Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1867-04-22

LII hIbaN1IC MON ON NIX LlNCVEN
The tendency of the age is toward realism
and a the present rate OF progress the time
will coon come when the most Insignificant
s'mat.er of fact" will be considered of greater
importance than the most glorious dream OF
he loftiest .deali,t II may well be doubted
however, whether the werid will be any be.
Ter or wiser when the iconoclasts, now so busy,
have finished their work OF destruc cion It's
AL very well 20 decrv hero worship, but il has
It's place IN the economy Of human nature. and
Is uses in innue lcing he formation of char
scter. Even II n were not so, there are higher
and holier things than mere utility, in The mar
row sense in which that word is generally an
plied- The race of dry as-dusts now ransack-
ing the NASTY tones OF history with the
cole view of bringing down the great men O,
other days TO conform to their own small
standard, are engaged in an unen yiable, and
Jet us hope, ruitless work. The great mass OF
mankind Will continue to believe IN Homer
and Shakespeare, and Will no sooner accept
The doctrine that Jesus was a mere man. with
the failings and iRfirmities of other men, than
they will be convinced of the sanctitv OF Judas
lscsriot and the moral excellence of Nero and
Richard the Third. But it is not of men, good
OF bad, who lived so long ago, that we have 20
speak new. Our subject is nearer home
II ever there was a man enshrIned in the
GSRN'oA lQtt man was
Abraham Lincoln; and among the common
people Of this country and Europe ALWAYS
quick IN their perception of the heroic) bis
memory, now that be is dead, is and will he
cherished as that of a good and true man.
Had he not died Dy the hand OF an as ASSN
this would have been the case, all the same.
The popular conception of his character as
we gather from many sources, seems to have
been, 'ot that he was the most intellectual
man, even in this country; but that he wa
good and true, and simple; that he was honest
in intention and earnest in purpose; that he
was IN thorough sympathy with suffering
numanity-a man of the people; and that
throughout the great contest between freedom
and slavery he was actuated not only by his
own convictions OF right, but was imbued
with an humble and child like trust in Divine
Providence, whose instrument he believed
himself 10 be. This estimate of his character
may or may not be correct, but its being the
faith Of the masses, whose intuition is seldom
at FAULT, is in Its favor. We therefore regret
that the fair fame of our martyred President
has suffered at the hands of one of his adyo
eates.that Abraham Lincoln has been ..poi-
soned,in the house Of his friends"
We refer 10 an article in the atlantic for
april on pioneering" which, written evil
GENTLY by friend of Mr.. Lincoln and his
dIvest hun, inthe minds of many readers. of
those engaging qualities which endeared him
70 the people, than all the covert and omen
attacks OF the most malignant Of his enemies.
Thus we are told that MT Lincoln was for
years reckless, despairing and atheistic:, that
ne was moody and cold; that although tenn
Perate, be was not Temperance man. and that
GOOD woman who broke OFF from him said. ..I
thought that his extraordinary indifference 10
others grew out Of selfishness or abstraction, ,,
Eyen his integrity, which earned him the
name OF the ''the honestest man in all the
west does not come unalloyed from the
AtiaNi'c crueloie The writer also says that
M Lincoln had no s'natiue conviction on the
subJect OF slavery" but that it vas Demo-
cratic corruption, not American slavery, which
determined his political position Pains are
taken to prove that his first step in the cause
OF freedom, the signing of the cali for a con-
venton at Bloomington, was done by his law
partner, Mr.. HerndOn, who forged Mr. Lin
coins name, though the latter approved the
action when he heard of II. We pass over
many other points, and come to the unkindest
cut Of all, which is the opinion of President
Finney, (of Oberlin College.) as to the ex
RENE siowness with which Lincoln seemed
70 take IN the Providential character of the
war. According TO President Finney, MIR.
uAO hOe icci Ldc ulNlne presence
near in The first TWO years OF the war, as II
seemed any man living soberly would have
done. Now, If there is any one point on which
Mr.. L.nceln's admirers are agreed, 1t is In this
one of his child like faith In the WORKINGS of
Providence. To be sure, the finite cauno,
comprehend the infinite, and Mr. Lincoln,s
views OF the designs of Providence. ana the
time and manner OF accomplishing the divine
purpose, may have been different from those
Of MI. Finney. Mr.. Lincoln was willing 10
wait until the Will of Providence and the
wish of the people, were clearly manifested
TO him. With due Difference to President Fin
ney, ard the author OF pioneering" we in.
cline TO the opinion that Mr.. Lincoln in this,
as IN other matters for which he was called 10
account, pursued the wisest and safest course:
ana mat posteriry will applaud him not only
for mis- integrity, singleRess of purpose, and
Devotion to bis country, but for a far-reaching
intelligence in the ordeal through which he
passed which prompted him TO always do the
right hing at the right time.