Daily globe. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1878-1884, 1883-01-31
In0ersoU on Lincoln.

In introducing Capt Kidd, of Illinois, to
Washington audience few nights ago,
Col. Robert G. Ingersoll said:
'LADIEs AND GENTLEMEN: We are to
hear a lecture about Abe Lincoln-not
Lincoln the president, Lincoln the liberia
tor, Lincoln the statesman, but Lincoln
the lawyer, Lincoln the man; something
about him as he was when he fell heir to
agony and to fame; something about his
mode of life, his habits, his thoughts, his
words-that is to say, his daily life, be-
cause such peculiarities in the character of
great men are omitted by their
biographies. Nearly every great
figure of history is a
kind of great monstrosity. We know
nothing about Washington. He is steel
engraving. No dirt of humanity clings to
his roots. We will hear about Lincoln
who lived where men we're free and equal,
and was acquainted with people, not much
with books. Every man is in some sort a
book. He lived the poem of the year in
the field, the woods, the blessed country.
Lincoln had the advantage of sociability,
He was thoughtful, and he saw on the
horizon of his future the perpetual star OF
hope. To him every field was landscape,
| every landscape poem, evey flower les
son, and every grove fairy-land. Oaks and
elms are far more poetic than streets and
houses. A country life is in itself an edu-
cation. It gives man the idea of home
| He hears the rain on the roof, the rustic of
the breeze, the music of natures fullest
choral. You have no idea how many men
education spoils. Colleges are institutions
where brickbats are polished and diamonds
dimmed. If Shakespeare had graduated
at Oxford he would probably have become
| a pettifogging attorney or hypocritical
parson. Lincoln's education was derived
from men and things, and hence he had 6
chance to develop. He had many sides; he
not only had laughter, but he had tears
and never that kind of solemnity which is
| mask to hide his features. He was not
| afraid to seek for knowledge when he had
it not. When man is too dignifed he
ceases to learn. Lincoln was logician
Logic is capacity; it is the child of good
heart and good head. He was always
honest with himself. He was an orator
that is, he was natural. If you wish to be
sublime, you must keep close to the gras:
you must sit close by the hearth of hui
man experience. Above the clouds is toe
cold. If you want to know the difference
between an orator and a speaker, read the
Grafton of Lincoln at Gettysburg, then
read the effort of Everett at the same
place. One came from the heart
the other was born only of the
voice. Lincoln's speech will be remem-
bered forever. Everett's no man will
read. 1t was like plucked flowers. If yor
want to find out what man is to the bot
tom give him power. Any man can stand
adversely. Only great man can stand
prosperity. 1t is the glory of Abraham
Lincoln that he never abused power only
on the side of mercy. He was perfectly
honest man. When he had power he used
it in mercy. He loved to see the tears OF
the wife whose husband he had snatched
from death. Abraham Lincoln would
never have turned man out of Office with
out a hearing and left stain upon his
name. He was too grand, too magnani-
NOUS"