"After my address, there were calls of 'Lincoln! Lincoln! Lincoln!' and turning, I saw, perhaps, the most singular specimen of a human being rising slowly, and unfolding his long arms and his long legs, exactly like the blades of a jack-knife. His hair was uncombed, his coat sleeves were inches shorter than his shirt sleeves, his trousers did not reach to his socks. First I thought there was some plan to perpetrate a 'joke' on the meeting, but in one minute, after the first accents of the pathetic voice were heard, the crowd hushed to a stillness as profound as if Lincoln were the only person present, and then this simple, uncouth man gave to the hushed crowd such a definition of law, its design and mission, its object and power, such as few present had ever known or dreamed. Among the points he made were the following:
"Mr. Lincoln asked, 'Is not the law of self-protection the first law of nature; the first primary law of civilized society?' 'Law,' he declared, 'is for the protection, conservation, and extension of right things, of right conduct; not for the protection of evil and wrong-doing.'
"'The State must, in its legislative action, recognize in the law enacted this principle—it must make sure and secure these endeavors to establish, protect, and extend right conditions, right conduct, righteousness. These conditions will be secured and preserved, not by indifference, not by a toleration of evils, not by attempting to throw around any evil the shield of law; never by any attempt to license the evil.'
"'This sentiment of right conduct for the protection of home, of state, of church, of individuals must be taken up and embodied in legislation, and thus become a positive factor, active in the state. This is the first and most important function in the legislation of the modern state.' Proceeding, Mr. Lincoln said: 'This saves the whole, and not a part, with a high, true conservatism through the united action of all, by all, for all. The prohibition of the liquor traffic, except for medical and mechanical purposes, thus becomes the new evangel for the safety and redemption of the people from the social, political, and moral curse of the saloon, and its inevitable evil consequences of drunkenness.'