The Cecil Whig., 1885-06-20

letters in explanation and defense OF
his hesitation to proclaim freedom to
the slaves, especially his reply to Mr..
Greeley, are masterpieces of clear and
forcible writing. The concluding para
graph of his first inaugural -
The mystic cords of memory, stretch
ing from every battlefield and patriot
grave to every living heart and hearth
stone, all over this broad land, will yet
swell the chorus of the Union, when
again touched, as surely it will be by the
better angels of our nature
IS as happy in expression as it is touch
ing and beautiful in thought.
Mr. Lincoln was not an orator, and
yet where in the English language can
be found eloquence of higher tone or
more magnetic power than was exhib-
tied in his little speech at the conse-
Grafton of the battlefield cemetery near
Gettysburg:
Four-score and seven years ago our
fathers brought forth on this continent
new nation, conceived in liberty, and
dedicated to the proposition that all men
are created equal. Now we are en-
gagged in a great civil war, testing whe-
ther that nation, or any nation SO con-
ceived and so dedicated, can long en-.
dure. We are met on a great battle
field of that war. We have come to
dedicate portion of that field as final
resting place for those who here gave
their lives that that nation might live
1t is altogether fitting and proper that
we should do this.
| But, in larger sense, we cannot dedi-
cate-we cannot conservative cannot
hallow this ground. The brave men
who struggled here have consecrated it
far above our poor power to add or de-
tract. The world will little note or long
remember what we sag here, but it can
not never forget what they did here. 1t
is for us, the living, rather to be dedi-
Gated here to the unfinished work which
they who fought here have thus far SC
nobly advanced. 1t is rather for us to
be here dedicated to the great task re-
naming before us, that from these hon
ored dead we take increased devotion to
that cause for which they gave the last
full measure of devotion; that we here
| highly resolve that these dead shall not
have died in vain; that this nation, un-
der God, shall have a new birth of free
dom, and that government of the people,
by the people, for the people, shall not
perish from the earth.
He followed Edward Everitt, whose
speech was worthy of his reputation as
one of the most accomplished orators
of the age-and when he concluded, it
IS said that Mr.. Everitt, taking Mr..
Lincoln's hand, remarked: "My
speech will soon be forgotten; yours
never will be. How gladly would l
exchange my hundred pages for your
twenty lines !"
IINCoLN's STORY TELLING.
Mr.. Lincoln excelled as story teller.
The habit of story telling was formed
in his early professional life, when. in
company with few other prominent
members of the bar, he visited coun-
ties at long distances from his own, to
try important cases. The journeys
from county to county were long and
protracted, and, as there were no news
papers or books in the cabins where
they spent the nights, these lawyer cir
cuit-riders, as they were called, killed
the time, as the saying was, by telling
stories, in which invention as we'll as
memory was brought into play.
In inventing stories and skill in tell
ing them Mr.. Lincoln was the acknow-
lodged leader. The habit of story
telling, thus formed, became part OF
his nature, and he gave free rein to it,
even when the fate of the nation SEEM
ed to be trembling in the balance.
Some eight or ten days after the
first battle of Bull Run, when Washing
ton was utterly demoralized by its re-
suit, | called upon him at the White
House, in company with few friends,
and was amazed when, referring to
something which had been said by one
Of the company about the battle which
was so disastrous to the Union forces,
he remarked in his usual quiet manner :
''That reminds me of a story" which
he told in manner so humorous as to
indicate that he was free from care
and apprehension. This to me was
surprising.
l could not then understand how
the President could feel like telling a
story when Washington was in danger
of being captured, and the whole
North was dismayed ; and 1 left the
White House with the feeling that |
had been mistaken in Mr.. Lincoln's
character, and that his election might
prove to have been a fatal mistake.
This feeling was changed from day to
day as the war went on but it was not
entirely overcome until l went to Wash
ington in the Spring of 1868 and as an
officer of the Government was per-
mitted to have free intercourse with
him.
then perceived that my estimate of
him before his election was we'll
grounded, and that he possessed even
higher qualities than l had given him
credit for; that he was man of sound
judgment, great singleness and tenacity
of purpose, and extraordinary sagacity ;
that storytelling was to him a safety
valve, and that he indulsed in it, not
only for the pleasure it afforded him,
but for temporary relief from op-
pressing cares that the habit had been
| CO cu1tiyote1 tbot he could ,,ala q