The Columbia daily phoenix. [volume] (Columbia, S.C.) 1865-1865, 1865-06-14

after which all the anti-Seward vote
rapidly concentrated on him, puttirg
him far ahead on the third ballot. He
was chosen, after an animated canvass,
in November ensuing, receiving the
electoral vote Of every Free State,
save a part Of that of New Jersey;
giving him $50 in ali to 1913 for all
o,bers-to wit: Breckenridge, 72 {:
Bell, 80; Douglas, -. Throughout
most Of the Slave States those who
wished to vote for him could only have
done SO at the peril of their lives, even
had their votes been received at all
The fact that he received (Iike his I'M
mediate predece;sor) plurality only,
not an absolute majority Of the popa
lar vote, does not prove that lie was,
even then, a minority candidate; while
his reelection last November, after four
years Of bloody, most desolating. bur
densome, and undecisive civil war, by
popular vote Of 2.203,83l to 1891
0l9 for his only competitor, and by
the full electoral vote Ut all but three
of the loyal States. is perhaps the
most signal and emphatic verdict of
approval ever accorded to any Of. our
presidents since Washington. The
overwhelming triumphs OF the Nation
al arms, which have since followed
fast on that grand assertion of the
Unions right to exist, had all bus
reached their natural elimination in
the fall Of the last rebel flag, when the
pis:olshot Of AN assassin suddenly
ended the mortal career of our beloved
and honored chief, in the 57th wear of
his age. And 10 death was ever so
widely or so deeply mourned as his.
|. Abraham Lincoln had no vantage
ground in starting on the race of lille.
His parents were quite poor-far
poorer than the average Of our small
farmers and mechanics to-day. There
was probably no year OF his minority
wherein his father was worth $500 in
all. Abraham lived nearly all his mi
nority in one rude log house after
another, working early and late with
hoe or axe in field or iorest-like other
diIieent sons of industrious poor pio-
neers and cuitivators. Very few lads
who will read this have such meaeer
advantages of birth and fortune as he
had.
II. He enjoyed, throughout his bov
hood, the fewest possible facilities for
education. Living always IN a rude
new country, on the outskirts Of civil.
zation, and repeatedly advancing there
with, he spent but few months in
schools, and these were of the poorest
and rudest. Altogether. his schooling
was probably not equivalent to six
m nths in one of the best district
schools of our day. But he was al
ways careful and diligent improver
of the hours not required for work or
sleep, studying by the parental fire.
side, borrowing every book within
reach, and making the best possible
use Of his opportunities; so that, at
oie, He was Lot merely falr
English scholar, but had mastered the
art Of a land-surveyor as we'll. And
the education be thus picked up hy
the wayslde, as it were, by making the
most OF the odds and ends of his time,
served him admirably throughout the
memorable later years of bis lie.
Ill He was never swerved from bis
convictions of principle and outy.
While yet lad, he was led by read
ing and reflection to adopt the princi-
plies dlstlnctively held by the Wbig
party, then decided minority in the
country-hopelessly so in his own
State. He was aspiring, and must
have known that he might be popular