The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1899-02-16
Present-Day Thoughts.
BY MEMO"

than ever came in range OF his voice.
Thus it is with Lincoln The con
slant illusions to him in books and
in papers, and the increasing ten
dency to regard his birthday as hol-
iday make him q very real man TO us;
and his example even greater in its
influence than during his life, for
each year carries us further and fur
Their away from the heat and fenzy of
the great war and we get not only a
better prospective view of Lincoln,
but also of the conditions that made
him great.
:: = s.
70 me one Of the most interesting
considerations in. connection with his
public life is that though he signed,
/ as war measure the Emancipation,
yet ne never abandoned in his person
al convictions the belief that the
south had rights by inheritance, and
by perfectly legal purchase, in their
living property. This is demonstrated
beyond all caviI by his attempt to get
Delaware to pass gradual enamel
+ patton act, the owners to be paiG $500
Il head for every slaye, man, woman
or child, belonging to them. The
measure failed, of course, because
feelings were too heated on each side
to permit the calm Judgment that
Lincoln himself possessed. The fact
that he dared such u step while the
hot-heads were ready to denounce him
is but little known or little under
stood. So interested was he in the
plan that with his own hands he
stretched out the details of two meth
DDS by which the end desired could be
obtained. These priceless proofs of
his fairness and of his courage are be
fore me on my desk as | write. Fur
thermore, | have it from the lips of a
man still living, man who was one
of his most trusted advisers and CON
fidants, the Hon. g. P. 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 $4O0,OOO,O 600 as a means
of setting the ruined South on it's
feet again. Death cut this magnani-
nous plan short, therefore it is al
most idle to theorize regarding re-
suits, if it had been put into effect.
1t is self-evident, however, that the
humiliation of the reconstruction
period, when the brother triumphant
abased the brother defeated, would
have been avoided, and with it much
of the ranking sentiment that burnt
deep in some of the Southern hearts
until February last. Then, thank
God, one great passion was suppressed
ed by another-the desire to see the
American arms successful whether
welded by North or by South.
Another aspect of his life is one that
is valuable in the extreme, just at
this time of bewilderment, when even
wise men are asking themselves what
the United States as nation should
do when confronted by new condi-
tions. Though Lincoln was trained
as a lawyer and therefore more apt
than usual to be guided and influence
ed by presidents, yet none can say
that he failed in adjustability. He
saw clearly what the fathers never
could haye foreseen and because they
therefore had never expressed them
selves regarding the new problems,
he felt at liberty to act on the judg-
ment 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 best" under all circumstances.
When the great disruption confront
ed Lincoln he faced condition and
trod pathway that no signer of the
Declaration of Independence knew
about.
btCUuSC vi blC lttCh VI hiIOWleuSe
on the part of the forefathers, he did
not fatuously deny the existence of
the path; but with calmness almost
supernatural and a devotion must ex-
hausting to himself he used the light
and judgment of his own day to meet
the problems and burdens Of his own
day. | do not for moment belittle
the value of past history and records.
In the ordinary affairs of national
life the past is simply invaluable, but
when extraordinary conditions the
past is valueless except in the one les
son that great problems must be met
by great men, and decided in a great
minded, dispassionate, unselfish way.
Lincoln's example in this direction is
encouraging.
Since Lincoln's time it is reputed
true that no human slavery has exist
ed within the borders of these United
States. 1t is true, presume, from
legal standpoint, but we young men
h.