The commonwealth. (Scotland Neck, N.C.) 1896-1929, 1899-02-09
ABE LINCOLN'S PLANS.
Some things Men do net Generally
Know.
WHAT HE PROPOSED FOR THE
SOUTH.
BY G. GROsyENOR DAVE.
Written for The Commonwealth.

charm of the printed page and the writ
ten word is, that man being dead is
yet able to speak and in some cases
able to influence wider circle than
ever came within range of his voice.
Thus with Lincoln. The constant al
lusions to him in books and in papers,
and the increasing tendency to regard
hls birthday as a holiday make him a
very real man to us and his example
even greater in Its influence than dur
ing his life, for each year carries Us
further and further away from the heat
and the frenzy Of the great war ana we
get not only better perspective view
of Lincoln but also OF the conditions
that made him great.
-
To me one OF the most interesting
considerations In connection with his
public life Is that though he signed, as
war measure, the Emancipation Proc
lamatlon yet he never abandoned In
bis personal convictions the belief that
the South had rights by Inheritance,
and by perfectly legal purchase, in
their living property. This is demon
strated beyond all cavll by his attempt
to get Delaware to pass gradual
emancipation act, the owners to be paid
$500 head for every slave, man, wo-
man or child, belonging to them. The
measure failed, of course, because feel
ings were too heated on each side to
permit the calm judgment that Lin
coin himself possessed. The TACT that
he dared such step while the hot-heads
were ready to denounce him, is but
little known or little understood. So
interested was be in the plan that with
his own hand he sketched out the de
tails Of two methods by which the end
desired could be obtained. These price
less proofs of his fairness and OF his
courage are before me on my desk, as l
write. Furthermore, I have it from
the lips OF man still living, a man
who was one of mis- most trusted :dvls-
c.-s i,d confidants, tina Hon. George 7
Fisher, that before the war ended Mr..
Lincoln had already commenced TO turn
over in his mind plan for Issuing
bonds to the extent of $500 100000 as
a means OF setting the ruined South on
its feet again. Death cut this mag
unanimous plan short, therefore it is al
most idle to theorize regarding results,
if it had been put into effect. It is
self-evident, however, that the hnnllia-
ton Of the reconstruction period, when
the brother triumphant abased the
brother defeated, would haye been
avoided, and With it much OF the rank
ling resentment that burnt deep in
some of the Southern hearts until
February last. Then, thank God, one
great passion was superseded 10y an
other-the desire to SEQ American arms
successful whether welded by North Or
by South.
~
Another aspect of his life is one that
is valuable in the extreme, to us just
at this time Of bewllderment, when
even wise men are asking themselves
what the United States as a NJ ton
should do when confronted by new
conditions. Though Lincoln was
trained as lawyer and therefore more
apt than usual to be guided and influ-
enced by presidents, yet none can say
that he failed In adjus!ablity. He saw
clearly what the fathers could never
haye foreseen and because they there
fore had never expressed themselves
regarding the new problems he felt at
liberty to act on the judgment of the
living rather than of the dead. In
short, he made precedents for himself,
and did what every true American
ought to do and can do, the chest"
under all the circumstances. When
the great disruption confronted Lin
coin he faced condition and trod a
pathway that no signer of the Declara-
ton of Independence knew about.
Because of the lack of knowledge on
the part of the forefathers, he did not
fatuously deny the existence of the
path; but with calmness almost
supernatural and devotion most ex-
haust,ng to himself be used the light
and judgment Ct his own day to meet
the problems and burdens of his own
day. ! do not for moment bali:tle
the value OF past history and records.
In the ordinary affairs OF national lite
the past is simply Invaluable, but when
extraordinary conditions confront US,
the past is Yalueless except in the one
lesson that great problems must be
met by great men, and decided in a
great-minded, dispasslonate, unselfish
way. Lincoln;s example In this direc.
ton is encouraging.
! *