The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1898-05-29

These war days are naturally recall
ing the heroic deeds of the past-an'
the heroes who wrought them. TIT
question, who is the foremost man il
American history" is already an
swered. Washington, as We ali know
is first in war, first in peace, first il
the hearts of his countrymen." Blu
the annals of our country are 81
crowded with shining names that ii i!
hard to say which among them-al
ways leaving out that pre-eminent one
leads in the affectionate admiration o.
the American people. With a. view O.
throwing light upon this interesting
question a large number of representa-,
tive American citizens have been lnVit
ed to reply to this inquiry: Who /:
your faVorite' character in American
history excepting Washington? and
briefly, why do you make the selec
tion?" Their answers, which follow
disclose a wide variety of preferences
1t will be seen that the majority choice
is Abraham Lincoln, with Ulysses 5
Grant, Benjamin Franklin and Thomas
Jefferson as the second choice OF
about an equal number of the persons
responding. 1t is worth noting, too
that Robert e. Lee is the leading favor
lite with the representative southern
men who have answered
PREFERENCES OF STATESMEN
Senator julius c. BarrOws of Michi-
gan: Take him all for all Daniel Web
ster is the greatest man this country
has ever produced. He was the great
est constitutional lawyer and eXpound-
er of his time, and our country has mol
known another such
Senator Shelby NJ. CullOm of Illinois:
Ny choice falls upon Abraham Idncoln
let . vlgaIT
man since Shakespeare could so rightly
be called myriad-minded. 1t has been
charged that the generation that mas
succeeded him has idealiZeds his charac-
ter. I do not agree with the statement
We who knew the man personally and
Intimately, and VINO. have made his
character and his public acts a pro-
found study, increase in our admiration
for the man. Patient kindly disposed
toward all creatures; humane in the
best and trueSt sense, and lover OF
his country. Brave, sagaclous, and
unalterable in his purposes when con-
WINGED that he was right; always do
ing the right thing at the right. time
A man of the people and one whom the
people trusted and whose trust he never
BETRAYED, he safely guided this nation
through the greatest civil war known
in history. and when his task was I'm
ished offered up his life on the altar OF
his country. Those who were his bit
terest enemies now reverence his mem
Cry.
Thomas Jefferson has always been my
favorite national character. His crea-
tive powers were larger than those of
anv public man of his time. No pubic
man since his day has exhibited his eX-
allied constructive genius. Jefferson did
more than any other man to found a
government of the people, by the people
and for the people.
Mr.. Jefferson stood for the equality
OF all men before the law. He was the
champion of civil and religious free
dom. He succeeded in Incorporating
the principles which he advocated with
an MEMORABLE logic into the fundamen-
tai laws of the land.
The ideas of Jefferson have survived
the test of time and will survive as long
as men aspire to be free and govern
themselves.
Senator William Lindsay of Ken
lucky: NY favorice national character
after Washington is Thomas JEFFERSON.
As a constructive statesman he has no
equal in our national history, ana no
rival, except in Alexander Hamilton
No man has left SO deep an impress
on our institutions, and no man has
so clearly thought out the problems OF
human government.
Senator John T. Morgan of Alabama:
OF all our national characters none oc-
cupieS so high a place in my esteem as
Robert z. Lee-the Christian gentle
man and knightly soldier. One cannot
read the story of his life from early
youth 10 ripe manhood and serene old
age without being deeply impressed
with the loftiness of his character. AS
son. husband and father he was as
near perfect as man can hope to be.
The guiding star of Lees life was
duty. Once satisfied what his duty
was, he pursued his way with unfalter-
ing steps A soldier, and the descend
ant of a long line Of soldiers and states
men, he did not love carnage. He
fought not for glory. Power and rank
did not exalt him.
Lee was as great in peace as in war.
When ne rendered his sword to Grant
at AppomattoX and accepted his parole,
ne showed his good faith by his acts.
With a simple dignity and with the
cheerfulness that illustrated the great
ness of the man, he betook himself to
the work of educating the youth of the
land. If he grieved over the result of
the war between the states, or was dis
contented with his lot, the world did
not know it. He literally died in har-
ness, and to the last followed those
high conceptions of duty that had from
early youth characterized his life.
Senator Thomas c. Platt of New
York: Abraham Lincoln; because he
was the greatest Republican statesman
of America.
Senator Fairbanks of Indiana:
Among our national characters 1 Sc
Iect the name Of Abraham Lincoln. He
illustrated the marvellous possibilities
of American youth. He walked the
path of duty and taught the gospel of
virtue and the dignity of work. AL
ways eIf-possessed, well poised, no eX-
igency could move him to indiscretion-
He was courteous-that is, he coveted
The good opinion of his fellow men and
had a laudable desire to serve them.
He would pluck a thistle and plant a
Hover where a flower would grow.
He was an alien to the subtle arts
OF the demagogue. 1t was not within
the scope of his purpose in life to Gre
ate classes and infiame their preju-
3ices that he might attain power. He
stood for the masses, believing that the
greatest good of all was the highest
good of each. His creed was direct and
simpler I'VE build upon fair play for
every man, equality before the laws,
and God for US all.
Representative Charles II. Grosvenor,
of Ohio: / am asked to mention the
name of the person, dead or living
who is my favorite national characte
other than Washington. Were / no,
impelled by a sort of sentiment OF idea
that it is unWise to write of men who |
are living in strong terms of praise, !