HURRY MIGHT MAKE TROUBLE.
SAW HIMSELF DEAD.
EVERY LITTLE HELPED.
ABOUT TO LAY DOWN THE BURDEN.
LINCOLN WOULD HAVE PREFERRED DEATH.
“PUNCH” AND HIS LITTLE PICTURE.
FASCINATED By THE WONDERFUL
“WHY DON’T THEY COME!”
GRANT’S BRAND OF WHISKEY.
HIS FINANCIAL STANDING.
THE DANDY AND THE BOYS.
“SOME UGLY OLD LAWYER.”
GOOD MEMORY OF NAMES.
SETTLED OUT OF COURT.
THE FIVE POINTS SUNDAY SCHOOL.
SENTINEL OBEYED ORDERS.
WHY LINCOLN GROWED WHISKERS.
LINCOLN AS A DANCER.
SIMPLY PRACTICAL HUMANITY.
HAPPY FIGURES OF SPEECH.
A FEW “RHYTHMIC SHOTS.”
OLD MAN GLENN’S RELIGION.
LAST ACTS OF MERCY.
JUST LIKE SEWARD.
A CHEERFUL PROSPECT.
THOUGHT GOD WOULD HAVE TOLD HIM.
LINCOLN AND A BIBLE HERO.
BOY WAS CARED FOR.
THE JURY ACQUITTED HIM
TOOK NOTHING BUT MONEY.
NAUGHTY BOY HAD TO TAKE HIS MEDICINE.
WOULD BLOW THEM TO H—-.
“YANKEE” GOODNESS OF HEART.
WALKED AS HE TALKED.
THE SONG DID THE BUSINESS.
A “FREE FOR ALL.”
THREE INFERNAL BORES.
LINCOLN’S MEN WERE “HUSTLERS.”
A SLOW HORSE.
DODGING “BROWSING PRESIDENTS.”
A GREENBACK LEGEND.
GOD’S BEST GIFT TO MAN.
SCALPING IN THE BLACK HAWK WAR.
MATRIMONIAL ADVICE.
OWED LOTS OF MONEY.
“ON THE LORD’S SIDE.”
WANTED TO BE NEAR “ABE.”
GOT HIS FOOT IN IT.
SAVED BY A LETTER.
HIS FAVORITE POEM.
FIVE-LEGGED CALF.
A STAGE-COACH STORY.
THE “400” GATHERED THERE.
ONLY LEVEL-HEADED MEN WANTED.
HIS FAITH IN THE MONITOR.
HER ONLY IMPERFECTION.
THE OLD LADY’S PROPHECY.
HOW THE TOWN OF LINCOLN, ILL., WAS NAMED.
“OLD JEFF’S” BIG NIGHTMARE.
LINCOLN’S LAST OFFICIAL ACT.
THE LAD NEEDED THE SLEEP.
“MASSA LINKUM LIKE DE LORD!”
HOW LINCOLN TOOK THE NEWS.
PROFANITY AS A SAFETY-VALVE.
WHY WE WON AT GETTYSBURG.
HAD TO WAIT FOR HIM.
PRESIDENT AND CABINET JOINED IN PRAYER.
BELIEVED HE WAS A CHRISTIAN.
WITH THE HELP OF GOD.
TURNED TEARS TO SMILES.
LINCOLN’S LAST WRITTEN WORDS.
WOMEN PLEAD FOR PARDONS.
LINCOLN WISHED TO SEE RICHMOND.
SPOKEN LIKE A CHRISTIAN.
“LINCOLN GOES IN WHEN THE QUAKERS ARE OUT”
HAD CONFIDENCE IN HIM—“BUT—.”
HOW HOMINY WAS ORIGINATED.
HIS IDEA’S OLD, AFTER ALL.
LINCOLN’S FIRST SPEECH.
“ABE WANTED NO SNEAKIN’ ‘ROUND.”
DIDN’T EVEN NEED STILTS.
“HOW DO YOU GET OUT OF THIS PLACE?”
“TAD” INTRODUCES “OUR FRIENDS.”
MIXED UP WORSE THAN BEFORE.
“LONG ABE’S” FEET “PROTRUDED OVER.”
COULD LICK ANY MAN IN THE CROWD.
HIS WAY TO A CHILD’S HEART.
“LEFT IT THE WOMEN TO HOWL ABOUT ME.”
HE’D RUIN ALL THE OTHER CONVICTS.
IN A HOPELESS MINORITY.
“DID YE ASK MORRISSEY YET?”
GOT THE LAUGH ON DOUGLAS.
