James Birney, an Ohio abolitionist, on a hot July night in 1836 was being chased by a mob in his hometown of Cincinnati. James was a leader, you see and had done what all real leaders do. James had taken a stand. The mob had too, albeit a collective one. They wanted to shut James paper down because it was bad for business with the neighboring slave state of Kentucky. The mob had taken an economic stand. They stood for a number. Normal.
As the mob made their way to Franklin House where Birney lived, another leader emerged. I LOVE stories like this. Salmon Chase was his name. I’ll let Doris take it from here. Doris Kearns Goodwin in her book, Team of Rivals, tells it well who saved James on this day of days.
“As the mob surged forward, Chase braced his arms against the door frame, blocking the hotel’s entrance with his body. Six feet two, with broad shoulders, a massive chest, and a determined set to his jaw, Chase gave the rioters pause. The crowd demanded to know who he was. Salmon P. Chase, the young lawyer replied. You will pay for your actions, a frustrated member of the mob told him. I can be found at any time, Chase said. His voice and commanding presence caught the mood of the mob at just the right time, his biographer observes. The hour was late and the mob backed off.”
Salmon did NOT have a failure of nerve. He knew who he was and what he stood for. He had not taken this stand in public. Salmon was not a public figure yet, you see. This event would propel him into the public eye and create an awareness that not only didn’t he want, he never really would. Who is this big fish, you ask?
Salmon would go on to become Ohio’s Governor. AND, he would become a member of Lincoln’s amazing team of rivals as the Secretary of Treasury. Salmon was a leader. Salmon stood.
Want to lead yourself and lead anyone in the day of days that lie ahead?
Study history. AND, a good place to start would be to study Lincoln’s team. All leaders must study history. You cannot simply rely on your experiences to build you into a brick house. Study Salmon. Study Seward. Study Bates. Study Mary. Study Stanton. Study Douglas. Study Abe.
Study history. AND..
Take a STAND.
God, help me stand.
God, help me…
BUILT TO LEAD 