The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1895-02-15

hattyr EFesiucut-ho ShNcu tue boutu
From Its Own Rashness.
FROM Henry Walcr,on's Spe:eh a, Chicago on LIN.
oola's Birthday.
want to cay just hero n few words
about Mr.. Lincoln's relation to the south
aud toward tho people OF tho south.
lle was himself q southern man. IIo
and all his tribe were southorners. Al
though lie LETT Kentucky when the
merest child, he was m old child; he
never was very young; he grew to man.
hood in a Kentucky colony; for what is
Illinois, what is Chicago, but Ken.
lucky colony, grown somewhat out OF
proportion? lie was in no sense what
VIC used to call "a poor white" Awk-
ward, perhaps; ungainly, perhaps; mig
gerless, certainly; but aspiring; the
spirit OF a hero beneath that rugged OK
terror; tho Imagination OF poet be-
meath those heavy brows; the courage
OF n lion beneath those patient, kindly
aspects; and. long before he waa OF legal
aye. n leader. His first love was a Rut-
ledge; his wife was Todd.
Let the romancist tell tho story OF his
romance. dare not. No sadder idyl
can BIO found in all the annals OF the
poor. -.
We know that he was poet; for have
We not that immortal prose-poem re.
cited at Gettysburg? We know that he
was statesman; flor has not time vim
dicateu his conclusions2 But the south
does not know, except 10 kind OF hear
say, that he was friend; the one friend
who had the power and the will to save
it from itself. The direst blow that
could have been inflicted upon the
south was delivered By the assassin's
bullet that struck him down.
But ! di2ress. Throughout the wild
contention that preceded the war, amid
the lurid passions that attended the war
itsoli, not one bitter or narrow word
escaped the lips OF Abraham Lincoln,
whilst there was hardly day that he
was not projecting his big. sturdy per-
sonality between some southern man or
woman and danger.
Alter tho formal interview ct that
famous Hampton Roads conference,
when the confederate commissioners,
Stephens, Campbell and Hunter, had
traversed the field OF discussion with
Mr.. Lincoln. the President, and Mr..
Seward. the secretary OF state. Mr.. Lin
coin. the friend. still the old whig col.
league, though one wa, now Presi-
dent OF the United States and the other
was vice-president Of the southern
confederacv, took the slim, pale.iaced,
consumptive little man" aside. and,
placing his arm over his shoulder,
pointed to sheet OF paper he held in
his other hand and said: stephens,
write Union at the top OF that page,
and you may write below it whatever
else you please"
In the preceding conversation Mr..
Lincoln had intimated that payment for
the slaves was not outside n possible
agreement for reunion and peace. He
based that statement upon proposal
no already had in hand, to appropriate
four hundred millions OF dollars to this
purpose. | am not going to tell any
tales out OF school. am not here for
controversy. But, when We arc dead
and gone, the private memorabilia OF
those who knew what terms were really
offered the contcdcracy-within ninety
days OF its total collapse-will show
that in tho individual Judgment OF all
OF them tho wisdom OF tho situation
said accept"
And why wore they not accepted?
God again. 1t was tho will OF God that
there should be, as Gods own prophet
had promised. "a now birth OF free.
uom," and this could only BIO reached
BY tho complete elaboration and extinc.
ton OF tho very idea Of slavery. God
struck Lincoln down in tho moment OF
his triumph, 10 attain it; God biighted
the south to attain it. But he did at.
tain it And here wo arc this night to
attest it. Gods will be done on earth
us it is done in heaven. But lot no
southern man point fingers tine because
| canonize Abraham Lincoln, for he
was the only friend We had at court
when friends wore most in need; ho
was the ono man in power who wanted
to preserve US intact, TO save us from
tho wolves OF more passion and plumber
that stood u. our door; and 80, rs that
God, OF whom it has boon said that
whom no loveth lilo chastoncth,"
meant that We should DO chastened,
Lincoln was put out Of tho way by tho
bullet OF an assassin, having noithor lot
nor parcel, north or south. but n winged
emissary OF fate. como from the shadows
OF tho mystic world, which !E3chylua
and Shakespeare crea'ed, and consecrat.
cd to tragedy!
Born as lowlyas the Son OF God. in a
hovol Of what ancestry we know not
and caro- not; reared in perjury, suualor,
|rwith no glcam OF light or fair surround.
ings; without external grnccs. actual or
acquired; without name or famo or
official training; 1t was reserved for this
strange being lato in lifc. to DO sna,chod
from obscuritv. raised to supreme com.
mand At n supreme moment. and in
trusted with tho do,tiny OF II nu,ion.
Tho great leaders OF his party, tho
most experienced and accomplished
public men OF tho day, woro mado to
stand aside; were scnt 10 tho rear,
whilst this fantastic figure was lod by
unseen hands to the front and given tho
roins of power. 1t Is immutorinl
whether wo woro for him or against
him; wholly immaterial. That. during
four years, carrying with thom such
pressure Of responsibility rs tho world
novor witnessed bcforo. no filled tho
vast space lo,tod him In tho Dyes and
action, Of mankind, IL to suy that hu
was inapircd Of God, for nowhoro clso
could ho havo acquired tho wisdom aud
tho grace Indispensable to his mission.
Whore did Shakespeare got hia gen