Yet, as I have noted before, he was no prig. People were puzzled by his rare combination of qualities usually separated. With all his social gifts and love of loafing and of entertaining loafers, he was, as we have seen strictly temperate, and even became an advocate of the "Washingtonian" Cause of total abstinence. While his stories often appealed to the humour of his male companions, and were sometimes as broad as they were pointed, his personal relations, especially with women, were marked by a quite uncommon fineness and chivalry of feeling. And similarly, though he was probably the most indifferent among the New Salem youth in matters of dress and appearance, he was the most punctilious in all affairs of conscience. He was never indifferent in these.

During his year at Offutt's store and mill, he was far from neglecting the books he loved so well. Already, as a youth in Indiana, he had been in the habit of attending trials at the nearest Court house, though that was many miles away; and had delighted to watch the lawyers, the most distinguished among the local personages, when they met in wordy combat. Forthwith he had borrowed the "Statutes of Indiana " from the Gentryville constable and mastered not only their 375 pages, but the more important documents which introduced them-the famous Declaration of Independence and of the rights of man, the Constitution of the United States, and the Ordinance of 1787 which excluded slavery forever from the territory of the North-West and consequently both from Indiana and Illinois.

It was toward the Law that his own ambition was

directed; but he was nothing if not thorough, and he was conscious enough that as yet he had little foundation of knowledge to build upon. So now at New Salem, by the advice and with the aid of his friend the school-master, he worked at mathematics, always a congenial subject, and mastered Kirkham's grammar, borrowing illumination from the embers in the cooper's shop.

Offutt was much impressed by all this well-directed energy and began to boast his clerk would become President of the United States. The notion was by no means new to the young man, and, as though by way of securing the first step towards that giddy altitude, Lincoln, at the age of 22, announced himself as candidate for the Illinois State Legislature, counting on the good-will of his friends and his own great local popularity to win a seat. But his aspiration proved to be premature. His following, though enthusiastic, was too small to secure him the coveted prize.

The attempt was, however, sufficient to indicate clearly the ultimate goal of his ambition, which was that of the lawyer-politician. In face of the pre

dominating Democratic complexion of the State, his election address, issued in March 1832, proclaimed him a Whig " in favour of the Internal Improvement System" and of a "high protective tariff" intended to supply the funds for such Improvement. The special Improvement to which he devoted the major part of his address, was that of the Sangamon River, a matter of the liveliest local interest, and upon which he was already, as pilot, mill-manager and flatboatman, a recognised authority. It seemed to him to be the most practicable means of connecting New

Salem with the Mississippi and its steamers. Addressing himself to other issues, he continued:

"Upon the subject of education, not presuming to dictate any plan or system respecting it, I can only say that I view it as the most important subject which we, as a people, can be engaged in. That every man may receive at least a moderate education, and thereby be enabled to read the histories of his own and other countries, by which he may duly appreciate the value of our free institutions, appears to be an object of vital importance, even on this account alone, to say nothing of the advantages and satisfaction to be derived from all being able to read the Scriptures and other works, both of a religious and moral nature, for themselves.

"For my part I desire to see the time when education -and by its means morality, sobriety, enterprise, and industry-shall become much more general than at present; and should be gratified to have it in my power to contribute something to the advancement of any measure which might have a tendency to accelerate that happy period.

"With regard to existing laws, some alterations are thought to be necessary. Many respectable men have suggested that our estray laws, the law respecting the issuing of executions, the road law, and some others, are deficient in their present form, and require alterations. But considering the great probability that the framers of those laws were wiser than myself, I should prefer not meddling with them, unless they were first attacked by others; in which case I should feel it both a privilege and a duty to take that stand which, in my view, might tend most to the advancement of justice. "But, fellow-citizens, I shall conclude. Considering

the great degree of modesty which should always attend youth, it is probable I have already been more presuming than becomes me. However, upon the subjects of which I have treated, I have spoken as I have thought. I may be wrong in regard to any or all of them; but, holding it a sound maxim that it is better only sometimes to be right than at all times to be wrong, so soon as I discover my opinions to be erroneous I shall be ready to renounce them.

“Every man is said to have his peculiar ambition. Whether it be true or not, I can say, for one, that I have no other so great as that of being truly esteemed of my fellow-men, by rendering myself worthy of their esteem. How far I shall succeed in gratifying this ambition is yet to be developed. I am young and unknown to many of you. I was born, and have ever remained, in the most humble walks of life. I have no wealthy or popular relations or friends to recommend me. My case is thrown exclusively upon the independent voters of the country, and if elected, they will have conferred a favour upon me for which I shall be unremitting in my labours to compensate. But if the good people in their wisdom shall see fit to keep me in the background, I have been too familiar with disappointments to be very much chagrined.-Your friend and fellow-citizen, A. LINCOLN." 1

1 One other passage in the address is worth quoting, since it succinctly states the young lawyer's tendency at this time to "loose construction" in legal matters. He is in favour of a law to fix the limits of usury. "In cases of extreme necessity," he says quaintly, "there could always be means found to cheat the law; while in all other cases it would have its intended effect. I would favour the passage of a law on this subject which might not be very easily evaded. Let it be such that the labour and difficulty of evading it could only be justified in cases of greatest necessity."

But with the publication of this address there came other changes in his story. Offutt's store failed, and its manager volunteered for the Black Hawk War.

The northern part of Illinois had suffered recently from disturbances due to the continual incursions of white settlers into the Indian reserves. In 1831, Black Hawk, an old and patriotic chief and the head of his nation now for forty years, had repudiated as fictitious certain treaties of long standing, and had crossed the Mississippi. He began to drive off the settlers and to re-establish his tribe upon their ancient territory, concisely declaring that "land cannot be sold." The settlers, however, would not admit this axiom of political philosophy, and the Indians were promptly expelled, Black Hawk being forced to sign a treaty which once more bound him to remain on the Western side of the great river. The promise, which was made unwillingly, was broken at the first opportunity; and now, in the spring of 1832, with his band of five hundred braves, he again invaded northern Illinois. He was the more confident of regaining the land of his fathers since he had received promises of support from other tribes.

The Governor of the State at once issued a call for volunteers; and Lincoln with many of his companions promptly repaired to the meeting-place assigned, some forty miles from New Salem. He was not without an elementary knowledge of military drill, for at that period the laws of the State required all able-bodied men to share in the half-yearly musters, under penalty of a small fine which was rarely incurred by the impecunious, holiday-loving frontiersmen. At the last of these musters, Lincoln would seem to have been chosen