Lincoln at Springfield, who had considerable reputation in the State.”  Lincoln was retained in the case, and came on to Cincinnati with a brief.  Stanton and Harding saw in their associate counsel “a tall, dark, uncouth man, who did not strike them as of any account, and, indeed, they gave him hardly any chance.”  An interesting account of this visit, and of various incidents connected with it, has been prepared by the Hon. W.M.  Dickson of Cincinnati.  “Mr. Lincoln came to the city,” says Mr. Dickson, “a few days before the argument took place, and remained during his stay at the house of a friend.  The case was one of large importance pecuniarily, and in the law questions involved.  Reverdy Johnson represented the plaintiff.  Mr. Lincoln had prepared himself with the greatest care; his ambition was to speak in the case, and to measure swords with the renowned lawyer from Baltimore.  It was understood between his client and himself, before his coming, that Mr. Harding of Philadelphia was to be associated with him in the case, and was to make the ‘mechanical argument.’  Mr. Lincoln was a little surprised and annoyed after reaching Cincinnati, to learn that his client had also associated with him Mr. Edwin M. Stanton, of Pittsburgh, and a lawyer of our own bar; the reason assigned being that the importance of the case required a man of the experience and power of Mr. Stanton to meet Mr. Johnson.  The reasons given did not remove the slight conveyed in the employment, without consultation with Lincoln, of this additional counsel.  He keenly felt it, but acquiesced.  The trial of the case came on; the counsel for defense met each morning for consultation.  On one of these occasions one of the counsel moved that only two of them should speak in the case.  This motion was also acquiesced in.  It had always been understood that Mr. Harding was to speak to explain the mechanism of the reapers.  So this motion excluded either Mr. Lincoln or Mr. Stanton.  By the custom of the bar, as between counsel of equal standing and in the absence of any action of the client, the original counsel speaks.  By this rule Mr. Lincoln had precedence.  Mr. Stanton suggested to Mr. Lincoln to make the speech.  Mr. Lincoln answered, ‘No; you speak,’ Mr. Stanton replied, ‘I will,’ and taking up his hat, said he would go and make preparation.  Mr. Lincoln acquiesced in this, but was deeply grieved and mortified; he took but little more interest in the case, though remaining until the conclusion of the trial.  He seemed to be greatly depressed, and gave evidence of that tendency to melancholy which so marked his character.  His parting on leaving the city cannot be forgotten.  Cordially shaking the hand of his hostess, he said:  ’You have made my stay here most agreeable, and I am a thousand times obliged to you; but as for repeating my visit, I must say to you I never expect to be in Cincinnati again.  I have nothing against the city, but things have so happened here as to make it undesirable for me ever to return.’  Thus untowardly met for the first time, Lincoln and Stanton.  Little did either then suspect that they were to meet again on a larger theatre, to become the chief actors in a great historical epoch.”