The Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1837-1867, 1866-03-02
CHARACTER OF LINCOLN

CHARACTER OF LINCOLN,
In his character, Lincoln was through
and through an American. He is the
first native of the region west of the Al
le@@fanles to attain to the highest station
and how happy it is that the man WHO
was brought forward as the natural out
growth and first fruits of that region
should have been of unblcmiShed parity
IN private life. good son. kind nus
band, most atftctionate father, and, as
man, 50 gentle to all As to integrity.
Douglas, his rival, said OF him, Lincoln
is the honestcst man | ever knew The
habits of his mind were those OF medita-
ton and inward thought, rather than OF
action. lie cxcelled i'll logical statements,
more than in executive ability. He rea-
soned clearly, his reflective Judgment was
good, and his purposes were fixed: but,
like the Hamlet Of his only poet, lis will
was tardy iii action; and for this reason.
and not from humanity or tenderness of
feeling. he sometimes deplored that the
duty which devolved on him had not fall
en- to the lot of another He was skiiljul
IN analysis diScerncd with precision the
central idea on which Il question turned,
and knew how to lisenCage it and present
i; by itself in a few homeIv, strong old
English words that would be inte!icihle.
10 all. He delighted to express his opin-
ions by apothegm, illustrate them By a
parable, or drive them home bv a story.
Lincoln gained a name by discussing
questions which, of all Others, most easily
led to tanrticlsn but he was never car
ried away by enthusiastic zeal, never in
dui iged in cXt,ayagant language. never hur-
RED to support extreme measures. never
allowed himself to be controlled by sudden
impulses. During the progress of the
election at which he was chosen Pre>i-
dent, h" expressed no opinion that Welt
beyond the Jefferson provi>o of l7oI.-
Like jefferson and Lafayette. he had faith
in the inuitionS of the people. and read
those intuition> with rare >a"ncity. He
knew how to bi,lt lis time. and was less
apt TO be III advance OF public opinion
illan 10 lag behind. He never sought t.
clectriiy the public by taking an advanced
position with 4 banner o! opinion; but
rather studied to move forward compactlv.
exposing no detachment IL front or rear :
>o that the course OF his administration
;ni9lt have been explained a. ;hc cacrl;,-
- iin9 policy of a shrcwd and watrhi,l pol
iilrian. had there noi 't"Pn seen behind il
a tXedness Of principle which from tn,
'ir>t determined hi, purpose anl gIew
more intense with every year. constituting
his life by its energy. Yet his sensible
ties wer, not acute, he had no vl,i Ines
OF imagination to picture TO his mind the
2rrorS oi the battlefield or the suffering,
in hospitals; his conscience was more ten
der than li> feeling.
Lincoln was one of the most unlSSuD-
mo o. men. In time OF success he gay,
credit ior ii to those whom he tmplOypd
TO thc people, and to the providence o
God. He did not know what o,lrntatim
Is: when he became President he W.:
rather Saddencd than elatcl, and his con-
duct and manner showed more than ever
his belief that all men are born equal
lie was no reSpector of persons and nri
, .her rank, nor reputation, nor service,
ovcrawed him, In .iuI RING Of character
he failed in discrimination. and his ap
, pontmcut> were sometimes bad but hC
readily deferred to public opinion. anA il
- appointing the head Of the armies he iul.
lowed the manifest preference OF Congress
. \ good President will secure unity to hi
administration by his own supervision o
the various departments Lincoln. VIII,
accepted advice readily. was never GOV
. crned bv any member OF his cabinet, an,
could not be moved from purpose de
liboratcly formed; but his supervision o
r. affair. was unsteady and incomplete; an.
sometimes, by a sudden interference ;r;u,s
cenling the usual forms. he rather coulu,
cl than advanced the public business. |
9 he ever failed in the scrupuou> regard du
To the relative II ghts of Congress, it wa
50 evidently without design that no con
. tlict could en>ue, or evil precedent be t.
:. tabli,hel. Trul., he would receive from
. any one but when impressed by others
lie did not Use their opinions till by re
Election he had made them thoroughly Iii
own. 1t WAS the nature OF Lincoln +
forgive. When hoSiliicS ceased. lac VII
% mad always sent forth the tlag with ever
~ ~ one OF lis stars III the titll wa, cager +
! receive hack his returning countrymen
and meditatcd "Somc new announccmcl
~. to the South The amendment of ih
;, constitution aboii>ling slavery Ind hi
most earnest and unwearicd support
Is During the rage OF war we get Il giimp>
N into his Soul by his privately suggesting t
et Louisiana " that in defining the tranchs,
Is some Of the colored people NIGH; be |,
y. H." saying: "1hcy would probably he'll
,t III some try ING time to come, to keep tn
Ic Jewel OF liberty III the family of freedom.
In 1857 he avowcl himself mot in fave
Of" what he improperly called "negl
as citizenship :" for the constitution discern
r. mates between citizens and electors
a Three DAYS before his death, he declare
v his preference that 1.-The elective frau
I'd chi,e were now conferred on the very il
IN teIligcnt of the colored men, and on tho
of of them who served our cause as soldiers
if but he wished it don: by the states then
C. selves. and he never harbored the thoug