Territorial Enquirer | 1881-01-26 | Page 1 | Reminiscences of Abraham Lincoln

I 1 reminiscences of abraham lincoln in the ho latter part of the year 1817 became 1 in washington uty city with abraham lincoln it representative in congress Con greBa from the abo state stata ol of illinois iio 0 o vw the alio only whig in thu the dole dele gation from that state LIB bid colleagues six ais in number being all democrats it was not long utter ha be had taken his seat feat in tho the eliouse of representative a before lo 10 became a great favorito with the members nie robers and an I 1 of that body although he bo possessed Tosa essed bat fe few tv p per er oi at tr actions his bis figuro figure being tall lean and lank and utterly wanting in gruce grace and symmetry Bym metry yet hia pleasant and expressive face his mild and mu voice which was ever antonea to kindness unil and it a tieh rich fund ol of wit anil and humor which found vent tent in anecdotes illustrated his conversation aul rave gave force and point to his public speeches drew unto him till all sorts of men irrespective spec tive of party whenever ho he 1 tho the I IIo foust uBO he the id attention of all present it his hia speeches some dome times lacked rhetorical rheto grace and bials i they hall la 1 directness anil and precision and never failed to carry conviction to every candid mind while ahila his allies of 0 wit and humor and his quick repartee whenever ho be nas interrupted by questions from rom lid hia political opponents would be followed full owed by peals of laughter from all pat p aita to of the hall ball on the of july 1818 1848 tie lie unde made a lengthy speech full to overflowing of his characteristic humor enmor which was if stoned listened to with intense interest later cat by the occupants of the flo floor orand and galleries of tho hall half of representatives this was t the the session bession of congress immediately p seeding preceding the presidential President idl election and his speech was in in aepli to ono one made a few days previous by mr iverson a representative from tile the state of 0 georgs georgia tho the seats beats in in the old rall of depre 6 senta tives at this timo time were veto arranged in in a 11 semicircle semi circle and divided by narrow aisles which radiated like the iho spoke poke of a wheel from the area I 1 which was part ly occupied by the clerks clerk a desk des and 11 ake s chair A broad broa 1 aisle extend log ing from rom the center door to the clerks clerk s desk divided tha ilia limit hall into two tiro equal parts paris the beats on one side of this slain were occupied by tho the members belonging to the democratic party while on the opposite sido bile sit the 1 vh whig g 11 and 11 free F reo soil bol 11 Rs presenta tives lives mr Lincol lincolia Linc olaa ns seat was orl on tho the outer auto r range and near the western entrance cn trunca to tile tho hall ilia a was hastily written out on sheets ol of I 1 foo foolscap lacap paper und and lay illy on tho the desk before him after speaking a few aw minutes ho he his notes note und and trusted to his bia memory or the inspiration ol of his hia theme becoming excited ile ho earn coin walking iv alkin down the ibo aish hill hi tight itam It ann rm extended and his bis long bony forefinger loger pointing Dg toward the opposite side of the hall to the occupants of which lia his remarks marlis re were especially addressed dro seed and by whom he was listened list enoa to with tho the deepest attention when he ha was VIM not cot interrupted by loud laughter ills left arm aim was thrown behind him and partially cov covered erect by tho the skirls of a black swallowtail swallow tail coat lightly threadbare which hung loosely from rom his shoulders ila iio accrued hardly coo con bolbas fous of his movements until ho he lad hall e rossae the abo area and stood face to face with kith his hia auditors on tho the democratic aide io of the hall ball whoa when lie be would suddenly turn tar DuDd and rapidly walking back to his bis desk deak glance ut at ins his manuscript and then resume his hii walk ile he t thus has occupied his bis allotted hour I 1 I 1 military coats 11 WM was the subject ot of this ibis speech I 1 doubt it if any comparable to it in witty I 1 sarcasm hoa has ever been delivered dalicor od in the bo balls of congress Uon greBs tho the presidential candi candidates datel of ilia whig party at his bis time was gc gen m zachary taylor the hero bero of the mexican war while that ul of the democratic party was wan gen lawla 0 oisa taa a senator atoa rom michigan Michi gAa who was in ia the military service of 0 the salted states slates in the barof war of 1812 and him nell belt ds as a volunteer volan teer aids aide cid deana caira to gen gea flarria on at the battlo battle of the blames batho la alio llio speech of the alia member from georgia the whig party were as aa id to LIVO have deserted i all their principles and taken shelter under the military coat of gall taylor li tylor in ill other WO word their elliod thief reliance for was rai upon tile alia military reputation of their cand candidad caa didio idao in tile tho course of lis ut mr lincoln ander undertook took tu to shuw abow that hut the democratic party were open to a gimi niini lar charge having for nearly a n quarter of 0 P a century mailo made political capital out of 0 the military reputation of gen jackson or old Ric hickory kory as he was popularly culled called una and not only making mailing him president ident out ot of it for eight years lut but having enough ol of it left to make presidents of several comparatively small man mail afterwards and still telling upon poa it to miika make another the care cani laign papers of tile ilia patty party with rude Iken comes of gen jackson thola he ha said bald proclaimed that case aud and butter butler warn vero of the iho I 1 tru rao B hickory stripe while hickory poles anil and hickory brooms were their never ending emblems toward the iho close ol of lis hia speech mr lincoln made a and sarcastic commentary upon the military record of gen cass quoting at some length