Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1873-07-31
From Review of Adams Address on Seward, by
Cassius NJ. Clay
Mr.. Lincoln and Mr.. SIS ward.

Mr.. Adams may we'll despair of
popular support in his attempt to
place the laurels of Lincoln upon
Stewards brow, or to lower him from
that high place where his own coun-
trymen and all mankind have placed
him. Stephen A. Douglas, the leader
of the Democracy, after Mr.. Clay's
earlier days, was admitted to be the
first stump orator of his time. In
1860 Lincoln, of all the sppositions,
was chosen to champion our cause.
He met Douglas upon many a field
before the whole people, and never
came off victor. The speeches of the
two were published and circulated
by the Republicans as campaign
document, but they were passed in
studied silence by the Democrats.
The Grafton of Lincoln in the same
year before the Young Republicans
of New York city was never equal.
ed by Seward in large conception ard
forcible and logical utterance. His
celebrated speech at Gettysburg
ranks with those of the great orators
of all ages. and will live when Sew
ards studied rhetoric will have been
forgotten. Lincoln had great men
in his Cabinet: he was not only mas.
ter of them all, as Charles A. Dana
admits, but he was the master mind.
Like Cromwell and Napoleon, he
grew in rugged manhood in the
world of privacy and experience, and
came into great affairs with powers
which scholarship and effete rheto~
rio can never equal. These are the
men whose deeds shadow the immag-
ination with divine agency, and
whom the philosopher loves TO con-
template as the highest evolution Of
natures forces, and most glorious de-
velopment Of the human mind. Lin
coins reticencs in regard to his pol
icy till firmly seated in power seems
to othors than Mr.. Adams, not week.
ness, but wisdom, while Stewards
oft-repeated assertions that there
were no danger ahead proved that
he was himself either ignorant of
the situation, or that he little UNDER
stood human nature In his stereotype
ed false prophecies. This vaciIating
in the State Department-the dec
laration of the blockade when the
ports should have been closed TO
foreign entry-his long oppo~
sition to emancipation-showed Sew
ard mot equal TO the present"
though reaching forward into the
future" of long and bloody war,
which energy and talent might have
brought to speedy end. The de-
livery of Mason and Sidell, caused
by Lincoln, though feebly claimed
for Seward, was necessity, in which
all at once acquiesced, but it is not
in human nature to show gratitude,
even fer he benefits, followed by such
humiliation.
s~The German Emperor, while
visiting village, was welcomed by
the school children Of the place.
After making a speech for them he
took an orange from plate and ask
ed ITO what kingdom does this be-
long ?" "The vegetable kingdom,
sire" replied the girl. The Emperor
took gold coin from his pocket,
and holding it up asked, And to
what kingdom does this belong"
"To the mineral kingdom, sire," re-
piled the little girl. "And to what
kingdom do belong, then p asked
the Emperor. The little girl eolored
deeply, for she did not like to say
"the animal kingdom" as he thought
she would, lest her majesty should
be offended, when a bright thought
came, and she said with radiant
eyes, ITO Gods kingdom, SIRE"
The Emperor was deeply moved. A
tear stood in his eye. lie placed
bis hand on the child's head and
said, most devoutly, "God grant that
I may be accounted worthy OF that
kingdom"