Recollections of Abraham Lincoln, 1847-1865Lamon, Ward Hill
History
Recollections of Abraham Lincoln, 1847-1865
Lamon, Ward Hill
Lincoln, Abraham, 1809-1865
[Mr. Briggs received as his share of the profits $4.25. What the country
profited by this, Mr. Lincoln's first triumph outside of his own state,
has never been computed.]
[Illustration: Colonel Ellsworth, Mr. Herndon, and Colonel Lamon
accompanied Mr. Lincoln to the polls when he cast his vote for this
ticket. He voted only for the State and County officers, feeling that a
Presidential candidate ought not to vote for his own electors.]
[Illustration: Decorative--head of Lincoln and rail fence]
THE RAIL-SPLITTER.
It has been said that the term "rail-splitter" which became a leading
feature of the campaign in 1860 originated at the Chicago convention
when Mr. Deland of Ohio, who seconded the nomination of Mr. Lincoln,
said: "I desire to second the nomination of a man who can split rails
and maul Democrats."
Mr. Delano not only seconded the nomination, but "seconded" the campaign
"cry."
Gov. Oglesby one week before at the State Convention at Decatur
introduced into the assemblage John Hanks, who bore on his shoulder two
small rails surmounted by a banner with this inscription: "Two rails
from a lot made by Abraham Lincoln and John Hanks in the Sangamon Bottom
in the year 1830."
For six months Rail-splitter was heard everywhere and rails were to be
seen on nearly everything, even on stationery. One of the Lincoln
delegates said: "These rails represent the issue between labor free and
labor slave, between democracy and aristocracy."
The Democrats disliked to hear so much about "honest Old Abe," "the
rail-splitter" the "flatboatman," "the pioneer." These cries had an
ominous sound in their ears. Just after the State Convention which named
Lincoln as first choice of the Republicans of Illinois, an old man,
devoted to the principles of Democracy and much annoyed by the
demonstration in progress, approached Mr. Lincoln and said, "So you're
Abe Lincoln?"--"That's my name, sir," answered Mr. Lincoln. "They say
you're a self-made man," said the Democrat. "Well, yes," said Lincoln,
"what there is of me is self-made."--"Well, all I've got to say,"
observed the old man after a careful survey of the statesman before him,
"is that it was a ---- bad job."
TEMPERANCE.
On the temperance question Mr. Lincoln has been quoted by the adherents
of both sides. He had no taste for spirituous liquors and when he took
them it was a punishment to him, not an indulgence. In a temperance
lecture delivered in 1842 Mr. Lincoln said:--"In my judgment such of us
as have never fallen victims have been spared more from the absence of
appetite than from any mental or moral superiority over those who have.
Indeed, I believe if we take habitual drunkards as a class their heads
and their hearts will bear an advantageous comparison with those of any
other class."
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Elsewhere in the archive
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account