The Hot Springs star. (Hot Spings [Hot Springs], Dakota [Dakota Territory, i.e. S.D.]) 1886-189?, 1889-02-22
LINCOLN's BIRTHDAY.
HIS PRE-EMINENcE ovER
MEM OF HISTORY.

HIS PRE.EMlNENCE ONERTHE GREAT
nlE1e OF HISTORY.
1he Hon. John A. Kasson,s Tribute ia Tho
Alomory Of the Msrtyred p~resident-Hi.
h~tagnanlmity Compared with tho Self.
ishncss of Napoleon.
Lot us hope that the celebration of
Lincoln's birthday thus commenced NAV
DO continued and become a regular md
national institution" was the general
sentiment OF those who gathered in the
various Q tios OF tho country on the 18th
lSst.s To commemorate the eightieth ami
sersnry OF Abraham Lincoln. AT Chicago
INC exercises we.e under the auspices Of
tho LaSalle Club, aud were of mn elabo-
lnte nature. Tho invited guests were.
The Hon. Robert T. Lincoln, Hannibal
Hamlin, ex-Gov. George s. Boutwell,.
Coz; Lar1abee of Town, DR.. H. w. Thomas,
>; McGiesor Adams, Gen. George Cook
+. >. Head, Bishop Samuel Fallows'
Judge L.. O. Collins, the Roy. Robert
Mcintyre. The speaker of the occasion.
30. .sohn A. Ka>son Of Iowa, paid the
FOLLOWING glowing tribute to the "Charac-
tor and Wo'th of Ab.ahtm Lincoln:"
Mr. Chairman, ladies, and gentlemen. tho 17th
dry of April. 1856. the Common Counaii of the
city OF Chicago mot together under the shadow
OF a lfo.onna national sorrow to consider and
the death Of Abraham Lincoln. Snihat oc cnv
Ion they declared "ti;at Tho deceased will stand
ninong the foremost of tie brightest names Of
history and VIII be for vcr remembered with al
mtrltion and honor, not only b., hia countrymen
but by the coed and true of ali countries and Of
Gin, t''a sss;, You zen lonsn OF the La sal!e
CiuD.. sull more representatives O.. this crent.
city, have resolved 10 fulfill the pledge of CON
ttnual remembrance and honorable observance
OF !ho pirlhday OF that great citl.s n and patriot,
anu We may con; ratulnte ourselves in common
tnag on this inaugural tccnsicn VIC are honorcd
ny INC presence OF that distinguished man who
was elcsted seroud only to Abraham Lincoln
IN 1850 to be Vice President OF The United S,ntos
tho eminent und venerable Hanpibai Ha,niim'
OF Maine. [%Applause.l
Inc time IS we'll chosen, for this is tho CEN
tennial year Of that Union wh;ch Lincoln so
grandly preserved. This place is we'll chosen.
i 81 nere is the grent city of tho future, in this
Here was witnessed honorable struggle from
ignorance to knowledge, from despondency
70 nope; from humility 10 cminsncc. Hero were
the state and city that gave him to tho nation
TO preserve its life and restore its integrity.
- you have not come to the determination
preston OF n recent loss or bereavement.
Nearly n quarter of a century Is i row sincs the
nIoa OF Up PEOPLES tears fell upon The ground
IN marble and in bronze have since bean ercstei
IN MS honor by tho freeDorn aud the emanci-
patea race, While some OF US still carry in our
hearts the treasured affection which WIS
nourishedb by his personal companionship. vet u
!1!ger number OF his associates have departed
for the realm whittier lie has led them. but lie
feelings of tho people demand IL memorial quick
with lie, vivid with human sentiment. We
are me- to-day to lay the foundations OF such q
Great and heroic men are the cherished glor;es
OF State, and the richest treasure of the poo.
pie. Have We in this American citizen a char-
acttr sufficiently lreat and heroic, IL career suf-
hciently noble. a depository of gifts to humani.
