New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1895-02-27
IJNcOLN'S EARLY LIFE.
GENERAL vIrIE DISCUSSES THE FLAr"oAr
NY ND MAmsrLIT-rER sIOKIEs

GENERAL ViEIE DISCUSSES THE FLArHor-
Mas sNp RAlI4SrrIT-rER STORIES.
To the Editor Of The Tribune.
Sir. The Editor ~ The fuiletin OF the American
Iron and Trade Association has shown In very
written ,rticl. the incorrectness OF the state
meni that Mr. Lincoln was utterly destitute or
h.redlty. g. o. had no ancestors worthy or mention
II - shown that on the contrary. he came OF an
Intellectual ADD distinguished race II u now III
order for .ore controversial genius 10 prove by Mk
Ilncoln's own handwriting that Ike 'ropsy' iN
not born at all
\ contributor To The Tribune makes "A somewhat
discoureous attempt to crcise my protest agains;
chasing Mr. Lincoln with an unsayOry set employed
On the Western rivers and known as "hatboatmen.
Of whom. class such as knew OF then Tor
several years | will add that they were drunken
blasphemous and obscene lot Your contributor
garbles nv description Of these people. ana stil
insisting that Mr. Lincoln was actually "A hatboat-
man quotes what he calls autobiography OF
Mr. Lincoln given 10 person In 1850 ana evil
IDENTIFY used In the Presidential canvass OF ina year
for the PURPOSE OF showing that Mr.. Lincoln was
a man OF the people which was very proper ""ue'
the circumstances. Tits account OF ms early rA-
plots written In his usual vigorous style states
that he and another boy or young man. naVlgateu
a natboat without other assistance. TO New-ofleans
This was evidently the trip he told me or On
another occasion he was employed TO REPEAT ,n'9
trip This. the writer seems To thlnk ih""e WI
"A Ia
Mr. Henry Ward Beech.r learned by observation
how to shoe . horse and took great pleasure Ia
relating his skill In horseshoeng. which on one oc-
casion elected from an old hand the compliment
thai a good blacksmith was spoiled when he "aS
made a preacher. Yet We have not p"rh toIu ms
torically" tina, Mr. Beecher began life az black
smith Daniel Webster when boy worked on mas
fathers farm being especially charged with the
care Of the COWS Yet history does not INFORM us
that the great Webster began life a. a cowherd
when was IA boy I was very fond OF saving wood
and probably sawed as much wood as Mr. Lincoln
split into rails At any rate derived from phys'-
cal vigor which has been OF great service to me
since. Yet II never occurred 10 me that began
HE ~ wood-sawyer. Mr. Gladstone ana Nj
Greeley both delighted In cutting down trees ihere
Is "A fascination in the use OF good sharp axe ana
taken In connection with his wonderful strength, MI
Lincoln undoubtedly derived great pleasure from
splitting rails, ana reassert, not"sthstahuns tne
crushing irony OF your contributor ma NJ; h n,,
colin nioyed very much on proper occasions sho~
ing on" his skill and strength With an axe TO the
great astonshment OF many VINO bos aitemp,s a
initial amused him excessively. . ,. 49,,
II seems hardly necessary that the virtues anu
fame OF Abraham Lincoln. so dear TO every true
American and which as time rolls on are e en-,
socia ted constantly with class to which he did
not belong The lie OF pioneer and his family ~
OF America have come her. greatest men There is
degradation In labor but there Is In low sssoc,a
lions to which / refer cou:d have bred such mar
a. Lincoln Let the "natbOatman ana the ral-
splitter good enough for electoneerng purposes be
reegaed to obscurity. with the log CABIN ana haid
him always as the centre figure In the greatc"t
crisis OF history. 49,,
enjoyed an Intimate personal acquaintance viii.
Mr. Lincoln in the darkest period OF the war srd
his companion for days ana nights tosethss
| ought TO know something OF his character. Co
] know him to have been gifted with the highes,
order OF literary thought and with a deicE-te AMI
refined sensbIlity to have been vo.uminous reader
and a hard student with marvellous memory. itls
movers OF ANALYSIS and his cearness OF conception
phy steal powers were quick and strong His weak
ness was his tenderness OF heart. He called II
vice because OF It's influence over him Yet II !.
this very trait that added much to the pathos Of
his life and to the wrong Of his sudden taking on
EGBERT L. VIELE.
New-York Feb. g. 1895.