ABE MAKES A SPEECH
When Abe returned from his few months of service in the Black Hawk War,
he learned that his political opponent, Peter Cartwright, had been
making the most of his opportunity.
Abe Lincoln had announced his candidacy before he went away, but had
had no time even to plan a speaking tour. Peter Cartwright had remained
on his itinerary and had been speaking to large audiences. The weapon
Cartwright had been using against his opponent with most telling effect
was the implied charge that he was an infidel.
While Captain Lincoln had been gone from New Salem a minister had come
to the hamlet to make his home, and was already one of the circle
composed of Mentor Graham, Dr. Allen, William Green, John Rutledge, and
other of Abe Lincoln's good friends.
Even before his return these friends had discussed the matter of
religion as it pertained to the success of this candidate, and had
decided, especially since Cartwright was making much capital out of
the fact that Abe Lincoln was not a church member, that he should
become one.
Accordingly he was called into council and the case set before him.
"It is not necessary that I go to the Legislature to keep my own
self-respect," he said to them. "It is necessary, however, that I
deal honestly with myself, and it would be neither fair to me nor to
your society for me to become a member, since I do not believe as you
claim to. I have no use whatever for a God that plots against innocent
children and helpless women, encourages murder, that throws rocks
down on honest soldiers and, as recorded, does many other foolish and
wicked things which would shame a decent Indian. I'm familiar with the
Good Book--too familiar to swallow some portions of it whole. Whenever
you get together on the rule 'Love your neighbor' that Jesus himself
taught, I'll join you."
"Cartwright is making much of your refusal to be counted with
Christians."
"And by doin' just this thing Cartwright is provin' himself either
ignorant of the Constitution of the United States or knowingly
betraying it. Our Constitution stands forever for the separation of
Church and State, of religion and politics. If my common, everyday
horse-sense will not let me believe in purgatorial fires, what has
that to do with making Sangamon River navigable? If I haven't any
better sense than to pray to an image, that's my affair so long as it
is not allowed to enter into or affect my public policies, or I do
not try to inflict it on someone else. This is what I make out of our
Constitutional guarantee of civil and religious liberty. I haven't
had much chance to go to school. I haven't had many books to study.
But, gentlemen, I've eaten up the Constitution of our country and
digested it a dozen times over. I may get its meaning wrong. I think
I'm right. If I am, then Cartwright is wrong--just as wrong as I would
be to campaign against him because he preaches hell fire and eternal
punishment, which to me is as damnable a doctrine as my lack of such
belief can ever be to him."
"Abe Lincoln," said John Rutledge, "I believe you are right. Stand by
your guns. You may lose now but you will come out all right in the long
run."
Abe Lincoln's first appearance on the stump in this campaign was at
Pappsville, a small place eleven miles west of Springfield. A public
sale had been advertised and the young candidate thought it would be a
good chance to get a hearing.
After the sale a friend who had accompanied him went about shouting,
"Public speaking! Draw near! Draw near!"
The crowd soon collected, for every man was interested in a stump
speech.
Hardly had the crowd gathered than a fight started and a general row
seemed inevitable.
Seeing a friend of his being pushed about by the rough crowd, Abe
Lincoln jumped from the platform, and, rushing into the crowd, began
shouldering the excited men apart so that his man could get out.
Finally, he pushed against a man who turned about and defied him.
Without a word he grabbed the man by the neck and the seat of the
breeches and tossed him a dozen feet. This act had a quieting effect
on the fight and the fighters stopped to see what manner of political
candidate this was who could pitch men about as a farmer pitches a
shock of wheat.
What they saw on the rude platform was an unusually tall, ungainly
and homely young fellow, who wore a mixed-jeans coat, bob-tailed and
short-sleeved, pantaloons made of flax and tow linen, a straw hat and
pot-metal boots.
His speech was short. He said, "Gentlemen and fellow-citizens, I
presume you all know me. I am humble Abraham Lincoln. I have been
solicited by my 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 revenue system,
education for everybody, and a high, protective tariff. These are my
sentiments and political principles. If elected I shall feel thankful.
If not, I am used to defeat. It will be all the same."