The morning call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1878-1895, 1895-02-10
LINOOLN,s LETTERS,

We publish in another column this
morning a series of extracts from the
letters of Lincoln covering his career from
his first entry into politics down to the
time when he received the nomination for
the Presidency. The words of Lincoln are
at all times pertinent to the consideration
of Americans, but they are particularly so
at this iuncture in view OF the approaching
anniversary of his birth, which occurs on
Tuesday. The reading of these letters will
be fitting way to revive the memory and
the influence of the man, and will incline
the minds OF all to patriotic commemora-
ton of his birthday.
1t is characteristic of the open-hearted
sincerity and steadfast consistency of Lin
coin that in his earliest political address
he outlined in simple but impressive
words policy of action to which he re-
NAMED true throughout his life. every
man is said to have his peculiar ambition.
Whether it be true or not, l can say
for one that l have no other so great as
that of being truly esteemed by my fellow
men by rendering myself worthy of their
esteem" In those words be announced
his ambition to serve the people in a
political career, and his whole life was a
proof of how earnest he was in writing
them. From the first day to the last
every utterance and every action attested
his desire to win the esteem of the people
by being worthy of it.
In these days of mugwumpery and non
partisan movements of all kinds, when it
is a commonplace to denounce party fealty
as lack of manly independence, special
significance attaches to those portions OF
Lincoln's letters referring to the conven-
tons of his party and his relations to them.
1t will be seen from these that Lincoln OBJ
served party loyalty with the most scrupu-
lous honor, and every engagement made
before the convention or in it was kept by
him with as much fidelity as any other OBJ
legation of life. He, at any rate, neither
preached nor practiced the easy creed of
so-called independence" but knowing
that nothing can be achieved in politics
without discipline and organization, he set
the example of supporting the ticket in the
teld with ardor, even when his own am
billions had been defeated in the conven-
ton.
Another point in the letters worth noting
is the evidence afforded in one of them, of
Gudt uuulOT WHICH DuDDleQ up even III MS
serious moments. There was no hypocrisy
in his dignity or in his virtue, and there
fore he was not afraid to couple his serious
sentiments with others apparently incon-
gruous. Thus, he writes to friend: az
cannot enter the ring ON the money basis
first, because in the main it is wrong,
and secondly, because have not and can
not get the money" 1t must be conceded
that these two reasons make a strong COM
bination. The first must be satisfactory to
moralists and the second cannot fail to
carry conviction TO the business faculties
of every citizen.
1t will not be worth while to make
more extended comment. Every one
should read the extracts for himself and
draw his own moral from them. They are
luminous with the light of great brain
They were written, not for the public, but
for individual friends, and many relate to
comparatively trivial subjects; but all are
glowing with the earnestness of the mar
tyr soul that inspired them. and all of
them will have solemn meaning forevery
American so long as patriotism endures.