The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1900-11-14

great statlon.n His life through it all
was one OF Intense labor. anxiety and
fistress, without one hour OF peaceful
rpnoae from first to last. But he rose 70
evary occasion. Ia led public opinion,
mt did NOT march so far In advance OF
IL as to fall OF It's effective support IN
every great emergency. He knew the
heart and Thought Of the people, as no
man not in constant and absolute sym
pathy with them could have known u,
and 40. holding their confidence, ne
triumphed through and with them. Not
only was there this steady growth OF IN
telIect, but the Infinite deiicacy OF Dis
natnre and les capaoity for refinement de-
veloped also, as exhibited In the purity
and perfection OF his language and style
of sueech The rough backWoodsmanS
who nad never seen the inside OF uni-
versity, became In the end, by self-train-
ing and the exercise Of his own powers
of mind. heart and soul, a master OF sty le
and some OF his utterances Will rank
with the BEST, the most perfectly adapted
to the occasion which produced them,
Have you time to Listen 20 his two min
utes' speech at Gettysburg, at the dedl-
cation OF the Soldiers Cemetery his
whole soul was In it,
flour score and seven years ago. our
fathers brought forth on this continent q
new nation conceived In liberty and dedi-
Gated to the proposition that all men are
created equal. Now we are engaged IN
great civil war, testing whether that
nation, or any nationlso conceived anu
so dedioated, can long endure. We are
met on great tbattlefield OF that war:
We have comesto ce1irate a.portion OF that
field as final resting place for those VINO
here gave their lives that the nation
might live. 1t is altogether hitting ana
proper that we should do this. But in a
larger sense we cannot deuioate-we cam
not consecrate-we cannot hallow this
ground. The brave men. living and
dead, who struggled here have .consecrat-
ed IL far above our poor power TO add or
detract The world will little note, nor
long remember, what we say nere-pus
IL can never forget what they did there.
1t is for us, the living, rather. to be
dedicated here to the unfinished work
which they who fought here have thus
far so molly advanced. IL Is rather for
us to be here dedicated TO the great tack
remaining before us-thst from these
honored dead we take increased devotion
to that cause for which they gave their
last full measure OF devotion-that we
here highly resolve, that these dead shall
not have died In vain-that this nation
under God shall have new birth OF
freedom-and that government OF the
people, by the people and for the people,
shall not perish from the earth"
He lived to see his work indursed by an
overwhelming majority Of his country
men. In his second inaugural address,
pronounced just forty days before his
death, there is a single passage which
well displays his indomitable will. and at
the same time his deep religious feeling,
his sublime charity to the enemies of his
country and his broad and catholic hui
manity:-
aft we shall suppose that American
slavery is one OF those offences which in
the providence OF God must needs come,
al fbrnnnh "a
appointed time, He now wills to remove,
and that He gives to both North and
South this terrible war, as the woe due 60
those pyIwhom the offence came, shalIsyge
discern therein any departure from those
divine attributes which the believers in
living God always ascrfbe to Him?
Fondly do we bops, fervently do we pray
that this mighty soourge OF war may
speedily pass away. Yet, IL God Wills
that 1t continue until all the wealth piled
by the bondsmen's two hundred and fifty
years OF unrequited toll shall be sunk,
and until every drop OF blood drawn with
the lash shall be paid with another drawn
by the sword, as was said three thousand
years ago, SO still 1t must be said, The
Judgments OF the Lord are true and right
eous altogether
with malice toward none, with charity
for all; with firmness In the right as God
gives us to see the right-let us strive on
to finish the work we are in; to bind up
the nations wounds; to care for him who
shall have borne the battle and for his
widow and his orphan-to do all Which
may achieve and cherish just and last
ing peace among ourselves, and with ali
nations.h
His prayers was answered. The forty
days OF life that remained to him were
crowded with great historic events. he
lived to see his Proclamation or Emancl-
patton embodied In an amendment OF the
constitution, adopted by Congress and
submitted to the states for ratification.
The mighty scourgs of war did speedily
pass away, for 1t was given him to wit
ness the surrender OF the last rebel army
and the fall of their capital, and the
starry flag that he loved, waving In
triumph over every foot OF the national
soil. When he died by the mailman s
hand "a the supreme hour of victory, the
vanquished lost their best friend, and the
human race one of its noblest examples;
and all the friends of freedom and justice,
in whose canse he lived and died, Joined
hands as mourners at his grave.
Many notable persons were in the audi
enoe and Mr.. Choate was frequently APP
plauded.
Lord Roseberry, replying to vote of
thanks. for presiding, said'
"Lincoln was one OF the great figures
OF the nineteenth century. 10 me, 1t
has also seemed that he was the second
founder of the great republic. His
strength rested ON two rocks-untiinch-
ing principle and illimitable common
sense. One distinguishing feature that
him from all the other
great men of history was his immense
fund of humor.''
UNION VETERANS UNION.