The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1893-04-16
LINCoLN's PEN.

Yesterday was the twenty-eighth anni-
versary Of the death Of Abraham Lincoln
OF blessed memory who was shot on the
night of April IA, 1885. and expired about
o'clock the morning Of the 18th. To
Lincoln more than any man of our history
since Warrington can BE- fairly applied
Byroa's noble lines, "The dead but
sceptred sovereigns who still rule our
spirits from their urns." There was .
time when Lincoln was deprecated by his
political enemies and idealixed by his adj
mirers. His intellectual opponents have
come ct last to . decent comprehension Of
his greatness, and his admirers, who. In
their idealization Of his humanity, at-
tributed to him sentimental weakness
which he did not possess, have been
obliged to correct their mistake. His
friends once assumed that his benevolence
and humanity were prone to incline him
to clemency when clemency was not per
haps public policy. We now know that he
could be merciless when he was persuaded
that those who asked it did not deserve
mercy.
Lincoln was just man, truthful man.
wise man, in whom invincible moral
courage was married to an intellect Of ex-
traordinary astuteness and logical power.
Much has been said of Llncoln's human.
ity. when really. his humanity was not
impulsive, iil-timed, indiscriminate phil
anthropy, but absolute. cold, infexible
justice. of which he was perhaps . more
perfect exemplar than even Washington,
whose naturally warm. passionate temper
betrayed him sometimes into exhibitions
Of imperious language and conduct Too
much has been made of Lincoln as man Of
superabundant philanthropy; not enough
of the remarkable astuteness and versatil.
ity Of his far-seeing. sagacious statesman
ship.
Lincoln was no more mau Of abound
ing philanthropy than the grim soldier
Grant, bpt ne was q pas donately patriotic
man and 20 was Grant, and it was on this
common plane Of unsullied patriotism
that Lincoln and Grant stood and per-
fectly understood each other. There were
limitations to Grants other good qualities,
but there were none to the breadth and
depth of his patriotism; there were none
to LincOln's, and these two great men to
this extent perfectly understood each
other and instinctively recognized each
other to this extent as q man and .
brother. It 10 easy to see in Grants
Memoirs" that he perfectly understood
and relished Lincoln's vast superiority to
any Of his cabinet or other advisers at
Washington City. He speaks with hearty
admiration Of the fact that Lincoln alone
never lacked sound military ~ well a.
physical courage.
Grant speaks CONTEMPORARY Of Stan.
ton and all the rest Of the cabinet as we'll
as Halleck. as always having been full Of
tiuster and fright on the most insignif-
cant provocation. Lincoln alone seemed
to have cool, soldierly courage and COM
mon sense. Lincoln made the same i'm.
preston on Sheridan, and even the In.
tensely egotistical Sherman felt and ex-
pressed becoming sense Of the supreme
simplicity, strength and dignity of Lin
coins personality. And yet Stanton
could not comprehend Lincoln. for Stan.
ton stamped his feet and swore furiously
because Lincoln TESTED when Stanton's
brow was black with apprehension Of com.
ing woe; Stanton had never learned to
whistle when passing through a grave
yard at midnight. and he could not under
stand that Lincoln had a true soldiers
sense in maintaining his composure BE-
fore his men amid scenes and prospects
that Of course make him inwardly shud.
der.
We have called Lincoln a st statesman at
once astute and versatile. So be was. He
bends his strong, honest brain to the con.
sideration Of the military problem, and
with incisive common sense he writes Nc
Cleilan. Buell., Hooker, Rosecrans and
Meade all in turn letters in which he an.
ticipated their failures because Al be IN
vain pointed out to them their plans were
contrary 70 the established principles of
sound military science. the essence Of
which. like the essence of sound law,
Is common sense. Lincoln and
Grant without any consultation,
by the independent action of their
native strong sense applied 10 the
military situation, early In the war reached
the same conclusion and Grants FIRST. sec.
ond and last great campaign was con-
Quoted in pursuance OF principles and
upon the lines OF operation always adj
vanced by Lincoln from the outset Of the
war. Lineoln's correspondence with
Meade after Gettysburg. published las,
year, is full of the same a..
gument he had urged on Hooker
10 persuade him that Lees army. not
Richmond. was the true objective point,
and be avowed his purpose to clear the
decks Of commanders who were afraid IN
seek the enemy or afraid TO fight him
when found. Lincoln constantly urged
cooperation and concentration agains,
HaIleck's fatal policy Of dispersion: he
vainly urged Rosecran. to move on Bragg
in April and May. 1858. when the enemy
were occupied with Hooker in Vir.
ginia and Grant was moving on yicks-
burg. To Lincoln Was due the rolinv If
concentration finally adopted. Withouts
particle Of technical military education
lincoln was sounder military stra,eris,
than any general in his army.
The pen of Lincoln Was among the ma.
tsrial forces iha, was busy queliins sedi.
ton and incendisrism behind the army
whether uttered by ardent. inconsiders,e
impatient. hypercritical friends, or hv