Lancaster daily intelligencer. [volume] (Lancaster, Pa.) 1864-1928, 1882-03-24
MCLURE ON LINCOLN.
RecULLECrIONp % The DEAD PRES.
s nAAT. u

: MCLUKE ON eLlNCOLN.
RscoLLEcr1oNs % The DEAD FIRES.
M nMT. s u
Unvritten History OF tho War-Perssnal
Charscterisrics OF nsr. Lincoln.
A large audience of very intelligent peo-
pie assembled in NIoesasoit hall. Strasburg,
last evening, to he2r Col. A. K. Mcclure,
of the Philadelphia Times, deliver a lec-
ture ON his personal "reminiscences of
Abraham Lincoln. He was introduced by
Prof. Charles Keller, and was greeted with
applause. He began with the assurance
that he had no prepared literary effort to
furnish to his audience, but proposed SIM
ply to relate to them in a conversational
way, some "reminiscences of Mr.. Lincoln,
and then proceeded for an hour in easy IA
miliar style, 10 recount some Of the
history Of the eventfnl political period in
which the speaker and Mr.. Lincoln had
both been prominent actors.
Col. Mcclure said that happily for the
country much of the dissensions that ex-
isted in Mr.-Lincoln's own party and
caused him more trouble than the rebel
lion in front would never be known. Who
would write the story that his cabinet had
voted by only one majority not to sur
render Fort Sumter? Many instances
were cited Of the impatience and criticism
with which his course was measured by
his party leaders, of whom SO many
deemed themselves better fitted to be
president, SO that at one time he had not
really dozen sincere friends on the Re-
publican side of the House and fewer in
the Senate. N 1:
Passing to consideration of his per-
sonal characteristics, the speaker said Lin
coins one infirmity wasshis anxious desire
to be reelected, apparently not SO much
tor his own sake as for that of the country
and. the successful conclusion of the war.
When nearly every state had declared for
him, he was still uneasy. He knew nothing
of political methods, and on the eve of the
convention hundredsof prominent gentle
men had to assure him that there was no
doubt of his denomination, for he re-
membered that Van Buren, was defeated
in convention that was two thirds for
him, and he himself had been successful
in conveatiOn that was two thirds for
another man, and he knew not what might
happen at Baltimore.
His humanity was dwelt upon Us an
other eminent characteristic. No man
ever heard him say harsh word against
any man, woman or people. His matchless
phrase, with malice toward none, with
charity for all,' expressed his whole ma
ture it has lived while the polished ora
tion of Everett is entirely forgotten. He
could resist no appeal to his sense of
mercy, he signed no death warrant, and it
even became enecessary-in order to enforce
army discipline-to change the law re-
quiring the presidents approval of mill
tary executions.
He chose the proper time for the dis
charge of every great public duty. He
issued his emancipation proclamation
when he deemed it right, against the
earnest protests Of the politicians The
Republican party lost heavily in the next
elections, but Mr.. Lincoln had fairly calcu-
lated the force of moral sentiment and his
superior sagacity was indicated. Despite
the clamor and impatience of his radical
party associates, he watched and waited
for and always gave anxious, patient hear.
ing to the voice Of the common people. He
saved Grant from dishOnOr and restored
Sherman to command when he was ordered
to St. Louis as visionary.
He had infinite strategy, and, as an In
stance of this, Col. Mcclure related that
when. the people of Cass township, Schuyl-
kill county, resisted the draft and STAN
ton sent on two regiments of soldiers to
Pottsville to enforce it at all hazards, Mr..
Lincoln quietly sent q messenger to Nc
Clure with the message, which its bearer
did not understand, but which Mcclure
would, that there must be NO conflict be-
tween the people and the soldiers. NO war
on Pennsylvania soil. Col. Mcclure un-
derstood it. He suggested that if Cass
township could show that it had already
furnished its quota of troops, it would be
exempted from the draft. A hatfull of the
necessary afidavits was speedily forth
coming. They were Individually lies but
they answered their purpose, and MIR.
Lincoln's wish was gratiiied, to the great
public advantage:
He was not . vulgar jester; the ribaliry
attributed to him was false. He was emf
nently sad man he wore the saddest
expression ever seen. War wearied and
every battle slaughter panied him. He
was good and well. disposed even to the
rebels. The day of his death was the sad
dest of all that stormy period for both
sections. The South lost its best friend.
His scheme Of reconstruction would not
have tempted the South to deny political
rights to any of It's people, nor would it
have allowed the North to scourge the
South with the carpet-bagger, whose waste
was worse than that of war and the his
tory OF whose wrong doing is the worst
blot upon our national record.
In an eloquent perOratiOn. Col. Mcclure
the heroic traits Of Mr.. Lin.
coins character, the tragedy of his death,
the honor his career had reflected on his
country, and the loss it sustained in his
melancholy taking off.
IN the course of his lecture Col. McC.
said the only two public men who were
never dwalfsd in his view by nearer ap-
proach to them were Lincoln and Thad-
deus Stevens.
After the lecture Col. Mcclure was
entertained by a number of
prominent citizens of the borough, and
then came to Lancaster, whence he took
the 1874 train for Philadelphia.
Rev. BartO q Lecture Upon the Indians and
the West.
A small audience assembled in the court:
house last evening to hear Rev. G. E.
Barto's lecture upon "The West az it is
made for man. and fhe West man has