The Rutland daily globe. [volume] (Rutland, Vt.) 1873-1877, 1875-01-27
Roberts Post @. A. e..
LECTURE BY c. NJ. BLISS, ESQ.

of Mr.. Bliss very excellent paper
MY first duty is to thank the members of
Post Roberts for their very cordial invita-
ton to read paper before them tonight /;
and though cannot hope to equal in rhe-
torcal effect many of the noted men of
our state who have from time to time
favored the Post with their eloquence and
their thought, yet know that none of
them all ever brought to you subject sur
passing in interest to every soldier, the
name of Abraham Lincoln. Nor shall l
yield to any in honest and earnest endeavor
to serve you, though my spoken words
may not be up to your fond anticipations
1t was my proud pleasure TO command a
company of brave Rutland county boys
through those terrible seven days battles
on the peninsuar, and in one of them, dur
ing that fearful shelling-the sudden open
ing of the battle of White Oak swamp
sent Smiths division whirling into the
woods at their rear, to emerge again Chose
who had not run away in quick time in
battle array, the commandant of my regi-
ment, now one of your most distinguished
citizens, and with an opportunity just given
him, which he will not lose, to be more
distinguished still-ordered me to advance
with my company on the skirmish line, to
meet the now advancing line of the enemy.
Except on the day that / marched out of
the Queen City of the lake with musket
on my shoulder en- route for the sacred
soil, never was prouder. Lifted and Gull
ed by the plunging shot and shell of "a
pieces of rebel artillery bursting upon them
from an opposite conference.-the whole
five directed on our division a,one-these
men-the skulkers and stockholders all
gone, having taken refuge with the rest of
our impedimentd-I looked upon as the
gallant rebel general Stuart would have
said, as mine to count on.
If any survivors of that Survival of TIE
fttest' are here to night, am sure of a
tolerant judgment from at least portion
of my audience.
Mr.. Bliss then passed to the immediate
consideration of the subject in hand, dis
cussion and analysis of the character of
Abraham Lincoln. The first classification
of the paper was devoted to the elements
which entered into the formation Of his
character, assuming that the circumstan-
ces of his birth and education, his necessi-
ties and his opportunities, the class from
which he sprung, the people among whom
he was nurtured, were all necessary factors
in making up the estimate of the man and
most important of all the democratic insti-
tutiOns of our country must be allowed
| their full force in moulding the character
| of this remarkable man. In the analysis of
his character a prominent place was given
| to the influence Of national institutions in
| the formation of individual character.
Great men are the outgrowths of institu-
tions, and are as much influenced by them
as they, in their turn, influence the institu-
| tions themselves. Severa! remarkable IN
stances of this sentiment were forcibly
given. 1t is eminently characteristic of our
institutions that a man, no matter what
may be the circumstances of his early lite,
can reach the highest pinnacle of earthly
fame. 1t was the struggles of his early
life, his rare honesty, his great good nature,
his admirable physical capabiity and his
native qualities of mind that made Lincoln
the great character lie was. Add to this
the wonderful experience of his official life
and we have a character which could not
have been developed in any other country
or in any other age. He was prc-eminent
ly the result Of democratic ideas ard dem
ocraiic age.
The speaker passed over the early life of
Mr.. Lincoln, but proceeded to the discus
sion of the literary ability of his subject as
developed in his discussion with MIR
Douglass the criticisms OF his state pa
pers, noting his celebrated letter to Horace
Greeley, and his note to Mr.. Adams con
corning the rebel iron clads, all of which
gave evidence of his desire to bring Ameri
can diplomacy to its former standard. |
remained for simple minded and homes
backwoodsman to put the finishing strok'
to the work of the learned and accomplish
ed and it is to be regretted that it was no
allowed to remain where he left it.
We regret that our space forblds fur
ther abstract of this most admirable AM
discriminating analysis of the character o
Abraham Lincoln.
Mr.. Bliss, in closing, said The name o
him whom we discuss tonight will shin
with new lustre with each successive age
Posterity will designate him as the savio
of his country, as Washington has bee
designated the father. To this will b
added a far more honorable title, that {
the great emaucipator All over that ye
turbulent Southern land where the seeds q
liberty sown in blood, find 50 stubbor
soil, but where, let us hope, the sunlight O
freedom will yet bring forth fruitful har
vest. All over this land from the malar
the pines of the Carolinas, the rice swamp
of Georgia, the cotton fields of Alabama
by the bayous of Louisiana to the chaI
parel of the Rio Grand, up from the cabi
Of the despised race, there rises the morI
ing and evening benson on Abraham Lii
coin.
To them he was deliverer, the wonde
full, the counsellor, almost the might
Lord of heavens.
To their latest generation that raj
l will bless him, and by them his name wi
) be held in sacred remembrance.
| And in after days his name and fame {
. rolling down the centuries, posterity {
Q every race and cline, as the highest pra
) for the great and good of their own tim
q will claim for them likeness to the sal
/, the philanthropst, the patriot, the marty