St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1888-03-01

stock In trade, and have mustered un-
der his leadership in the scramble fol
place and plumber; but it was not fol-
sale.
The time came when Robert T. Lin
coin was made secretary for war in the
brilliant cabinet which James A. Gar
| field summoned to assist him in his adj
ministration. One of the youngest and
least experienced in public affairs Of
the men who have occupied such posi-
ton in our government, he betrayed
neither rawness or incapacity. From
the very day when he first seated him
self in the secretary's chair in the wal
office, he was in fact as well as name
the chief of the department.. At the
end of four years he was regarded as
the "mOdel secretary" and is still sc
remembered.
Not only was this the fact, but his
colleagues soon learned that the quiet
unObtrusive young man was by nc
means to be mere fgure-head in the
government. What he had to do he
did with thoroughness, and it soon be-
came apparent that no other member
of the cabinet could directly or indi-
rectly dispose of the patronage or con
ment. When the question arose after
the assassination of the president as tC
what course should be pursued, his
colleagues were surprised to have him
quietly declare that the idea of run
ming government without an actua
executive head, as was proposed, was
in his opinion contrary to the plair
mandate of the constitution. To day
one wonders that anybody should have
dreamed of doing so.
| But a still greater surprise awaited
those who had esteemed his capacity
but lightly. The republican party was
torn with factional strife. The hottes
conflict known to our political history
waged between it's elements. Few
men in any position escaped this bitter
feud without awakening something o
hostility among his associates. Mr.
Lincoln was in the vortex of this mael
strom of factional strife. He was
neither untrue to his chief nor often
sive to the other wing of the party
Firm, faithful, unassuming in his 10y
atty, he was yet without rancOr or hiatt
the one man among all the prOmi
nent men of his party who did not be
come embroiled in the controversy at
taching to the personality OF the con
testants. The tact and capacity TO
statecraft displayed by him during thi
period are guaranty that the son pos
sesses in a very high degree the yer!
qualities which enabled the father t.
administer the government so success
fully under difficulties which every ont
now recognizes that no other man liv
ing could have met and overcome.
The fact that Mr.. Lincoln is in pc
litical sense "withOut personal fol
lowing" is not because of any lack o
character or capacity, nor from an.
want of opportunity or temptation t.
engage in the struggle for political pre-
ferment. No man who ever came with
i'm the verge of his influence can doub
the force of his individuality. He il
"without personal following" simply
because he is too large a man to seel
personal advantage by political maneu
vering. He neither seeks prefermen
nor shuns the performance of public
duty. To him the Office of presiden
would not be merely ga public trust,
but an appeal to the nOblest impulse o.
a noble nature to do the utmost in hi
power to honor by his acts the name o
father whose memory he tenderly re-
VereS.