St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1884-05-29

an irOnSide officer of the army of CrOm-
we'll, modified by the impulsive mer-
curial temperament which eight gen
erations of American, descent, with
western birth and rearing, have i'm
pressed upon his character.
LINCOLN's GREAT TRAITS.
Mr. Lincoln united firmness and gen
tleness in il singular degree. He rare
ly spoke harsh word. Ready to hear
argument and always open to cOnvic-
ton, he adhered tenaciouSly v to the con-
illusions which he had finally reached.
Altogether modest, he had confidence
in himself, trusted to the reasoning of
his own mind, believed in the correct
ness of his own Judgment. Many of
the popular conceptions concerning
him are erroneous. No man was further
than he from the easy, familiar, .jocOse
character in which he is often painted.
While he paid little attention to form
or ceremony he was not man with
whom liberties could he taken. There
was but one person i'll Illinois outside
of his own household who ventured to
address him by his first name. There
was no one i'll Washington who ever
attempted it. Approaching wit and
humOr, he relished good story, espec-
tally if it illustrated truth or strength
ened an argument, and he had Il vast
fund of illustrative anecdOte which he
used with the happiest effect. But the
long list of vulgar, salaciOus stories
attributed to him were retailed only
by those who never enjoyed the privi-
lege of exchanging a word with him.
His life was altogether serious one
inspired by the noblest spirit, devoted
te, the highest aims. Humor was but
an incident with him, Il partial relief
to the melancholy which tinged all his
years.
He presented an extraordinary COM
bination of mental and moral qualities.
As statesman he had the lOftiest
ideal, and it fell to his lot to inaugu-
rate measures which changed the fate
of millions of living men, of tens of
millions yet to be born. AS a manager
of political issues, and master of the
art of presenting them, he has had no
rival in this country unless one he
found in jefferson. The complete dis
comfiture of his most formidable as
NdllillS III lOODs SSl'ONlfNilN vi bIOoC
who sought to prejudice him before
the people on account of the arrest of
Nallandigham, cannot easily be paral
lelled for shrewdness of treatment and
for keen appreciation of the reaction
ary influences which are certain to
control public opinion. Mr.. Van Buren
stands without rival in the use of par
tisan tactics. He operated altogether
on men and, believed in selfinter
est as the handspring of human action.
Mr.. LincOln's ability was of far
higher and broader character. There
was never the slightest lack of candOr
or fairness in his methods. He sought
to control men through their reason
and conscience. The only art he en-
ployed was thBt of presenting his views
so cOnvincingly as to force conviction
on the minds of his hearers and his
readers.
There has been discussion as to Mr..
Lincoln's religious belief. He was si
lent as to his own preference among
creeds. Prejudice against any par
ticular denomination he did not enter
tain. Allied all his life with Protest.
ant Christianity, he thankfully availed
himself of the services of an eminent
Catholic prelate-Archbishop Hughes
of New York. personal mission
to England of great Importance, at a
crisis when the relations between the
two countries were disturbed and
threatening. Throughout the whole
period of the war he constantly di-
rected the attention of the nation to
dependence on God. 1t may, indeed,
4 l. I, L Il.
a single state paper. In every mes
sage to congress, in every proclama
ton to the people, he made it promi-
nent. In July, 1863, after the battle
of Gettysburg, he called upon the peo-
| pie to give thanks because sit has
| pleased Almighty God to hearken to
the supplications and prayers of an
afflicted people, and to vOuchsafe sig
nal and effective victories to the army
and navy of the United States :" and
he asked the people "to render homage
to the Divine Majesty, and to invoke
the influence of his holy spirit to sub
due the anger which has produced and
so long sustained a needless and cruel
rebellion" On another occasion, re-
counting the blessings which had come
to the Union, he said: "No human
counsel hath devised, nor hath any
mortal hand worked out, these great
things. They are the gracious gifts OF
the Most High God, who, while deal
ing with us in anger for our sins,
hath nevertheless remembered mercy
Throughout his entire official career
attended at all times with exacting
duty and painful respOnsibility-he
never fOrGot his own denen1euce oil
} the dependence of the people upon q
; higher power. In his last public ad
dress, delivered to an immense crowC
; assembled at the White House, on the
, llth of April, to congratulate him OF
the victories of the Union, the presi
, dent, standing, as he uncOnsciousll
was, in the very shadow of death
said reverently TO his hearers: ''Il
7 the midst of your Joyous expression
J He from whom all blessings flow mus
7 Ns=f h.. l.