Upon the occasion of the celebration of the fiftieth anniversary
of the organization of the City of Bloomington, the oration was
delivered by the Hon. James S. Ewing, late Minister to Belgium.
In the course of his address, he related the following incident:
"In the early history of this county, two boys one day went into
the old courthouse to hear a lawsuit tried. There were assembled eight
young lawyers, not all of them engaged in the trial, but giving
strict attention to the proceedings. It was not a suit of great
importance.
"The Court was presided over by Samuel H. Treat, who afterwards
became a United States District Judge and one of the most distinguished
lawyers and jurists in the State.
"One of the lawyers was David Davis, first a noted lawyer, then
a circuit judge, then a judge of the Supreme Court of the United
States, then a United States Senator and acting President of the
Senate; a citizen of State and national fame whom the people of
Bloomington loved and delighted to honor.
"Another was John T. Stuart, a brilliant lawyer, several times a
member of Congress, and one of the most lovable of men.
"Another one was David B. Campbell, then the prosecuting attorney and
afterwards a prominent lawyer and citizen of Springfield.
"Another was Edward D. Baker, who was afterwards a United State
Senator from Oregon; a famous orator who immortalized himself by
his marvellous oration over Senator Broderick.
"Another was James A. McDougall, a brilliant Irishman, afterwards a
United States Senator from the State of California.
"And Abraham Lincoln, who has passed beyond the domain of human
praise into the pantheon of universal history.
"I might add that one of those boys afterwards became the Vice-President
of the United States; and the other is your speaker.
"Speaking to any audience in America, I might say in the world,
I doubt if such an incident could be truthfully related of any
other gathering."