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
afterward, when he was exhibiting this faculty in a more ambitious way
on a broader field. The speech which I am trying to describe was not a
long one. It abruptly ended in a half-hour's time. The bell that called
to the steam cars sounded. Mr. Lincoln instantly stopped. 'I am engaged
to speak at Cambridge to-night,' said he, 'and I must leave.' The whole
audience seemed to rise in protest. 'Oh, no! go on! finish it!' was
heard on every hand. One gentleman arose and pledged himself to take his
horse and carry him across the country. But Mr. Lincoln was inexorable.
'I can't take any risks,' said he.
"'I have engaged to go to Cambridge, and I must be there. I came here
as I agreed, and I am going there in the same way.' A more disappointed
audience was never seen; but Mr. Lincoln had fairly wakened it up, and
it stayed through the afternoon and into the evening to listen to other
speakers. We tried to get him to come again, but it was impossible. I
heard the speech finished afterward in Tremont Temple, Boston; and it
is a notable fact that on the same evening, and from the same platform,
William H. Seward also spoke, and made the only political speech he ever
delivered in Boston. Who could have dreamed then that in Lincoln we were
listening to the man who was to be the future president of the United
States, and to leave a reputation second only to that of Washington! Mr.
Lincoln moved his Boston audience in much the same way I have described,
but Mr. Seward made the first speech, and was looked upon as the
chief star, of course. Seward's speech was much more ambitious and
comprehensive than that of Lincoln. The latter had not begun to treat
broad principles in the 1848 campaign. Mr. Seward's argument was a
triumph of intellect, after the most careful preparation. I don't think
Mr. Lincoln had ever written his speech at all. He aimed at not much
more than to be bright, effective and taking with his audience, and his
success was perfect here."
CHAPTER XI.
[Illustration: The Globe Tavern 363]
Photographed in 1886.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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