isa-normaladvance-1909-00142

Description:	142THE NORMAL ADVANCEAaron, that same Aaron was at the foot of themountain making a false god for the people toworship. Yet Aaron got his commission, youknow.Lincoln had been in the telegraph office atSpringfield during the casting of the first andsecond ballots in the Republican National Convention at Chicago, and then left and went overto the office of the State Journal, where he wassitting conversing with friends while the thirdballot was being taken.In a few moments came across the wires theannouncement of the result. The superintendent of the telegraph company wrote on a scrapof paper, Mr. Lincoln, you are nominated onthe third ballot, and a boy ran with the message to Lincoln.He looked at it in silence, amid the shoutsof those around him then rising and puttingit in his pocket, he said quietly:Theres a little woman down at our housewould like to hear this Ill go down and tellher.There was a social at Lincolns house inSpringfield, and Abe introduced his wife toWard Lamon, his law partner. Lamon tellsthe story in these words:After introducing me to Mrs. Lincoln, heleft us in conversation. I remarked to her thather husband was a great favorite in the easternpart of the State, where I had been stopping. Yes, she replied, he is a great favoriteeverywhere. He is to be President of theUnited States some day if I had not thoughtso I never would have married him, for you cansee he is not pretty. But look at him, doesnt he look as if hewould make a magnificent President?One of the most beautiful traits of Mr. Lincolns character was his considerate regard forthe poor and obscure relatives he had left,plodding along in their humble ways of life.Wherever upon his circuit he found them, healways went to their dwellings, ate withthem,and, when convenient, made their houses hishome. He never assumed in their presence theslightest superiority to them. He gave themmoney when they needed it and he had it.Countless times he was known to leave hiscompanions at the village hotel, after a harddays work in the court room, and spend theevening with these old friends and companionsof his humbler days. On one occasion whenurged not to go, he replied, Why, Aunts heartwould be broken if I should leave town without calling on her yet he was obliged to walkseveral miles to make the call.•President Lincoln made a significant remarkto a clergyman in the early days of the War.Let us have faith, Mr. President, said theminister, that the Lord is on our side in thisgreat struggle.Mr. Lincoln quietly answered: I am not atall concerned about that, for I know that theLord is always on the side of the right but itis my constant anxiety and prayer that I andthis nation may be on the Lords side.During the afternoon preceding his assassination the President signed a pardon for asoldier sentenced to be shot for desertion, remarking as he did so, Well, I think the boycan do us more good above ground than underground.At one time, when Lincoln and Douglas werestumping Illinois, they met at a certain town,and it was agreed that they should have a jointdebate. Douglas was the first speaker and inthe course of his talk remarked that in earlylife, his father, who, he said, was an excellentcooper by trade, apprenticed him out to learnthe cabinet business.This was too good for Lincoln to let pass, sowhen his turn came to reply, he said:I had understood before that Mr. Douglashad been bound out to learn the cabinet-makingbusiness, which is all well enough, but I wasnot aware until now that his father was acooper. I have no doubt, however, that he was
Source:	http://indstate.contentdm.oclc.org/cdm/ref/collection/isuarchive/id/34172
Collection:	Indiana State University Archives

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