was the last man on the list. The people were
nearly worn out before his turn came, and his audience was small. He
began his speech with some melancholy, self-deprecatory reflections,
complaining that the small audience cast a damp upon his spirits which
he was sure he would be unable to overcome during the evening. He
did better than he expected, overcoming the damp on his spirits so
effectually that he made what was regarded as the best speech of the
series; and by a general request, it was printed for distribution. The
speech is peculiarly interesting from the fact that while there is
a little of the perfervid eloquence of 1840 in it, as well as a good
deal of the rather boisterous humor of the time, a part of it is
devoted to a careful examination of the statements of his opponents,
and a refutation of them by means of public documents.

[Illustration: A HARRISON BADGE OF 1840.

From the collection of Mr. O.H. Oldroyd of Washington, D.C.]

[Illustration: A HARRISON BUTTON OF 1840.

From the collection of Mr. John C. Browne of Philadelphia.]

As a good Democrat was expected to do, Douglas had explained with
plausibility why the Van Buren administration had in 1838 spent
$40,000,000. Lincoln takes up his statements one by one, and proves,
as he says, that "the majority of them are wholly untrue." Douglas had
attributed a part of the expenditures to the purchase of public lands
from the Indians.

"Now it happens," says Lincoln, "that no such purchase was
made during that year. It is true that some money was paid
that year in pursuance of Indian treaties; but no more, or
rather not as much, as had been paid on the same account in
each of several preceding years.... Again, Mr. Douglas says
that the removal of the Indians to the country west of the
Mississippi created much of the expenditure of 1838. I have
examined the public documents in relation to this matter, and
find that less was paid for the removal of the Indians in
that than in some former years. The whole sum expended on that
account in that year did not exceed one quarter of a
million. For this small sum, although we do not think the
administration entitled to credit, because large sums have
been expended in the same way in former years, we consent it
may take one and make the most of it.

"Next, Mr. Douglas says that five millions of the expenditures
of 1838 consisted of the payment