Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1861-12-20
Abraham Lincoln.

No man ever cntsrei the F" h''" h"S'V w
s..sme The datiss of the Executive char.
under Oh. like circumstances with Abraham
Lincoln. whe-, ou the l,n 81 March l",.
h. stood upon the Eastern Porrieo Of the
C.piLol, aud t,ok the oath OF Ohcs pre-
.erib-d w tho Constitution, he sa~ before
him IN the distance a once united country
broken into fragments. Rebellion had At
tho, time reared It's hydra bead, aud boldly
,hr,s,,nod the CIi.,enee Of that Govern
men, which he bal .sorn % support. lis
icpOblc predecessor bad teen fOryear' nur'
ing Treason. and fcedine traitor. from the
Executive table. The buchanan dynasty
had no, only nurscd treason, bu, negotiated
10 let !, alone. until IL could ecp.unma,e
i. w1ked rurPas-s. The Caisllne- ruled
at The Executive mansion. Every Depart
mcut We slled ~i'h traitor, pimp-. and
.plc.. in the employ u the rebels Every
Executive department ~, rotten With IN
cir,.nt r~l-lliOn TIE Treasury Sas h-Us
ruI,,i, and p,lf,r q as dry asa con'rioa
ton ~. by Buchansu- Ofhcial IhIe's.
The credit II the Guvrrumsn, run down 81
ten per s,ni. below par. rooery had sns
oir our Navy TO distant por'- and that old
prince OF thieves. Floyd. hsd stolen every
gun and every pound Of powder and every
ssori TIA, he oosid 10y hI. polloted hands
upon. The meet 's'lltsl Of oar army
and navy ofhc,r. bad sed in'O the secession
stais. We had neither army. oecer.. or
soldiers. and our forts were taken Pos-cssion
ofby rsbs..
With ,hi. terrible state Of thing. bsfurs
ham and upon hiu. President Lincoln a.
sumcd the rein. Of Government in March
lat. The er,a, democratic party assumed
= hostile attitude towards the ?rrsijeni.
Their orators kept harrine upon "eompr"-
mi.y.." declaring noIhin. bot Old fosyi,m
could save vs. COnec.slnn and re cnu-,ric-
tion. were their watch words. Bu, this
W.. ~. the wort u IT, The political
friend, Of the President were 10 many in
p1r,ant partieular.. divided. Some ng.
gated Que line Of policy. -hhc Others con-
tended Tor an e,ae, opposite.
To-. was the tr.t .,riog. rebellion sinc-
the adoption Of The Amer'cAn Constitution.
--of c5ur.- the Pr--idsr, hid 30 prrced-nts
., guide him in managing the Old ship OF
State. In advancing. he 49, COMPILED 20
tlu~k outa new say. 4 ryrncu ~ she
pr,rls ~sr- ior an Abandonment Of Fort
Sumter. while other. .,ou,ly ~'ntcnd-d size
must e gwen Up when he e'uld bold GOT
20 lousrr Thu. the new President va.
forced into the be-ildrmsn,. OF = new
and un,r.cd eri-i-. How he managed ho~
he kept COL when every bcty e'se was mad;
how faithfully he labJred TO End the true
status OF the rebellion; how carefully be
weighed other meu'. opinions, and respect.
fully listened 20 other inrn's suggestions
and then With ~bs, Roman 6rm-e-. aud
decision be shoulier~i the responsibilities
Of his place a, la.t.-h.r. al become mat.
,er- u history.
Du, We have no tin. TO follow up the
policy OF President Lincoln In detail We
have b~eu somewhat careful observer OF
the man aud his acts. and in our Judgment
the people have no, been mistaken in their
MAJ lie has. in an eminent degree. prov.
eli him-lf the mau for the liar.. We ~ell
remember how impatient many Of his polii-
ical freud. were about the tune Of the BON.
barlmsnt Of Sumter. The President wa.
een.ured for his tardipe-s and inaction yet
the very policy complained Of vas the eas'-
ine.die Cor successful r.soe. We here re-
Ter to TIA, adroii policy which resulted in n
complets un on IL the loyal men VI the
North IN favor q the war. This was con.
summation more to he desired than any
other imaginable thing. IL ~as the era,
turning poin, in the tide Of events The
President completely conquered hi. enemies
at home. lie brought HE great and power
fol rival. the Ismented Douglas. TO h.. aid.
and then 10 was that his clarion ,OIee rang
on, louder and clearer than ever. summon
Ing hi, numerous host, Of iaithiul followers
10 the rescue The wisdom. prudence and
good Judgment Of the President. made his
loyal eountrymsn rsr upon thi. great
Question: Of sustaining the government by
iorse Oi arms. THIS mastery sroks Vi poll.
cy settled the Qoestiso-lhai the govern
ment would 10 sustained aud rebellion
crushed out. This beng settled. eonplets
sscee-s then beeome only question VI time.
sld 90 1t bis remained. and 80 it 10 nov
The legitimate iruit VI this policy 10 the
raising an army Of more than half = uill,sn
q soldiers, entirely upon the volunteer sys.
ten, without drafting . single man. This
= 9 grand spectacle the worlt never before
sw.
10 managing the var, she President has
- htl... mn ID. mn ,.t.k~ W. havs in timsa