~ rich enough to Justify the honor of a festival
Questions in the affirmative Srch N Slu11;n ,no-
mortal should receive public sanction, and this
day; IKE the birthday of Washington. should be
dedicated to tho development of civil tlutv.
Tho speaker described the emigration of the
Lincoln family from kentucky until it reached
Illinois, their poor circumstance utter settling
on the frontier, aud the ditl!cu ties unIer which
abraham Lincoln acquired knowledge. Hc
dwelt on the splendid physical Development
OF tie boy and the despair with which he COM
ably for the acquisition Of knowledge, leading
to Temporary mental disorder. After Lincoln
was sdmitted to the legal profession lie dis
ness of perception equal to tho knife of q sur
geon. He refus d to argue q case which con
scon rose to recognition ii. moro intellectual 80.
ciety, he always preserved his familiar contact
Nth tho society from which he sprung. Tho
perior order OF society, granting superiority
only to the Qualities Of ma,lhood. cour-
nervy In all emergencies. Nowhere else have
been developed SO fully the principles of liberty.
equality and fraternity as on the limos OF our
formed thero were likely to endure through life.
IT was to those surroundings that much Of the
character OF Lincoln was due. Lin o.n's cleo.
ton four times to the Legislature aud later to
Congress- was duo to his qualities of reaI man.
hood, continued the speaker.
Lincoln held to his patty while under its
partial alliance with slavery. But his heart was
not yet sufficiently moved nor his soul suffi-
GENTLY aroused TO impe. him to the front Of tho
0Nv0nrfpD linn nj TIM 1ntt1o fnr f~1nI... ~.
was Al years old when the passngc of the fugitive
slave law presented n new cause for public
agitation. Lincoln said that If slavery was not
wrong then nothing was wrong. But slavery
was declared to be within tho Constitution.
Hut Lincoln did not yet break from his purity.
an net declaring it a mater of national innaifer-
ence whether freedom or slavery should control
the Territories hitherto FREQ. In this memoir
gan TO exhibit signs of q great approaching
storm, the turbulent love of liberty surgcd into
tho breast Of TINT lawyer of Illinois. From the
new Lincoln with soul ail alamo for tho rights
Of humanity. He denounced tho aggressive.
ness !. Of a slavery cry and nd its pro, PIonagsnda through
it's base and Thurman principle with the en-.
nobling genius of liberty.
tinued his assaults upon the Democratic partv
as the principal stay of slavery. His arguments
were transparent to the common mind. ana car
he made his appeal. aud made It with ultimate
success. with. their sustaining aid, he dc.
clared, "evct as humble as 1 am, I cannot fail to
cnrry the ship Of state safely through the
storm" Nor was 1t In the RICH and intelligent
tlone that he reposed his confidence. sNo mon
living are moro worthy to BIO trusted, " he said.
.,han those who toll mp from poverty, mono less
inclined to touch aught which they have not
honestly acquired"
Mi. kasson characterized tho peculiar force
Of Mr.. Lincoln's eloluence. not shaped on
classical models nor ofton embellishod with
quotations. but always full of force and con.
vtction. Tho speaker quoted many of tho OF.
press:ons Of sorrow and sympathy that were
Gent ut Lincoln's death from every nation in the
world, showering eulogiss on him tn greater
umber ind clevattng him higher than any
monarch Of ancient or modern times.
Few monarchs dhe continuedi, IL amy, within
the bounds Of modern civilizationlha have exercised
Q greater power over the fate of mon and Of
government than that possessed by this Ameri-
Gun President during. our gigantic war. None
hnve used it so diiinely,. with SO much ~concilia-
tiOn opposed to 80 much Obstinucy, with go
much patience against SO much violence, with
SO much clemency in face OF so much cruelty,
or with 80 magnnnimous q purpose for the free
dom and elevation OF man while confronted by
brute force applied for tire achievement Of man.
None have encountered equal treason with a
patriotism SO unselish. II oil that priests have