The Wellington enterprise. [volume] (Wellington, Ohio) 1867-188?, 1885-01-14
ABRAHAM LINCOLN.
Summary Of his Character In his Life
by Arnold.

IeCelNeu Dul u pluidillf vi llc IOpulai
vote. The old Democratic pnrty, which
had ruled most OF the time for hall a cent.
ury, was hostile, and large portion Of II,
even in the North, in sympathy with the
insurgents, while his own party was made
up of discordant elements. y =
Ii is the exact truth to say that when he
entered the White House he was the OBJ
ject of personal and unfHorablc prejudice
with majority of the people, and Of
contempt TO powerful minority. lie
entered upon his work of restoring the
Union without sympathy from any Of the
great Powers OF western Europe.
Yet in spite of all this, this inexperienced
man Of the prairies, by his sagacity, his
sound judgment, his wisdom, his integrity
and his trust in God, crushed the most
stupendous Of rebellions, and one support.
ed by armies more vast, resources greater,
and an organization more perfect than
any which ever before undertook the dis.
membcrment Of a nation.
lie not only united and held together
against hitter and contending factions his
own party but strengthened it by winning
the confidence and support Of the best
part OF all parties. lie composed the bit.
Ter quarrels Of rival military leaders, and
at length discovered and placed at the
head of his armies the skill and ability
which secured military success. Gradu.
ally he won the respect, the confidence, the
good will Of all nations and peoples. His
own countrymen learned that he was hon.
est and patriotic, that he was as unselfish
and magnanimous as he was true, and they
reelected him almost by acclamation, and
after series OF brilliant victories he over.
came and destroyed all armed opposition
Ever keeping pace with public sentiment
he struck blow after blow at the institution
of slavery, until he proclaimed emancipa
ticn, and crowned his work by an amend
ment Of the Constitution, prohibiting
slavery throughout the Republic, thus
realizing the dream of his early years. And
all this he accomplished within the brieI
period of four years.
In perhaps no other respect does Lincoln
excite our admiration so much as by hi
writings. 1t Is easy TO comprehend the
greatness of his character, but II is mo-
easy 10 understand what il was that gave
him so marvellous a power over his native
language.
Positive inspiration seems the only tern
fit to use in connection with such compos
itions as the Gettysburg speech and III,
second inaugural. Regarded as pure liter
ature they are classical in their faultles'
ness. We read in this book the uttcrance'
OF other and celebrated orators, and thei
loftiest flights seem artificial, strained aut
Intellectual when compared with the sim
plest utterances Of Lincoln. Take such |
passage as this from his second message u
Congress, its noble sincerity and digniilet
eloquence may hardly be paralleled, searcl
in what field Of literature we may:
"Fellow citizens, we cannot escape his
tory. We Of this Congress and this Ad
ministralon will be remembered In spit
Of ourselves. No personal significance o
insignifcance can spare one or another o
US. The fiery trial through which we pas
will light us down, in honor or dlshono
TO the latest generation. We say we ar
for the Union. The world will not forge
that we say this. We know how 10 saw
the Union. The world knows we do know
how TO save H. We-even we here-.hold tn
power and bear the responsibility. In gi'
ing freedom TO the slave we assure freedom
to the free-honorable alike in what W
give and what we preserve. We shal
nobly save or meanly lose the last, beS
hope Of earth. Other means may succeed
this could not fail. The way is plair
peaceful, generous, jus,-a way which,
followed, the world will forever applau
and God must forever bless"
A deep vein OF melancholy ran throug
the character OF Lincoln, appearing yer
early in life, and the very exuberance {
the mirthfulness to which he was at time
excited was but u mask cast over the gray
and serious reality Of his nature. We ca
understand how, TO such man, the poem
!. "0h, why should the spirit Of mortal b
proud y would convey a deeper meanin
than 1t would to most men, and we ca
also understand with what feeling he sal
to friend, when the cause for which h
was struggling seemed doomed to failure
n feel as though | shall never be glad an
more" We can also understand the pecu
J, lar impresslyeness with which the lln'
from Macbeth
: Duncan ls In his grave.
After llie's htful fever, he sleeps WELL
Treason has done Ia worst--nor steel, nor poiso
Malice domestic, forcgn levy, nothing
Can touch him farther
4 Came TO him on the last Sunday Of bis III
when he read them aloud, and, aller
. pause, repeated them. His death was 4
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