“FIXED UP” A BIT FOR THE “CITY FOLKS.”
EVEN REBELS OUGHT TO BE SAVED.
TRIED TO DO WHAT SEEMED BEST.
“HOLDING A CANDLE TO THE CZAR.”
NASHVILLE WAS NOT SURRENDERED.
HE COULDN’T WAIT FOR THE COLONEL.
LINCOLN PRONOUNCED THIS STORY FUNNY.
JOKE WAS ON LINCOLN.
THE OTHER ONE WAS WORSE.
“I’D A BEEN MISSED BY MYSE’F.”
IT ALL “DEPENDED” UPON THE EFFECT.
TOO SWIFT TO STAY IN THE ARMY.
ADMIRED THE STRONG MAN.
WISHED THE ARMY CHARGED LIKE THAT.
“UNCLE ABRAHAM” HAD EVERYTHING READY.
NOT AS SMOOTH AS HE LOOKED.
A SMALL CROP.
“NEVER REGRET WHAT YOU DON’T WRITE.”
A VAIN GENERAL.
DEATH BED REPENTANCE.
NO CAUSE FOR PRIDE.
THE STORY OF LINCOLN’S LIFE
A YOUTHFUL POET.
MADE SPEECHES WHEN A BOY.
ASSISTANT PILOT ON A STEAMBOAT.
“CAPTAIN LINCOLN” PLEASED HIM.
FAILURE AS A BUSINESS MAN.
GAINS FAME AS A STORY TELLER.
SURVEYOR WITH NO STRINGS ON HIM.
A MEMBER OF THE LEGISLATURE.
THE FAMOUS “LONG NINE.”
BEGINS TO OPPOSE SLAVERY.
BEGINS TO PRACTICE LAW.
HIS FIRST JOINT DEBATE.
MARRIES A SPRINGFIELD BELLE.
STORY OF ANNE RUTLEDGE.
HIS DUEL WITH SHIELDS.
FORMS NEW PARTNERSHIP.
DEFEATS PETER CARTWRIGHT FOR CONGRESS.
MAKES SPEECHES FOR “OLD ZACH.”
DECLINES A HIGH OFFICE.
LINCOLN AS A LAWYER.
TELLING STORIES ON THE CIRCUIT.
THE LION IS AROUSED TO ACTION.
SEEKS A SEAT IN THE SENATE.
HELPS TO ORGANIZE THE REPUBLICAN PARTY.
THE RAIL-SPLITTER vs. THE LITTLE GIANT.
WERE LIKE CROWDS AT A CIRCUS.
HIS BUCKEYE CAMPAIGN.
FIRST VISIT TO NEW YORK.
FIRST NOMINATION FOR PRESIDENT.
FORMATION OF THE SOUTHERN CONFEDERACY.
GOOD-BYE TO THE OLD FOLK.
THE “SECRET PASSAGE” TO WASHINGTON.
HIS ELOQUENT INAUGURAL ADDRESS.
FOLLOWS PRECEDENT OF WASHINGTON.
GREATER DIPLOMAT THAN SEWARD.
LINCOLN A GREAT GENERAL.
ABSOLUTE CONFIDENCE IN GRANT.
REASONS FOB FREEING THE SLAVES.
HARD TO REFUSE PARDONS.
A FUN-LOVING AND HUMOR-LOVING MAN.
WARNINGS OF HIS TRAGIC DEATH.
LINCOLN AT THE THEATRE.
LAMON’S REMARKABLE REQUEST.
HOW LINCOLN WAS MURDERED.
BOOTH BRANDISHES HIS DAGGER AND ESCAPES.
WALT WHITMAN’S DESCRIPTION.
BOOTH FOUND IN A BARN.
BOOTH SHOT BY “BOSTON” CORBETT.
FATE OF THE CONSPIRATORS.
HENRY WARD BEECHER’S EULOGY.
ABRAHAM LINCOLN’S FAMILY.
LINCOLN MONUMENT AT SPRINGFIELD.
FACSIMILES
NOTE
Washington, Dec. 24th, 1848.
Washington, April 30, 1864.
01 To his Father
02 To his Brother
03 To his Brother
04 To General Grant
05 Request for a Pardon
06 Request for a Pardon
07 Approval of a Pardon
ABRAHAM LINCOLN, VOL. 1, BY HERNDONINTRODUCTION.CHAPTER I.CHAPTER II.CHAPTER III.CHAPTER IV.CHAPTER V.CHAPTER VI.CHAPTER VII.CHAPTER VIII.CHAPTER IX.CHAPTER X.CHAPTER XI.
