Worcester daily spy. [volume] (Worcester [Mass.]) 1850-1888, 1863-10-19


rail splitter would be pardoned if it could
be proved that he were now ''swell." But
there is nothing of the swell about "0ld Abe"
Every visitor who goes to Washington has
something dsrepecttul to say of his very long
legs and consequently very long pantaioonS;
OF his stumbling figure; OF his very awkward
speech and dOubly awkward silence; of his
general unfitneSs in appearance and manners
to mix in high society. Those who only know
him from his exercitAtions in print conceive
but little better opinion of him. His grammar
is decidedly Self-taught, and perhaps not quite
remembered; his style is no style at all his
argument seems sometimes to have been
written rather on the principle of Samson
making sport for the Ph1llistines than as at all
adapted to advance his cause; and some OF
his metaphors are voted decidedly below par
by the crowd of arrogant pretenders to taste
who never admired saying that was tinged
with vulgarity, and never SAID one that could
be suspected of vigor or originality. When
the enemies of the north have nothing else to
say they deride the president; and when they
feel the point OF his homely jokes, they Bit
terry denounce him as a sort Of Nero fiddling
away TO a rbald tune while the empire he rules
IS in flames OF civil war. Scarcely any one
has good word to say for him; and even his
main silent about his merits, and to base their
defence of the administration on any grounds
rather than confidence in its head.
Yet worshipper of human heroes might
possible travel great deal farther and fare
worse for an idol than in selecting the same
lanky American--the pcrsonifcation of free
soil principes-the representative of the idea
that slavery, without being forcibly interfered
with must not be allowed to spread itself oyer
the North American continent-and the i'm
PRESERVATION, also, of the victory of that idea
"a victory which, as it were, stands on the
defensive against those who would turn it into
a defeat. Absolute truth, stern resolution.
clear insight, solemn faithfuness. courage
that cannot be daunted, hopefuluess that can
not be dashed-these are qualities that 90 A
great ways to make up IL hero, whatever side
the possessor of them may take in any lawful
conflict And it would not be easy to DISPUTE
Mr. Lincoln'S claim to all these. He has
never given up a good servant or a sound
principle. He has never shut his ewes to
facts or remained in ignorance of them. He
has never hesituted TO do his work. or faltered
in doing it. No resolution has remained n,
nuJi5Hs with him because il was a strong one.
No measure has been adopted merely brcanse
e'somethng must be done" The eyipencies
of fanatical war have never BETRAYED him
inbo ianaticsm, and the sharp stings of satire
have never drawn trnu him an avurassio,, Of
i'll humor, or even an ilnprudent reioinder.
Depend upon it, the whole history of the
war proves that this ouiet. unpretending awk-
ward man is ON the whole a litter subject for
respect than ridicule even AS a nublic man.
leaving altogether aside the consideration
once 1avorlIe one-in England, that he has
raised himself literally from nothing. But it
is not from the history of the war that we draw
to-day an illustration of this conspicuous mans
honest, generous and thoughtful character.
We derive it from what little private life he
has had while he has been at the whec-whcre
he must have been Il very Ixion-of the great
American ship. Last winter or spring-Mr
Lincoln does not well remember which-he
went to the theatre and saw Hackctt, an ex-
cellent actor, as few even in England need to
be told. Some time after Mr.. Hackett sent
the president a book with Il complimentary
note. But, having something more serious
in hand, Mr. Lincoln omitted for some time to
use the player after his own honor, and did
not acknow ledge the present. At length,
however, in August, the acknowledgment was
sent. Now let US see in what terms Mr.. Lin
coin, the rough, uneducated, emptv-ninded
president, as some think him, addressed the
actor whose FaIstatf, after delighting tens of
thousands, had CHANGED to be played before
him;
EXECUTIVE MANSION. WAsuINGToN }
Aug. II, 1868.
M Dear Sir Months aco | should have
acknowledged the receipt of your book and
accompanying kind note, and | now have to
beg your pardon for not having done so.
For one of my age | have seen very little of
the drama. The first presentation of ''Fal-
staff | ever saw was yours here last winter
or spring. Perhaps the best compliment |
can pay is to say, as | truly can, | am very
anxious to see it again. Some of Shakspeare's
plays have never read, while Others / have
gone over perhaDs as freouentlv as anv pro-
fessionaj reader. Among Tho latter are Lear.
Richard III. Henry vii Hamlet and es-
noriallv N.cbeth r ,hinl, pnpo eonoIs Mao.
hath If is wandnrf,l IrnIiko van rantlo-
mon of tho nrofnssion 7 tbinl, thc soI;Ioorv in
Hamlet commanc;ng sOh nv Hence IL al,
sur,,ssas tbnt con,n,onnir,, :.Tl ho 49, -
bo " Rut nar,Ion tIis all o,t,,,,s,t a. I,u;t;
o;sr, | shonId ILL 70 L,,r 49,, ,,,,,'
th. n,.pip,, srno,.h of Pirhnrd III viii 20,
rnt s4,o,, viS;t W,.b;rotn,, oro;,2 IL a,,1o
,I,,so~ rail and I.t me, n,si5a ,,o,,r ,orsonoi
aronnint,nca Yours trrIv a T,HCoIN
Now n ms tbis letter sneaks for itsplf as fa-
,,,,r,Il ,e ,,,, lntto,. o,on snol,o lie s;n,,lin
- - - 49, Cd ,,I li;.Itti ~
49,, CO.." c,,,, h,,, 0nI,, f,,,' Stntosn,nr
.ie" II 10y 10y -. -" -
p o'i'1Vi'' tIiuS ne i''u
s va ~" many
'iuNi' W "'uiu "". 1t I.',I
ye' nv" many VI .'iI'i a 'ieie aiV wiz "ouiu
va ~ o"" do iiu 81 II my "eie put " ~.
w 81 ounu ~, 'u'i vi 4u"'i i"'St