The Irish standard., 1898-02-19

struggling youth. He had been born in
q cabin and reared among the unletter
ed. He was rail-sritter, ilatboat-
man, country lawyer, practcing in
many counties; trying now Il horse case,
now SANDER, Or a trespass suit. He
sat with his associates Of the bar about
the country tavern Or the country store
and exchanged stories. Yet In all these
conditions and associations he was a
leader-at the rail splitting. in the rap
ids, at the bar, in story telling.
He had comparatively small body
had revealed himself in his debate with
Douglas, and in his New York speech.
as man most familiar with American
politics and profound student OF our
institutions, with rare cogency and
rarer lucidity of speech; but above all
as man of conscience, and a man who
followed conscience and logic to their
most alarming ends.
"Most kind in speech and most placid
in dsmeanor, yet disturbing tho public
peace by his insistence that those theor-
les of human rights. which we had all
so much appauded. should be made
practical A man not Obstinate but
one who was under an inability to sur
render a truth that his mind approved.
In the broad common sense way in
which he did small things he was larg
er than any situation in which life had
placed him. he had never met any Cr
casion inadequately. Europe did not
know him. To the South and to not a
uncouth jester, an ambitious up5tart, u
uncouth jester, an ambitious upstart, 4
reckless disturber. He was hated by
the South not only for his principles,
but for himself. The son of the cavalier,
the man who felt toll to be a stain,
despsed this son OF the people, this
child of toll
Seward, q cultivated man Of letters.
a man who had long been a leader in a
senate of great men. a governor of
the Empire state, proved champion Of
the anti-slavery sentiment. had been
passed over, and his friends felt not
only sore over his defeat but some NOR
titicatiOn that he should have been de-
feated by Lincoln.
He was going to Washington to meet
misgivinss in his own party, and to
confront the fiercest, most implacabln,.
and powerful civil rebellion of which
HISTORY l,1n n
danger attended his journey The
course before him WAS lighted only by
the lamp of duty: outside it's radiance
all was dark
He seemed to be conscious Of all this.
to be weighted by it: but so strong was
his sense of duty, so courageous his
heart. so sure was he Of his own high
purposes ard motives and OF the favor ui
God for himself and for his people, that
he moved forward calmly to his appoint
ed work. not with show and Drag, neitl-
or with shrinking. He was yet In Il
large measure to win the confidence cf
men in his capacity. when the occasion
was SO eXigent as to seem to call for
ono who had already won it.
He could not have been ignorant If
the fact that with Mr. Seward as his
secretary of state he would seem for Il
time, at least, to many, not to be the
first, but the second, in his own adj
mlnistlation. AS have said ut another
time the selection OF Mr.. Seward for SEQ
Rotary of state was a brave act, because
Mr.. Lincoln could not fail to know that
for a time Mr.. Seward would oversfnd-
ow him in the popular estimation: and
a wise enc. because Mr.. Seward was in
the highest degree qualified for the great
and delicate duties of the office A man
who is endowed for the presidency will
know how to become president, in fact
as we'll as in name, without any fussy
sef-asscrtion
HE was distinguished from the abo.
litlon leaders by the fairness and kinhl.
ness with which he Judged the South and
the slave holder. lie was opposed IT,
human slavery. not because some mas
ters were cruel, but upon reasons that
AluuHeSS W tnc SlttNt ulu not answer.
All mon included the black man. HUI
man law is local; liberty is the Law ~
nature, and Gods law takes no account
of boundaries. Tho human enactment
canot pass the limits OF the state: Gods
law embraces creation.
''Mr. Lincoln had faith in time, and
time has justified his faith. If the pan"
Drama of the years from 81 to 65 could
have been unrolled before the ayes Of
his countrymen, would they have said
would he have said--that he was aGe
quate for the great occasion? And vet.
as we look back over the story of the
civil war, he is revealed to us standing
above all men Of that epoch, IN MS ca
pacity of adaptation to the duties OF The
presidency.
1T does not seem to be Gods way to
give men preparation and fitness and To
reveal them until the hour strikes. Men
must rise to the situation. The stora Y,
batteries that are to furnish the energy
for these great occasions God does MT
connect until the occasion comes.
The civil war called for a president