The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1891-09-14
IErrnR FROM Ex-Gov. BEAVER
On Abraham INSTRUMENTATION Day
VIII He PronsrIv Celebrated.

On Abraham Lincoln-EmanciPation Day
VIII BE Properly Celebrated.
The agitation for the proper celebra-
ton Of Emancipation Day, first started
by Rev. j. j. Jones, is bearing good
fruit. Assurances have been received
that numbers OF people from the differ
ent towns in the neighborhood of
Wheeling will attend. The members
Of the Baptist Association, now in ses-
sion at Bridgeport, say that the whole
countryside Is alive with interest, They
say the colored people will turn out en-
masse, in buggies and all kinds OF
wagons to join the parade.
The INTgLLiGENcER has already print
ed letters from ex-President Hayes,
President Harrison and other promi-
nent men. Among the most interest
ing is the following one from General
james A. Beaver, the gallant soldier
ex-governor OF Pennsylvania: nieii I
BELLEFoNTE, Pa, August Goth, 1891.
Jones, Es7, Rhoding, Hea Hrgiata,
My DEAR SrR:-Your letter Of the 14th
instant, inviting mo to be present at the
Triple State Emancipation Proclamation
Celebration Of Ohio, Pennsylvania and
West Virginia, to be held at the State
Fair Grounds September 22nd next, has
been received. The invitation to attend
such celebration would OF itself be a
sufficient inducoment, ifitwere possible,
for me to 20. When you add the, addir
tionat inducement OF IN invitation TO
deliver an address upon Abraham Lin
coin, 1t is ditiicult.for me to forego the
pleasure. My engagements are OF such
n character, however, that very much
fear shall not be able to attend. The
uncertainty is such that do not think
1t would be fair TO you to hold out any
expectation Of my being able to deliver
the address and l therefore beg that you
will select some other person more COM
petent than to make the address upon
the life and character OF the immortal
Lincoln. You may choose many who
will be able moro satisfactorily to pre-
pare and deliver such an address but l
am sure that you will find no one who
has greater veneration or warmer
love for the great Emancipation than |.
The day Of his death was one OF the
gloomiest in my life and seemed TO por-
tend nothing but evil for the country.
The sense OF personal loss occasioned
by his death has never left me.
We have seen many changes in the
government and it is impossible for us
to say what the results might have been
il Lincoln had lived. There are no "Js
in Gods economy. however and we
must accept every event in the history
OF our country as well rs those which
appear in our individual lives as being
ordered by Him. It may be that the
tragic character OF Iincoln's death has
led to a greater veneration for his char
acter than II he had died as men ordi-
narily do. 1t is difficult to imagine
that, even if he had lived, he could have
added anything to his fame. His work
was done, and his title to the foremost
place in American history rests now
and will rest in the future very largely
upon his proclamation declaring those,
previously held in slavery, free. This
would Of itself have rendered his name
immortal, but the proclamation was
only tho realization OF the hopes and
aspirations OF the man and the consum-
nation OF what he believed to be inher-
entity aud eternally right Heissued it
not because it was good politics, not be-
cause there was popular demand for
it, not because it met the views OF his
own friends even, but because he had
made vow to the Almighty that it
should be done in certain contingency
because he believed the smile OF God
would rest upon IL, and because it was
in;keeping with his whole life and char
acter and met the longings Of his own
soul for freedom for himself and for oil
men. You do well to celebrate the
event, and in the celebration of it you
do well to magnify the name and the
fame. the life and the character of
Abraham Lincoln than whom, in my
judgment, no greater American ever
lived. l wish / could Join you to ex-
press, at greater length, my admiration
for the man and my veneration for his
character and work. Thanking you
very heartily for the invitation to join,
and regretting my INABILITY to do so, /
am most cordially yours,