Evening Republican, Volume 15, Number 70, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 23 March 1911 — AROUND THE AMP FIRE [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

AROUND THE AMP FIRE

TELLS NEW LINCOLN STORY Ex-Congressman McCleary of Minnesota Spins Yarn of Effect of Words of Debaters. Prof. James T. McCleary of Mankato, Minn., who for 14 years represented a district in his state in congress, brought to town a new Lincoln story, says a New York dispatch in the Chicago Evening Post. “A*'friend of mine out west who is now about 65 years old told me that when a boy he attended, with his father, one of the famous Lincoln-Doug-las debates in Illinois,” said Professor McCleary. “My friend’s father was a Lincoln man, but the place in' which this particular debate took place was a Douglas stronghold. “Douglas spoke first, and he was frequently interrupted by vociferous

applause. The chpering and the handclapping at the end lasted four or five minutes. When Lincoln was introduced the crowd broke out into cheers for Douglass and kept it up for several minutes. Lincoln meanwhile waited patiently. “When at length the enthusiasm had subsided Lincoln extended his long right arm for silence. When he had partly got this he said in an impressive tone: ‘What an orator Judge Douglas is!’ “This unexpected tribute to their friend set the audience wild with enthusiasm. When this applause had run its course Lincoln, extending his hand again, this time obtained silqnce more easily. ” ‘What a fine presence Judge Douglas has!’ exclaimed the speaker earnestly. Again tumultuous .applause followed the tribute. More and more easily the tall, gaunt lawyer got si* lence as he went on with admiring exclamations: “ 'How, well rounded his sentences are! How well chosen his language Is! How apt his illustrations are!’ ending up with: ‘What a splendid man Judge Douglas is!’ “Then when the audience had again becoipe silent at his call Lincoln leaned forward and said: “And now, my countrymen, how many of you can tell me one thing Judge Douglas said?’ “My friend told me he searched his own heart for an answer and found none. Afterward he asked his father if he could remember anything Judge Douglas had said, and the latter remembered practically nothing. ’But,’ my friend said to me Impressively, 'even now, half a century later, I can recall practically all that Lincoln said.’ ”

“How Many of You Can Tell Me What Judge Douglas Said?”