The Washington weekly post. (Washington, D.C.) 1878-1916, 1900-02-13

A~tssSo&A 4lINer OF the fepuDisC-Gn Al4Df
held a. Delmonlco's tonight The dinner
was attended by over three hundred mem
Oers OF the club and their guests. 4 not
able guest present was LnCOln's register
of the Treasury, /. u. Chltteaden, who is
now an octogenarlau. Among tho other
guests Of honor were Abner Mckinley.
Gen. Arson q. McCook. Gen. Samuel
Thomas, Gen. Henry l.. Burnett. Attorney
General John ". GTggs. Congressman
Robert @. Cousins, OF Iowa: Ber.aA VII
kins, and Prof Edwin Markham.
Senator Dcpew, before Introducing the
first speaker, addressed the gathering in
part as follows:
1t Is an Interesting question as We CiCse
one century and enter upon another 10
speculate as TO who will survive OF the
nineteenth as the representative OF what
has been done during these hundred years.
] doubt II there will be In the mind Of the
school boy and the average man or wOm-
an any other weil-knOwn names than In
Europe, Bismarck; in America, Lincoln.
The distinguishing characteristic Of tie
nineteenth century rs emancipation
emancipation OF the soul from bigotry and
dogma. emancipation Of the mind from
the formalities and dead forms OF the
past; emancipation Of the individual from
divine right TO govern; from class, from
privilege, and from slavery; emancipation
Of education from the studies which con-
sumed valuable time without impdrting
instruction; emancipation from the re-
striCtions upon the suffrage; emancipation
Of commerce. Of travel.
The Act Of Emancipation.
Lincoln dared proclaim that the United
States could not live half free and half
slave; that one or the other must perish,
and that slavery would perish and the
Union survive, when 10 so declare periled
the life OF the orator and ruined his 20
litical career. He aroused a storm Of pro-
test, OF discussion. and Of aenunciJtion by
his emancipation proclamation as a viola
tion Of the Constitution. even II IL saved
the country. only equaled by the denuncia-
lion from the same class Of minds Of the
action OF President Mckinley in sanction
ing the acquisition of new territory and
the imposition Of American institutions up
on Porto Rico and the Philippines.
"A student OF the teachings Of Lincoln
will find instructive lessons applicable 20
the present conditions in the State of
kentucky. The situation in the Common
wealth brings emphatically 10 the front
one Of the perils of our Institutions. The
country is filed with horror both at the
murder Of Mr. GOebel and causes which
led 10 it. one crime never justifies
another, and the only safety Of cOmmuni-
ties is the stern punishment of the crimi-
nal and condemnation of the crime. Dis
missing the tragedy, which We all lament,
and which was the elimination Of Ken
tucky's electoral difficulties, We come at
once TO the lesson of Lincoln. The whole
spirit and philosophy of LincOln's politics
was the power Of the people. No states
man ever so thoroughly believed that the
voice or the people is the voice OF God.
Ills appeal was always to the judgment
and conscience of his fellOw-citiZens, and
ne bowed with reverence TO the decision
OF the majority when that decision was
clearly rendered.
Speaking 10 the toast abraham Lin
coin, Congressman Cousins said In part:
Representative Cousins Address.
"Tn every part and in almost every city
Of America, on this last anniversary in
the century which produced him, a crate
ful people meet to pay their homage 10
the memory OF Abraham Lincoln. Not
that ii is possible for human speech 10
add 10 his renown, but rather that We
may dedicate ourselves and the nation
which he loved TO a better understanding
OF his character and to the principles for
which he lived and died.
The nineteenth century brings to the
threshold of the twentieth perhaps the
greatest and most distinguished names
ever given 10 the list of the immortals by
any single century of human progress.
and chief Of all those names is Lincoln.
Ep R..ltg s-.fA h..T Il, I.
nation is the history Of its great men. If
our century has produced greater. better,
robler men who have achieved more for
the human race than any other century,
il indicates, II 1t does not prove. the pro-
gress OF our world. II is u great thing
10 feel that this is true.
THE dream Of the eighteenth century
was free government - democracy - the
thought that civilized and enlightened
mankind could govern themselves, and
that security, progress. and endurance
would attend that system. But II was
doubted by the world even when our in
dependence was achieved, doubted when
Abraham Lincoln was born. doubted when
4 free people chose him as their PTesl-
dent. The test of rebellion had not yet
been made. When il finally came. most
of the Old Worlds intellects volunteered
the force and influence of their opinions
against the possibility OF the unity ard
stone expressed a disbelief in the pos
sible restoration OF the Union. But il
should always be remembered in justice
10 that empire OF the SHOWS ruled by the
imperial Car that when the supreme test
OF republican government and human llb-
trty was being made, no voice OF discOur-
agement ever emanated from the Russian
empire.
The problem of human Slavery-wheth-
or one human being could rightfully be
a. "A - hR ~
the contention on which the tremendous
test OF republican government arose.
leing a question Of both property and
morals all the prejudice and all the sell
ilshnesS OF human nature were necessarily
aroused. Destiny had not seen III 10 gi,J
10 the new republic the simple problem OF
solving the question Of its unity, Identity,
and Federal authority by mere abstroc.
OF the Constitution upon
Z ne direct issue as 10 whether, Tor any
cause, the Union might be dismembered.
II seemed as though infinite wisdom
sought 10 couple with the problem every
pa Ssiun that could come from human
aVarlcc, every prejudice that might arise
from forfeiture every bias that material
considerations could arouse. The terrible
test must be made for all time and with
every aggravation that could possibly at
tend II, To reach the summit Of free gov
'snment and 60 there proclaim 20 all the
world ana for all time the unity and indie
lAgrim OF human progress must bear the
heaviest pack that all the hands OF pTeju-
a!ce ana politics and doubt could pile upon
i4is back
But II must be remembered that in our
world OF strife and toll and suffering and
glory, nothing which Is easy can be great
The BrhVesI and Iae AsIEhIiesI.
In the rumbling thunder Of that ap-
preaching storm could be heard summons
only for the brayest and the rnigbtiest
men. il was no place for pygnies. In the
hehtning's fash Of that awful hour. hu-
man intellect, stimulated 10 intensity.
must forcsee the way Dy which the te.r
est hope % all the centuries could march
10 certain and enduring victory. and car
~ It's cause into the permanence Of the
ages. An, America, nov great shall be-
my gratitude 10 him VINO. standing in the
hashiisht OF that crisis, shall discern with
certainty the way FOR the ngw republic
TO work out it's ultimate sdIvaslon-ihe
way Tor liberty te Hye-the course bv
which nation torn asunder shall reach
q perfect and enduring Union.
Fifty years have passed and gone--hsIf
a century since all men learned his
name-and now We come again. as citi-
zens oi that permanent and perfect Union.