Daily national Republican., 1866-02-12

lulled; and private grief was hushed by the
grandeur Of Its results. The nation had its
new birth Of freedom, soon TO be secured for
ever by an amendment Of the Constitution.
His persistent gentleness had conquered for
him kindlier feeling on the part OF the
South. His scoffers among the grandees OF
Europe began 10 do him honor. The labor
ing Glasses everywhere saw in his advance
ment their own. All peoples sent him their
bepediotions. And at the moment Of the
height Of his fame, to which his humility and
modesty added charms, he fell by the hand
oftbe assassin; and the only triumph awarded
him was the march TO the grave.
rHE GREATNESS OF MAN.
This is no time 70 say that human glory
Is but dust and ashes; that we mortals are no
more than shadows In pursuit Of shadows.
How mean thing were man, II there were
not that within him which Is higher than
himsel-if he could not master the illusions
Of sense, and discern the connections Of
events BY q superior light which comes
from God. He so shares the divine
impulses that he has power to subject in
terested passions to love Of country, and per-
sonal ambition to the ennoblement Of man
Not in vain has Lincoln lived, for he has
helped TO make this Republic an example Of
justice, with no caste but the caste Of hu-
manity. The heroes who led our armies and
ships into battle-Lyon, Mcpherson, Rey-
nolds, Sedgwick, Wadsworth, Foote, Ward,
with their compeers-and fell in the service,
did not die in vain; they and the myriads Of
nameless martyrs, and he, the chief martyr,
died willingly "that government of the poo
pie, by the people, and for the people, Ghall
not perish from the earth"
THE JUST DIED FoR TIE UNJUST.
The assassination of Lincoln, who was so
free from malice, has by some mysterious In
Auence struck the country with solemn awe,
and husbed, instead Of exciting, the passion
for revenge. 1t seems as II the just had died for
the unjust When I think Of the friends
have lost in this war-and every one who
those whom he most loved thcre
is no consolation to be derived from victims
on the scaffolj, or from anything but the es.
tablished union of the regenerated nation.
CHARACTER OF LINCOLN.
In his character, Lincoln was through and
through an American. He is the first native
of the region west Of the Alleghanies to at
tain to the highest station, and how happy II
Is that the man who was brought forward as
the natural outgrowth and first fruits Of that
region should have been Of unblomished
purity in private life, good son, kind
husband, most afectionate father, and, as
q man, so gentle to all. As to integrity,
Douglas, his rival, said Of him: "Lincoln is
the honestest man l ever knew"
The habits Of his mind were those Of med
itation and inward thought, rather than Of
action. He excelled in logical statement
more than in executive ability. He reasoned
clearly his reflective judgment was good and
his purposes were fixed; but, like the Hamlet
Of his only poet, his will ives tardy in action
and for this reason, and not from humility or
tenderness Of feeling, he sometimes deplored
that the duty which devolved on him had
not fallen to the lot Of another. He was
skillful in analysis; discerned with precision
the central idea on which q question turned,
and knew how to disengage it and present 1t
by itself in few homely, strong old English
words that would be Ineligible to all. He
delighted to express his opinions by
apothegm, illustrate them by a parable, or
drive them home by story.
Lincoln gained q name by discussing ques-
tions which, of all others, most easily lead to
fanaticism; but he was never carried away by
enthusiastic seal; never INDUCED in extrava-
CANT language; never hurried to support ex-
treme measures; never allowed himself to be
controlled by sudden impulses. During the
progress Of the election at which he was
chosen President, he expressed no opinion
that went beyond the Jefferson proviso Of
1884. Like Jefferson and Lafayette, he had
faith In the institutions Of the people, and
read those Institutions with rare sagacity.
He knew how to bide his time, and was less
apt to be in advance of public opinion than
to lag behind. He never sought to electrify
the public by taking an advanced position
with . banner Of opinion; but rather studied
TO move forward compactly, exposing no de-
tachment in front or rear; so that the course
Of his Administration might have been ex-
planned as the calculating policy Of shrewd
and Watchful politician, had there not been
seen behind 1t fxedness of principle which
from the first determined his purpose and
grew more intense with every year, consum-
ing his life by its energy Yet his sensibili.
ties were not acute; he had no yividness Of
Imagination to picture to his mind the hor-
rors Of the battle field or the sufierings in
hospitals; his conscience was more tender
than his feelings.
Lincoln was one Of tho most unassumng
of men. In time Of success, he gave credit
for it to those whom he employed, to the peo-
pie, aud to the providence Of God. lie did
not know what ostentation IL; when he be.
came President he was rather saddened than
elated, and his conduct and manners showed
more than eyer his belief that all men are
born equal. He was no respecter'of persons;
and neither rank nor reputation nor services
overswed him. In judging Of character he
failed in discrimination, and his appointments
were sometimes bad; but he readily deferred
to public opinion, and in appointing the head
Of the armies he followed the manifest prefer
ence Of Congress.
A good President will secure unity to his
administration by his own supervision Of the
various departments Lincoln, who accepted
advice readily, was never governed by any
member Of his Cabinet, and could not be
moved from n purpose deliberately formed
but his supervision Of affairs was unsteady
and incom pletei and sometimes, by sudden
interference transcending the usual forms, he
rather confused than advanced the public
business. If he ever failed in the scrupu-
lous regard due to the relative rights Of Con-
gress, it was so evidently without design that
no conflict could ensue, or evil precedent be
established. Truth he 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 forgive.
When hostilities ceased, he who had always
sent forth the flag with every one of its
stars in the field, was eager to receive back
his returning countrymen, and meditated
"seme new announcement to the South. 4"
The amendment of the Constitution alb j.
ishing slavery had his most earnest and un.
wearied support During the rage of war We
get glimpse into his soul from his privately
suggesting to Louisiana that ''in defining tn,
franchise some Of the colored people might b,
let in" saying: They would probably help
in come trying time to come, to keep the
Jewel of liberty in the family Of freedom u