The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1900-11-14
MR.. GHOATE
ON LINCOLN


slavery. attracted the attention Of the whole
country Lincolns powerful arguments carried
, conviction everywhere. His moral natIre was
thoroughly aro,lsed-hs conscience was stirred
to the quick. Unless slavery was wrong, moth.
ing was wrong. Was each man. OF whatever
color entitled TO the fruits OF his own labor, Or
could one man live in idle luxury BY the sweat
OF anothcr's brow. whose skin was darker? lie
was an implicit believer in that principle OF the
Declaration Of Independence that all are
vested with certain nalicnable rights--the equal
rights to life, liberty and the pursuit oi lappi.
ness. On this doctrine he staked his and
carried it,
Uncle Toms Cabin.
During the entire decade, from 1850 10 lsU0
he agitation OF the slavery question was at the
boiling point. and events which have become
historical continually indicated the near approach
OF the overwhelming storm. No sooner had the
compromise acts OF 1850 resulted in a temporary
peace, which everybody said must be final and
perpetual, than new outbreaks came. The forci.
Bile carrying away Of fugitive slaves by federal
troops nom Boston agitatcd that ancient strong
hold of freedom to its foundations. The publi-
cation o! "lncle Toms Cabin which truly
exposed the frightful possibilities of the slave
system; the reckless attempts by force and fraud
TO establish it in Kansas against the will Of the
vast majority Of the settlers; the beating of
sumner in the senate chamber for words spoken
in debate; the Drcd Scott decision in the Su-
rremc court which made the nation realize that
the slave power had at last reached the ioun.
tain of federal justice; and finally the cxecu-
lion oi John Brown. for hls wild raid into vir.
sina, to invite the slaves to rally to the stand
ard oI freedom which lie unfurled all these
events tend to illustrate and confirm Lncoln's
contention that the nation could not pcrna.
ncntly continue hali slave and half free, but
must become all one thing or all the other.
When John Brown lay under sentence OF death,
he declared that now he was sure that slavery
must be wiped out in blood but neither he nor
his cNecutioncrs drcamt that within four years
million soldiers would be marching across the
country for its final eytirpation. TO the music Of
the war song OF the great conflict
John Browns body lies Il moudering in the
grave.
liut his soul is marching on"
And now, at the age OF tifty.one--ths child OF
the wilderness. this farm laborer. ral.splitter,
Hat hoatman-thiS surveyor, lawyer, orator,
statesman and patriot found himself elected by
the great party which was pledged TO prevent
at all hazards the further extension OF slavery,
as the Chief magistrate OF the republic hound
to carry out that purpose. to be the leader and
ruler OF the nation in its most trying hour.
Those who believe that there is q living Prov
idcncc that overru2s and conducts the affairs Of
nations, find in the elevation OF this plain man
TO this extraordinary fortune and to this great
duly which he so fifty discharged. signal vim
dcation of their faith.
lie was born great, as distinguished from those
Th" arh'yv, s,eatnes, or have il thrust upon
Them, and his inherent capacity, mental. moral
and rhysical, having hccn recognized by the etlu.
Gated intelligence of free people, they happily
chose him for their ruler in day of deadly peril
Lasting Impression.
il i, nov forty years since | tlst saw and
heard Abraham Lincoln but the impression
which he left ON my mind is inetiaceablc. After
York 10 make Il political address. lie appeared
in every sense vi the word like one of the plain
Ieepe amo,s whom he loved to be counted
Al first sahl here was nothing impressive or
imposing about him-eycept that his great stat.
ure singled him out from the crowd; his clothes
hung awkwardly ON hi, giant frame, his face
was Of dark pallor without the slightest tinge
oi color; his scanned and rugged features bore
the iurows OF hardship and struggle; his deep.
set eyes locked sad and anxious; his counte.
nance in rcpose gave li,tle evidence OF that BRAIN
power which had raised him from the lowest TO
the highest station among his countrymen; as
he talked 10 mo before the meeting, he
seemed III Al ease, With that sort Of upprehen
sion which Young man might ieel before pre-
sehiilg himself 10 4 new and strange audience,
whose critical disposition he dreaded. II was q
great audience. including all the noted men--all
The learned and cuured-of his party in New
York; editors eergymen, statesmen lawyers,
merchants, critics They We're all curious to hear
him. His fame as powerful speaker had pre-.
ceded him, and exaggerated rumor of his wit
,h" M worst i9rerunmer Of an oratol>.had reached
The east When Mr., Bryant presented him. on
the high platform oi the Cooper institute, vast
sea ri eager uptulnea faces greeted him, full OF
intense curiosity to see what this r,dc child OF
ion. When he spoke he was transformetl; his eye
kindled, his voice rang, his face shonc and
seemed to light up the whole assembly. For an
hour and a half he held his audience IN the hol.
low Of his hand His style OF speech and man.
ner OF delivery were severely simple What
Lowell called The grand simplictios OF tho
Bible with which he was familiar We're re.
hccled in his discourse With no attempt at or.
nament on rhetoric, without parade on prctcnce,
hc spoke straight TO the point. II any came eX.
peciing the tnrgid eloquenCe or the ribalSlry OF
the frontier, they must have been startled at the
earnest and sincere purity OF his uiterances. 1t
was marvellous 10 sec how this mtutored man.
by mere seli,discipline, and the ehastening OF
lis owh spirit, had outgrOwn all meietrico,s
arts, and found his way 10 ,iie grandeur and
strength Of absolute simplicity.
Mastery Logic.
lie spoke upon the theme which he had mas.
tered so thoroughly. lie demonstrated by vopjous
historical proofs and mastery logic that the
fathers who created the constitution, in order
TO form more perfect union, to establish jus.
tice and to secure the blessings of liberty to
themselves and their posteiity, intended 10 EN-.
power the federal government TO exclude slavery
from the territories hi the kindliest spirit he
protested against the ayowcd threat OF the south.
ern states to DESTROY the Union H. in order to
secure freedom in those vast regions, out OF
which future states were to be carved, a Repub.
bcan president were elected. lie closed with
an appeal TO his audience. spoken with all the
IN All his md