The true northerner. [volume] (Paw Paw, Mich.) 1855-1920, 1888-02-22

servance OF Lincoln's birthday, Col. Rob-
ert G. lngersof1, responding to the toast
Abraham Lincoln" spoke as follows:
abraham Lincoln was one of the few who
saw that slavery could not exist forever. He
was born in cabp-lald Ill the lap of the
poor-born In cabin IN the wilderness OF
kentucky yet he rose to such supreme and
splendid hight that fame never reached higher
than his brow when putting his laurels on
the brow of a human being. He was man
who was true to himself, and for that reason
was true to others. He was a strange ming
ling of mirth and tears, Of the perfect and
grotesque of Socrates and Rabelais, of Esop
and OF Marcus Aurelius, of all that was
noble and just of mercy and honesty,
merciful WISE lovable, and divine-and
all consecrated to the use of man,
while through all and over all was an over
whelmlng sense of chivalry and loyalty,sand
above all the shadow of perfect mind.
or 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. Washington him
self Is now steel engraving. About the real
man who lived, who loved, who schemed, and
who succeeded, we know nothing. The glass
through which we look at him is of such high
magnlfylng power that the features are lnds-
tnct Hundreds of people are now engaged
smoothing out the lines III Lincoln's face 80
that he may be known, not as he really was,
should have been.
abraham Lincoln was not a type; he
stands alone-no ancestors, no followers and
no successors He had the advantage of NV
ing in a new country, the advantage of social
equality, of personal freedom, of seeing III
the horizon Of his life the perpetual tar Of
hope. He knew and mingled with men Of
every kind and became familiar with the
best books In new country you must pos
sess at least three qualites-honesty, cour-
age and generosity. In cultivated society,
cultivation is often more important than soil;
and, while polished counterfeit sometimes
passes more readily than tire blurred genu-
inc, 1t Is necessary only to observe the un-
certain laws of society to be honest enough
to keep out of the ponitentiary, and generous
| enough to subscribe in public when the sub
scription can be defined as business invest
ment In new country character Is essen
tial; in the old reputation is often sufficient.
In the new they find what man 10; in the
old he generally passes for what he resenl-
bles. People separated by distance are much
nearer together than those divided by the
walls of caste.
Lincoln never finished his education, al
though he was always an inquirer and a
seeker after knowledge. You have no idea
how many men are spoiled by what ls called
education. For the most part colleges are
where pebbles are poll shed and diamonds are
dimmed. If Shakespeare had graduated at Ok
ford he might have been qulbbling attorney
or poor parson. Lincoln was a many-sided
man, as reliable as the direction OF gravity.
His words were kind as mercy, and gave per-
feet image of his thought He was never
afraid to ask, never too dignifed to admit that
he did not know.
Lincoln was natural in his life and thought,
master of the storytelling art, liberal III
speech, using any word which wit would dis
infect He was a logcian. He did not say
what he thought others thought, but what be
thought He was sincerely natural If you
wish to be sublime you must keep close to the
grass. Too much polish suggests lnsincerity.
If you wish to know what Is. the difference
between an orator and all elocutonlst read
Lincoln's wondrous words at Gettysburg aud
then read the speech Of Edward Everett The
Grafton of Lincoln will never be forgotten; 1T
will live until languages are dead and lips are
dust The speech of Everett will never be
read. Lincoln was an immense personality,
firm but not obstinate-obstinacy Is egotism,
tirmness Is heroism He influenced others
and they submitted to him. lie was severe to
himself and for that reason lenient to 9TH
ers, and appeared to apologize for being
kinder than his fellows. He did merciful
things as stealthly as others committed
crimes. He did and said the noblest deeds
and words with that nobleness that is the
grace of modesty. Every thing for principle,
nothing for money, everything for independ-
ence Where no principle was involved cas-
lily swayed, willing to go somewhere if in the
right direction; willing to stop sometimes;
but he would not go back, and he would not
go away. He knew that fight was needed and
full of chances he knew that slavery had
defenders, but no defense, and that those
who advocated the right must win some time.
He was neither tyrant or slave Nothing dis
closes real character Like the use OF power,
and it was the quality Of Lincoln that, having
almost absolute power, he never abused 1t
except on the side of mercy. Wealth could
OF purchase power, could not awe this divine,
this loving man, He knew no fear except the
fear Of doing wrong. He was the embodiment
of ser-denial and courage He spoke not to
upbraid, but to convince. He raised his hands,
not to strike, but in benediction, and lived to
see pearls of tears on the cheeks of the wives
whose husbands he had saved from death.
Lincoln was the grandest figure Of the greatest
civil war Of the world"