ABRAHAM LINCOLN, VOL. 1, BY HERNDON
INTRODUCTION.
CHAPTER I.
CHAPTER II.
CHAPTER III.
CHAPTER IV.
CHAPTER V.
CHAPTER VI.
CHAPTER VII.
CHAPTER VIII.
CHAPTER IX.
CHAPTER X.
CHAPTER XI.
INDEX FOR HERNDON TWO
ABRAHAM LINCOLN, VOL. 1, BY HERNDON
CHAPTER I.
CHAPTER II.
CHAPTER III.
CHAPTER IV.
CHAPTER V.
CHAPTER VI.
CHAPTER VII.
CHAPTER VIII.
CHAPTER IX.
CHAPTER X.
CHAPTER XI.
APPENDIX.
UNPUBLISHED FAMILY LETTERS.
AN INCIDENT ON THE CIRCUIT.
LINCOLN'S FELLOW LAWYERS.
THE TRUCE WITH DOUGLAS.—TESTIMONY OF IRWIN.
THE BLOOMINGTON CONVENTION.
AN OFFICE DISCUSSION—LINCOLN'S IDEA OF WAR.
LINCOLN AND THE KNOW-NOTHINGS.
LINCOLN'S VIEWS ON THE RIGHTS OF SUFFRAGE.
THE BURIAL OF THE ASSASSIN BOOTH.
A TRIBUTE TO LINCOLN BY A COLLEAGUE AT THE BAR.
LINCOLN AT FORT MONROE.
INDEX FOR "LAM"
THE LIFE OF ABRAHAM LINCOLN BY LAMONPREFACE.TABLE OF CONTENTS.LIFE OF ABRAHAM LINCOLN.CHAPTER I.CHAPTER II.CHAPTER III.CHAPTER IV.CHAPTER V.CHAPTER VICHAPTER VIICHAPTER VIII.CHAPTER IXCHAPTER XCHAPTER XICHAPTER XIICHAPTER XIIICHAPTER XIVCHAPTER XVCHAPTER XVICHAPTER XVIICHAPTER XVIIICHAPTER XIX.CHAPTER XXAPPENDIX.ILLUSTRATIONSFrontispieceTitlepageMrs. Sarah Lincoln, Mother of the PresidentDennis HanksMr. Lincoln As a FlatboatmanMap of New SalemBlack Hawk, Indian ChiefJoshua F. SpeedJudge David DavisStephen T. LoganJohn T. StuartWilliam HerndonUncle John HanksMr. Lincoln's Home in Springfield, Ill.Norman B. JuddFacsimile of Autobiography 1Facsimile of Autobiography 2Facsimile of Autobiography 3
THE LIFE OF ABRAHAM LINCOLN BY LAMON
PREFACE.
TABLE OF CONTENTS.
LIFE OF ABRAHAM LINCOLN.
CHAPTER I.
CHAPTER II.
CHAPTER III.
CHAPTER IV.
CHAPTER V.
CHAPTER VI
CHAPTER VII
CHAPTER VIII.
CHAPTER IX
CHAPTER X
CHAPTER XI
CHAPTER XII
CHAPTER XIII
CHAPTER XIV
CHAPTER XV
CHAPTER XVI
CHAPTER XVII
CHAPTER XVIII
CHAPTER XIX.
CHAPTER XX
APPENDIX.
ILLUSTRATIONS
Frontispiece
Titlepage
Mrs. Sarah Lincoln, Mother of the President
Dennis Hanks
Mr. Lincoln As a Flatboatman
Map of New Salem
Black Hawk, Indian Chief
Joshua F. Speed
Judge David Davis
Stephen T. Logan
John T. Stuart
William Herndon
Uncle John Hanks
Mr. Lincoln's Home in Springfield, Ill.
Norman B. Judd
Facsimile of Autobiography 1
Facsimile of Autobiography 2
Facsimile of Autobiography 3
Immediately after Lincoln's re-election to the Presidency, in an off-hand speech, delivered in response to a serenade by some of his admirers on the evening of November 10, 1864, he spoke as follows:
"It has long been a grave question whether any government not too strong for the liberties of its people can be strong enough to maintain its existence in great emergencies. On this point, the present rebellion brought our republic to a severe test, and the Presidential election, occurring in regular course during the rebellion, added not a little to the strain.... The strife of the election is but human nature practically applied to the facts in the case. What has occurred in this case must ever occur in similar cases. Human nature will not change. In any future great national trial, compared with the men of this, we shall have as weak and as strong, as silly and as wise, as bad and as good. Let us therefore study the incidents in this as philosophy to learn wisdom from and none of them as wrongs to be avenged.... Now that the election is over, may not all having a common interest reunite in a common fort to save our common country? For my own part, I have striven and shall strive to avoid placing any obstacle in the way. So long as I have been here, I have not willingly planted a thorn in any man's bosom. While I am deeply sensible to the high compliment of a re-election and duly grateful, as I trust, to Almighty God for having directed my countrymen to a right conclusion, as I think for their own good, it adds nothing to my satisfaction that any other man may be disappointed or pained by the result."
