The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1891-02-13
SPOKE PRAISE OF ABRAHAM LINCOLN.
CONTINUED FROM FIRST rAeE.l

thy Of its Almighty Architect, it is when |
contemplate the cause Of my country, de-
serted by all the world besides, and /, stand
Ing up boldly and alone. hurting defiance at
her victorious oppressors. Here. without
heaven and 10 the face of the wcrld, / swear
eternal fidelity to. the just cause, as 1 deem
i, Of the land of my life. my liberty and
nay love-"
Well has his historian said of him: "In
MIR. Lincoln's life and character. the Ameri-
can people have received benefaction not
less In permanent Importance and value
than In the revolution in opinion and policy
by which he introduced them to a new ma
tional life. He has given them a statesman
%5nous ,.tont crattiness poti
great man, without great mans vices: a
philanthropist, without a phianthropist's
impracticable dreams; Christian, without
pretensions; ruler. without the pride OF
place and power; an ambitious man, without
selfshness; and successful man, without
vanity.
On the basis of such manhood as this,
coming generations Of the nation will not
man excellence. whose attractive power
shall raise to nobler level the moral sense
and moral character of the nation.
This true manhood-simple, unpretendlng.
sympathetic with all humanity, and reverent
toward Colds among the noblest of the
-
breathed, and will continue to breathe, into
the nation, the elevating and purifying
power of his own divine life.
A character like this is among the precious
heir-lo0ms of the republic; and by special
good fortune every part Of the country has
an equal claim and pride In 1t.
Lincoln,s blood came from the veins of
New ENGLAND emigrants. of Middle State
Quakers. of Virginia planters, of Kentucky
pioneers; he himself was one Of the men
who grew up with the earliest growth of the
great West.
Every jewel of his mind or his conduct,
sheds radiance on each portion Of the nation.
The marvellous symmetry and balance Of his
intellect and character may have owed some
thing to this varied environment of his race
and they may fifty typify the variety and
solidity of the Republic.
1t may not be unreasonable to hope that
bond OF union to the country which he loved
with an affection SO impartial, and served In
| life and In death, with sucn entire devotion.
Ex-Mayor Chapman being called npon es-
teemed 1t privilege to be present. He also
congratulated the club upon the suspicious
opening of its career. He spoke very briefly
Of the grand memories associated with the
name of Abraham Lincoln.
Mr.. William G. Soule was called upon and
read an original poem which received much
applause.
Judge j. W. Symonds was given an ova-
tion. His speech was masterpiece and was
frequently punctuated by applause, which
were renewed again and again when he fin.
ished.
Hon. Henry B. Uleaves was felicitiously
introduced by the President as the next gov
ernor of Maine. He spoke eloquently and
briefly of LincOln's characteristics.
John d. Printable recited a humorous
speech of welcome to visiting military com
pany. 1t brought down the house.
Heford Roberts of Old Orchard. Richard
Webb. Esq. and JohnJ. Perry, spoke briefly
l.. B. bennett was the last speaker. He
said:
Lincoln. as genius frequently is, was
nursed at the sad but loving breast Of pow
erty." Thomas Lincoln, his father. was far
more than common man, and seeing the
remaining in Kentucky, then. as now,
semi-barbarous state, where free labor was
not hon0red, with heroic resolution sold his
homestead in Kentucky and, taking his fam
~ and also IKE s an ancient philosopher. all
the Ohio river to Th0mpson's Landing In
Indiana. From this landing, where he made
fast his raft. to Spencer county, destined to
be the home Of the family for the next twelve
yOoAcS Woo a uiobouCO VI 10 uull6S. luo TOaQ
for the last few miles had to be cut with the
axe. Several days were occupied In this ar
duous and difficult journey. The nearest
house was two miles away, but according to
the custom Of these pioneers the neigh6oTs
ing their log cabin. The boy Abraham was
eight years old, land the serious business of
life then began" And here he remained
until he was 81 years old.
HIS mother was Christian woman, and
taught her son to read the Bible before she
died.. two years after their arrival at their
new home. Their could be nc funeral salts
factory to Abraham, then but 10 years old.
But Abraham, after awhile, learned to write
'and the boy was set down as a prodigy
among. those rude pioneers. "He wrote to
an old friend of his mother, travelling
preacher, and begged him to come and
preach a sermon. over his mothers grave"
That tender heart never hardened until its
great beatings were extinguished by trea-
son. When detraeti0n and denunci-
alton from friends, as well as foes,
and at time when he had more great and
difficult questions to decide upon, day by day
than ever were decided by Caesar or Nap0-
leon, that same great tender and brave heart
calmly wrote the words with charity for all
said the world believed. The eloquent
Logan said he could stand by the grave of
Abraham Lincoln and swear that he never
did dishonest act. After Lincoln was
twenty-one years old, in 1880, his father
the rails, working for his father dutifully
and generously after his majority. What
his father and wother did for him was all
they could. They put into his hands every
book they could buy or borrow. Henry Clay
was his great teacher. His thrilling, impet-
nous eloauence, iIresistably bearing along
foundations of arguments, facts, illustra-
tons, appeals imprOprimed to suit the rude
character of the people of his time and state,
while these inimitable orations could furnish
the model for no other mans speech, yet the
facts. the argumets, the illustrations and the
impasSi0net appeals were an inexhausttble
st0reh0use from which many great Ameri-
can orators and no one more than Lincoln,
have equipped themselves for great forensic
efforts, upon all the great questions
there and since struggling for solution, the
slavery question, internal improvements and
an American protective tariff. LincOln's
thinking from boyhood was profOundedly
considerate OF those great questions. all of
which he had a mastery over, which even
Clay or Webster never surpassed
In 1884 he was sent to the legislature. He
was admitted to the bar In 1885. In 1887 he
moved to Springfield. Lincoln was always a
good or too high and mighty, to assist by his
advice, his advocacy or his vote, his city, his
state or his country, In the transaction of
municipal, state or national business. He
uiu LUZ IcSdIu uiulStlI rs al lET6SpOuSlOlo
silent partner in the business Of the govern
ment, receiving Its benefits, but contributing
nothing to its aid. He was as unlike q mug
wamp as mugwamp is lacking in all the
great and good political qualities he pos
sessed.
NOTES.
Shaw's Male Quartette furnished beautiful
music and were enthusiastically encored
after every selection. The latter we're near
ly all Songs of 81, and peculiarly appro-
priate
President Morrill, makes an exceedingly
graceful and pleasing presiding officer.
Letters OF regret were read from Vice
President Morton, Hon, Ii. G. Lodge, Hon.
Hannibal Hamlin, Gov. Burleigh and others.
Fire on Brown street.
The alarm from box five about p. m. yes
terday was caused by fire In the three and
ho1 NJ a.