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University Daily Kansan
Wednesday, Dec. 2, 1959
Lincoln Visited Kansas 100 Years Ago Today
By Douglas Yocom
One hundred years ago today Abraham Lincoln was in eastern Kansas speaking against slavery.
Ironically, this was the same day John Brown was being hanged at Charlestown. Va., for leading the anti-slavery raid on Harper's Ferry.
At the time Lincoln visited Kansas he had not announced he would be a candidate for the presidency. This was to come later.
But in his speech at Atchison on Dec. 2, he stressed many of the antislavery arguments that are found in his Cooper Union speech which was given the following February in New York. Some historians look upon the Cooper Union speech as the beginning of his popularity as a leading Republican candidate.
Why Did He Come To Kansas
No one is certain why Lincoln made the trip to Kansas Territory. Authoritative guesses range from "visiting a distant relative" Mark Delahay, to "testing the persuasiveness of his arguments in front of an audience far enough away from the eastern newspapers to avoid having them published."
It can be added that Kansas would
Menton Attending Florida Conclave
Sevmour Menton, associate professor of Spanish, left today to attend the tenth annual conference on the Caribbean at the University of Florida, Gainesville.
The theme of the conference will be education in the Caribbean. Prof. Menton will participate in a roundtable discussion of educational exchange programs.
the conference begins tomorrow and will extend through Saturday.
Prof. Menton is faculty adviser to the first Costa Rican junior year abroad program which will begin in February.
Japan on U.S. Market
NEW YORK — (UPI)— Japan made 20 per cent of all plug-in radios and 40 per cent of all portables sold on the U.S. market last year, according to News Front Magazine
A witty saying proves nothing.— Virgil.
be represented by six Republican delegates at the national convention the next summer. Most were backing William H. Seward for the presidency and Lincoln needed all the votes he could find.
Lincoln Commented On Brown
John Brown's execution had occurred only a few hours prior to Lincoln's Atchison speech. Lincoln expected to be questioned on what he thought of Brown. When he was, he answered he agreed with Brown's ideas but not his tactics. It was a matter of treason. Brown had been hanged for his violence against the state of Virginia.
Lincoln had come to Kansas on Nov. 30, 1859. That night he spoke in Elwood, then a thriving eastern Kansas community. On Dec. 1, he went to Troy for a speaking engagement. Besides Atchison, he also spoke in Doniphan and Leavenworth during the next two days.
Delahay's Prophesy
Mary E. Delahay, Mark Delahay's daughter, tells of an incident that happened while Lincoln was visiting the Delahay home.
"...during the meal the conversation waxed warm to the subject of politics. My father rose to carve, as was his habit, and pausing, knife in hand, remarked:
'Gentlemen, I tell you Mr. Lincoln will be our next President.'
'Oh, Delahay, hush,' Lincoln replied.
'I feel it and I mean it,' Delahay retorted.
After the prediction was verified,
it was spoken of in Kansas as Delahay's prophesy." ___
Jets Break Record For Crossing Nation
SAN FRANCISCO — (UPI) — Two commercial airliners — with the help of tailwinds — flew from New York to San Francisco in less than five hours yesterday for the first time.
The previous east-west record was 5 hours 16 minutes.
American Airlines and Trans World Airlines shared the new record as westbound flights of both airlines covered the 2,700 mile run in the same time of four hours 57 minutes. Both planes were Boeing 707 jets.
STRONG ROTUNDA INFO-BOOTH KANSAS UNION