g candidate for Congress, and it
was then that I first heard him deliver a political speech. The
county in which my father resided was a part of his Congressional
district. When Lincoln came to the county my father met him with
his carriage and took him to all his appointments. I went to the
meeting nearest my home--an open-air meeting held in a grove. On
being introduced, he began his speech as follows: "Fellow citizens,
ever since I have been in Tazewell County my old friend, Major
Cullom, has taken me around; he has heard all my speeches, and the
only way I can hope to fool the old Major and make him believe I
am making a new speech is by turning it end for end once in a
while."

When I determined to abandon the hard work on the farm to enter
the study of law at Springfield, my father being so close to Mr.
Lincoln, I went to him for advice. He expressed a willingness to
take me into his own office as a student, but said that he was
absent on the circuit so much that he would advise me to enter the
law office of Stuart and Edwards, two prominent Springfield lawyers,
of whom I have written more at length in an earlier chapter. There
I would have the advantage of the constant supervision of one or
the other member of the firm.

From that time until he left Springfield never to return, I had
constant means of observing Lincoln as a lawyer. I was at times
associated with him as a junior counsel in the trial of law suits.
I was employed in a murder case which Lincoln and Logan were
defending, I being the boy lawyer in the case. They made a wonderful
defence. I do not know whether the defendant was guilty or not,
but I do know that he was acquitted.

During my life I have been acquainted with very many able lawyers,
and I have no hesitation in saying that Lincoln was the greatest
trial lawyer I ever knew. He was a man of wonderful power before
a court or jury. When he was sure he was right, his strength and
resourcefulness were well-nigh irresistible. In the court-room he
was at home. He was frank with the court, the juries, and the
lawyers, to such an extent that he would state the case of the
opposite side as fairly as the opposing counsel could do it; he
would then disclose his client's case so strongly, with such honestly
and candor, that the judge and jury would be almost convinced at
once in advance of the testimony. Judge Davis once said that the
framework of Lincoln's mental and moral being was h