Ellsworth American., 1874-06-25
Lincoln's Personal Traits
chihkapen, odngamon Co., H., ia,

'Ht"Ndpen, odngdmon Co., H., jan
10, 1874.
DEAR SIR.-You saw Won desire to
know all possible things OF the good and
great dead. | have just now few mo.
mcnis TO spare, and do not know bet.
Ter to spare thcE than to tell YOU wha,
hr- Lincoln really was and what he wa.
not Mr.. Lincoln was kind, tender,
ana sympathetic man, feeling deeply in
tie presence Of suffering, pain, wrono
Or oppression in any shape; he was the
very essence and substance of truth: I: was
OF unbounding vcracity, had unlimited
integrity, always telling the exact truth
ana always doing the honest thing at all
times and under all circumstances. He
was just to men; he loved the right, the
good and true with all his soul. was
with Mr.. Lincoln for about TWENTY-FIVE
years, ard can truthfullv say never
knew him TO do wrong thing. never
knew him to do mean thing. never
knew him to do any little dirtv trick. He
was always noble. In his nature he felt
nobly and acted nobly. | never knew
50 true man, SO good one, so lust a
one, So uncorrupted and so incorrunti.
Die one. He was patriot and loved
his country well, and died for it. Mr.,
Lincoln expressed his great feelings in
ms thoughts, and his great Thoughts in
his feelings; he lived in his thoughts.
ana thought in his feelings. By these.
his soul was elevated and purified for
HI, work. His work was the highest
and grahdest religion, noble duty nobly
done
Mr.. Lincoln was cool and calm under
the most trying circumstances he i i
unbounding charity for all men. mr..
hslon he was Theist, somewhat After
the order of Theodore Parker. Mr. Lin.
coin was not speculative minded man :.
was, like Washington, severely practical !;
lie never ran III advance Of his aye, and
yet was always directing the ideas and
leeIln9 OF men TO practical ends, to some
thing tha. would end in good. Mr.. Lin.
coin never shaped his veracny, integrity
or virtue to circumstances; he fashioned
anu formed circumstances, SO far as he
could, to virtue, veracity and to inteS-
rlty. lie scorned meanness every here
and at all times, and was bold and man.
~ III his denunciation of wrong however
and by whomever done; he was not a
ioxy, tricky man; he was a statesman
high above all trick. How such q man
as Lincoln could walk up to the high
est point OF human grandeur, from such
low origin, God only knows. But 50
1t was ordained from the beginning, and
50 1t Is. Mr.. Lincoln was man of prea,
fidelity to what he believed was right
was true to friends, never desertiny them
till they deserted virtue, veracity and in.
tegrity. Mr.. Lincoln should be, and
was. trusted by the people with almos,
omnipotent power, and he never abused
it nor shook the public faith in him. He
was true TO his trust, true to his country
and true to the rights of man. What .
noble man, aud what noble life he lived
Washington was Americas creator
Lincoln was its saviour. Mr.. Lincoln
now stands up against the deep blue sky
the grandest figure of the age.
have now statcd to you Mr.. Lincoln's
leading characteristics, and if you like
him better for them am we'll satisfied
| with what l have told YOU. l have
weighed every word aud sentence, AMI
can truly say they are true to Lincoln
and Lincoln true to them. Mr.. Lincoln
was not very social man. He wa!
not spontaneous in his feelings; was, Al
some said, rather cold; he was rather
reflective not cold. However, tax,
hiR In oil, he was as near . perfect ma,
as God generally makes.-[Herndon' il
Watchman and Reflector.