The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1895-07-12

HOUSE IN WASHINGTON WHERE LINCOLN DIED
sion was clear, and he was emphatical.
ly the master of statement. His pursuit
of the truth, as before mentioned, was
indefatigable. He reasoned from well
chosen principles with such clearness,
force and directness that the tallest in
tellects in the land bowed to him. He
was the strongest man ever saw, look
ing at him from the elevated standpoint
of reason and logic. He came down
from that height with irresistible and
crashing force. His Cooper institute
and other printed speeches Will prove
this, but his speeches before the courts,
especially the supreme court of Illinois,
if they had been preserved, would de-
monstrate it still more plainly. Here he
demanded time to think and prepare.
The office of reason is to determine the
truth. Truth is the power of reason,
and Lincoln loved truth for it's own
sake. 1t was to him reasons food
Ruled by Conscience.
Conscience, the second great quality
Of Mr.. Lincoln's character, is that facul-
ty which induces in us love of the just
Its real office is Justice; right and eq-
uity are its correlatives. AS court it
is in session continuously. 1t decides
all acts at all times. Mr. Lincoln had q
deep, broad, living conscience. His rea-
son, however, was the real judge. 1t
told him what was true or false, and
therefore good or bad, right or wrong,
just or unjust, and his conscience echoed
back the decision. His conscience ruled
his heart. He was always just before he
was generous 1t cannot be said of any
mortal that he was always absolutely
just. Neither was Lincoln always just,
but his general life was. 1t follows that
if Mr.. Lincoln had great reason and
great conscience he must have been an
honest man, and so he was. He was
iightfully entitled to the appellation
'Honest Abe" Honesty was his polar
star.
AS illustrative of a combination in
Mr.. Lincoln's organization it may be
said that his eloquence lay in the
strength of his logical faculty, his su-
preme power of reasoning, his great I'M
Outstanding, and his love of principle;
IN his clear and accurate vision; in his
cool and mastery statement of principles
around which the issues gather, and in
the statement of those issues and the
grouping Of the facts that are to carry
conviction to the minds of men of every
grade Of intelligence. He was SO clear
that he could not be misunderstood or
long misrepresented. He stood square
and bolt upright to his convictions, and
any one who listened to him would be
convinced that he formed his thoughts
and utterances by them His mind was
not exactly wide, broad, generalizing
and comprehensive mind, nor yet YER
satile, quick and subtle one, bounding
here and there as emergencies demand
ed, but it was deep, enduring, strong,
like majestic machine running in deep
iron grooves, with heavy fanges on its
wheels.
Mr.. Lincoln himself was a very sem
sltlve man, and hence was unusually
considerate of the feelings of other men,
regardless of their rank, condition or
station. At first sight he struck one
with his plainness, simplicity of man.
ner, sincerity, candor and truthfulness.
He had no double interests and no over
whelming dignity with which to chill
the air around his visitor He was al
ways easy of approach and thoroughly
democratic. He seemed to throw a charm