him ought to be admitted.

My old and dearest friend, and boon companion, Dr. J. C. Buckingham,
of Springfield, was then entering upon his profession. He was an
admirable penman. He obtained leave of the clerk of the court, to
write out my certificate of admission as a member of the bar, and
this he did in beautiful form, handsomely illustrated. He attached
to it an enormous seal, and it was duly signed by the clerk of the
court. I have kept it as a memento of him, but have never had
occasion to present it to anyone. He, poor fellow, died prematurely
at Springfield, when in the full employment of his duties as a
physician, and with the most hopeful prospects of success in his
profession.

I must not forget that in my boyhood days I had a strong penchant
for military parade. I remember well the respect always shown to
Revolutionary veterans, who survived to the period of my boyhood.
At every meeting, political or otherwise, where these soldiers
appeared to share in the assemblage of citizens, they were received
with profound respect. Hats came off. They were given the best
seats, and every mark of honor was shown them. What boy did not
feel the gushings of patriotic emotion when one of these old veterans
appeared upon the stage. To a less degree, similar marks of respect
were shown to the soldiers of the War of 1812; but, though this
was as great and important an event in our history, it did not
light the spark of patriotic fire like the Revolutionary War.

Before the war for the Union broke out, military spirit died away,
especially in Ohio. Military organizations had fallen into disuse
and popular contempt. We had, it is true, in times far apart, what
were called militia musters, but Jack Falstaff's regiment was
nothing to our militia. I had the honor to be a member of the
staff of Colonel Urie, of Ashland, when the venerable General Wilson
was the Commander-in-Chief of the militia of that part of Ohio.
He was a hero of the War of 1812, and, as I remember, a gallant
and fine-looking old gentleman. The regiment--so called--without
guns, uniform, or anything proper for a soldier, was with some
difficulty formed into line, but a wavering line, across the public
square at Mansfield and along East and West Market streets, when,
by some misunderstanding of orders, the right of the regiment
marched to the right, and the left to the left. With some difficulty,
and a good deal of swearing, they were brought b