The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1891-01-29


pressed around the Presidents car with loWd
appeals for him 10 speak TO them. The first
rays OF the sun found them still occupying
every stopping place, and even many stations
where The irain did not stop. IhfOu IN tins
vast multitude, whose continuity was scarce
anywhere broken, Mr.. Lincoln pursued that
memorable journey unrelieyed by any OF
the Cheeriulncss and enjoyment usually
attendant upon such occasions. Oppressed
with care and with the awful responsibilities
imposed upon him, suffering from fatigue
and loss Of sleep, called for 10y excited and
aNiOus people az all hours for assurances he
could not give and encouragement he could
not honestly offer, be underwent tOrtuTes
which lined his face for months. Almost
half Of the people OF the States through
which he passed were Democrats, and OPP
posed TO him and the policies Of has party.
THEY DID NOT ANTICIPATE WAR,
because il would be ruiuous 10 them, and
they never in any Of their party move
ments contemplated the destruction Of the
Government Neither could they believe
that their party friends of the South, TO
whom they had submitted their consciences
and almost iheir manhood, would leave them
TO the mercies Of their political enemies IN
the North, thcn largely in the majority and
likely to become much more so. Ia short,
they did not for a moment conceive IL possi-
ble that they would be abandoned by their
Southern allies and they presented sullen
front and aggressive tone toward the new
President. The Republicans on the other
hand, would not believe in any danger OF
civil war, but could not escape lively fear
that there would be, and their rec ptiOn Of
the President showed a mixture of cNulta-
ti0n and of apprehension curious but by no
means encouraging 10 witness
ii is singular 10 observe how blind men
are 10 the greatest OF human events upon the
immediate eve OF lhCiT occurrence, and how
uniaillngly they neglect or wholly overlook
the controlling element which dominates and
makes possible every such catastrophe. In
the South they persuaded themselves that
secession would not be resisted by war, be-
cause the Northern people were towards and
SO devoted 10 mOuuy-making that they
would rather submit 10 anything than en-
danger their trade with the South.
The North, on The other side, knew that
every material interest Of the South would
suffer, il indeed il were not destroyed, 10y
separation, and especially that the security
ol Their slave property would be irrey0calsy
jeoparded, If not completely destroyed, 10y
the overthrow of the Government. Both
parties supposed excepting always a few
leaders that the whole matter would turn
upon such practical arguments and reasons
as these, forgetting altogether
THAT IN ALL GREAT MOVEMENTS
OF people, moral or political, especially such
as lead TO revolution and civil war, The ele-
ment Of passion is in the beginning the su-
preme authority and compels masses Of Peo-
pie aC the crucial moment to do what they
had convinced themselves by deliberate rea-
sOning ought not 10 be AID would not be
done al all. This element OF passion dOni-
mated everywhere in the South, and made
secession and civil war acceptable TO great
numbers OF people who were opposed 10 both
IN the beginning In this way such States
asNirgiuia and Georgia, known 10 have ma
iOTities opposed 10 secession, were brought
10 vote fgT measures which they abhorred,
Perhaps this element Of passion or sentiment
operated later in the North, whore people
act deliberately, but when il did blaze forth
after The firing on Fort Sumter, ii ragged
with equal fury and with intensor fires.
Every day OF our journey brought us more
alarming news, and still the great mass OF
people we SAN CLING TO the hope that there
would DE no trouble that would lead TO gio-
leBce. Mr. LiEcglH's brief speeches, when he
was forced to speak, were very carefully
woTded, but were apparently intended 10
assure the country, the South particularly,
that be would moi begin OF encourage any
measures WEicb might lead 10 war The
only objection 10 these utteranCes is that
they were not addressed 10 reasonable men,
OF at least 10 men who would listen 20 rca-
son. The adT0it leaders in the South who
were for secession per sc, rs we used 10 say
in those days, paraded such remarks as an
argument for secession TO tie doubtful
among themselves, rs showing that the new
President bad disay0wed any intention 10
begin hostilities and thus confirmed their
assertions that the North would not fight, y
and therefore there WIS no danger Ia Sc
ceding.
Ii was not until We reached Trenton, y.
j., where a Democratic Legislature was in
session, that he gave any intima;i0n Of the
course be might pursue, and ] remember
very well the thrill that went through the
chamber nj bis words. They were few but
10 the point He said substantially that
conditions might arise which would require
him
A. A
Everyone knew exactly what he meant, and
the sensation in the audience was very
marked aud suggestive. 1t seems a pity
thai there does moi appear 10 exist any yer
baiim report OF his speeches on that journey
Whilst iney we've not characterized by el0-
quence, aud did not contain anything very
new OF startling, be said a number of things
wise and worth remembering. Among OH.
ers, ] remember remark in one OF his
speeches at Buffalo 20 a German society
which solicited an interview as Germans, Ia
the effect that a resident and voter in thC
/ United States was an AmcTican or lac wai
nothing, aud that be did not recogniz,
/ American citizens as Germans, or ITishmen
or ui any other nationality. This remark
excited much comment, both favorable AID
! the reverse, but In the light Of the present
| il is very clear that IL conveyed lesson, il
/ not a warning 10 which il would have been
/ wisdom for our Ioreign-b0m citizens to giy,
I heed then, and which il is of vastly mon,
] importance that they apply now, aud viii
yigor. The time is rapidly coming wheI
our naturalized citizens must accept Mr.
/ Linc0ln's view Of their status in this c0un
try, or worse viii bciall them.
il seems a pity that there was not
/ graphic writer 10 paint IN words the Incl
dents Of that remarkable journey, and por
tray the scenes enacted day after day undo
the eyes Of the party that made a.; VIII
/ could reproduce the continuous crowds q
people Who throngcd every station, wherein
every face, whatever else IL expressed, Dor
the marks of extreme anxiety and appTehen
sion. There was nothing noisy or b0isier0u
in these assemblGgcs Oi people, but there wa