The life and public services of Abraham Lincoln ... together with his state papers, including his speeches, addresses, messages, letters, and proclamations, and the closing scenes connected with his life and death. By Henry J. Raymond. To which are added anecdotes and personal reminiscences of President Lincoln, by Frank B. Carpenter.

STATE PAPERS OF ABRAHAM LINCOLN. 101
Our Sunday School in the Five Points was assembled, one Sabbath
mtilnil,, when I noticed a tall, remarkab!e look,-g man enter the room
and take a seat among us. He listened with fixed attention to our exercises, and his countenance expressed such genuine interest that I approaclred, him and suggested that he might be willing to say something to
the children. He accepted the invitation with evident pleasure; and,
coming forward, began a simple address, which at once fascinated every
little hearer and hushed the room into silence. His langu.age was strikingly beautiful, and his tories musical with intensest feeling. The little
faces around hinl would droop into sad conviction as lie uttered sentences
of warning, and would brighten into sunshine as he spoke cheerful words
of promise. Once or twice he attempted to close his remarks, but the
imperative shlout of "Go on!" " Oh, do go on!" would compel himl to
resume. As I looked upon the graunt and sinewy frame of the stranger,
and marked his powerful head and determined features, now toucled into
softness by the imipressions of the nlomlent. I felt an irrepressible curiosity
to learn something more about him, and whlen he was quietly le.aving the
room I begged to know his name. He courteously replied, " It is Abraham
Lincoln, from Illinois."
The following letter, written during this same period,
in reply to an invitation to attend a festival in honor of
the anniversary of Jefferson's birthday, given by the
Republicans of Boston, is thoroughly characteristic of
Mr. Lincoln in the quaint humor of its illustration:
SPRINGFIELD, ILLINOIS, April 6, 1859.
GENTLEMENE:-Your kind note inviting nie to attend a festival in Boston
on the 13th instant, in honor of the birthday of Thomas Jefferson, was
duly received. My engagements are such that I cannot attend.....
The Democracy of to-day hold the liberty of one man to be absolutely
nothing, when in conflict with another man's right of propcrty. Republicans, on the contrary, are both for the man and the dollar, but, in case
of conflict, the man before the dollar.
I remember being once much amused at seeing two partially intoxicated men engaged in a fight with their great-coa,:ts on, which fighlt, after
a long and rather harmless contest, ended in each having fo:uglht himself
out of his own coat, and into that of the other. If the two leading parties of this day are really identical with tlhe two in the days of Jefferson
and Adams, they have performed the same feat as the two drunken men.
But, soberly, it is now no child's play to save the principles of Jefferson from total overthrow in this nation.... This is a world of
compensations; and he who would be no slave, must consent to have no
lavre. Those who deny freedom to others, deserve it not for themselves::and, under a just God, cannot long retain it.