The most important speech that Mr. Lincoln ever made here, was upon Sept. 24, 1858, in the old fair ground. Douglas was here, and spoke upon the 23rd. Lincoln’s speech was made in reply to the one he gave. Mr. Lincoln arrived, and was received at the Doane House platform, on the afternoon of the 23rd. It was in regard to the occasion that a characteristic letter was written to Mr. Cunningham, who had invited Mr. Lincoln to speak here. The letter was written from Ottawa. “I crossed swords,” it read “here today with Douglas, for the first time. The fire flew some, but I am happy to say that I am still alive.” In the evening, after his arrival, Lincoln was the guest of the Champaign (then West Urbana) Republican club. The night was passed at Mr. Baddely’s, the large brick building across the street from the Episcopal church. Until a late hour, the house and yard were filled with citizens. Speeches were made and music had in abundance. On the 24th, at 10 o’clock, the procession formed at the park to march to Urbana. It was the finest procession Champaign has ever witnessed. The deep interest taken in the occasion is made more apparent, when we remember that the time of the year was the worst possible for the getting together of a crowd; that the county fair had just closed, having filled three days with excitement, that there was scarcely a family in the county, in which there was not some sickness; and that Douglas had drained the country the day before. The crowd was immense. “The procession, led by the Urbana Brass Band, German Band and Danville Band, over sixty young ladies on horse-back, with their attendants, thirty-two of whom represented the states of the Union,” was over two miles in length. All proceeded to the old fair ground, where a basket picnic was held. “Have the dinner first,” said Lincoln to the officer of the day: “Folks will listen to me better for it.” The table at which Lincoln sat was well loaded; and the best of the luxuries were placed around his plate. He, however, chose out a turkey leg and biscuit and began to make his meal upon these. Looking around, he saw behind him an old lady known as “Granny Hutchinson,” standing looking longingly at the feast. “Here Granny” said Lincoln springing from his seat, “you have my place.” And the kind hearted orator sat back upon the root of a tree and finished his turkey leg and biscuit, while “Granny” enjoyed a bountiful dinner. Thus the man’s kindness of heart showed itself everywhere. In his speech, he began by asking if Douglas had made his point on that; and having found what arguments the senator had used, he proceeded to answer them in his clear, logical manner.
Douglas used oft times to abuse Lincoln’s character, accusing him of having kept a saloon. To such personalities as this, Lincoln seldom deigned to reply. It was in one of his speeches made here that he said: “Douglas has accused me of having kept a saloon. But I have never before mentioned that during that time, he was my best customer. While I served on one side of the counter, he served on the other.”
On Sept. 6, 1858, Lincoln spoke at Montville. One writing from that place says: “About 10 o’clock, hearing that the delegation from Champaign County was approaching town, a company of thirty-two young men on horse-back, with flags in their hands, under the best of martial regulations, galloped out to meet the Champaignese, whom they found in strong numbers making a procession nearly a mile long, headed by two bands of music.”
Our people took a great interest in Lincoln’s political career. It was at Bloomington that a resolution was passed, previous to the senatorial conflict, that we want a big man, with a big heart and a big intellect to represent this our big state. At our own county convention in June ’58, the following resolution was adopted: “That the Hon. Abraham Lincoln is our first, last and only choice to fill the vacancy to occur in the U.S. Senate on the fourth of March next: that we are jealous of his honor and rights; and that we repudiate all influence whether coming from home or abroad to thwart us in this cherished and unalienable purpose of the Republican party of this state.”
Then the thought came that Abraham Lincoln might be our president. “We had the pleasure,” says the editor of the “Central Illinois Gazette”, published at the time in Champaign, “of introducing to the hospitalities of our sanctum, a few days since, the Hon. Abraham Lincoln. Few men can make an hour pass away more agreeably. We do not pretend to know, whether Mr. Lincoln will ever condescend to occupy the White House or not: but if he should, it is a comfort to know that he has established for himself a character and reputation of sufficient strength and purity to withstand the disreputable influences of even that locality.”
Speaking of Lincoln’s honesty, the same editor relates an anecdote. It was in Springfield, during the session of a Douglas-Democratic convention. Any man used to wire pulling would have been on hand with his schemes. Lincoln was seen standing in a direction opposite from the convention; and when asked where he was going, replied that it was to attend the funeral of an old neighbor.
A point worthy of notice in Lincoln’s character is his temperance. While it was the custom of the lawyers of his association to drink, he never drank with them. Once in a while he would play a game of billiards. “I remember” an old citizen tells me, “the first game I ever played with him. When it came my turn to play, he said to me in a very legal-like manner: ‘now if this were my case, I would hit this ball, make it roll against that one, have it hit the cushion, and then roll back against the third ball there’.”
The last words of Mr. Lincoln in our county, were uttered Feb’y. 11, 1861, at Tolono. He had been elected President of the United States, and was on his way to Washington. Secession in the South had already begun its work; and all eyes were turned towards the coming President. In passing through Tolono, in response to applause, which hailed his appearance upon the car platform, he said: “I am leaving you on an errand of national importance, attended, as you are aware, with considerable difficulties. Let us believe, as some poet has expressed it: ‘Behind the cloud, the sun is still shining.’ I bid you an affectionate farewell.” The train moved on and vanished in the East; and when next it returned it bore the form of Abraham Lincoln, cold and still, wrapped in black; while his soul had pierced “the cloud” and entered into the sunlight beyond.
Abraham Lincoln was not a man of great intellect, but of rich heart powers. In the dark hour of our nation’s need he came, found his place and filled it. “Melancholy dropped from him as he walked”; yet all who knew him loved him. There are old grey-headed men and women in our midst, who speak his name with affection; for have they not known him, heard his voice, felt the grasp of his hand, and comprehended his great, warm heart. Such a man has lived and moved among us.
The End.