The San Francisco call., 1897-05-29

was that first thought OF celebrating Lincoln
day.
In the drawings upon the blackboards at
the school, inartstic, perhaps, as they may
have been, l could see the patriotism that the
little artists felt And we'll may they be patri-
otie. For when the in habiiantS OF Norway and
Sweden, and the desolate regions OF the north
display such patriotism as they do, why should
not an American boy or girl be justly proud
OF his or her American citizenship.
No man loves his country as he ought until
he stops to think o. the things about MIN;
and the exercises held in the schools Today
will do more than aught else 10 impress upon
the children the patriotism ana love OF tnelr
glorious country and glorious flag And we
should be grateful, indeed, 10 the teachers
who have unsefshly labored 10 make the
celebration of Lincoln day a success.
We Ia. OF the miracle OF the loayes and
fishes, the miracle of turning water into wine,
but greater miracle, still more wondrous
tnan any in the sacred story, was the lie or
such man as Abraham Lincaln; life with
out inspiration and i'll i S origin almost with
out hope. ! once had the pleasure OF meet
ing Abraham Lincoln, on the OCCASION
OF his arrival from Springfield for h ln7
auguration. lie was, l thought, the queer
est looking mortal L ever saw. He was, l
think, the most unfashtonable looking
man had ever seen. His hair looked as if he
had not combed it since he left Springfield;
his clothes had q million wrinkles, and, in
short he was the most unkempt individual l
had ever beheld. When / looked Mt him / said
TO myself, Can that be the man whom a great
people have selected to lead them? Z
We sal down with Mr.. Lincoln at the dinner
table and Mr.. Lincoln ate. And he ale and
ate. l never before since have entertained
such respect for any mans internal capacity
as did Tor his. Alter dinner Mr.. Ltncoln be-
gan 10 talk He talked OF the state OF the
Union, and before our party broke up with
the breaking of the dawn OF that Washington
morning We heard tall from his lps such
words OF wisdom as seldom have fallen from
the lips OF man.
Once more heard him speak-on the occa-
sion ! his inauguraIion-when l stood less
than twenty feet from where he was;
Never since the word was made we're there
two grauder spectacies than Lincoln signing
the Emancipation Proclamation and General
Grant Wuen at Appomato toX he dismissed that
band of men uwho had devastated the land Tor
four years; when he sent the so idlers OF the
Confederacy home with their horses 10 plow
their fields; when he gave them the TaLlons
that he had brought for his own soldiers. No
grander figures tnan Abraham Lincoln aud
Ulysses S. Grant ever appeared upon the stage
OF human action.
Friends, 90 we appreciate the blessing we
enjoy as we should? All, l lear not Not
until we had lost them would we realize what
we had lost. If the God who hrs filed tonight
the vault above with the myriads or stars
should blot them from human sight for
thousand years, how We would then mourn
the lack OF appreciation we had shown of
their celestial erllliance. And so 1t is with
our country. While we have and enjoy the
blessings OF liberty and happiness whicn our
country gives Us We do not fully appreciate
he Id to-day; 1t is by learning 10 revere such
Characters as Abraham Lincoln that we shall
come 10 appreciate more fully the blessings
with which we are surrounded.
solo by Miss Maude Fay followed.
After an encore, in response to a generous
applause, the chanm man introduced as the
next speaker Hon. Henry c. Di5ble, who
spoke in part as follows:
You do not expect much of me after listen
ing 10 the eloquenee OF my distinguished COM
rade, whom the Mayor has so fittingly styled
the most eloquent orator IN our midst he Is
our poet-orator, and after listening to his
beautiful and touching description of the
character OF Abraham Lincoln | can DO
of the Survivors of that great body
OF volunteers called into existence by Abra-
ham Lincoln's edict. 1t Is my privilege TO add
my word OF reverence TO one of the greatest
men who have ever lived; the greatest, as l
believe, OF all the characters of history.
Where in all your readings, my friends,
can you find more vivid and charming de-
scription OF Lincoln as he appeared be tore the
word than that given by my comrade, Gen
eral Barnes, who saw in person Abraham Lin
coin when he arrived in Washington to take
CHARGE OF the great Government at whose
head he mad been placed
I had sought in the lie OF Lincoln an irci-
dent most characteristic OF the great President.
Little or no mention has been made in the
his torres 1.-the wonderful event in Lincolu's
life that refer to-the figure of Lincoln at
Richmond So soon bsfore his tragic death
From the account VT tren By my fellow
veteran, Comrede Bsckus, who was one of the
detail accompanying. Lincoln as he walked
through the streets OF burning Richmond, l
have read OF the occurrence.
As Lincoln walked through the ember-
strewn streets, the black freedmen, slaves no
longer, fell al his feet and uttered in reverent
tones: Lincoln mas come, the savior has
come"
When there was a widespread opinion
throughout the world that the American Re-
public vas but an experiment, and an expert
ment likely TO fail, wnen is was declared that
the victory of the Southern Confederacy wou d
demonstrate thai Government based upon
liberty could not stand, how it must have
made Abraham Lincoln thrill with emotion
when he made universal freedom an accom-
phshed fact.
There are but few OF US veterans left here
in this City. We shall soon be gone, but we
ask OF you, and we know we VIII not ask in
vain, TO give US yonder in Golden Gate Park
suita ole monument OF the great emancipator.
We are certain that you Will We feel that
the Lincoln monument is an assured success.
When we see such q grand demonstration of
affectionate sentiment as has been exhibited in
The schools to-day we cannot but believe that
r ti1tt+e2ee5 monument will be erected in Abra-
ham Lincoln's honor.
After a vocal selection, 1.-The Vacant
Chair" by the Loring Club quartet,
Judge NJ. Cooney, The last speaker of the
evening, was introduced. He said:
When the names of kings and princes are
forgotten the name of Abraham Lincoln will
remain fresh in the minds of every man and
woman in this country. Lincoln, let me sum-
InariZe, was q Solomon in war, Washington
in peace, and now and forever in the hearts of
his countrymen.
would add bu: few words TO the previous
speakers i'll regard to the Lincoln monument
movement We want the woEk of the league
to go further than the erection of the monu-
ment in Golden Gate Park. And until LIN
coin day shall have been declared National
holiday the work OF the Lincoln Monument
League Of California will not Cease.
The evenings exercises concluded with
a realistic tabieau, "Tenting Tonight on
the Old Campground, in which the fol-
lowing veterans, uniformed and armed,
took part:
Comrades Price, Wilson, Storey, Nc
Crone and Loane of Lincoln Post and
James Riley of Cass Post. The Mills
Quartet sang, I'VE are tenting tonight on
the old campground," and as they sang
softly the words of the last verse,
dying tonight on the old campground,"
two OF the veterans appeared upon the
stage bearing the BODY of comrade. The
tabeau closed with the veterans bending,
with heads uncovered, over the motionsess
body of their fellow-soldier.
At the conclusion of the tableau the
Mayor adjourned the meeting and the
audience dispersed.
IN THE PUBLIC SCHOOLS.