The Middleburgh post. [volume] (Middleburgh, Snyder Co., Pa.) 1883-1916, 1893-04-27
Ingersoll on Lincoln.

livered u lecture on ADrnnam bln-
coin, Mt the N. Y. Broadway theatre.
After briefly summarizing the events
leading mp to Civil War, Col. Ingersoll
went on to say:
The sympathies of Lincoln, his
ties of kindred were with the South.
His convictions his sense of justice
and his ideals were with the North.
Lincoln was statesman. And there
is great difference between al
politician and Il statesman: Il poll
tician schemes in every way to make
the people do something for him, al
statesman wishes to do something
for the people. With him place and
power arc a means to attain nm end,
and the end is the good of his coun-
try.
IL is not n common thing to elect
really great men to fill the highest
official position. l do not say that
the great Presidents have been chos-
en by accident. Perhaps it would
he better to say they were the favor
ties of a happy chance.
The average man is afraid of
genius. He feels rs an awkward
man feels in hepresence of "A sleight-
of-hand performer. He nimircs and
suspects. Genius appears to carry
too much sail-lacks prudence; has
too much courage. The ballast of
dullncss inspires confidence. BY a
happy chance Lincoln was nom
mated and elected in spite of his
fitness, and the patient. gentle, Just,
and loving man was called upon toI
bear ~ great a burden rs man has
ever borne.
After the proclamation of eman-
cipltion was signed Lincoln held it.
waiting for some great victory be-
tore giving it to the world, ESQ that
il might appear to be the child of
strength This was on the 22nd day
IL July, 1862 Lincoln wrote his
celebrated letter TO Horace Greely in
which he stated that his object was
to save the Union; that he would
save it with slavery If he could that
il it was necessary TO destroy slavery
in order to save the Union he would
in other words, he would do what
was necessary to save the Union:
This letter disheartened, to de-
cr ee, thousands and millions of the
friends OF freedom. They felt that
Mr.. Lincoln had not attained the
moral height upon which they sup
posed he had stood. Aud yet when
this letter was written, the emanci-
patton proclamation was in his
GaucN.n al had Detn tor thirty days,
waiting only an opportunity to give
il 10 the world.
On the 22ud day of September,
lsG2. the most glorious date in his.
tory @! the Republic, the proclama.
tion of emancipa tion was issued.
Lincoln had reached the general
ization upon the question Of slavery
and freedom-a generalization that
never has been, and probably never
will be eYcelled. In giving freedom
to the slave, We assure freedom to
the free"
Colonel Ingersoll's lecture was
long, and abounded in bright and
eloquent sayings. Speaking Of Lin
coins character, he said:
Lincoln was not Il type. He stands
alone-no ancestors, no fellows, and
no successors. He was many
sided man, acquainted with smiles
and tears, complex in brain, single
in heart, direct as light, and his
words, candid as mirrors, gave the
perfect image of his thought. He
was not afraid TO ask-nay, never too
digaiiiel to admit that he did not
know. No man had a keener wit
or kinder humor. He was not
solemn. Solemnity is mask worn
by ignorance and hypocrisy. 1t is
the preface, prologue and index to
the cunning or stupid. He was
natural in his life and thought, mas
ter of the story teller's art, III illus
tration apt, in application perfect,
liberal in speech. shocking prudes,
using any word that wit could dis
infect He was an orator-clear,
sincere, natural. He did not pre-
teud He did not say what he
thought others thought, but what
he thought
II you wish TO be sublime you
must be uatural-you must keep
close to the grass. You must sit by
the fireside of the heart above the
Il . L