Abraham Lincoln: The True Story of a Great Life, Volume 1 (of 2)Herndon, William Henry
History
Abraham Lincoln: The True Story of a Great Life, Volume 1 (of 2)
Herndon, William Henry
Lincoln, Abraham, 1809-1865
better treated in Massachusetts than in the West, and, turning to
William S. Lincoln, of Worcester, who had lived in Illinois, he remarked
that in that State they had recently killed one of them. This allusion
to Lovejoy's murder at Alton, was thought by the Free-Soilers to be
heartless, and it was noted that Mr. Lincoln did not repeat it in other
speeches. It was probably a casual remark, which came into his mind at
the moment, and meant but little, if anything. Cheers were given at the
end of the speech for the eloquent Whig member from Illinois. The Whig
reports spoke of the speech as 'masterly and convincing' and 'one of the
best ever made in Worcester;' while the Free-Soil report describes it
as 'a pretty tedious affair,' The next morning he spoke at an open-air
meeting, following Benjamin F. Thomas and Ex-Governor Levi Lincoln, but
his speech was cut short by the arrival by train of the delegates from
Boston, who, with the speakers, proceeded at once to the hall. The
convention listened to a long address to the people, reported by a
committee, and then to a brilliant speech from Rufus Choate, followed
by others from Robert C. Winthrop, the Whig Speaker of the House of
Representatives, Charles Hudson, M. C., and Benjamin F. Thomas. Mr.
Lincoln listened to these, but was not himself called out.
Mr. Lincoln spoke at Washingtonian Hall, Bromfield street, Boston, on
the 15th, his address lasting an hour and a half, and, according to the
report, 'seldom equaled for sound reasoning, cogent argument and keen
satire.' Three cheers were given for 'the Lone Star of Illinois,' on
account of his being the only Whig member from the State. He spoke
at Lowell the 16th, and at the Lower Mills, Dorchester, now a part of
Boston, on Monday, the 18th. At this last place the meeting was held in
Richmond Hall, and the chairman was N. F. Safford, living till 1891, who
introduced him as one of the Lincolns of Hingham, and a descendant of
Gen. Benjamin Lincoln. Mr. Lincoln, as he began, disclaimed descent from
the Revolutionary officer, but said, playfully, that he had
endeavored in Illinois to introduce the principles of the Lincolns of
Massachusetts. A few of his audience are still living. They were struck
with his height, as he arose in the low-studded hall. He spoke at
Chelsea on the 19th, and a report states that his speech 'for aptness of
illustration, solidity of argument, and genuine eloquence, was hard to
beat.' Charles Sumner had defended the Free-Soil cause at the same place
the evening before. Mr. Lincoln spoke at Dedham, in Temperance Hall, on
the 20th, in the daytime. Two Whig nominating conventions met there the
same day, at one of which Horace Mann was nominated for a second term
in Congress. A report states that he 'spoke in an agreeable and
entertaining way.' He left abruptly to take a train in order to meet
another engagement, and was escorted to the station by the Dorchester
band. The same evening he spoke at Cambridge. The report describes
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