Cedar Falls gazette. [volume] (Cedar Falls, Iowa) 1860-1895, 1866-02-23
Character Of Lincoln.


We take the following from the Hon.
Geo. Bancroft's address, delivered In
Washington, Feb. 18th, upon wtstion
of both branches Of Congress-:
In his charactes, Lincoln wa, tn rou0h
and through an American. He was tSe
first native of the region west of tho Al
leghanies to attain To the hightest sta-
ton and how happy II is that the man
VINO was brought forward as the nation.
al outgrowth and first fruits of that
region should have been Of unblemishe eli
purity IN private life, good son, Q
KIND husband, u mostafftctionate father,
ana, as a man, SO gentle to all. As to
integrity, Douglas, his rival, said Of
him, Lincoln Is the hon stest man I
ever knew" . e.'' IF
The habits of his mind were those Of
meditation and inward thought, rather
than or action. He cxcclleu i'm logical
statement, more than in executive abiI.
ity. lie reasoned clearly, his reflective
Judgement was good, and his purposes
were liked but, like the Hamlet Of his
only poet, his will was tardy in action;
ana Tor this reason, and not from hu-
miiity or tenderness OF feeling. he some.
times dcplored that the duty stili do.
volved on him had not fallen to tho lot
OF another. He was skillful in nnaly.
sis: dlsccrned with precision the cen.
trai iooa on which a question turned,
ana knew how TO disengage 10 and pre.
sent II by itself In u few homcly, strong
old English words that would he intel.
ligible to all. He delighted to EXPRESS
his opinions by apothcgn, illustrate
them by parable, or drive them home
by u story. -
Lincoln gained name by discussing
questions which, of all Others, most
easily led to fanaticlshi! but lie was
never carried away by enthusiastic zeal,
never indulged III extravagant language,
never hurried to support extreme meas.
ures, never allowed himself to be con.
trolled by sudden impulses. During
the progress OF the election ut which hS
was chosen President, he expressed no
opinion that went beyond the Jefferson
proviso OF 1854. Like Jefferson and
Lafayette, he had faith In tho institu-
tions OF the people, and read those
Institutions with rare saxacity. He
knew how to bide his time, and was
less apt to be IN advance of public opin-
ION than to Ing behind. He never
an advanced position with a banner OF
opinion; but rather studied to move
forward compactly, exposing no detach.
ment In front or rear; 80 that the course
OF his Administration might have been
explained as the calculating policy Of
u shrcwd and watchful politician, had
there not been seen behind IL n liked
hess OF principle which from the first
determined his purpose and grew moro
intense with every year, consuming
ms life by it's energy. Yet his sensi-
biiities were not acute, he had no vivid.
ness or imagination to picture to his
hnrprlra nf 81 Al. 4
thesuiitringsi in hospitals; hisconsciei,ce
was more tender than his feelings.
Lincoln was one of the most unassum.
ing OF men. In time of success, he gave
credit for Ii to those whom he employed,
10 the people, and To the providence Of
God. He did not know what ostentu-
ton is; when he became President he
was rather saddened than elated, and
his conduct and manners showed moro
than ever his belief that all men arc
born free and equal. He was no re-
specter OF pcrsons and neither rank,
nor reputation, nor service ovcrawed
him. In Judging of character he failed
in discrimination, and his appointments
were sometimes bad; but he readily
de,erred To public opinion, and In APP
pointing the head of the armies he fol-
lowed the manifest preference of Con-
gress.
a good President will secure unity to
his admin abstraction by his own superyi-
sion of the various departments. Lin
coin, who accepted advice readily, was
never governed by any member of the
Cabinet, and could not be moved from
purpose deliberately formed: but his
supervision of affairs was unsteady and
incomplete; and sometimes, by sud
den interference transcnding the usual
forms, he rather confused than advanc-
ed the public business. Ifhe ever faiIed
in the scrupulous regard to the relative
rights OF Congress, 1t was so evidently
without design that no conflict could
cnsue, or evil precedent be established.
Truth hc would receive from any one:
but, when impressed by others, he did
not use their opinions till by reflection
he had made them thoroughly his own.
1t was the nature OF Lincoln to for
give, when the hostilities esased, he
Who had always sent forth the ilng with
every one OF its stars in the field, was
eager to receive back his returning
countrymcn, and Elsditated some new
announcement to the South" Tho
amendment OF the Constitution abolish
ing slavery had his most earnest and
unweared support. During the rage Of
war we get a glimpse into his soul from
his privately suggesting 10 louisiana
that in defining the franchise some
OF the colored people might he let in,n
saying, 'They would probably help in
some trying time ocome, tn keep thejew
el Ofliberty in the family offreedom.h In
1857 he avowed himself mot i'm favor
of what he improperly called "ncgro
citizenship" for the Constitution dis
eliminates between citizens and eIec-
tors. Three days before his death he
declared his preference that "the elec-
tive franchise were now conferred OH
the very intelligent of the colOred men
and on those OF them who served our
cause AZ sDidiers;n but he wished It
done 10y the States themselves, and he
never harbored the thought of cxaetinQ
II from new government as condi-
ton OF its recognition.
The last day of his life beamed with
sunshine, as he sent by the speaker Of
this House his friendly greetings to the
men Of the Rocky Mountains and the
Pacific slope; as he contemplated the
return OF hundreds of thousands of SOL
diers to fruitful industry; as he weicom-
ed In advance hundreds Of thousands
Of emigraats from Europe; rs his eye
kindied with enthusiasm at the coming
wealth of the nation. Aud 50, with
these thoughts for his country, he was
removed from the tolls and temptations
of this life and was at peace.
AWord for Newspapers.
We clip the following from the New
York Tribune. Ii is true, and we COM