CHAPTER I. PAGE Birth of Abraham Lincoln--The Lincoln Family--Abraham’s first Schooling--Death of Mrs. Lincoln, and the new “Mother”--Lincoln’s Boyhood and Youth--Self-Education-- Great Physical Strength--First Literary Efforts--Journey to New Orleans--Encouraging Incident, 9 CHAPTER II. Lincoln’s Appearance--His First Public Speech--Again at New Orleans--Mechanical Genius--Clerk in a Country Store--Elected Captain--The Black Hawk War--Is a successful Candidate for the Legislature--Becomes a Storekeeper, Land Surveyor, and Postmaster--His First Love--The “Long Nine”--First Step towards Emancipation, 30 CHAPTER III. Lincoln settles at Springfield as a Lawyer--Candidate for the office of Presidential Elector--A Love Affair--Marries Miss Todd--Religious Views--Exerts himself for Henry Clay--Elected to Congress in 1846--Speeches in Congress--Out of Political Employment until 1854--Anecdotes of Lincoln as a Lawyer, 53 CHAPTER IV. Rise of the Southern Party--Formation of the Abolition and the Free Soil Parties--Judge Douglas and the Kansas-Nebraska Bill--Douglas defeated by Lincoln--Lincoln resigns as Candidate for Congress--Lincoln’s Letter on Slavery--The Bloomington Speech--The Fremont Campaign--Election of Buchanan--The Dred-Scott Decision, 64 CHAPTER V. Causes of Lincoln’s Nomination to the Presidency--His Lectures in New York, &c.--The First Nomination and the Fence Rails--The Nomination at Chicago--Elected President--Office-seekers and Appointments--Lincoln’s Impartiality--The South determined to Secede--Fears for Lincoln’s Life, 78 CHAPTER VI. A Suspected Conspiracy--Lincoln’s Departure for Washington--His Speeches at Springfield and on the road to the National Capital--Breaking out of the Rebellion--Treachery of President Buchanan--Treason in the Cabinet--Jefferson Davis’s Message--Threats of Massacre and Ruin to the North--Southern Sympathisers--Lincoln’s Inaugural Address--The Cabinet--The Days of Doubt and of Darkness, 88 CHAPTER VII. Mr. Seward refuses to meet the Rebel Commissioners--Lincoln’s Forbearance--Fort Sumter--Call for 75,000 Troops--Troubles in Maryland--Administrative Prudence--Judge Douglas--Increase of the Army--Winthrop and Ellsworth--Bull Run--General M‘Clellan, 102 CHAPTER VIII. Relations with Europe--Foreign Views of the War--The Slaves--Proclamation of Emancipation--Arrest of Rebel Commissioners--Black Troops, 117