Greenbrier independent. [volume] (Lewisburg, Va. [W. Va.]) 1859-1980, 1896-04-16

the faces Of the people," The
American hustings had become a
battle ground, and every rod of de-
batable territory ring for contro-
Versial mills always tumultuous and
sometimes sanguinary. No sooner
had the camp fires of the revolution,
which warmed so many noble hearts
and lighted so many patriotic lamps
no sooner had the camp fires Of
the revolution died out, than there
began to burn, at first fitfully, then
to blaze alarmingly i'm every direc-
tion, a succession of forest fires, baf-
fling the energies and resources of
the good men who tried to put them
out.
Mr.. Webster, at once a learned iu-
rist and prose poet, might hinder
eXpOsitions of the written law to
quiet the fears of the slave-owner
and to lull the waves Of agitation
Mr.. Clay, by his resistless eloquence
and overmaste personality,
might compromise first one and then
another of the irreconciliable condi-
ton that obstruCted the pathway of
conservative craftsmanship. To no
purpose, except to delay the fatal
hour. There were moral forces ad-
vancing to the foreground which
would down at no mans bidding.
The still, small voice of emancipa-
tion stifled for time by self-inter-
est working upon the fears of the
timid, recovered its breath and broke
into a cry for abolition. The cry
for abolition rose i'm volume to a
roar. Slowly, step by step, the le-
gions Of freedom advanced to meet
the legions of slavery. Gradually
these mighty, discordant elements
came closer and closer to the predes-
tined line of battle; the gains SEEM
ing to be in doubt, but in reality all
on one side.
THE CONFLICT BEGINS.
There was less and less Of middle
ground. The middle men who VEN
tured to get in the way we're either
struck down or absorbed by the one
or the other. The Senate had its
Gettysburg, and many Shiloh
was fought on the floor of the House.
Actual war ragged in Kansas. The
mysterious descent upon Harper's
Ferry, like fire bell i'm the night,
might have warned all men of the
coming confiagration might have
disclosed to all as out of Doomsday's
Book, prophesy in the lines that,
quoted to describe the scene, fOretold |
the future
The rock-ribbed lodges drip with the
silent horror of blood
And echo there, whatever is asked her,
answers Death"
Greek was meeting Greek at last
and the field of politics became al
most as murky and sulphurous as if
it had been field of battle.
Amid the noise and confusion, the
ofintellGcts like sabers bright
and the booming of the big oratorical
guns of the North and South, now
definitely arrayed, there came one day
into the Northern camp one of the
oldest figures Imaginable {; the figure
OF man who, in spite of an appear
ance somewhat out of line, carried
serious aspect, ifnot the suggestion
of power; and, pausing moment to
utter single sentence that could be
heared above the din, passed on and
for a moment disappeared. The
sentence was pregnant with mean
ing. The man bore a commission
from God on high! He said: "A
house divided against itself cannot
stand. | believe this government
cannot endure permanently half free
aud half slave. l do not expect the
Union to be dissolved | do not ex-
pect the house to fall; but do ex-
pect it will cease to he divided"
He was Abraham Lincoln.
LINCOLN's FIRST APPEARANCE.
How shall describe him to you?
Shall do so as he appeared to me,
when l first saw him Immediately
on his arrival in the national capital,
the chosen President of the United
States, his appearance quite as
strange as the story of his life, which
was then but half known and half
told, or shall use the language of
another and more vivid word
painter?
In January, 1861, Col. A. X. Nc
Clure, ofPennsylvania, journeyed to
Ills, personally to be-
come acquainted and to consult with
the man he had contributed so
to elect. 81 went di-
rectly from the depot to Lincoln's
house," says Colonel Mcclure, land
rang the bell, which was answered
by Lincoln himself opening the door.
| doubt whether wholly concealed
my disappointment at meeting him.
Tall, gaunt, ungainly, ill-clad, with
a hOmeliness of manner that was
unique in itself confess that my
heart sank within me as | remem-
bered that this was the man chosen
by great nation to become its ruler
in the gravest period of its history.
l remember his dress as if it were
but yesterday snuff colored and
pantaloons open black vest,
held by few brass buttons ; straight
or evening dress coat, with tightly
fitting sleeves to exaggerate his long
bony arms, all supplemented by an
awkwardness that was uncommon
among men Of intelligence. Such
was the picture met in the person
of Abraham Lincoln. We sat down |
in his plainly furnished parlOr and .
were uninterrupted during the nearly
four hours remained with him, and ,
little by little, as his earnestness,
sincerity and candOr were developed !
in conversation, forgot all the gro-
tesque qualities which so confounded |
me. When an hour had passed /
learned not only to respect, but, in !
deed, to reverence the man."
CALL HIM INSPIRED.