The Windham County reformer. (Battleboro, Vt.) 1876-1897, 1896-03-20

to his fellow patriots, and at the close
of his term of office. he went into an
other world. exhausted and consumed
by his labors. That was the kind OF
men Abraham Lincoln had about
him. =
Probably in the administration Mr..
Seward had the most cultivated and
comprehensive intellect. He WASH t
equal to Mr.. Lincoln, because, as
have said, he was altogether an opti-
mist. He didn't believe any perma
nent injury could happen to anybody
as long as the Stars and Stripes were
there. During the war. it was always
said that he expected to bring back
the seceeding states by friendly act of
congress, or some device OF negota-
ton. That was probably a fault in
his judgment yet, take him for all in
all, it would be difficult to match
| him among living statesmen, or among
| the statesmen of the world. He was
an American in earnest. He believed
in that democracy which is democracy
indeed. He believed in the Constitu
tion of the United States. and his one
desire was that its blessings should be
extended and made perpetual over all
this continent. | loo6 back upon him
with intense gratitude. He set up the
landmarks toward which We are to
come, the boundaries which we are to
attain to. He proclaimed the princi-
pie of continental unity, and that
unity he found in freedom. in progress
and in improvement of every nature
The second man in Importance to be
put into the cabinet was Mr.. Chase of
Ohio. He was very able. noble and
spotless statesman a man who would |
have been worthy of the best days of
the old Roman republic He had been. |
candidate, though less conspicuous
than Seward and he was also can |
didate against whom the opposition
that had been raised against Mr..
Seward would not have availed, be-
cause while Mr.. Seward had friend
who was the boss of the Republican
party in New York, Mr.. Chase bossed
it himself in Ohio.
OF Gideon Wells, Secretary of the
Navy, the Connecticut member of the
cabinet, Mr.. Dana said: '.He was
unpretentious, and there was no noise
in the streets when he went along. but
he was satisfactory, substantial
and was credit to the state
that sent him to Washington. y
Reverting to Lincoln, the speaker
said: ." His greatest quality was his
wisdom. He ever foretold things. but
he never told anything | ever heard of
that was not so. He was judicious,
kind hearted, and withal a man of
genius. These personal qualities are
ovey and amiable. but the great thing
vas that he succeeded and that he put
Town rebellion in which there were
2, GOO, 600 people, angry. able and de
ermined, concerned He never took a
tep too soon ; he never took stem too
ate
Another remarkable peculiarly of
1r. Lincon's was that he seemed TO
ave no illusions. He had no freakish
otions that things were so or might
e SO. when they were not so. All his
linking and all his reasoning, all his
lind, In short was based continually
pom actual facts and upon facts of
'hich, as | said, he saw the essence.
never heard him say anything that
'as not so. | never heard him foretell
lings. He told what they were. But
never heard him intimate that such
nd such consequences were likely to
appen, without the consequences fol
wing.
There was no pretension about A bra
am Lincoln. He didn't put on any
RS and | never heard him say
arsh word to anybody | never heard
I'm speak word of complaint even.
hese other gentlemen, the members
the cabinet, like human beings in
neral, were not pleased with every
ing. Much was imperfect; much
as not ordered in the best way much.
'rhaps, might have been done better
they Individually had had charge of
Not so with the president. He
as most calm. equable, uncomplain-
g. and, to my mind. one of the
'ppiest men that | have ever known.
a ways had pleasant word for
erybody. What he said showed the
ofoundest thought, even when he
IS Joking. lie seemed to see every
lie OF every question. He never was
lpatlent; he never was in hurry:
q he never tried to hurry anybody
e. 10 every one he was pleasant
q cordial; yet they all felt that it
IS nus word that went at last: and
til he had decided, the case hadn't
en- decided and the final order not
ued yet. -o'
mother remarkable quality was his
fsonal Kindness. He was kind at
art not from politeness. As said.
lever heard him saw an unkind tbing
out anybody. Now and then he
uld laugh at something jocose or
irical that somebody had done or
d. but it was always pleasant
NOR. l noticed his sweetness of
ture particularly with his little son.
MID at that time perhaps six or