that belonged to his partner, stating his name, and the case on which it was received. He could not be content to keep an account. He divided the money, so that if he, by any casualty, should fail of an opportunity to pay it over, there could be no dispute as to the exact amount that was his partner's due. This may seem trivial, nay, boyish, but it was like Mr. Lincoln."

HELPED HIS STEP-MOTHER.

"Soon after Mr. Lincoln entered upon his profession at Springfield, he was engaged in a criminal case, in which it was thought there was little chance of success. Throwing all his powers into it, he came off victorious, and promptly received for his services five hundred dollars.

A legal friend, calling upon him the next morning, found him sitting before a table, upon which his money was spread out, counting it over and over.

"'Look here, Judge,' said Lincoln; 'see what a heap of money I've got from the ---- case. Did you ever see anything like it? Why, I never had so much money in my life before, put it all together.' Then crossing his arms upon the table, his manner sobering down, he added, 'I have got just five hundred dollars; if it were only seven hundred and fifty, I would go directly and purchase a quarter section of land and settle it upon my old step-mother.'

"His friend said that if the deficiency was all he needed he would loan him the amount, taking his note, to which Mr. Lincoln instantly acceded.

"His friend then said: 'Lincoln, I would not do just what you have indicated. Your step-mother is getting old, and will not probably live many years. I would settle the property upon her for her use during her lifetime, to revert to you upon her death.'

"With much feeling, Mr. Lincoln replied: 'I shall do no such thing. It is a poor return at the best, for all the good woman's devotion and fidelity to me, and there is not going to be any half-way business about it" and so saying he gathered up his money and proceeded forthwith to carry out his long-cherished purpose into execution.

A SMALL AUDIENCE.

Mr. Herndon got out a huge poster announcing a speech by Mr. Lincoln, employed a band to drum up the crowd, and bells were rung, but only three persons were present. Mr. Lincoln was to have spoken on the slavery question.

GENTLEMEN: This meeting is larger than I knew it would be, as I knew Herndon (Lincoln's partner) and myself would be here, but I did not know any one else would be here: and yet another has come--you John Pain, (the janitor.)

These are bad times, and seem out of joint. All seems dead, dead, dead: but the age is not yet dead; it liveth as our Maker liveth. Under all this seeming want of life and motion, the world does move nevertheless.

Be hopeful. And now let us adjourn and appeal to the people.

NOISE DON'T HURT.

"When General Phelps took possession of s.h.i.+p Island, near New Orleans, early in the war it will be remembered that he issued a proclamation, somewhat bombastic in tone, freeing the slaves. To the surprise of many people, on both sides, the President took no official notice of this movement. Some time had elapsed, when one day a friend took him to task for his seeming indifference on so important a matter.

"'Well,' said Mr. Lincoln, 'I feel about that a good deal as a man whom I will call 'Jones,' whom I once knew, did about his wife. He was one of your meek men, and had the reputation of being badly henpecked. At last, one day his wife was seen switching him out of the house. A day or two afterward a friend met him on the street, and said: 'Jones, I have always stood up for you, as you know; but I am not going to do it any longer. Any man who will stand quietly and take a switching from his wife, deserves to be horsewhipped.' Jones looked up with a wink, patting his friend on the back. 'Now don't,' said he: 'why, it didn't hurt me any, and you've no idea what a power of good it did Sarah Ann.'"

LINCOLN ON TEMPERANCE.

In response to an address from the Sons of Temperance in Was.h.i.+ngton, on the 29th of September, 1863, Mr. Lincoln made the following remarks:

"As a matter of course, it will not be possible for me to make a response co-extensive with the address which you have presented to me.

If I were better known than I am, you would not need to be told that, in the advocacy of the cause of temperance, you have a friend and sympathiser in me. When a young man--long ago--before the Sons of Temperance, as an organization had an existence, I, in an humble way, made temperance speeches, and I think I may say that to this day I have never, by my example belied what I then said.