The National tribune., 1900-08-16

I one
Gladly 10 go TO sleep?
| For US the stroke was just;
We were not worthy of that patient heart:
We might have helped him more, hot stood
apart,
And coldly criticised his works and ways;
Too late row, all too late, our little praise
Sounds hollow DER his dust.
Be merciful. o God,
Forgive the meanness of our human hearts,
That never till noble soul departs.
See half the worth, or hear the angels
Till they so rustling heavenward as he
springs
Up from the moulded sod.
| Yet what deathless crown
OF Northern pine and Southern orange
For victory, and the lands new bridal
Would we have wreathed for that beloved
brow!
Sadly upon his sleeping forehead now
We lay our cypress down.
o martyred one, farewell!
| Thou hast not left thy people quite alone;
| Out of thy beautiful life there comes tone
OF power. of love, of trnst.-a prophecy,
Whose fair fulfillment all the earth shall be,
Aliu dI lIle uIttic lell.
TRIBUTE BY GEN. GRANT.
have no doubt that Lincoln will be the
conspicuous figure of the war; one OF the
great figures of history. He was great
man, a very great man. The more / saw
Of him, hi the more this impressed me. He
was incontestably the greatest man l ever
knew. What marked him especially was
his sincerity, his kindness, his clear insight
into affairs. Under all this, he had
firm will and clear policy. People used
TO say that Seward swayed him, or Chase.
or Stanton. This was mistake. He
might appear to go Stewards way. one
day, and Stanton's another; but all the
time he was going his own course, and
they with him. 1t was that gentle tirmness
In carrying out his own will, without ap-
parent force or friction, that formed the
full talker and teller Of stories. 1t is said
his stories were improper. / have heard
of them, but ! never heard Lincoln use an
improper word or phrase. have some
times, when l have heard his memory
called in question, tried to recall such a
thing, but could not. l always found him
prominently clean-minded man. l
regard these stories as eXaggerations.
Lincoln's power of illustration, his humor,
was inexhaustible. He had story or an
illustration for everything.-tEItractl
TRIBUTE BY ROBERT G. ING ERSOLL.
Lincoln was the grandest figure of the
fiercest civil war. He is the gentlest
memory of our world.-l Robert q. In
gerSou.
TRIBUTE BY JOHN G. NICoLAY.
President Lincoln was of unusual stature,
six feet four inches, and of spare but mus
cular build; he had been in youth remark
ably strong and skilful in the athletic
games of the frontier, where, however, his
i,al tv1,ra rtrn IfHy
oftener made him an umpire than cham
pion. He had regular and prepossessIng
features, dark complexion, broad, high
forehead, prominent cheek bones, gray,
deep-set eyes, and bushy, black hair, turn
ing to gray at the time of his death. Alb
stemious in his habits, he possessed great
physical endurance. He was almost as
tender-hearted as woman. Il have not
willingly planted thorn in any mans
BOSOM" he was able to say. His patience
was inexhaustible. He had naturally a
most cheerful and sunny temper, was highly
social and sympathetic, loved pleasant
conversation, wit, anecdote and laughter.
Beneath this, however, ran an under
current of sadness; he was occasionally
subject to hours Of deep silence and intro
spection that approached condition OF
trance. In manner he was simple, direct,
void Of the least affectation, and entirely
free from awkwardness, oddity, or eccen-
tricity. His mental qualities were quick
analytic perception, strong logical powers,
tenacious memory, liberal estimate and
tolerance Of the opinions OF others, ready
intuition Of human nature; and perhaps his
most valuable faculty was rare ability to
divest himself of all feeling or passion in
weighing motives Of persons or problems
Of state. His speech and diction were
plain, terse, forcible. Relating anecdotes
with approaching humor and fascin ting
dramatic skill, he used them freely and
He loved manliness, truth and justice.
He despised all trickery and selfish greed.
In arguments at the bar he was SO fair to
his opponent that he frequently appeared
to voncede away his clients case. He was
ever ready 10 take blame on himself and
have controlled events" he said, but con-
fess plainly that events have controlled me"
The Declaration Of Independence was his
political chart and inspiration. He ac
knowledged universal equality OF human
rights. Certainly the negro is not our
equal in color" he said, perhaps not in
many other respects; still, in the right TO
put into his mouth the bread that his own
hands have earned, he is the equal Of every
other man, white or black" He had I'M
changing faith in self-government. "The
people" he said, ''are the rghtful masters
throw the Constitution, but to overthrow
the men who pervert the Constitution"
Yielding and accommodating in nom
essentials, he was infleXibly firm in a
principle or position deliberately taken.
"Let us have faith that right makes might"
he said, "and in that faith let us TO the end
dare to do our duty as we understand it."
The Emancipation Proclamation once
issued, he reiterated his purpose never
TO retract or modify it. There have been
men base enough" he said, ito propose TO
me to return to slavery our black warriors
Of Port Hudson and Olustee, and thus win
the respect Of the masters they fought.
Should l do SO, should deserve to be damn
ed in time and eternity. Come what will,
| will keep my faith with friend and foe"
Benevolence and forgiveness were the
very basis of his character; his world wide
humanity is aptly embodied in phrase Of
his second inaugural: with malice toward
none, with charity for all" His nature
was deeply religious, but he belonged to
no denomination; he had faith in the eternal
justice and boundless mercy Of Providence.
and made the Golden Rule Of Christ his
practical creed. History must accord him
a rare sagacity In guiding great people
through the perils of a mighty revolution,
an admirable singleness Of aim, a skillfui
discernment and courageous seizure of the
golden moment to free his nation from
the incubus Of slavery, faithful adherence
to law, and conscientious moderation in
the use of power, shining personal ex-
ample of honesty and purity, and finally
the DOSseSsiOn of that Subtle and iude6na hIa