Page:Six Months at the White House.djvu/316

Rh from the pen of the Rev. J. P. Gulliver, of Norwich, Connecticut:—

"It was just after his controversy with Douglas, and some months before the meeting of the Chicago Convention of 1860, that Mr. Lincoln came to Norwich to make a political speech. It was in substance the famous speech delivered in New York, commencing with the noble words: 'There is but one political question before the people of this country, which is this, Is slavery right, or is it wrong?'  and ending with the yet nobler words: 'Gentlemen, it has been said of the world's history hitherto that "might makes right;" it is for us and for our times to reverse the maxim, and to show that right makes might!' 

"The next morning I met him at the railroad station, where he was conversing with our Mayor, every few minutes looking up the track and inquiring, half impatiently and half quizzically, 'Where's that 'wagon' of yours? Why don't the 'wagon' come along?'  On being introduced to him, he fixed his eyes upon me, and said: 'I have seen you before, sir!'  'I think not,' I replied; 'you must mistake me for some other person.'  'No, I don't; I saw you at the Town Hall, last evening.'  'Is it possible, Mr. Lincoln, that you could observe individuals so closely in such a crowd?'  'Oh, yes!' he replied, laughing; 'that is my way.  I don't forget faces.  Were you not there?'  'I was, sir, and I was well paid for going;' adding, somewhat