Essex County herald. [volume] (Guildhall, Vt.) 1873-1964, 1896-02-07
IincoIn's posthumous Influence

The posthumous influence OF
great men is one of the forces IN
history that contributes largely |
to the shaping of events and the
adjustment of conditions. A dis
tinguished citizen is not lost to
his country when he dies, strictly |
speaking. The services that he
rendered while living continue to
be advantageous, and the men,
DRY of his example is a perma-
nent source of inspiration. In
some instances, personal tame is
thus materially increased, and a
noted name acquires more po-
tency with a succeeding genera
ton than it had with the one to
which it is directly related. 1t is
not too much to say that every
truly great figure in the affairs
of a country is sure to survive IN
this sense, and to be effective for
the future. We know that GER
tain illustrious characters retain
their Importance from age to age,
and help to solve intervening
problems by virtue of their rela-
ton to the philosophy of civiliz-
alton. The man dies, but his
works live after him. He be-
comes a part of the procession of
independent occurrences which
make up the story of general de-
velopment and progress, and the
things that he said and did, the
words and deeds in which his SUI
perior faculties were manifested,
come to have a fixed and practi-
cal value. He calls to the pres
ent from out of the past with
recognized authority, and his
messages are treated with the
kind of respect that settles dis
puted points and determines the
course of public opinion and
sentiment.
In the list of these immortal
personalities, Abraham Lincoln
occupies a conspicuous place.
His posthumous influence fifty
supplements and prolongs that
which he exercised before his
death. He so impressed himself
upon history and the hearts of
his countrymen that time only
tends to furnish additional rea-
sons for regarding him with
pride and affection, and to invest
his character with new and en-
larged attributes ofexcellence and
usefulness. 1t is difficult to credit
the recollection that he was once
the most vilifed man in the
world when the fact is considered
that his name is now spoken only
with reference and tenderness by
those who were his enemies as
we'll as by those who were his
friends. The South joins hands
with the North in paying homage
to his memory, and acting upon
the general impulses by which he
was always guided. He stands
in the estimation of both sections
as the embodiment of the idea of
peace, unity and fraternity. The
masterful part that he played in
the civil war is equaled by the
splendid results with which his
name is associated in the work
of removing the enmities and
prejudices of that awful conflict.
1t is as a peacemaker that he is
posthumously as great as he was
when directing the national en-
orgies against the rebellion. We
know now that in all the trial
and distresses by which he was
surrounded, he never harbored a
bitter thought toward those
whom it was his duty to subdue,
and never for a moment doubted
that in the end there would be a
restoration of friendly relations.
There is a curious and beauti-
full illustration of poetic justice in
the fact that this man who was
hechiefrepresentative ofFederal
power during the war is now the
principal influence in bringing
the two sections together on the
basis of common patriotism and
devotion to the interests of the
whole country. His memory is
the bond of fellowship that
grows stronger from year to
year. The South claims share
with the North in the glory
of his name, because it was for
the South as we'll as for the
North that he labored and died.
He believed in the Union as a
priceless advantage to. those
who were trying to destroy it
the same as to those who were
trying to preserve it, and there
lsno longer any want of ac-