IN THE LEGISLATURE.
My young readers will have noticed how extremely slender thus far had
been the educational advantages of young Lincoln. Of the thousands of
men who have risen to eminence in this country from similar poverty, few
have had so little to help them. In England the path of promotion is
more difficult, and I doubt whether any one circumstanced as Abraham
Lincoln was could ever have reached a commanding position. It will be
interesting in this connection to read the statement made by John Bright
at his recent installation as Lord Rector of Glasgow University. It will
show what a difference there is between limited advantages in England
and in America:
“I am an entire stranger to University life in the University sense,”
says Mr. Bright. “I may be said to be a man who never had the
advantages of education. I had the teaching of some French--as
Englishmen teach French, and I had the advantages of a year’s
instruction in Latin by a most admirable tutor--a countryman of yours
from the University of Edinburgh. But there was not much Greek--not so
much that any trace of it is left. There was nothing in the shape of
mathematics or science. Looking at education as you take it, I am a
person who had the misfortune to have had almost none of it in my youth.
You will not, therefore, be surprised if I feel a certain humiliation in
seeming to teach you anything, and if I feel a strong sense of envy--but
not a blamable envy--that I never possessed the advantages which are
placed within your reach. But if I had no education such as colleges and
universities give, if my school-life ended at the precise time when your
university career begins; if I am unknown to literature and to science
and to arts, I ask myself what is it that has brought me within the
range of your sympathies--brought me to this distinguished position? I
suppose it must be because you have some sympathy with my labors. You
believe that I have been in some sort a political teacher; that I have
taken some pains and perhaps have been of some service in the
legislation and government of our country.”
Had Lincoln possessed one-half the educational equipment of John Bright
when he entered upon political life he would have felt much better
satisfied.
Abraham Lincoln on his return from the Black Hawk campaign was
twenty-three years old. Though he was about as poor as he had always
been, he was rich in the good opinion of his friends and neighbors. This
is evinced by an application then made to him to allow himself to run
for the Legislature. He consented, though surprised at the request, and
polled a vote considerably in advance of other candidates of the same
party. In New Salem he polled an almost unanimous vote, men voting for
him without regard to party lines. Still, he was defeated. A brief
speech which he made during the canvass has been preserved, and, as it
is characteristic, I quote it:
“Gentlemen and Fellow-citizens: I presume you all know who I am. I am
humble Abraham Lincoln. I have been solicited by many friends to become
a candidate for the Legislature. My politics are short and sweet, like
the old woman’s dance. I am in favor of a national bank. I am in favor
of the internal improvement system and a high protective tariff. These
are my sentiments and political principles. If elected, I shall be
thankful; if not, it will be all the same.”
It will be seen that Mr. Lincoln had cast in his lot with the Whig
party--the party of whom Henry Clay was at that time the most
distinguished representative, and for whom the young man had a strong
admiration.
The great problem of how he was to make his living had not yet been
solved by young Lincoln. Dr. Holland is our authority for the statement
that he seriously took into consideration the project of learning the
blacksmith’s trade. An opportunity, however, offered for him to buy out
a stock of goods owned by a man of Radford, in connection with a man
named Berry. This supplied him employment for a time, but not of a
profitable nature, for his partner proved a hindrance rather than a
help, and failure ensued. Lincoln was involved in debt, and it was six
years before he freed himself from his obligations. About this time he
received his first political appointment--that of postmaster--from the
administration of General Jackson. It brought in very little revenue,
but gave him a privilege which he valued of reading all the newspapers
which came to the office. The office seemed to have been conducted in
free and easy style. When the young postmaster had occasion to go out he
closed the office and carried off the mail matter in his hat.
When his store was closed permanently, young Lincoln received an offer
from the surveyor of Sangamon County to undertake all his work in the
immediate neighborhood of New Salem. Though Lincoln knew nothing of
surveying, either practically or theoretically, he qualified himself for
the work, procured a compass and chain, and went to work. It is an
interesting proof of the young surveyor’s thoroughness that, in spite of
his inadequate preparation, the accuracy of his surveys has never been
called in question.
Two years later Lincoln ran again for the Legislature, and this time he
succeeded. Among his colleagues was Major John T. Stuart, a prosperous
lawyer of Springfield. He was a previous acquaintance of young Lincoln,
and their present companionship strengthened the interest of the older
man in his struggling young friend.
“Why don’t you study law?” he asked Lincoln.
“Because I am poor; I have no money to buy the necessary books,” said
Abe.
“Have you ever thought of following the profession?”
“Yes, I have already read law some.”
“I believe you would succeed. If books are all you need, I have a large
law library and will lend you what you need.”
Abe’s face lighted up with pleasure.
“You are very kind,” he said, “and I will take you at your word. When
can I have the books?”
“Whenever you will call for them.”
This was not an offer which young Lincoln could afford to slight. At the
close of the canvass he walked to Springfield, called at the office of
his friend Stuart, and returned to New Salem with a load of books, which
he forthwith began to read and study.
“Abe’s progress in the law,” says Mr. Lamon, “was as surprising as the
intensity of his application to study. He never lost a moment that might
be improved. It is even said that he read and recited to himself on the
road and by the wayside, as he came down from Springfield with the books
he had borrowed from Stuart. The first time he went up he had ‘mastered’
forty pages of Blackstone before he got back. It was not long until,
with his restless desire to be doing something practical, he began to
turn his acquisitions to account in forwarding the business of his
neighbors. He wrote deeds, contracts, notes, and other legal papers, for
them, ‘using a small dictionary and an old form-book’; pettifogged
incessantly before the justice of the peace, and probably assisted that
functionary in the administration of justice as much as he benefited his
own clients. This species of country student practice was entered upon
very early, and kept up until long after he was a distinguished man in
the Legislature. But in all this he was only trying himself; as he was
not admitted to the bar until 1837, he did not regard it as legitimate
practice, and never charged a penny for his services.”
Young Lincoln took part in the legislative work of the first session
during which he served as a member, but did not push himself forward. He
listened and took notes of what was done, and how it was done. He was
assigned to an honorable place on the Committee on Public Accounts and
Expenditures. It was about this time that he saw for the first time
Stephen A. Douglas, with whom he was in after years to be associated in
the memorable canvass for the Senatorship. Douglas, who was only about
five feet in height, was also slender, and in personal appearance
presented a striking contrast to the long-legged young legislator who
overtopped him by more than a foot.
“He is the smallest man I ever saw,” said Lincoln.
Douglas filled up as he grew older, till he came to deserve the title by
which he was so long known, of “The Little Giant.” He was not at that
time a member of the Legislature, but was a successful candidate for the
position of District Attorney for the district in which he lived. Unlike
Lincoln, he was not a Western man by birth, having been born and
“raised” in Vermont. In fact he had only come West during the previous
year; but he was not a man to hide his light under a bushel, and soon
worked himself into prominence in his new home. Two years later, in
1838, Douglas, as well as Lincoln, was elected to the Legislature, and
they served together. In public life, therefore, Lincoln preceded
Douglas by two years, but the latter advanced much more rapidly and
became a man of national reputation, while Lincoln was still
comparatively obscure.