New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1885-06-14
ABRAHAM LINCOLN.
Tile sOLRCES OF HIS POWER.
SECRETARY McCULLocH RECALLS SOME AENoiN'
OF TIE PRESIDENT.
('oulO.iTAL 1888.

ColyFtyh 1850
r, his,orv of Mr.. Lincolns hlels an exceedingly
TING one--more interesting in many respects
m'''. .iot Of any other man which our country has
'"'' 1n,e1 OF humble parentage, without oppor-
Cor mental culture III early life he became
'tIo ,,vvvcr a forcibie writer a captivating anu
d" .i,o snoaker an C Secutivc officer IN tue hi'SC
-. ,eriad Of our Nations history Oh s"S'i"
.!;,bt and wisdom. Before his lolht d"o'" WIN
~, Do,glos in 1855 he was little known ou's'"e Vi
80, STATE The ability which lie dl'"aSeu III
Ne n. .,oh,te gave him National repntat'on lie
sod his conscience with him into the discussion
". ,,ode no statement which he did not beheNe |"
y, .r,e took no position which nc was not aole "
tod Less gifted i'll language ne was cledieI Ia
,.a.or,cnt. moro persuasive and Simple III S'y"'
s'''' - his convictions more earnest IN present
s .hcr an more familiar with the character o.
I"e ubon he was wont to call plain people. than
,.'' N,a,nor. II can hardly be said that he was
i' ,b, debate but it cannot he denied that
49,, = ,Ioscl the advantage was not on the SHE OF
", Dlos Like everybody else, was greatly
...oo.oJ III TIE debate. Mr. IincolnS speeches
sro M, only very able. but they left the impress
20, uo,n nv mind that he possessed the elements
Of Great personal popularity. SO strong was th'S
;wnression that. happening to be IN chicago III
1sGo when the Republican Convention was III
sossion. and being asked BY some of the delegates
fvben il was certain that either Mr.. Seward or MI
1;ocoIp would be nominated to which thought
beir votes should he given, did not hesitate to say
that that depended upon what they wanted 10 90
-ifthey wanted TO vn6icate the principles oi III"
,artv they should vote tor MI Seward II they
yantel to elect a President, they Sh"nld vote 'or
d. 1i,co,rr Mr.. Seward had rendered great
service to his party of which he st'oa at inc 'a'
his ability was unlou1trd. and he was the decided
hal - fprn
doubted that enough OF the western H'a''' '"'"
he carried to secure his election.
Mr. Lincoln's election prccipItltol the Rebellion
lint tbe time had come sooner than had been cX-
nscted and in different way for the settlement o.
.Lo onestion whether the United states were a
Notion TO which allegiance was due by the people
r con federation Of States. from which any STATE
~ number Of states might withdraw by Their own
:,oconlcut action; and of the equally important
,os+ion whether slavery or freedom should
dominate throughout the Union. These qurStl"HS
we're settled by war and it is now quite certain th't
.ro, conM not have been settled by any other
means The cost Of this settlement III treasure a'n
h,oa1 was cpormous bat it was inccnplrably less
than yvould have been the evils which world nave
ror,tal from the tiouaiization Of slavery or the
rarnct1ol strife which must have occurred between
.bo sections II the Union had been disrupted That
tno election Of Mr. Lincoln WAS fortunate for tie
country anil tho whole country is generally al
,n;,tca II would haze been quite impossible for
oi+bor of IN, other distinguished men whose na'ioS
were before the Convention for nomination i0f 'he
Pre.idercv TO have retained the conhirnc oi the
nc,nIc through the protractcd struggle t. the same
extent that he dill.
Mr. Iincoln's character 1t is diGcult to aAaly/c.
rare AMI seemingly inccnsruons were itS com
binations. Instead. therefore: Of Attempting an
o,a,vsis mnst ccnine my remarks to a description
of his arnearance. and Of his prominent anu
sinouIar If not ncOusistan chfractcHStI'S'
In form M Lincoln was tall AMI angular HcNng
in compactness, but strong and stGr ". "ith graf
con,c;tv f,r work and power of eudpraa 90. His
features were coarse aud to strangers uncomey bat
preposse,,ing 10 those who became his iren Is ll's
face. dnIl and heavy whom in repo'c. WIS All alieh
with in,ellrenco when IN cOnver- alton. " !
thonrbt.r said lady. when first saw him that be
,ras one OF the uglicst of men. Now that know
him well he seems to ne to be perfectly charming
Grave and selate in manner he was full OF klnI ana
ce,.le cpotions He was fond OF poetry. Shake
speare WI, his delight Few mon could read WIN
eaual expression the plays OF the greIt dranil'S'
The theatre had great attractions Tor hiin' hus II
va. comedy NOT trqqeIy he went TO hear. He had
great enioy,ocnt Of tho plays that made him an9h,
no matter how absurd and grotrsquc. and ne gave
annlause. He was man Of strong religious con-
y;ctions bnt be cared nothing for tho docnas OF the
churches and had littl. respect for their crc'd'.
"A a lawyer and advocate Mr.. Lincoln had no
superior in Illinois ana few supccorS in the o'Aer
States His practice WAS not broad or NAI!ci
eaongh to require constant study Of authortie' o''
his mipdw was keen, clear Discriminating, and n" was
well grounded in the elementary principles OF the
law His arguments before tue court were always
carefully prepared, pointed and coIent BEFORE a
iury he was especially effective One q his Mo''
distinguished characteristics a. an aINoiitc " .
the suppression 81 himself in his arguments 10 tic
nrors II was his aim to fix the facts ana The iact
only. mon their minds Comprehenling perfectly
the points upon which the case dcpe0dcd,-t th'In
he dre,teI the attention OF the jury wasting no
worls upon unimportant matters; nerer wear. some
by long speeches: with great aptitude d.scoverine
the characters Of jurors; always inte!h rible ard
earnest re never failed to interest and rarely "a
convince The same qualities were displayed ia hi
publc speeches. models they were OF clear. simple
and consequently of forclble speaking
The first time saw aud heard him WAS at Ind an.
snoljs shortly after the conclusion of his debat'
with Mr. Douglas. Careless OF his attire, ungracc
full in his movements thought rs he came forward
t. address the audience that his vas tho mos
royaiolv lirrra had ever sccI upon platform
Coz iii. he the Abraham Lincoln whose specchc
had read with so much interest AMI admiration
this plain dull-lookug man tie one WHO ma
s-cces,fuilr encounter in debate one OF the mo,
gifted srcaker3 of his time Tho question wa
speedily answered by the sDeech. HE SUBJECT w,
siaye,r- lis character It's incompItibility will
rrTJulfican institutions. it's demoFaIing influence
on society its a0gTcs'iveaess IT'S rIghts as iinb
bv the Constellation all of which were diScusS''
with s1ch clearncs5, simplicity, carnestness am
fore rs 20 carry me ia Inn To the conclusion tina
the country could not long continue par save an
nert f-e~-,tho, freed m mist prevail tlICr7hol
he ,rugf and breadth Of the land or that The gret
Pcprhlic instead oil being the home Of the fee an
the ho,c Of the OpDre sei wonld become hy~0T
nnh a rcpr,,acL among tlIe nations.