3. His declaration against the loan shark of the day. 4. His declaration in favor of popular education.

5. His declaration in favor of reserving the right to change or amend the existing laws as "might tend most to the advancement of justice."

6. He notes his own humility: "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."

7. His peculiar ambition, and to this I urge particular attention: "I have no other (ambition) 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."

8. "My case is thrown exclusively upon the independent voters of the county." The independent voters seem to have been of importance even in 1832.

9. His submission of the question: "If elected they (the people) will have conferred a favor upon me for which I shall be unremitting in my labors 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."

In this circular are the seeds of the student, opportunity and obligations of the orator, a subject-matter for the statesman, and the methods and manner of the popular leader and legislator.

Truly the boy Lincoln was father to the man Lincoln. Within sixty days from the publication of this circular the Black Hawk War came on, and a company was organized among the pioneers in and about New Salem. With many others Lincoln volunteered. Soon a captain was to be chosen. There was one avowed candidate, a man by the name of Kirkpatrick. Kirkpatrick had been an employer of Lincoln at a sawmill. One of Lincoln's duties was the handling of the big logs, which called for the exercise of even his giant strength. A cant-hook was used, among other things, as is common about a sawmill, and in some way or other it got lost, strayed, or stolen. Kirkpatrick suggested buying a new one, to which Lincoln responded: "If you will give me the two dollars which the cant hook will cost you, I will handle the logs myself without the aid of a cant hook." Kirkpatrick agreed. But Lincoln never got the two dollars, nor the canthook. Having such a high regard for a man's word of honor, Lincoln felt much hurt over Kirkpatrick's treatment, though the amount was small.

At this time it took very little persuasion from his friends in the new company to make him a candidate against Kirkpatrick. The custom was for the candidates to stand up at the head of the line, and those who favored either candidate fell in at his side. At once fully three-fourths of the men in the new company lined up on the side of Lincoln and the others, seeing his overwhelming victory, joined Lincoln and left Kirkpatrick standing alone. It was a victory that Lincoln very keenly appreciated, especially in view of Kirkpatrick's haughty and contemptuous treatment of him and his failure to pay him the two dollars, which he was abundantly able to do.

This was the people's first expression of confidence and honor toward Captain Lincoln. He served as captain about ninety days, all told, and then returned to New Salem, and, contrary to the usual political customs in such cases, Captain Lincoln never exploited his military experience or honor. Indeed, he rarely mentioned it.

One incident is peculiarly noteworthy because of its political significance. In after-years, in the year 1846, he was elected a member of Congress from the Sangamon district. While making a speech touching the claims made by the friends of General Cass as to his military record, Lincoln made this reference to the Black Hawk War:

"The friends of General Cass, when that gentleman was a candidate for the presidency, endeavored to endow him with a military reputation. Mr. Lincoln, at that time a representative in Congress, delivered a speech before the House, which, in its allusions to General Cass, was exquisitely sarcastic and irresistibly humorous. 'By the way, Mr. Speaker,' said Mr. Lincoln, 'do you know I am a military hero? Yes, sir, in the days of the Black Hawk war, I fought, bled and came away. Speaking of General Cass's career reminds me of my own. I was not at Stillman's Defeat, but I was about as near it as Cass to Hull's surrender; and like him I saw the place very soon afterward. It is quite certain I did not break my sword, for I had none to break; but I bent my musket pretty badly on one occasion. . . . If General Cass went in advance of me in picking whortleberries, I guess I surpassed him in charges upon the wild onions. If he saw any live, fighting Indians, it was more than I did, but I had a good many bloody struggles with the mosquitoes; and

although I never fainted from loss of blood, I can truly say I was often very hungry.' Mr. Lincoln then went on to say that if he should ever turn democrat, and be taken up as a candidate for the presidency by the democratic party, he hoped they would not make fun of him by attempting to make of him a military hero." Captain Lincoln returned to New Salem about ten days before the election. Naturally the balance of the time was spent in furthering his candidacy for the State Legislature. He was defeated on the general vote, but found much satisfaction and compliment in the vote of his own precinct where he received 205 votes out of a possible 208. Nothing could more conclusively show his popularity at home.

Immediately he looked about for something to do. A man named Berry bought a half-interest in the general store kept by the Herndon Brothers. Very soon the other brother disposed of his half to Lincoln, who was without means to pay for the purchase. Herndon relates that he once asked his cousin why he sold to Lincoln on such terms, that is, without cash, merely taking Lincoln's note. To that the merchant said:

"I believed he was thoroughly honest and that impression was so strong in me that I accepted his note in payment of the whole. Lincoln had no money but I would have advanced him still more had he asked for it."

Very soon thereafter another merchant of the town. by the name of Radford got into a controversy with the Clary's Grove boys, and therefore concluded to "retire from business." He sold out to William Greene, who later sold in turn to Berry and Lincoln, accepting their notes. Berry and Lincoln conducted

the business for a brief time, Lincoln giving his spare time to his studies and Berry giving his spare time to consuming the liquor that was a part of the stock.

In a comparatively short time, not to exceed eight months, Berry and Lincoln were ready "to retire." They sold out to two brothers by the name of Trent, who assumed all the store debts of their predecessors and gave their notes for the balance. Before the notes fell due the Trents failed and fled to parts unknown, and Lincoln was left with about $1,100 to pay. For a man absolutely without means, without an income, and with no more prospect than Lincoln had at that time it is no wonder that he called this his "National Debt." He discharged it in small sums year by year, paying off the last cent as late as 1848, from his salary as congressman.

His friends, however, were making Lincoln famous in that community as the most intelligent and bestread young man in it.

One John C. Calhoun, who afterward became famous, or infamous, as the president of the Lecompton Constitution of Kansas, was then surveyor of Sangamon County. Calhoun had been a school-teacher and a lawyer, was an intelligent and cultivated gentleman and a stanch Democrat, well grounded in the doctrines of his party and capable of forcibly presenting them in debate. Herndon himself says:

"I have heard Lincoln say that Calhoun gave him more trouble in his debates than Douglas ever did, because he was more captivating in his manner and a more learned man than Douglas."

Calhoun offered the position as deputy to Lincoln. Lincoln was entirely frank with him and told him that his knowledge in mathematics was so defective and