Daily national Republican., 1866-02-12
ABRAHAM LINCOLN.


ABRAHAM LINCOLN.
The representatives Of the American peo.
pie in Congress assembled to-day have CON-
memorated the birth, the public services
and the tragical death Of one Of the greatest
Of Americans. And while we are. content to
leave the noble task Of presenting to the
world fitting eulogy Of ABRAHAM LINCOLN
in the able hands to which It has been con.
fded by the COMMITTEES Of Congress, we are
fain to add our personal tribute to his mem
ory. Our duties in journalism often brought
US in contact with Mr.. LINCOLN, from the
commencement Of his public career, and
during his occupancy of the chair Of State we
necessarily saw him almost daily, under 4
great variety of circumstances growing out
Of the necessities and exigsncies Of the times.
And while the pages Of hiitorians will be en-
riched and most worthily occupied with the
record of his public acts and the de-
lineation Of his character as q states
man and an administrator Of Govern
ment, we feel that his inner life and the
ton thousand good things lie did unObservsd
by the public-the ten thousand goodnesses
he displayed unoonsciouslyto those who were
intimate with him-can never be adequately
portrayed. Knowing him as We did, the
abuse of partisanship, the caricaturing of his
personal peculiarities, never changed in the
slightest degree our estimate OF the man.
When the olamor Of treason and Of hostile
politics were loudest, and when the innuendoes
Of lukewarm friends, smarting under some
disappointment in their own schemes Of ad-
vancement through him, were sharpest, we
never were moved from the conviction that
his assailants and detraetors would be, one
day, ashamed Of themselves, and that they,
as well as all others who knew him not, would
learn one day TO admire him. As he went on
in his shining course, these anticipations
were being fulfilled, and when he fell by as
sassination he was rising by sure degrees to
that height in the estimation of-the Ameri-
can people where he now stands, and from
which he is to-day contemplated with venera-
tion and love.
We have read Of the statue carved by 4
Greoian sculptor for tho noblest temple Of
Athens during the reign Of PERIcLEs, the
wisest Of the Athenian statesmen, the cult.
vator Of the arts Of peace and the patron OF
literature, painting, and sculpture. The
statue, colossal in its proportions, was de.
signed to occupy position at great height
where all could look upon IL Public expeo-
tation was wrought to the highest pitchi and
when the artist had finished his work he was
compelled to submit it to the inspection OF
the people before it was elevated to its ped
estal. But when the statue was unveiled Il
was Immediately covered with execrations by
the populaoe. Its features, its limbs, its
form, were grossly exaggerated and dispro-
portioned. They said no beauty could be
discerned In this great work Of art that had
cost so much, and of which so much was ex
pected. But when the time came for II
to be lifted up toward the sky where IL was
to be viewed from the right distance, won
derful change was wrought in the minds oi
the men Of Athens. As the figure assembled
higher and higher its true proportions were
revealed one by one, and whom it was finally
adjusted upon its lofty resting place, and 1t,
manifold beauties and grand symmetry were
fully displayed to the enraptured gaze Of
the people, their murmurs of admiration cul
minated in universal acclaim that Phidiai
was the greatest Of all sculptors, and hi
statue the grandest triumph of-prt. 81
when ABRAHAM LINCOLN was translated from
the sphere below, where his angular form, hit
homely features and his quaint conversation
had been made the subject ridicule, wher,
his political action had been critised harshly
by hasty judges, he became the admiration
Of his time, and US time rolls on and he Il
viewed in his niche in the Temple of Fam
through an atmosphere cleared o
all prejudice, he will be regarded as one 0
the most admirable of American oitiIens.
In mentioning PHIDIAs, the Grecian sculp
tor, we are reminded again Of certain analo
gies and contrasts Of his history to that o
Mr.. LINCOLN. PHIDIAs, while employed b!
the State, was accused by his enemies of hav
ing embeIzled a portion Of the gold given hin
TO adorn the colossal ivory statue Of JUPITEl
in the Parthenon. PEnIcLEs, however, cause,
the gold to be taken of, and it was found Il
be the exact weight given to the artist. Hi
enemies then accused PHIDIAs of impiety II
having carved his own likeness upon tn
shield of MIEERvA, for which he was throw
into prison, where he died. But no shaft O
malice was ever aimed at Mr.. LINCOLN
honesty. The gold in the public treasury neve
suffered loss by his hand, although he nigh
have enriched himself by millions, and Will
he made no ambitious attempts to carve hi
own likeness upon the shield of his country
that shield, frightened by his acts, and fror
which he polished the stain of rebellion an
the foul blot of slavery, will henceforth mil
ror his features by the side Of the lineament
/ of WASHINGTON.
Whilst Mr.. LINCOLN was guiding the shi
of State there was much talking to th
man at the wheel" Influential men frOi
all parts of the country frequently came
Washington during the darker hours Of th
rebellion, panic stricken by real or imOginAr
dangers threatening our cause, but they a
ways found Mr.. LIScoLS's eye clear, hI