Daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, Va. [W. Va.]) 1859-1865, 1860-05-24
IFrom the Now York Post

sJll From the Now York Bost.l '7r *
A REAL REPRESENTATIV MAN.
Much has been snid lately of representa-
tive men-sO much, indeed that #n enter
prising publisher hns put forth book oil
Biographies, in which the lives of all our
more noted politicians are skctched ut
length. and the world is given to UNDER
stand that gentlemen who obtnin political
position are the Iigh types of American
civilization. But this is a cardinal mis-
take; and the book in question does not
contain word of many OF the real repre-
sentative men of the nation. Abraham
Lincoln's name, for instance. is omitted
from it, while such names as Cobb, Dallas,
Orr. Lane. Brown, Bolts aud Wise are
treated with the most elaborate considera-
ton. H1P.nt s 5
Nevertheless, Mr.. Lincoln surpasses all
these as a personiticatiOn of the distinctive
genius oftour country aud its institutions
Whatever is peculiar. in the history and
development of America, whatever is fore
most in,its civilization, whatever is grand
in its social aud political structure finds
its7best expression in the career of such
men as Abraham Lincoln Our first and
principal task as nation has been to
subdue tue vast wilderness which has been
given US as q heritage. To expel the
savage, to fell the forest, to clear the field,
to tame the soil, to construct the ways of
intercourse, and to convert the desert into
prosperous aud blooming habitation, has
been the work imposed upon us, and our
highest triumphs consist in the success
with which this has been accOmplishcd.-
Our literature, art and SCIENCE have US yet
merely made beginning; our achieves
meuts in war and diplomacy are compara-
tivdly insignificant; but the prtetic,l
energy which within n few years has car
E1 {G% 'hs EH iii Gyi1gtdtjt2PP 1gdtP 95 ths entire
continent, commands and deserves the
appluu.c of the world. This has been our
destiny, and future history willwrite ii as
our earliest distinction and glory.
Now, the pioneers of the West have been
the Instruments OF this suctess-men who
have quilted the settled districts OF the
scaboard to reclaim the interior wilderness;
who have taken their axes upon their
shoulders to clear away the woods; who
have put their hands to'the plough 70 turn
up the soil; who, freighting hat-boats with
the wares of the villages, have carried
them into the solitudes to supply the wants
of the frontier; and in Abraham Lincoln
We behold one of the most hardy and ad-
venturuus of these backwoodsmen. n
pioneer, "a woodcutter, n boatmnn and a
farmer, he has, in each vocation, typifed
one grand and characteristic mission oil
cur uecple, and become a representative
man in the truest sense of the'term. 3
Our coumtry i not, however. distin-
guished alone for its stupendous physical
progress, for those grand triumphs over
nature, which have sprinklcd tic whole
continent with cities. and connected its
rcmotest parts by rniiruads and telegraPhs'
II has also worked out for itself peculiar
social and political constitution. Placing,
the first time in the history of mankind,
the controlling power of government III
the hands OF the whole people, 1T had con-
structed vast fabric of society on that
new basis. ItIlias said to all ranks and
orders of men, here you are free; here you.
are equal in rights to each other; here
the careers OF life are open to every
comer; men are thrown upon their own
intrinsic manhood for their reliance, aud
il belongs to each ono to become the aT-
riIitect Of his own fortunes. This uniim-
tied freedom of action, though it has pro-
duced some social evils. has produced
much greater good, and we do not believe
tlmt there is Il nation on the globe in
which the masses of the people are so in
telligent, and so coutcnted as they are IN
this nation. What more striking ,illnstra-
tion of this effect could We nave, tnah tne
rise Of Mr.. Lincoln to his present impor-
tance in the. eyes of the world? Is he not
pre-eminently the child of our free in
situations? A poor orphan, without edn-
cation or friends, by the labor of his hands,
by the energy of his will, by the manli-
ness and probity of his character, he
raises himself to fortune and to fame /;
powerful party, which contains, to
say the least, as much virtue and intglIl-
gence ms any other, assigns him, without
| intrigues or efforts of his own, the first
place in its regards, making him the bear.
ef of its standard in momentons political
conflict; and in few mouths more we
may3sce the once friendless boy the occu-
pant of the Presidential chair. Thus the
spirit of our institutionsis is strinkingly em-
bodied in his career, which is itself an ad-
mirabIe commentary on their excellepcs:
we have said that the opportunities OF
life we're open to all men in this country;
but In saying so we are not entirely accp.
rate: for, unfortunately, there is a class OF
| euslaved Africans among us which con
stitutes sad exception. Slavery began
! to existzon this continent before we were
nation, and though it was regarded as
/ r Re