Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1897-02-18

millions not surrounded by the mists
of antiquity. nor by the halo of idol
airy that is impenetrable. He never
was inaccessible to the people: thOus-
ands remember the pressure of his
I hand, how when he viewed the gallant
! Army on the Potomac Immediately
after the battle of Antietam, his in
| deScribably calm, thoughtful and far
seeing expression pierced every man.
soul. Nobody could keep the people
away from him, and when they came
to him he would suffer no one to drive
| them back. So it is that an unusually
! large number of the American people
came to know this great cOmmOner.
| and that he is still so well remembered
! by hosts Of men to-day in the very
inner courts Of the soul. This host of
witnesses. without exception. agree
as to the true nobility and intellectual
! greatness Of Lincoln.
All proudly claim for Lincoln the
| highest abilities and the most dis
| tinguished and self-sacrificing patriO-
tism. He taught them, and has
taught us, that no party nor partisan
can escape responsibility to the
| people. That no party advantage or
presumed party advantage, should
ever swerye US from the plainly indi-
Gated path Of duty which is ever the
path Of honor and distinction. He
emphasized his words by his daily
life and deeds. He showed to the
world by his lofty example as well as
by precept and maxim. that there are
times when the voice of partisanship
should be hushed, and that of true
patriotism only should be needed.
He taught that a good service done
for the country, even in aid of an I'M
friendly administration, brings to the
men and party who rise above the
temptation of temporary partisan adj
vantage lasting gain in the respect
and confidence of the people. He
showed that patriotic devotion is
usually rewarded, not only with re-
tentiOn in power and the conscious
ness of duty well and brayely per-
formed, but with the qualification of
behOlding and blessings Of relief and
prosperity, not of the whole country.
This he held should be the first and
great considerations of all public
servants.
His hOmely face bespoke a deep I'M
fathOmed soul of good intent. His
saddened heart that bore battling
| nations woes responded life like to
| PHYS just appeal. In his love for
| others we find much to cherish, in his
life much to emulate, in his states
manship much to learn and in his
achievements enough to make him
immortal. The services of such men
are not measured alone by the actual
| deeds which they perform but by the
influence of their character and life
and example: they demonstrate that
no achievements however great are
beyond the possibility Of those who
think and do and wait. The passing
of time does not dim the brightness
| OF his character nor weaken the
| reverence for his memory. The
antagOniSimS Of bitter W;.r have left
no stain upon his name and the
hatred which for time spent itself
in bOundleSS words was turned to
reverence and love when his eyes no
| longer ShOne. A recent writer says:
1.-The amazing growth he made in the
esteem OF his cOuntrymen and the
world while he was doing his great
work has been paralleled by the in
crease OF his fame in the year since
he died" He might have added that
like every other important event of
life LincOln's fame rests upon a
Seyerer test than that of any other
American. Never in all the ages of
men have the motives, words and acts,
even thOughts-Of any statesman
been so infinitely scrutiniZed, ana
lyzed, studied OF specialized upon as
his. Yet from all inquirers without
distinction as to party, church, sec
ton or country, from friend and foe
alike, comes the unananimOuS ver-
dict that Abraham Lincoln must
have no second place in American
history, and that he will never be
second to any in the reverent affec-
tiOnS of the American people. The
subject of life and character of
Lincoln is vaSter and broader than
the reach OF mems minds. The
world has passed its estimate on his
character and no orator can add new
luSter to it. He has already gone in
to the Pantheon of our national gods
and heroes. 1t is impossible for
those who knew him to grasp the
greatness of his character. When he
our 10Th President fell a martyr to
the assassin Booth, grateful people
moved by common impulse i'm
mediately placed him side by side
with the immortal Washington, and
unanimously proclaimed them the
two greatest and best Americans.
The verdict has not changed and
will never change, nor can we con-
celve how the historians of this or
any succeeding age will ever deter
mine what is so clearly matter of
pure personal opinion as to which of
these two noble men is entitled to
greatest honor and homage from the
people Of America.
Great captains, with their guns and drums
Disturb our judgment for the hour,
But at last silence comes;
These are all gone and, standing like tower
Our children shall behold his fame;
The kindly earnest, brave, faT-seeing man,
SagaciOus. patient, dreading praise, not blame
New birth of our new soil, the first American
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