from the stories atones then in in circulation concerning his valor at the battle of tho thames Il lumes it was sahl lo ho broko broke lis his sword la in a fit of desperation sad and winding up lip with wilh tho the following narrative tive ot of lis liis own exploits as ti ft soldier by y the way mr speaker did dia you ron know knew I 1 am a military horo hero 2 yes sir air in tle the days of the luck black hawk war I 1 fought bled rua and clime came away speaking ing ot of oen gen cass ran ot of my own I 1 ivan was not at Still stillmans mans do feat feidt but bat I 1 was BBS about aft aa near it as aa cass was to aulls surrender bad and like him place placa very soon boon afterwards it is 13 quite certain that I 1 lid did not braai break my sword for I 1 had bad nono none to break but I 1 bent a musket pretty badly on one can occasion co casion 11 it if oasis cana broke lis his sword tho the idea is ia ho he broke it in desperation I 1 bout bent tho the musket by accident if I 1 lo he saw any aby live lighting fighting indians it was more thun than I 1 did but I 1 had a good many bloody struggles with tho the mosquitoes and although I 1 no never bior fainted from tho the loss of 0 blood I 1 can truly say eay I 1 was 0 often very hungry mr speaker if I 1 should ever conclude v to doff whatever our democratic f ilenda d may a so thero there is of black c cockade 0 0 k federalism bout about mo a sad and I 1 thereupon hereupon they shall take raa me up as their heir candidate for or the presidency I 1 protest they shall ahall not make fan ol of me I 1 as they lime haie of 0 gen con cass by attempt ing to write ms me into a military hero bere the speakers hammer tell fell and mr lincoln returned ret arsad to his seat amid peals feals of laughter and demonstrations 0 of f applause from tho the occupants of the t hoor of the hull hall und and the galleries and some bome minutes elapsed before order wits was restored and the regular business of the honda ros resumed umed eisaw I 1 saw mr lincoln almost daily during LIB arat and only term having d is covered at an early period of 0 our so that I 1 appreciated his humorous stories etoria a of which lie he seemed to e a an inexhaustible fund lie he often fl invited avi 0 I 1 11 ll mu me to a boat beat by his bis side for tho the purpose ot of relating a new one u which lich be ba had recently hearil heard irom from one of 0 ill hia s associates or toad road in print while relating a story bill bid face ace usually usual al worn wora BD an expression ol of I 1 tho 0 deepest grav g gravity I 1 t but whoa on ho he ca bamo 0 to tho the close h be would w ya go in a hearty hoarty laugh in laugh all over fro roni lead to toot foot and it if his hia listener enjoyed the narrative and manifested ins his appreciation ol of it in a similar manner mn tiner mr aft Lin colli would only laugh langli the more until lis bia ryes eyes with teats in ia ihu fill ex cless cesa tit of his hia enjoyment when mr L lincoln I 1 neola was wa nominated for president ol of the united stated I 1 was anxious to obtain a good portrait it of 0 him for publication but bat found it impossible to secure ono which gave a good idea de a oj of his lavo face I 1 therefore the late into thomas M johnston Johnc ton a young and highly artist gifted artist of this city to make a crayon drawing big 0 ol 01 f him from life lifa and bont at him to mr Lincol ns home in springfield illinois to mako make tho the requisite I 1 I 1 es sittings it tings ile he was kindly received by y mr lincoln who cheerfully con to sit fit for tho the desired portrait and the result was a moat meet satisfactory satur factory leness As sir mr Lincol ns face uco has haa ottea often been pronounced a homely one and as at tile tho time ot of his hii nomination his bia political opponents made it a subject ol of ridicule and caricature cano utaro an extract from a letter of 0 mr johnson johnann Joh naon who bail bad mailo made a 0 it a careful study can ban hardly fail ail to interest my readers re adera 1 I believe no nans mans personal appear unoo liss leon been so BO nily sly sen dented led its as mr aft Lincol ns I 1 was waa not lot aware that it was wai possible lor for photo graphs taken from boci life lit to so no sent gent the human face yolks butt civet givet al a good general idea of him hica but bat lacks seail mr lincoln has a 11 fino fine head boid and face the expression of 0 whish 0 11 in gloates an amiable combined with great force orco of ct character the ul upper alper part of lis hia head is quits quite Web sterlan ills hla tila of 0 AIRIS uj ly must bo be owing entirely to his bis figure aad aaa gait the length of the former destroying to name como extent the grace of tire ilia lat ter I 1 took nj my leave ot of mr lincoln as ai lie he was waa about departing from washington for or his western homo home and saw hin him so BO more till two k fourth anith ot of marou harch 1855 1865 when he be made his bis appearance on the eastern portico of the aba national capitol as dent eat of the united states to take the oath of office for the secona timo time the morning of that day hall had been a tormy till nearly daly twelve sud nd it was wa therefore generally supposed the inaugural ceremonies would take placa inthe senate gnato chamber Oh umber to ther ditlif appointment of the vast amt multitude ol of people who ilia bad assembled in the tha capitol grounds As ai clr lincoln advanced toward chief justice chase to repeat the iba oath to support the tha constitution of the united states the clouds clouda suddenly I 1 broke brao away revealing tile tho muo sky ills be yond and a t I 1 ahe a a same i austh at the he ann bhoge upon lim sad mid sur roundel lim him withal willi u hilo lilo of light it than see deemed nied of a happy han future for him nuil and fur foi till ahn country iou over choto destinies ho he its bail a twice lion botn called 1 to preside irig iilo but a few bouthi later inter it vai al thought to hayo have been bean prop botio of the crown ot of martyrdom whish was waa destined des Hneil to roat rest upon his bid honored hoa oreil haij bacaj hs