The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1873-10-01
Character OF Abraham Lincoln.


1t is TO lie regretted that Mr.. Charles r.
Adams, in his "Memorial Address ON the
Life, Character and Services of William ii.
Seward should have permitted himself to
do injustice to Abraham Lincoln. Any at
tempt 10 canonize Mr.. Seward by detractiDg
from the merits of his chief, wcakens the en-
comiums best1wed Mr.. Adams has claims
to consideration by reason of his talents, ac-
quirements, social position, and public serv-
ice; but his estimate of the character, ca
pacity, executive ability, and relative position
OF the chief magistrate and his Secretary of
State, betrays a want of just discrimination,
and correct knowledge Of each. A greater
error could scalceiy be committed than to
represent that Mr.. Lincoln "hao to deal vita
a superior intellectual power when he came
in contact with Mr.. Seward. The reverse
was the fact. In mere scholastic acquire
ments "Mr. Seward. never a learned uIan,"
may have bad tie advantage, tn ough in this
respect there Was less difference than is geu-
orally supposed; while Sin breadth OF philo-
sophcal experience and in the force of moral
discipline, the almost se,ftaught and re-
| Elective mind OF Mr.. Lincoln, which sur
| mounted difficulties and disadvantages that
his secretary never knew, conspicuOtlsy ex-
! ceed. LII me executive council and in INT as
| ares of administration the secretary had III
! fiGence. not always happily exercised, but the
| President Was the master mind. 1t is emp
\ ty panegyric to speak OF the Secretary Uf
| State as chief, or to say his suggestions, s;ve
| in his own department, were more regarded
| or had even greater influence than those OF
| others. His restless activity, unceaslng la
| bors, snowy MAJ ifestatioDs, aud sometimes
| incautious exercise of questionable autbori-
| t. which the President deemed It impolitic to
disavow, led to the imp. ession, which Mr..
! Adams seems also TO have imbibcd, that the
| subordinate was the principal, ard have in
/ duced him, 10 use his own words, to award
to one honors that clearly belong to AL
other
Far be it from me t, derogate in the least
| from the merits and services of Mr.. Sew ard,
! for | was witness to bis assiduivy, and TO
some extent a participant and coaojutor with
| hlm in the labor and trials that the Admin
istration encountered in those "tlOublous
times" But it was not necessary in stating
/ his merits, even in eul :gy, to undervalue and
1 msstate the worth, services and capabilities
OF the remarkable man who was at the helm
| and guided the Government through stormy
| pLriod. Unassumins and unpretentious him.
| self, Mr.. Lincoln wa> tUe last person TO wedr
| borrowed honors. He was not afflicted with
the petty Jealousy Of narrow minds, nor had
he any apprehension that Others would de-
| pflNe DliD OI JUST idIDe. lie gave 10 MI. ScW-
ard, as to each OF his council, hi generous
confidence, ard patiently listened it he did
not always adopt or assent to the suggestions
that we're made. To th Sc who knew Abra-
ham Lincoln, or who were at all intimate
with his Administrator, the representation
that he was subordinate to any member Of
his cabinet, or that he was deficient in execu-
tive or administrative ability is abSuId. Made
on a solemn occasion was this address, and
published and sent out to the wol Il in Il dc
ument which pnrports to be uot only eulogis-
tic but historic, it is essential that the errors
thus spread abroad should be corrected Mr..
Adams bad not an intimate acquain ance
! with Mr.. Lincoln, and evidently but a slight
general Knowledge of his character. With
ted great disappointment and disgust be
received the inteiligenca that this lawyer, e, .
sldtor and political student OF the prairie,,
whom he did not know, and with
whom he had not assoc a;ed, mad been pre-
! ferred by the Republican representatives at
! Chicago over a senator from the Empire State
/ with whom he was intimate and familiar,
who had long official experience, which he
seems to have considered essential, was ac-
quainted with legislative management, and
whose political ard party symDathies auccrd-
ed with b 5 OWL. His prejudices as well as
his partiality were exclted, aud from the be-
ginniug he misconceived the character aud
undervalued and underrat the capabilities
and qualities of one of the mosl sagacious
/ and remarkable men of the age.-Gide0n
Wettes an the October GALAXY.