This speech has not attracted much general attention, yet it is in a peculiar degree both illustrative and typical of the great statesman who made it, alike in its strong common-sense and in its lofty standard of morality. Lincoln's life, Lincoln's deeds and words, are not only of consuming interest to the historian, but should be intimately known to every man engaged in the hard practical work of American political life. It is difficult to overstate how much it means to a nation to have as the two foremost figures in its history men like Washington and Lincoln. It is good for every man in any way concerned in public life to feel that the highest ambition any American can possibly have will be gratified just in proportion as he raises himself toward the standards set by these two men.
It is a very poor thing, whether for nations or individuals, to advance the history of great deeds done in the past as an excuse for doing poorly in the present; but it is an excellent thing to study the history of the great deeds of the past, and of the great men who did them, with an earnest desire to profit thereby so as to render better service in the present. In their essentials, the men of the present day are much like the men of the past, and the live issues of the present can be faced to better advantage by men who have in good faith studied how the leaders of the nation faced the dead issues of the past. Such a study of Lincoln's life will enable us to avoid the twin gulfs of immorality and inefficiency—the gulfs which always lie one on each side of the careers alike of man and of nation. It helps nothing to have avoided one if shipwreck is encountered in the other. The fanatic, the well-meaning moralist of unbalanced mind, the parlor critic who condemns others but has no power himself to do good and but little power to do ill—all these were as alien to Lincoln as the vicious and unpatriotic themselves. His life teaches our people that they must act with wisdom, because otherwise adherence to right will be mere sound and fury without substance; and that they must also act high-mindedly, or else what seems to be wisdom will in the end turn out to be the most destructive kind of folly.
Throughout his entire life, and especially after he rose to leadership in his party, Lincoln was stirred to his depths by the sense of fealty to a lofty ideal; but throughout his entire life, he also accepted human nature as it is, and worked with keen, practical good sense to achieve results with the instruments at hand. It is impossible to conceive of a man farther removed from baseness, farther removed from corruption, from mere self-seeking; but it is also impossible to conceive of a man of more sane and healthy mind—a man less under the influence of that fantastic and diseased morality (so fantastic and diseased as to be in reality profoundly immoral) which makes a man in this work-a-day world refuse to do what is possible because he cannot accomplish the impossible.
In the fifth volume of Lecky's History of England, the historian draws an interesting distinction between the qualities needed for a successful political career in modern society and those which lead to eminence in the spheres of pure intellect or pure moral effort. He says:
"....the moral qualities that are required in the higher spheres of statesmanship [are not] those of a hero or a saint. Passionate earnestness and self-devotion, complete concentration of every faculty on an unselfish aim, uncalculating daring, a delicacy of conscience and a loftiness of aim far exceeding those of the average of men, are here likely to prove rather a hindrance than an assistance. The politician deals very largely with the superficial and the commonplace; his art is in a great measure that of skilful compromise, and in the conditions of modern life, the statesman is likely to succeed best who possesses secondary qualities to an unusual degree, who is in the closest intellectual and moral sympathy with the average of the intelligent men of his time, and who pursues common ideals with more than common ability.... Tact, business talent, knowledge of men, resolution, promptitude and sagacity in dealing with immediate emergencies, a character which lends itself easily to conciliation, diminishes friction and inspires confidence, are especially needed, and they are more likely to be found among shrewd and enlightened men of the world than among men of great original genius or of an heroic type of character."
The American people should feel profoundly grateful that the greatest American statesman since Washington, the statesman who in this absolutely democratic republic succeeded best, was the very man who actually combined the two sets of qualities which the historian thus puts in antithesis. Abraham Lincoln, the rail-splitter, the Western country lawyer, was one of the shrewdest and most enlightened men of the world, and he had all the practical qualities which enable such a man to guide his countrymen; and yet he was also a genius of the heroic type, a leader who rose level to the greatest crisis through which this nation or any other nation had to pass in the nineteenth century.
THEODORE ROOSEVELT
SAGAMORE HILL, OYSTER BAY, N. Y., September 22, 1905.