The National tribune., 1896-02-06
OF LINCOLN.

CHARACTERISTICS OF LINCOLN.
When the Lincoln Homestead, at Springfield
Ill.,. was formally opened and presented to thu
State, July 8. 1887. c. III. Oldroyd custodian
Gov. Joseph w. Fifer made an address, from
which the following is an extract:
% He lived long. laborious, patriotic, and
a heroic life. He hated wrong and injustice in
all seasons and in all places. He fairly loatheC
tho institution of slavery, and it finally became
his pleasing task to wipe that foul blot from
our Nations honor. Without powerful and
influential friends to push him forward or back
into whose arms he could fall in case he proved
a failure, he stepped forth when q young man
from his fathers log cabin, took of his coat
rolled up his sleeves, looked the world squarely
in the face, and began the great battle OF lie
and let the millions who pronounce his name
with reverence to-day answer how well hs
succeeded.
al am glad that he was the product of ouI
free institutions. / am proud that he was az
American citizen, and citizen of our own
beautiful prairie State. His pure, exalted
and unselfsh life will help teach the world
the great lesson that the basis, the indispen.
sable basis, of all true greatness is integrity OF
character and that the only way to be happy
in this life is to make others So
"a statesman, yet one of the people. Lincoln
seized the helm of State at the darkest hour
of resplendent glory to lie down weary and
broken beneath q monument of pablo graft
tude, the greatest and most enduring thai
marks the grave of mortal man to-day.
THE VETERANS At LINcoLN's HOMESTEAD.
BIZ Kate Bro,Unlee Sherwood
Wrinkled aud bronzed, tie BATH heroes stood,
Where ersi. retreating through the open door.
The sad apostle Of high brotherhood
Paced nng ushed hours across the humble floor
With mighty prophecies absorbed, oerwrought
With deep forebodngs and o'er mastering thought,
tIhe pangs OF mounting from the common cod,
To kingsbp priesthood. fellowship with God)
heroes brothers, in the same high cause,
OF hoer living and OF godiier laws!
The form is vanished. aud the footsteps still,
Bat from the silence Lincoln's answers thrill:
" Peace, freedom. Lowell" In all the worlds best
needs,
The master stands TRANSPORTED In his deeds.
LINCOLN SENTIMENT.
It is good sign of the times that there is
such wholesome revival in Lincoln literature
and such an eager desire to read more of what
the great emancipation thought, did and said.
Feb. Is many of the Posts and Corps through
out the country will observe the S7th anniver-
sary of Lincoln's birthday, aud the Sons OF
Veterans are leading off in movement to have
the day known as Union Defenders Day.
Many patriotic societies and schools will OBJ
serve the day, using programs of their own ar.
rsngement.
DEPARTMENT OF NEW YORK.
The following is the encouraging exhibit
from General Orders, No. z, of Department
President Annie p. Cleary, of New York, for
the quarter ending Dec. 81. 1895:
Members in good standing, 1884 cash ex-
pended for relief, 81. 344. 40; estimated value of
relief other than money, 81 1904; turned
over to Posts $4,000 Number of soldiers re-
lieved. 162; number of soldiers families, 400;
number of members, 10; number of families,
l7l total assisted, 1913.
Thirteenth annual Convention. Department
OF New York, IS called tor May 10 and 90, at
Utica; Headquarters, Buttcrfield House.
Since last General Orders, four Corps have
been instituted b. C. Butler, Luzerne; o. Ii.
Morrisville; w. I. Rice Russell ;
England, Delhi.
THE RELIEF CORPS AS AN EDUCATOR.
The Journal of Proceedings of the Twenty
ninth Annual Encampment Department Of
Ohio, GAL r., contains the able address of
Elizabeth Mansfield Irving. Chairman Of the
Committee Greetings from the Relief Corps
In the course of her remarks she
said:
I'VE realize that we are still young organ.
ization; that from birth to the present
day we have made many mistakes that, by the
honest comrade and the members of the Re-
lief Corps and others, could only be looked on
with condemnation and yet, when we con-
sider that our numbers were made up from
persons who were not used to obeyiDg as SOL
iiers you will not wonder that such mistakes
have crept into our organization or into our
work.
al believe that every honest comrade before
me would he willing to say with me, that if
all the work for which the Relief Corps was
organized were banished from our thought and
sis he orpauizatiou simuiy school
or women, would have paid for itself. We
IAN see il here in Ohio In the condition of
women, in very many ways; III their under
standing of business and of parliamentary
ules; in their appreciation of the necessity of
.harity and fraternity; in our work in large
numbers; and in many other ways We might
MENTION"
Upon the subject of patriotic teaching, for
which she made plea, after calling attention
o the exhibit of $40, l0272 spent for relief, or
urned over TO Posts, Mrs. Irving said:
alt has been said, Give me child until he
g 10 years old, and will answer for his whole
ife.' If this be true, then we cannot begin to
each patriotism too soon. Why not, as soon
IS the child can begin TO lisp, teach it to spell
hat word country that word flag that
word star? Teach it TO name the colors
and, as il begins to count, 10 count the stars;
and when you have reached the magical b.
.be struggle Of that 13.
They will listen, and they will feel that
every star has voice, that every stripe is
like Daniel Manning, who crossed
he sea and got from its folds whispers ofliberty
with which TO inspire his countrymen.
And so shall our children learn from it
every lesson of patriotism and their duties as
citizens. As they go through the school years
and count the States they will realize that
MI &c frn, hair
history, and that emblazoned thereon
IS every struggle for liberty which the Nation
mas undergone.
Then they will feel that it truly is flag to
support, flag to live for; flag to die for if
need be. If every father and mother in this
,road land would pledge themselves to their
iuty to their children we need have no fear
or our flag, for the Republic it represents,
md for which you 80 brsvely fought"
TWENTY-FIVE ANNIVERSARY.
Gen. and Mrs. Charles l.. Young. of the
Pennsylvania Soldiers and Sailors Orphans
Home, Scotland were given a grand surprise
Wedding. Teachers, instructors, and pupils
marched into the Administration Building in
body, carrying with them a number of hand
ome silver presents.
After the presentation and responses the
ooms were all thrown open, the orchestra
played. and the band serenaded outside. Re-
reshments were served, and merriment
eigned supreme until late hour.
ILLINOIS FESTIVITIES.
Holden Putnam Post and Corps, Shannon,
H., enjoyed joint installation followed by
upper, and this by a program of songs and
peeches. George Byers was installed Com
nander and Inez Humbert, President.
A pleasant surprise was the presentation to
he President, through Mrs. Cheeseman, of
,srved apple-wood gavel, tied with red, white,