Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1898-11-08
PRICES $500 TO SIS.
wATTERsON on ABE LINCOLN.
His Lecture Well Delivered, But He-
ceived With Little Applause.

Henry Watterson, the distinguished
journalist and able speaker, whose repu-
tation extends not only I'm this country,
but also i'm Europe lectured before large
audience at the Academy of Music last
night on Abraham Lincoln"
AS can be easily imagined, considering
the theme the audience was at no time
enthusiastic i'm the reception OF Mr.. Wat
terson's remarks, and his utterances were
seldom greeted with demonstrations OF
approval
Personally. the well-known journalist
made a most favorable impression. He
has a splendid delivery, and his every
utterance is made with telling eifect
Indeed. the speaker at times was quite
dramatic and called into play the art
of the actot to move his audience.
Mr. Joseph Bryan introduced the
| speaker, referring TO him as the most
eminent editor in America" Mr.. Bryan.
| during his brief Introductory ADDRESS, took
| occasion to compliment the gentlemen
| who had been most active in establishing
| the Lyceum course.
The speaker of the evening. after re.
| ferring at some little length TO the period
| preceding the gathering OF those clouds
| which finally burst forth in such fury, TOOK
! up his subject from the very beginning
of the movement TO emancipate the slaves.
mo sooner" said ne. had the camp
| fires of the revolution died out, than there
| began to burn in every direction great
| forest-fires. The forces OF freedom moved
/
! of politics at this time became almost as
murky as they had been upon the field
| Of battle"
Lincoln" said the lecturer was an
Old-Lne Wing. of the school OF Henry
Clay. with a leaning toward emancipation
| but at no time an extremist Mr.. Wat
| terson said he had once stated that Lin.
coin was inspired Of God. He still held
| to this opinion.
The speaker then described the cam
paign of Douglas against Lincoln, which
| the latter entered he said comparatively
| unknown, and came out OF renowned from
one end Of the country to the other. II
! was during his remarks on this subject
that the editor took occasion TO dcnouncs
modern journalism. Douglas. he said,
though only man OF 80. was completely
broken down, because he bad burned MS
candle at both ends Then he had "a
suffer from the malicious attacks OF that
| STYLE OF journalism which was then jus,
beginning TO be ushered In, and which II
now known as modern journalism" The
| methods Of this latter school he compared
with those of the scandal-monger.
| he speaker referring 20 Lincoln's re-
latlons To the South. said that he was
a statesman, We know. but the South
does not know, except as heresay, that
he was a friend" Lincoln" said the
lecturer. took TO Fortress Monroe reso'
luton, in his own handwriting, appro'
priating M0OO0000O 10 pay for the slaves
But the only offer which the South would
1
pendence All Of LincOln's Cabinet were
also opposed 10 TINS plan. and so the ffesi
dent let the matter drop.
For my own part, declared I'M
speaker, II think IL the mercy OF Coo
that the war did not end at Fortress
Monroe" Ii was the Will OF the Lore
4 that the South was chastised, he said.
Lincoln committed one grieyous fault,
continued Mr.. Watterson. HE dared {.
think and was free 10 think. | gather,
he added that he was not "A civi-serVc'
reformer OF the school OF Grover CieYe
], land. because in instructing the appoint
. ment of a colonel Lincoln once ordered TIM
the commission should be granted with
= out regard to whether the party 'kney
| the color of Julius Caesars hair or not
!. Mr. Watterson. I'm referring 10 the az
Y | sassination Of Lincoln said: "By the sid
. az the tragedy OF LincOlns death all othe
= tragedies sink into insigniicance. Deeper
/, direr tragedy than that can be found 4
|. | no one page OF this worlds history"
n Continuing the distinguished Journals
: | said: Truly. Lincoln was inspired o
a | God and I cannot see how any ma
who believes i'm that doctrine can believ
him anything else. We see such mer
we feel them. but we do not know then
They come to us with the Word OF Go
a upon their lips. He was inspired oil Coo
% for nowhere else could he have acquire
: his wisdom. AS sure as Shakespeare an
q Mozart were raised by God, as sure wa
Lincoln inspired
When the lecturer concluded his wei
delivered address he was applauded IL
his EFFORT though few OF his assertion
were received with any mark OF approya