Fergus County argus., 1888-03-15

Reb~rs q. 1.G~rs~li.
"Abraham Lincoln was one of the
few who saw that slavery could not
exist forever. lie was born in u cabin
laid in the lap of the pOOr-born in
~ cabin in the wilderness OF Kentucky,
yet he rose to such a supreme and
splendid hight that fame never reached
higher than his brow when putting it's
laureIs on the brow OF a human being.
lie was "a man who was true to him.
>elf-and for that reason true to
Others. lie was "a strange ningling Of
mirth and tears, Of the perfect and
grOtesque OF Socrates and Rabelais,
OF .EsOp and Of Marcus Aurelills, of
all that was noble and just, of mercy
and honesty, mer.iful, Wise, lovabIe
and divine-and all cOnsecrnted to the
use Of man. while through all aud over
all was an overwhelming sense of chiv-
airy and loyalty, and above all the
shadow OF u perfect mind. OF nearly
all the great characters of history we
know nothing Of their peculiarities.
About the oaks of these great men,
and about the roots of these oaks, we
know nothing Of the earth that clings
to them. WashingtO on himself is now
steel engraving. About the real man
who lived, who loved, who schenet,
and who succeeded We know nothing
The glass through which We look at
him il Of such high magnifying power
that the features are inaiistinct. Hun
slrels Of people are now engaged in
smoothing out the lines in I.incOln's
face so that he may he known, not as
he really was, hut according to their
been.
abraham Lincoln was not a type;
he stands alOne-nO ancestors, no fol-
lowers. and no snccessOrs. lie had
the advantage Of living in u new
country, the advantage OF u social
equality, Of personal freedom. of see
ing in the horizon OF his life the per-
letual star of hope. lie knew and
mingled with men Of every kind and
became familiar with the best books.
In u new country yOu must possess at
least three q,ialit ies-hOnesty y, courage
and generosity. IN cultivated society
cultivation H. often more important
than soil; and, while n polished coun-
terfeit sometimes ln,sses more readily
than the blurred genuine, IL is neces.
sary only to observe the uncertain
laws Of society to le honest enough to
keep out Of the penitentiary and gen.
erOus enough to subscribe in public
when the subscription can be defined
rs u business investme In ~ new
country character is essential; i'm the
old reputation is often sufficient. In
the new they find what a man is; in
the old he generally passes for what he
resembles. People separated by dis
tancc are much nearer tOget her than
those divided by the wallis of caste.
"l.imcOln never tinishesl his ed,ica-
ton, although he was always an
inquirer and seeker after knowledge.
You have no idea how many men are
spoiled by what is called education.
For the most part colleges are where
pebbles are polished and diamonds
are dimmetl. II Shakespeare had
graduated at Oxford he might have
been IA 4uibbling attorney or n poor
larson. Lincoln was a many-sided
man, as reliable as the direction of
gravity. His words were rs kind as
mercy, and gave u perfect image OF his
thought. He was never afraid to ask.
never too digniiiesi to admit that he
did not know.
"I.incoln was natural in his lite and
thought, master of the storytelling
art, liberal in speech, using any word
which wit would disinfect. He was n
lOgician. lie did not say what he
thought others thought, but what he
thought. lie was sincerely natural.
II you wish to he sublime you must
keep close to the grass. Too much
polish suggests insincerity. II you
wish to know what is the difference
bet ween an orator and the elOcutiOn.
list read l.incOln's wOnlrOus words at
t;cttysburg and then read the speech
Of Edward Everett. The Grafton of
Lincoln will never he forgotten; it will
live until languages are dead and lips
are dust. The speech Of Everett will
never he read. Lincoln was an inn
n,cnse personality, firm but not obs,i-
nate -Obstiiiacy is egOtism. tirml,ess
is herOism. lie influenced others and
they submitted to him. lie was severe
to himself, and for that reason leni-
ent to Others, and appeared to apollo
gize for being kinder than his fellows.
lie did merciful things as s'ealthily as
Others committed crimes. lie did and
said the noblest deeds and words with
that nObleness that is the grace of
mO,iesty. Everything for principle,
nothing for money; everything for
independence. Whele no principle was
involved easily swayed, willing TO 90
somewhere if in the right direct ion;
willing to stop sometimes; but he
would not go back, and he would not
90 away. lie knew that fight was
needed and full of chances; he knew
that slavery had defenders, but no
defense, and that those vino advO-
Gated the right must win some time.
lie was neithe tyrant nor slave.
Nothing disclOses real character like
the use Of power, and Il was the
quality OF Lincoln that, having almost
absolute power, he never abused it
except upon the side Of mercy. Wealth
could not purchase, power could not
awe this divine, this loving man. lie
knew no fear except the fear Of doing
wrong. lie was the embodiment of
Self-,lenial ana courage. bespoke not
to upbraid, but tOcOnvince. Heraised
his hands, not to strike, but in bere-
diction, and lived to see pearls OF
tears on the cheeks OF wives whose