The Telegraph-courier. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1888-1946, 1889-02-21
LNCOLN'S BIRl HDAY,
HIS PRE-EMINENCEO vERTHE GREAg
MEN OF HISTORY.

Let us hope that the celebration OF
Lincoln's birthday thus commenced may
be continued and become regular and
national institution" was the general
sentiment Of those who gathered in the
various cities of the country on the 18th
inst, to commemorate the eightieth anni-l
versary of Abraham Lincoln. At Chicago
the exercises we've under the auspices of
the LaSalle Club, and were of an elabo-
rate nature. The invited guests were:
The Hon. Robert T. Lincoln, Hannibal
Hamlin, eX- Gov. George S. Boutwell,,
Gov. Larrabee of Iowa, DR.. FL. W Thomas.
J. McGregor Adams, Gen. George Crook.
F. S. Head, Bishop Samuel Fallows,
Judge l.. c. Collins, the Rev. Robert
Mcintyre. The speaker of the occasion.
Hon. John A. Kasson of Iowa, paid the
following glowing tribute to the "Charae-
Ter and Worth of Abraham Lincoln"
Mr.. Chairman, ladies, and gentlemen the III d
day OF April, 1865, the Common Council of the,
city of Chicago met together under the shadow
Of q profound national sorrow to consider AND
give expression to the popular sentiment upon
Jhe death of Abraham Lincoln. On that occas-
ion they declared that he deceased will stand
among the foremost of the brightest names OF
history and will be forever remembered with ad-
mlration and honor not only by his countrymeu
but by the good and true of all countries and OF
all times" You, gentlemen of the La Sale
city, have resolved to fulfill the pledge of con-
tinua1 remembrance and honorable observance
OF the birthday of that great citlze and patriots
and we may congratulate ourselves in common
that on this inaugural occasion are honoreG
by the presence of that distinguished man who
was elected second only to Abraham Lincoln
in 1850 to be Vice President of the United States
the eminent and venerable Hannibal Hannlin,
Of Maine. [Appausel
The time is we'll chosen, for this is the CEN
| tennial year of that Union which Lincoln
I andy mia
for here is the great city of tho future, in this
libarty-loving West whence Lincoln sprung.
Here was witnessed honorable struggle from
ignorance to knowledge, from dependency
to hope, from humility TO eminence. Here Weg @
his qualities of leadership discovered, here are
the State and city that gave him to the nation,
to preserve it's life and restore it's integrity.
You have not come to the determinations
| to introduce these festivals under the i'm
| preston of recent loss or bereavement.
Nearly quarter of century is it now since the,
| food of peoples tears fell upon the ground
where the heroic man lies buried Monumentsi
| in marble and in bronze have since been erected
| il his honor by the freeborn and the e;llanci-E
pated race, while some of US still carry in o5.=
hearts the treasured affection which was
| nourshed by his personal cOmpaniOnship, yet a.
larger number of his associates have departed
| for the realm whittier he has led them. But the
| feelings Of the people demand memorial QuSckl
| with life vivid with human sentiment. We
are met to-day to lay the foundations OF such a
| memorial.
| Great and heroic men are the cherished glories
| Of State, and the richest treasure of the peO@
| pie. Have we in this American citizen char
acttr sufficiently great and heroic, suf!
| fciently noble q depository of gifts to humans
| ty rich enough to justify the honor of festival
| to commemorate him? If we can answer these
| quesliO in the affirmative such q public mo-
mortal should receive public sanction, and this
| day, like the birthday of Washington, should be
| dedicated to the development of civil duty.
