J. S. Moulton, of Chicago, a master in chancery and influential in
public affairs, looked upon the candidacy of Mr. Lincoln for President
as something in the nature of a joke. He did not rate the Illinois man
in the same class with the giants of the East. In fact he had expressed
himself as by no means friendly to the Lincoln cause.
Still he had been a good friend to Lincoln and had often met him when
the Springfield lawyer came to Chicago. Mr. Lincoln heard of Moulton’s
attitude, but did not see Moulton until after the election, when the
President-elect came to Chicago and was tendered a reception at one of
the big hotels.
Moulton went up in the line to pay his respects to the newly-elected
chief magistrate, purely as a formality, he explained to his companions.
As Moulton came along the line Mr. Lincoln grasped Moulton’s hand with
his right, and with his left took the master of chancery by the shoulder
and pulled him out of the line.
“You don’t belong in that line, Moulton,” said Mr. Lincoln. “You belong
here by me.”
Everyone at the reception was a witness to the honoring of Moulton. From
that hour every faculty that Moulton possessed was at the service of the
President. A little act of kindness, skillfully bestowed, had won him;
and he stayed on to the end.