The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1898-05-29
MEMORIAL DAY SYMPOSIUM.
Who Is Your FavOrte Character In American History.

my paper would not be what it is. Mr..
Lincoln, to my mind, fills the highest
niche in the temple of great and
favorite characters among the Ameri-
can people. If 1 could bring my mind
to believe that the Almighty especi-
ally raises men for special purposes,
and disregards their early opporfuni-
ties and developments in making
choice, HJshould believe that the AL
mighty as distinctively raised up and
ordained Abraham Lincoln for the pur-
pose of his later life and activity, as
that Moses was the chosen of God to
lead the children of Israel. And 1 do
not want it to be understood that l
do not believe in this theory. 1 do
not know. the theory to be true and l
never can know it. but l cannot ac-
count for Abraham Lincoln upon any
hypothesis other than the direct i'm
position of God Almighty.
The leading characteristics or feat
ures of the character of Abraham Lin
coin were independence of thought,
honesty of purpose, and unfaltering in
tegrity of perseverance. His virtues
consisted of faithfulness to friends; de-
Votion to party utilization, because he
believed in it and believed that it was
the sure road to patriotic wisdom in
estimating men, and a broad, COM
prehensive and unerring judgment of
human character and fitness. 1 no
not believe that 1 am far wrong in say
ing that of the dead men of American
birth Abraham Lincoln stands today
admitted by mankind to have been the
greatest man of his generation, il not
of his country's production, and ii you
will permit me, Mr.. Editor, l viii say
that in all which makes a great char
acter, you need not have put the limi-
tation that you did, and if you had
rot, 1 rather believe that my paper
would still be what it is.
Representative Joseph Q. Cannon Of
Illinois: Were 1 to name my favorite
national character it would be Benja-
min Franklin. He was a man of the
people, a self-made man, and amongst
great numbers of alleged self-made
men the job was not spoiled. He was
a typical American, the greatest pro-
duction on this continent of good man
hood crossed with great ability and
culture.
To have produced Poor Richard
was sufficient to have made reputa-
ton for half a dozen Of great men.
He was a great statesman a great
diplomat, a great philosopher, a great
inventor, a great scientist, a great
Yankee.
MILITARY AND NAVAL.
General Daniel E. Sickles: General
Andy Jackson is my preference, be
cause he knew what was right and
did it like a soldier. If opposition
barred Jacksop's path; either Jackson
or the opposing force had to go down
AS a general rule it was the opposing
force that suffered.
General Wesley Merritt, L. S, A,
the division of the east:
General Ulysses S. Grant; because. in
my opinion, he was the greatest war
leader that America has yet produced.
Lieutenant Commander Mark, U. 5.
N, late Judge advocate of the Maine
court of inquiry at Havana: Stephen
Decatur, because, as Lord Nelson said,
he committed the most daring and
successful act of this or any other
age"
Rear Admiral James E. Jewett: Ad-
miral Farragut; first, last and all the
time Why? Because he was our
greatest naval commanded
a fact fully demonstrated in the many
in which he took part.
Farragut was the Nelson of the United
States
General John B. Gordon, Ex-Governor
of Georgia. choose General Robert b.
Lee, my late illustrious commander-in--
chief. This do, without any sectional
bitterness, but simply because [ regard
Lee as the greatest of all American
greater general, in the
higher sense of the word, than Wash
ington. In succession be beat McClel-
Ian. Pope, Hooker and Burnside; and,
with equal resources at his command,
he would have beaten Grant
General Joseph Wheeler of Alabama
General Robert E. Lee was the most
perfect character the world has ever.
produced. He was a man always &C
tuated by the highest principles and
utterly without personal ambition.
When the war closed a New York in
syndicate offered TO employ
him as state agent at salary OF $780,
900 a year. General Lee said that he
knew nothing about insurance and
could not perform the duties they
expect of him. The New York
company, in answer, sent a representa-
tive to the south to tell General Lee
that they did not expect him to perform
any duties; that they wanted his name
as their representative, and, if neces-
sary, they would give him even larger
salary than the one first offered. The
reply of General Lee was: IF 1 have
influence with some people, it is not for
sale"
I knew General Lee at West Point, {.
he left three years before l !
did, to join the army. Even at that
time he was the handsomest specimen
Of manhood I have ever seen. Later in
life he Travelled greatly in foreign coun- |
tries, and everywhere met with the
greatest alteration. The grandeur of
mis- personal character was demon |
strated when, at the close of the war,
he devoted his life to the education of
youth.
General Oliver o. Howard-My favor
tie American hero, take him all in all. |
S Abraham Lincoln. To me, in some |
he is in advance of George |
who had until Lincoln |
been my beau ideal of manhood. The |
great loving kindness of Abraham Lin |
:oln always draws my heart toward |
him; for me he still lives. Next TO him
place General U. S. Grant, whose!l
whose courage was unfailing, whose |
nodesty and kindness were not ex--
,elled by any of his compatriots These /
wo heroic men become every day
learer to the American people.
REPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS.
Hon. Henry Watterson, Editor of
he Louisville Courier Journal-You
SIX a question impossible, as conceive,
Il direct answer. The hero-worship-
r may concentrate his alteration per-.i
laps upon a single object, but as well /
night you require me to pick out of the /
world of art single picture, statue or
musical composition: out of the world
4 letters single romance or poem:
ut of the culinary world a single dish
T Wand. In each of these worlds the
ange OF choice is too extensive for