The gold leaf. [volume] (Henderson, N.C.) 1881-1911, 1891-10-08
Abraham Lincoln.

popularity Of Southern writer to speak
in praise of those who fought for the
preservation of the Union in the strug-
gle through which we passed. AS time
rolls on and the bitterness Of sectional
feeling shall give way to soberer retlec-
ton, and people will learn to render
s'honor to whom honor is due.'' In
tracing the history of our country we
find some of the most illustrious men
our country ever produced were men
who worked their way up from humble
walks of life to distinc ton. Ben Frank
lin. the great statesman and DhilOs-
opher, who so wisely represented his
country at foreign courts and astonish-
ed the sages of Europe by his discov-
cries i'll science, was a poor New Eng
land boy assisting his father in his
"candle factory.' Alexander Ham
iltOn who was regarded as the ablest
financier of his age, landed in New
York from the West Indies, poor and
penniless, to carve out his fortune
among strangers. Andrew Jackson,
the hero of New Orleans, who van
quished the invading foe and laid the
proud commander lifeless at his feet,
and crushed the moneyed power that
tried to control congress, was poor
boy left to the care Ofhis heroic mother
1t is an undecided question whether he
was born on North or South Carolina
soil. / started out to talk about Abra-
ham Lincoln, the man who so wisely
and firmly held the reins of govern
ment-who so nobly did his duty in
battling for the Union when assailants
attempted to destroy the unity of the
States. He was the son of a poor far
mer living in Kentucky, in log cabin.
His father wishing to find place where
he could more easily support his family,
went from Kentucky to Tennessee, from
Tennessee to Indiana, from Indiana to
Illinois. He was 4 man of a rowing
disposition and accumulated very little
property. The lot of ''young Abe"
was a hard one. He was put to "split-
ting rails to enclose the frontier farm
and was occasionally hired out as a
day laborer. 1t did not look like the
industrious barefooted boy ever would
become the chief magistrate of the ma
ton. But having the brains, the will
and desire to rise he went up step by
step until he found himself elected to
the presidency, at a time when the
country was disquieted by the APP
preaching storm of civil strife. Having
taken an oath to support the constitu
ton of his country he felt it his duty to
put down rebellion and enforce obedi-
ence to law. AS the sworn executive
how could he do less? He was the
right man in the right place, and when
he spoke he spoke in language not to
be misunderstood by the agltating spir-
its that were sowing the seeds of dis
cord in the land. How could he sit
quietly down with State after State as
serting their right to disregard the
social comfort and trample the cOnsti-
tuition under their feet? The tirmness
and persistency with which he strug-
gled for the Union entities him to the
lasting gratitude of his countrymen. 1t
looks like an All Wise Providence ele-
waited him to the presidential chair for
the double purpose of preserving the
Union and of liberating the colored
race. Lincoln was humane, cODsid-
crate man, of kind, forgiving nature.
Those who think he was not have
formed too low an estimate Of his char
acter. When he fell by the hand of the
assassin the people felt that it was an
deed no thinking man could
/ have never heard any
sane man say he approved of the act.
1t was calamity to the South-an act
to embitter the feelings of
1ne section against the other, and the
south reaped the bitter consequences.
It was unfortunate for the South he did
lot live to carry out his ideas OF recon-
,truction. We admire his wisdom and
lis firmness, and regret his untlmely
all. More than quarter of a century
las passed away since this devoted
riend of the Union fell, regretted by
he people whose country he had saved
rom disunion and ruin. As the years
oil on and our country increases i'll
population and wealth, envied by the
lations on account of her glory and
Ter greatness, our people will learn to
more highly value his great services to
lis country in the dark hour of her his
ory. The name of Lincoln can never
lie. He will live in history as the
savior of his country and friend to
he oppressed when his calumniators
,hall be forgotten or only be remem=
,ered to excite the execration of coming
generations. X. w. HARRIS
There can be no health for either mind
" BODY so long as the blood is yitiated.
Cleanse the vital current from all impuri-
les by the use of Ayers sSarsaparilla. rms
Medicine recruits the wasted energies,