The speaker described the emigration of the
Lincoln family from Kentucky until it reached
Illinois, their poor circumstances after settling
on the frontier, and the difficulties under Whiehi
| Abraham Lincoln acquired knowledge. He
| dwelt on the splendid physical development
of the boy and the despair with which he COM
pared himself to those situated more favor
| ably for the acquisition of knowledge leading.
| to temporary mental disorder. After Lincoln.
was admitted to the legal profession he dis
| played remarkable powers of logic and keen
| ness of perception equal to the knife of a sur
| geon. He refus to argue case which con-
| ficted with his sense of right. Although he
| soon rose to recognition in more intellectual
| ciety, he always preserved his familiar contact
with the society from which he sprang. The.
| American frontier life recognized no su4
| perior order OF society granting superiority
| only to the qualities of manhood, cour@
| fidelity to friends intellectual strength, an0
| nervy in all emergencies. Nowhere else have
been developed SO fully the principles OF liberty,
| equality and fraternity as on the lines of our
| American frontier, and the companionships
| formed there were likely to endure through life.
| 1t was to these surroundings that much of the
|
| lion four times to the Legislature and later to
| Congress was due to his qualities of real man.
| hood, continued the speaker
| Lincoln held to his party while under It's
| partial alliance with slavery. But his heart
| not yet sufficiently moved nor his soul suffi-
GENTLY aroused to impel him to the front of the
| advancing line of the battle for freedom. He
was Al years old when the passage of the fugitive
| slave law presented cause for public
agitation Lincoln said that II slavery was not
| wrong then nothing was wrong But slavery
| waE declared to be within the Constitution.
| But Lincoln did not yet break from his party
He waited until the slave power in 1854 passe"f
an act declaring it matter of national inoitfeY-
| ence whether freedom or slavery should control
| the Territories hitherto free. In this memoir
able year, when the ocean of popular feeling be-
| gan 10 exhibit signs of great approaching
storm, the turbulent love of liberty surged INTO
| the breast Of that lawyer of Illinois, From hes
| mists and clouds of politics now emerges the,
! new Lincoln with soul all af1aroe for the rights
| of humanity He denounced he aggressive
ness of slavery and it's propaganda through
! Congress and the Supreme Court; he contrast q
| it's base and inhuman principle with the en-
| nobling genius of liberty
During the campaigns of 1856 to 1853 he con-
| tinued his assaults upon the Democratic party
| as the principal stay of slavery. His arguments
| were transparent to the common mind, ana car
ried as irresistible force as the law of nature.
| He had an abiding faith in the people. To them.
| he made his appeal and made it with ultimate
| success. With their sustaining aid" he de-
| clared, even as humble 1 am, cannot fail %
carry the ship of state safely through tho.
I
alone that he reposed his confidence. mo men
| living more worthy to be trusted" he said,
| than those who toll up from poverty, none less
inclined to touch aught which they have not
| honestly acquired"
Mr.. kasson characterized the peculiar force
| of Mr.. LincOln's elOquence. not shaped Oh
classical models often embellished With
quotations, but always full of force and con-
victiOn. The speaker quoted many OF the ex-
press ons of sorrow and sympathy that were
sent at Lincoln's death from every nation in tbs
world, showering eulogi s on him in greater
number and elevating him higher than any
monarch of ancient or modern times.
Few monarchs (he continued, if any, within
the bounds of modern civilization have exercised
O. greater power over the fate of men and OF
government than that possessed by this AIneri-
can President during our gigantic war. Nome
have used it SO di> nely, with SO much concilia-
ton opposed to much ODstin8cy, with Sc
much patience against much violence Wits
SO much clemency in face of so much cruelty,
or with so nagnanimOus q purpose fcr the free
dom and elevation OF man while confronted Big
brute force applied for t enslayement of man.
None have encountered equal treason with 81
patriotism unselfish. If al that priests have
chanted and poets ha, sung from tie beginning
of time until now of the beauty of temp Ia ces
and mercy enthroned at the side of POW er is not
the vanity of idle fan-y, then is Lincoln
wor. by to be celebrated in sermon and
in song through all the coming ages. With the
lapse of time there may come for our republic
period of decline and fal Future orators
and patriots shall then appeal to LincOln's re-
corded .th in God and in tine naOnlo n iT1STei-sa