Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1893-02-21
TUESDAY. FEBRUARY 81. 1898.
An Interrogatory Well Answered.


Mr.. MurcHLyR. of Pennsylvania, has
distinguished himself during tho current
session of the House Of Representatives
by boldly advocating the transfer of the
Pension Bureau TO the War Department,
and the other amendments to the pension
bill which were recommended by the
proper committee. lie has done this az
the risk OF losing his popularity at home.
A few days ago be SAID in short speech
which he made on the pension steal that
he would rather hold communion with
Mr.. LINCOLN dead than listen to the squeak
ing ghosts Of the late Republican party IN
that house. MIR. MnIIKES asked him why
he did not support Mr.. LINCOLN whilst no
was living. Aud MIR. MUTcHLER replied;
~ did not choose 10 support sectional Presi-
dent. lam Union man; for the Union as IL
was and the Union rs II Is"
The people of this country-of this
whole oountry-have accorded to Mr.
LINCOLN the reputation of a good man,
loving his country, and anxious TO do
whatever was necessary 10 preserve the
union of the States. He was sincerely de-
srous of preventing the success of the
secession movement. and manifested a
laudable willingness to yield to the south
ern people whatever could be properly
yielded 10 them in consideration of their
laying down their arms and renewing their
allegiance to the Constitution of tho
United States and to the Union held to-
Sether by that Constitution. His cele-
rated declaration of Gettysburg has been
accepted as describing truthfully the feel
angs which he experienced on that memo
rable occasion. His words we've: With
malice towards none. with charity for all,
with frmness IN the right as God gives us
TO see the right" &c. The last clause OF
this declaration was most commendable
recognition of tho fact that there were
two sides TO the secession question. lie
claimed to stand up for the right as God
had given him to see the right-an admis-
zion that the southern people might after
all possibly be in the right.
Mr.. MUTCuLEB reminded the House OF
Representatives that Mr.. LINCOLN, not
outstanding his love of country and his
desire 10 stand up for what he considered
20 be 1.-The right" was after all a sectional
1TeSlutul-cltCttu W luc ~
the operation of the electoral machinery
provided for 10y the trainers Of the Consti-
tutIon. and not 10y the people. He was not
only minority President. but had been ac-
tually rejected by the people at the bal
lot-box. The popular vote was for LIN
coin, sos, 3j2; for DOUGLAS. 1,s75157; for
BREcKISBIDdE. sl5, 763; for BELL, 5S9,5Sl.
Thus majority of about one million Of the
lawful voters voted against MIR. LINCOLN
after having had his political creed fully
set forth in their hearing and IN the news
papers. He was made President under
these circumstances, and Mr.. MUTCHLER
did we'll 10 remind the House of Represen-
tatives that this man, whatever his merits,
was sectionalist and sectional Presi-
dent HIS election was an accidental pro-
duct of extraordinary circumstances, and
the most unfortunate thing that could
possibly have happened to the people who
had spewed him out of their mouths. We
conclude, then, that though Mr.. LINCOLN
was as a man all that his admirers claimed
for him, yet as President he represented
nothing good in our institutions except
the right of the humblest man III the land
TO aspire to its highest office.