RECOLLECTIONS OF ABRAHAM LINCOLN.

HISTORY OF HIS FIRST VISIT TO NEW YORK AND NEW ENGLAND-NEW FACTS, WITH INCIDENTS AND STORIES.

BY HENRY C. BOWEN,

EDITOR, PUBLISHER AND PROPRIETOR OF THE "INDEPENDENT," AND ONE OF ITS FOUNDERS IN 1848.

IN 1858 Abraham Lincoln was nominated at Springfield, Ill., by the Republican State Convention as the candidate for United States Senator from Illinois in place of Stephen A. Douglas, who desired re-election to that office afterward. Lincoln challenged Douglas to canvass the State with him and publicly discuss the question of slavery. This discussion attracted the attention of the whole American people to Mr. Lincoln as a man of great intellectual and oratorical power-a splendid, keen, quick-sighted platform speaker. His speeches during that campaign were reported and read in every part of the country. They were noticeable for their brilliant and humorous illustrations, which made them very effective. I read most of these speeches with interest, and they made a deep impression on my mind. The fresh and aggressive style of Lincoln led me then to think that he had a brilliant political future of great value to the Republican Party.

During the winter of 1859 several young men in New

York, including Mr. Joseph H. Richards, who was then in my employ and connected with the Independent as its publisher; Mr. S. W. Tubbs, receiving teller of the Park Bank; Mr. S. M. Pettingill, a well-known advertising agent, and the Hon. James A. Briggs, decided to arrange for a lecture to promote a benevolent object supplementary to a course in Brooklyn. They wanted a man who would draw a crowd and make the lecture a success, they said, and asked me if I could name such a man.

I knew Mr. Lincoln by reputation, as a lawyer, before his platform contests with Douglas in Illinois. He had been employed by my firm-Bowen & McNamee-on several occasions. We found him to be able, efficient and successful. I gave it as my decided opinion that Mr. Lincoln would be the best man to fill Cooper Institute. The expense would be large in bringing him here from Illinois; but the young men decided to take the risk of inviting him. The compensation offered was $200, which included all his expenses. The proposal made to him was promptly accepted, and on Mr. Lincoln's arrival in New York he came directly to my office, where I was very glad to receive him. I had never seen him before. His personal appearance surprised me somewhat.

He

The introductory conversation was quickly over, and he immediately made himself at home, completely covering the sofa, which was quite too small and short for his extended figure. I soon saw he was a talker. bubbled over with stories and jokes, and speedily convinced me that I had made no mistake in recommending him as a lecturer. After an hour's talk I asked him where he was stopping in the city, and he said he had. a quiet room in the Metropolitan Hotel where he could

have a chance to think. I invited him to be my guest in Brooklyn; but he declined, saying he was afraid he had made a mistake in accepting the call to New York, and feared his lecture would not prove a success. He said he would have to give his whole time to it, otherwise he was sure he would make a failure, in which case he would be very sorry for the young men who had kindly invited him. This interview was on Saturday. I then said: "Will you come to Brooklyn and attend church with me on Sunday?" He said he would be very glad to do so. He asked where I attended church. I told him Plymouth Church; and he said he would like to hear Mr. Beecher, and that he would come over in good time. I then invited him to dine with me after the morning service. He said he would do so. Soon after ten o'clock on Sunday morning he appeared at the door of the church where I was waiting for him, and I escorted him to my pew. His presence in the church was unknown to anybody. A few moments before the service commenced I introduced him to Mr. Horace B. Claflin, who sat in the next pew behind me. He talked with him a moment, and then Mr. Claflin turned round and spoke to his neighbor in the adjoining pew; and I am pretty sure that within ten minutes a large proportion of the audience knew Mr. Lincoln was present. The sermon seemed to interest him very much, and after the meeting closed I invited Mr. Beecher on a slip of paper-to come down and speak to Mr. Lincoln. He did

So, and the interview seemed to attract the attention of the audience, who remained, almost in a body, to look at the distinguished stranger from Illinois. All seemed anxious to shake hands with him, and hundreds did so. Finally he said: "I think, Mr. Bowen, we have had

enough of this show, and I will now go with you." We started from the church, passed through the crowd and went to my house. When we got to the front steps he said: "Mr. Bowen, I guess I will not go in." My reply was: "My good sir, we have arranged to have you dine with us, and we cannot excuse you." His reply was: "Now, look here, Mr. Bowen, I am not going to make a failure at the Cooper Institute to-morrow night, if I can possibly help it. I am anxious to make a success of it on account of the young men who have so kindly invited me here. It is on my mind all the time, and I cannot be persuaded to accept your hospitality at this time. Please excuse me and let me go to my room at the hotel, lock the door, and there think about my lecture."

The lecture which Mr. Lincoln was to give on Monday evening was fairly well advertised; but the young men, who greatly desired his success - mainly, for financial reasons did not seem to be very enthusiastic, Mr. Richards said, about the result.

The evening came, and everybody was apparently astonished to see a crowded house. The speech, which was mostly on slavery and kindred topics, was regarded a most wonderful success; it seemed to please everybody. He presented point after point in such a fair, happy and telling way, that he made an army of friends at once; even the proslavery men present - attracted there to see the man who had the reputation of whipping Douglas went away saying: "Well, I like that man, if I don't agree with him." "He is a good fellow, anyway." "He doesn't make you mad as Garrison and Phillips do," etc. More zealous Republicans were probably made within twenty-four hours after the delivery of that speech than

existed before in the whole city. The Tribune and other newspapers reported his speech fully, and very little was said in any quarter against it. Within two days letters and telegrams came pouring in from all quarters inviting Mr. Lincoln to lecture. The Hon. Hugh H. Osgood, of Norwich, Conn., made the first application to Mr. Lincoln for a lecture in that city. He had obtained the names and influence of most of the leading men in Norwich to aid him, and it was at once decided that Mr. Lincoln should go East, speaking in New Haven, Hartford, Norwich, and also at Providence. Within ten days Abraham Lincoln was everywhere, in Republican circles, spoken of and applauded for his. boldness and wisdom and was pronounced the "coming man" and a great acquisition to the ranks of outspoken antislavery men.

The following May, at the Republican National Convention, which, fortunately for Mr. Lincoln, met at Chicago, he was made the candidate of the party for President. While he was popular and well spoken of in all quarters, very few believed that he would be nominated, and I was among them. My choice was William H. Seward for President, and Abraham Lincoln for VicePresident. The convention was greatly excited; the friends of Seward were legion, and they did their very best to secure his nomination. Mr. Seward obtained on the first ballot 173 votes, Mr. Lincoln, 102, and the remainder were much scattered. At the second ballot, it seemed certain that Mr. Seward would triumph by a very large majority. But when the vote was taken, it showed 184 for Seward and 181 for Lincoln. The third ballot gave Mr. Lincoln 231 votes-only two short of the number required to nominate him when, before the