The farmer and mechanic. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 18??-19??, 1900-01-30

Prof. Basset Thinks He Was the First
Imperialist.

4 o. C&SS AL
I~mperialist.
Wake Forest. y. c.. Jan. I1.-tSpe-
| ciaIl-The students and peoIJe OF the
| hill were much instructed and exceed
| ingly entertained last evening by Il lee
| ture by Prof. j.. s. Passer1. from Trim
ity College. His lecture was upon The
Personality OF Abraham Lincoln"
| Throughout his lecture he used i~Llustra
| TONS which very APPLY conveyed TO the
| .uiuds Of his audience. With the hunor,
| he thought which he came - present.
| The sketch OF the environment Of Nj.
| lincoln was necessary u show the per
s~onaIity of the man was very striking.
Below | give u short sketch which ca:i
by no means do Justice 10 such an able
discourse:
He said "Linculn's distinguishing mcn-
tai characteristic | may call d~jrectuess.
He thought close 70 nature III the sense
II which Homan philosophers used the
word nature. He saw q thing as il was.
rs God might have seen il. perhaps. He
understood its distant relations. its fu-
ture consequences. To him his political
career WAS a whole ending at the high
Ast point Of his ambition and be- never
iUTgOt Ms. IljI liz l|N'IE ttfltT " ISt.
lad he looked to the emergency merely
le would have been United States Sena-
tor perhaps. but lot President: or la
would have been a tire-eahng abolition
iSt like Lovcjoy. Dut he would never
la>e founded z girat political party.
"Ilncoln early ~enyirOnmfnr was tnt
~laineSt. There wa NO free man in
be nation more hnnbly born: be coulG
OF even assert that he came OF resTect.
Die parents: no bounty Of nature made
Am goodly 10 look upon: his education
vas the most elementary. Ills taste
II dress and his bearing in company
we're Characteristic OF the huinhlest PEG
lie in the world. Il seemed as if he was
stamped IL the mint OF creation with
I'll tie outward marks Of a clout, in
rider 20 remind him forever Of his kin
hip with the lowlies1. This directness
# genius ard this sympathy with the
masses made him the ideal Democrat.
'Ir. Haugood says with the highest he
lever entirely lost tbs air OF familiarity.
Hhcn easily meeting the loWlieSt II was
Nth an inalienahIe dignity"
The speaker then touched upon the
arly career Of Lincoln and brought il
p 70 tie beginning OF the war. Ian
DIN, said he. was elected ny the
>orth 10 put slavery III L way Of ulti-
nate extinction. and that he meant TO
q. he haa read the Charleston ana
,ticIlliOliti papers. and feared the
orce Of the argument that better terms
ould be made ont Of the Union THAN
Il Il and be wrote ~ his friends 10 make
% bargains thar would allow slavery ex-
enslon. There is no possible colnIro-
niSo upon it." said he. but what puts
IS under again and all our work TO
D over again He do NOT want war
nd wanted q Union man from the South
Il his Cabinet. He offered the place to !
elmer Of North Carolina. but il wa, |
efu>ed. The inaugural address was |
nXlotlsiy awaited. When il came he
AID one thing plainly enough: ii said
here must be no ~,iisunioa. II said il
i the spirit Of the greatest Kindness.
lincoln was almost alone in this posi-
ion. Vt first only ,2c man ii his Cabi-
ct supported him III his desire 10 ?ct:lin
uinter. Lincoln was Il master OF noli |
lcs and set all lis skill to work to
ring the country 10 his upper III order
. save the tnion.
The great meaning Of Linculu's HE |
as that he stood fnr nationality. We !
Tt not. said the speaker. we shall |
ever he again. Just what We were be
ore III" W"r. In thar struggle We learn-
i Il lesson, both the North and the |
'outl. IL WAS the lesson Of nationality |
Inch brings us confidence III ourspIye, |
$ 4 nation Among nations. doing the !
DIRK Of humanity III the ,aear eye Of the |
laSter- My heart fights with Leg. |
XUil over charlottesville and wee.
yer Gettysburg. because | ann Il South
rner; but | thank God for -~trponatoy.
crolc as It was, because am nm Am
rlcan. What advantage could
ome 10 Is from saving the Union. 1t
this: We are ~lpr7er able 10 serve
UT turn as teachers Of the untauyla-
Without -~Aprr"InattoN there could have
cen no Manila Bay. \ century hence
.nglish speaking Filininos and Cubans |
iii bless name of him who gave national
Y to America and through that gave
@ht 10 the dark corners Of the earth. |
here are men VINO doubt our ability
, give this blessing TO the world. There
ere men III 1851 who doubted the abil-
y Of the nation - preserve its en-
rely. 1t was Lincoln Who taught them |.
, have faith in themselves. Out of
is faith ans his success. Our of it
nay we'll ONE the. further faith tina: |
e. his successors. may manage foreign
fairs. and internal affairs 1T least as
ell is ether nations. His life teaches
$ to stand t" our task in such a way
hat nj the Judgment Of nations we shall
OF SAY: i Was afraid and hid il in =
!ation.