The Portland daily press., 1893-11-21
ABRAHAM LINCOLN.
Col Robert G. IngersolPs Lecture Fully
Met the Expectations of Great Audi
ence that Expected Great Things-City
Hall Was Full

Hall Was Full
Col. Robert G.. Ingersoll's, lecture on
A braham Lincoln drew an audience that
entirely filed City Hall last evening.
The lecturer came upon the stage unat-
tended and introduced himself by a
slight bow of recognition and an 1mme-
date attention to the eplgrammatlc
opening passages of his lecture. His
opening was an interesting comment
on the fact that Lincoln and Darwin
were born on the same day and that they
were two liberators, the one, breaking
the. chains of slavery, the other those of
superstition. There was nothing partisan
about the lecture but in speaking of the
political extremists of thirty years ago he
could not refrain from saying that the
extreme Democrat always wanted to go
backward, while the extreme Republican
was for going forward. The lecturer
spoke about two hours, and among the
interesting things he said were:
Lincoln was statesman. A politician
IS always trying to think, to scheme, to
lind out what the people are going to do
for him (laughter); statesman desires
to do something for the people. Gap
plause.) III 1860 this country was not fit
for lady or gentleman to live in. They
were barbarians then. Don't forget it.
L hold the North and the So ,.th alike re-
sponslble. / could always understand
how the Southerner could sit in the shade
and allow men that he had purchased
with his money to work for him, paying
thpna with 1nchaC fha nnko6
as legal tender for the work performed,
because he reaped the reward of their
labor; but how man in the North could
go into partnerships with him with the
distinct understanding that he was to
have half the disgrace and none of the
profits, cannot understand. daughter
and applause.)
at is not a common thing to take
really great men to fill the highest
positions. do not say that our Presi-
dents have not been great men-it wou Id
be better to say that they were the favor
ties of a happy chance. daughter The
truth is that the average man is afraid
of genius. He feels as an awkward man
feels in the presence of sIeight of hand
performer. daughter. He admires
and suspects. Q1aughter.)
Genius appears to carry too much sail,
to lack prudence, has too much courage
"The ballast of dizziness inspires gen.
eral confidence. Qlaughter.)
II think can prove that by the recent
history of the republic. daughter and
applause.) Lincoln was nominated by a
happy chance, and in spite of greatness
was elected.
This man, educated in the woods, on
the prairies, to whom universities and
colleges were unknown, in his first mes
sage to Congress spoke the deepest feel
ing and the highest thoughts of the
nation, and by one generalization reached
the very heart of the question when he
said, The central idea of secession is
thesessence of anarchy. The thing want
to impress upon you is the uncommon
common sense of this man. There was
probably no time, from
the Firing on Fort Sumter
to the surrender of the final sword of the
Rebellion at Appomattox when a
majority of the voters of the United
States were on the side of the govern
ment;ssI mean South as we'll as North
Lincoln, by carrying Democrats enough
with him, with the Republicans, kept
of the utmost Importance that the South
should fire the first shot; and it was
done while he was engaged simply in an
apparent attempt to feed the soldiers
Colonel Ingersoll thought Lincoln
showed his wisdom in that course, and
also in his plan to purchase the slaves,
as it would have saved much money and
bloodshed. Another instance of 1.incoln's
wisdom was his withholding the issue
of the proclamation of emancipation I'M
til some great victory should be achieved,
although it was written thirty-one days
before Lincoln's letter to Horace Greeley
Il ao1o v;y,rr hot f1n Ipic l,,
which disheartened many friends of free
dom. W
"Lincoln always hated slavery" said
the orator.
"In 1888; he saw slave, woman, sold
at auction. Turning to his companions,
he said Boys, if ever get chance to
h hf the hard 81 sayery I'll
years after that oath, or rather l call it
that prayer, was kept. (Applause.) There
is much splendor in good healthy swear
ing.
"In 1861 thirteenth amendment to the
Constitution was proposed which would
have made slavery perpetual; in 1865
thirteenth amendment was adopted
(Applause.)
Lincoln was by nature a diplomat.
He knew the art of sailing against the
wind, and he had as much shrewdness as
is consistent with honesty. daughter
and applause.) Lincoln did not accom-
plish it all. He had the opportunity and
he took it, All I claim is that Lincoln
stood at the centre above all, and with
the genius of goodness directed, cheered,
consoled and finally conquered. He
always saw the end. He occupied the
line of safety, and he held, by his per-
soEality, force of character, charming
candor and wonderful humor, the masses
on his side
The Magnanimity of Lincoln
toward the politicians who betrayed him
in 1864 was unparalleled in the political
history of the world. Lincoln loved to
pardon, and that is what makes me love
him and his memory today. He had so
keen a sense of humor that he saw even
the comical side of disaster, The great
est obstruction in his way was the doc
trine of states rights.
" | want Federal government central