“But,” I replied, “who is that Abraham Lincoln? I never heard of that man before.”
He replied: “Abraham Lincoln is the best lawyer and the most honest man we have in Illinois.”
I went, immediately, with that stranger, to my two lawyers, who were in consultation only a few steps from us, and asked them if they would have any objections that I should ask the services of Abraham Lincoln, to help them to defend me at Urbana.
They both answered: “Oh! If you can secure the services of Abraham Lincoln; by all means do it. We know him well; he is one of the best lawyers, and one of the most honest men we have in our State.”
Without losing a minute, I went to the telegraph office with that stranger, and telegraphed to Abraham Lincoln to ask him if he would defend my honor and my life (though I was a stranger to him) at the next May term of the court at Urbana.
About twenty minutes later, I received the answer:
“Yes, I will defend your honor and your life at the next May term at Urbana.
Abraham Lincoln.”
My unknown friend then paid the operator, pressed my hand, and said: “May God bless and help you, Father Chiniquy. Continue to fight fearlessly for truth and righteousness, against our mitred tyrant; and God will help you to the end.” He then took a train for the north, and soon disappeared, as a vision from heaven. I have not seen him since, though I have not let a day pass without asking my God to bless him. A few minutes later, Spink came to the office, to telegraph to Lincoln, asking his services at the next May term of the Court, at Urbana. But it was too late.
Before being dragged to Urbana, I had to renew, at Easter, 1856, the oil which is used for the sick, in the ceremony which the Church of Rome calls the sacrament of Extreme Unction, and in the Baptism of Children. I sent my little silver box to the bishop by a respectable young merchant of my colony, called Dorion. But he brought it back without a drop of oil, with a most abusive letter from the bishop, because I had not sent five dollars to pay for the oil. It was just what I expected. I knew that it was his habit to make his priests pay five dollars for that oil, which was not worth more than two or three cents.