Cleveland daily leader. [volume] ([Cleveland, Ohio]) 1865-1873, 1866-02-01
Abraham LIneoIn-His eharaeter An.

AhAHOnt "Ao e"Oht9 years hho tHo law
of Abraham Lincoln, has deliver
ed a second lecture on the life and char
of the martyr President from which
extract as follows,
IMAGINATION
Mr.. Lincoln had no p~erceptible appre-
citation of the beautiful, the grand or sub
lime in nature or art. He was not of that
ideal nervous structure that feels softened
and elevated in the presence of the beau
full, the grand or sublime. While this may
be regretted by some, we would say that
Mr.. Lincoln was made for q still higher
range. He dwelt in the fTNe and1good,
and here his emotions were correspond
ingly elevated.
Mr.. Lincoln had no win about simple
facts, rules, methods or modes, and hence
he would do anything, at any time, for
any one, independent of previous rela-
tons oE< obligations. He was called 3
hypocrite for this generosity and fairness,
but he was Indifferent to all such unsub-
stantial things. But beg him to do an
inequitable thing, and his aroused con-
science would instantly reply, "Get thee
behind mo Satan" Pray to him with
tears in your eyes and offerings of gold in
your hands, to sacrifice truth or principle,
and his soul would indignantly exclaim,
81 would perish trst.n
Mr.. Lincoln had an iron will on all
questions pertaining to truth, principle
and right. He never lifted his foot when
once he planted it here. Never.
..rprrrax -E.eE
Mr.. Lincoln was an ambitious man. He
was one elected to the eaptainey Of COM
pany in old Sangamon, during the Black
Hawk war, and then and there tasted, for
the first time in his life, the sweets of
office. From that hour, be never ceased
to contend for place, Is.
SIMPLICITY.
The world must learn to distinguish
simple appearances from simplicity. Mr..
Lincoln had not a suspecting mind, doubt
ed no mans honesty, was easily cheated
and duPed. he was truly democratic
easily approached, tender, readily affected
by the distress of others, and, with his de-
fective intuitive judgment, he was simple
indeed but is this an evidence of sim
plicity of character? Lincoln melted into
tears by a sharper is a sad, sad sight, in
deed. He was totally destitute Of those
qualities of nature that spring from a con-
scious want of noble strength. Yet a
twenty-five years acquaintance convinced
the lecturer that he never knew the whole
of Mr. Lincoln's mind. a 4.
HUMoR.
The gloom and abstraction of Mr.. Lin
coin prevented him being generally a So
cial being. His humor was his only side
of sociality. In the society of his fellows
he was tender, but never strongly or pas
sionately afiectionate. He was not aecus-
toned to sit down in private houses or
elsewhere and hold social conversations,
such as most men take pleasure in. In
his office, he sat down, or opened himself
on his lounge, read the newspaper aloud,
told stories, talked politics-neYer science,
arts, literature, railroads, colleges, asy-
lums, hospitals, commerce, progress-noth-
ing that interests the world generally. He
could not do it; his nature forbid it. He
sometimes held social leyees, and parties
at his house, but though a kind and gen.
erous host, he0twas not always soeiable
The anne is also true regarding his man
ners at social gatherings away from home
here ne would corner a few friends, and
deal out bis stories, keeping them ina per,
feet wh1wind of laughter. Mems sides
ached next day from jolly, hearty laughter
sELF-RELIANcE. ;.
He always kept his fore-inger onst the
public pulse and told its throbs. It car
hardly with truth be said that he was 8
bold, brave, courageous man.. He chung
to the Wing party till it was about t.
die, when he said to his friends, "Bury thu
Federal cockade; it has no more life anC
uses His finger was on its pulse be
watched the movements of the chaotic
mass; he was a cool, prudent, cautious
plastic man. e
About leaving the Wing party and be
coming an Abolitionist, his old partner
said;
He was urged to remain Wing second
he was importuned to become a know
Observation-Disclosures third
ly, he was solicited to embrace Abolition
ism. Thus he was drawn towards thret
different points. Finally two of the cord
gave way, and he was at the mercy of tn,
third, which drew him to the side of Free
dom; and at Bloomington he was bap
tized and received into fellowship. HI
made q speech then and there, and tn,
lecturer, who heard many of his speeches
gave it as his opinion that the Blooming
ton speech was the grandest effort of hi
life. Up to this moment he had simply
argued the slavery question on grounds 0
policy, never approaching the question o
its radical and eternal right. Nowhe wa
newly baptized and regenerated, and haC
all the fervor of Il new convert; the smoth
cred flame broke out enthusiasm, unu
sual to him, biazed up; his eyes wer,
aglow with an inspiration; his heart wa
alive to the right; thus sympathies unu
sually deep to him burst forth, and b.
stood before the throne of the Eternal
right in presence of his God, and then anC
there unburdened his penitential anC
freed soul. This speech was fresh, new
genuine, filed with fervOr, mingled witt
divine enthusiasm; it was logic anC
pathOs; it wat justice, equity, truth ant
right set at large. He was SIX feet fou-
inches high usually, but here he seemed
seven feet high, and inspired at that
From that day to the day of his death HI
stood firm on the right; he shouldsreC
his great cross, welded his great idea
nursed it, kept it, taught it to others, anC
in his fidelity bore witness of it to hi
death, and finally sealedit with his blood
Mr.. LincOln's style of public speakin:
is thus described;
He was long, tall and bony, as has beer
described; ne had no grace of style o.
beauty of action. His features were long
and blunt, his gestures were confined
chiefly to his head, and consisted princi
pally in snaps and jerks; sometimes tbs
gestures were extended to the whole body
His voice was husky, loud and rafting
This man stood up, his hands and arms
hanging generally at his sides, loosely
sometimes his thumbs were hooked in thS
arm-holes of his vest. He spoke logically
through analysis, using the figures of the
external world TO illustrate his ideas. Z
He did not argue metaphysically, math-
ematically or a~bstrusely. He reasoned
from the outside world to the inner mind
was not rhetorical, oratorieal, but eloquent
in his way. Mr.. Lincoln reasoned deeply,
broadly, strongly. His el%oquence pro.
duced in the minds of those who heard
MN onG[3ugn e91HtafAIf y the soul not
exciting energy or action, buta philosophic
satisfaction, an abiding conviction in
which the hearer rested firmly. 1t was
only when Mr.. Lincoln's head and con-
science breathed through the tender tongue
of his heart on the mass of mankind that
he was truly sublime, grandly eloquent.