Aberdeen herald. [volume] (Aberdeen, Chehalis County, W.T.) 1886-1917, 1893-07-06
Lincoln ar Gettysburg


Lincoln AT Gettysburg
A. Ii. Nickerson, writing in the july
Scribner OF the dedication of the field Of
Gettysburg, in 1868, says of Edward
Everett's Grafton which preceded Lin
conPs:
''It was certainly grand grafton and
when finished it seemed as though the
subject had been exhausted and there
was absolutely nothing more to be said.
When, therefore, Mr.. Lincoln arose in
obedience to the announcement that the
President would now pronouce the dedi-
cation, everyone felt sorry for him. To
say that Mr.. Lincoln arose, can only be
appreciated by those who have been
near him when he got up to speak; but
he had never before seemed to me to be
so tall as he did on this occasion. He
appeared to continue to arise, as it were,
until when he finally stood up thought
him the tallest and most awkward man
l had ever seen.
There has been considerable difference
OF opinion among those who were pres
ent, as to whether or not he had notes of
this, undoubtedly the greatest speech of
his life. My own impressions, whether
correct or not, were received then, and
have never since been changed by any
thing have seen or heard on the SUBJ
ject. l think he had card or a strip of
paper the size Of visiting card in his
hand. He did not, however, look at or
refer to it in any way. Others, too, have
differed as to the immediate effect of his
remarks. In this, also, give the
impressions received at the time, which
were also identical with those of all with
whom 1 spoke. thought then, and
still think, it was the shortest, grandest
speech, grafton, sermon, or what you
please to call it, to which ever listened.
1t was the whole matter in a nutshell,
delivered distinctly and impressively, so
that all in that vast concourse could hear
him. My own emotions may perhaps be
imagined when it is remembered that he
was facing the spot where only short
time before we had had our death
grapple with Pickett's men, and me stood
Immediately over the place where had
lain and seen my comrades torn in frag-
ments by the enemy's cannon-balls.
Think, if you please, how these words
fell upon my ears: &C.. We are met on
a great battlefield of that war. We
have come to dedicate portion of that
field as final resting-place for those
who here gave their lives that that ma
ton might live. 1t is altogether fitting
and proper that We should do this. But
in larger sense we cannot dedicate, we
cannot consecrate, we cannot hallow this
ground. The brave men living and dead
who struggled here, have consecrated it
far beyond our power to add or detract.
The world will little note nor long
remember what we say here, but it can
never forget what they did here"
If at that moment the Supreme Being
had appeared with an offer to undo my
past life; give back to me sound body,
free from the remembrance even of
sufferings past, should have indignant
ly spurned the offer, such was the effect
upon me OF this immortal Dedication.
And even now when the deeds perform
ed on that field are rapidly becoming
traditions, the mention of which requires
an apology; when the brilliant hopes of
the living actors have become faded dis
appointments; their promised rewards
turned to dead-sea fruits; when they
have nothing to show for them but
manned and shattered bodies, meaning
less titles, and empty honors, there is
still comfort for them in the great Mar
tyr's prophecy, that history will not
forget to record what they did in the
way of heroic achievement upon the bat
tle-feld of Gettysburg.