The National tribune., 1900-03-01

chusetts.' said he to Mr. Bancroft. where
have a son Il; school. whO if report he true,
already knows much more than his father.
THE FAMOUS COOPER iEsTITUTE
SPEECH.
On the evening of Feb. p large and
brilliant audience gathered at Cooper
Institute to hear the famous Western
orator-thc man who had dared, like
Marmion,
"To beard the lion in his den,
The Douglas in his hall
The scene was never to be forgotten by
those who witnessed it. Upon the plat
form sat many of the prominent men of
The Republican party, and IN the body
of the hall were many ladies. The meeting
was presided over by the illustrious poet,
William Cullen Bryant. of whom Mr.. Lin
coin aftcrward said: at WAS worth a journey
to the East merely 10 see such man."
The orator of the evening was introduced
by Mr. Bryant with some very compli-
mentary illusions especially TO his con-
trovcrsy with Mr.. Douglas. when Mr..
Lincoln came OH the platform and was
introduced by Mr.. Bryant" says one who
was present, 'he seemed a giant in contrast
with him. His first sentence was deliv-
cred in a peculiarly high-keyed voice, and
disappointed us. In a short time the sharp
points of his address began TO come. and
he had not been speaking for half an hour
before his audience seemed wild with en-
thiIsaSm." Another account says: Mr.
Lincoln began his address in low. monoto-
nous tone, but as he advanced his quaint
but clear voice rang out boldly and dis
tinctly enough for all to hear His manner
was, toa New York audience. a very strange
one, but it was captivating. He held the
vast meeting Spcllbound, and as one by one
his Oddly-exprcssed but trcnchant and
convincing arguments confirmed the sound
ness of his political conclusions, the house
broke out i'll wild and prolonged enthusi-
asm. think | never saw an audience
more thoroughly carried away by an
orator" This speech was full of trenchant
passages, which called forth tumultuous
applause. The following is specimen:
81 defy any one TO show that any living
man in the whole world ever did prior 10 the
beginning OF the present century (and !
might almost say prior to the beginning of
the last half of the present century,, declare
that. in his understanding, any proper di-
vision of local from Federal authority, or
amy part Of the Constitution, forbade the
Federal Government 10 control slavery in
the Federal Territories. To those who
now so declare i give not only our fathers
who framed the Government under which
we live. but with them all other living
men within the century in which il was
framed, among whom to search, and they
shall not be able to find the evidence of a
single man a greeing with them"
Referring to the South, and the growing
political discomfort in that quarter, he
said:
Let all who believe that our fathers
understood this question just as well as and
even better than We do now. speak as they
spoke. and act as they acted upon it. This
is all Republicans ask-all Republicans
dcsire-in relation to slavery. AS those
fat m 1rk cd cf.l LOT ha xal
as an evil not TO be extended, but to be
tolerated and protected only because of
and so far as It's actual presence among us
makes that liberation and protection a
necessity. Let all the guarantees those
fathers gave 1t be, not grudgingly, but
fully and fairly maintained"
His counsel 10 the young Republican
party was timely and full of wisdom.
a few words now 10 Republicans: IL is
exceedingly desirable that all parts of this
great Confederacy shall be at peace, and in
harmony one with another. Let us Re
publicans do our part TO have it so. Even
though much provoked, let us do nothing
through passion and ill-temper. Even
though the Southern people will not so
much as listen TO us, let us calmly CON
slider their demands, and yield TO them if.
in our deliberate view of our duty, we
possibly can"
The address closed with the following
memorable words:
Wrong as we think slavery is We can
yet afford 10 let il alone where il is, be-
cause that much is due to the necessity
arising from its actual presence in the
NatiOn but can we, while our votes will
prcvcntit, allow it spread into the National
Territories. and To oVerrun us here in these
free States? If our sense of duty forbids
this. then let us stand by our duty, fearless
ly and effectively. Let lis be diverted NV
none of those sophistical contrivanccs
wherewiih we are so industrousIy piled
and belaborcd -contriyanccs such as grop-
ing for some middle ground between the
right and the wrong, vain as the search
for Il man who should be neither q living
man nor a dead man,-such as a policy Of
don't care on a question about which all
true men do care,-such as Union appeals.
beseeching true Union men to Weld TO
Disunionlsts. reversing the divine rule,
and calling not theS nerS but the righteous
TO repentance,-such as invocations of
Washington, imploring men to unsay what
Washington said and undo what Washing
ton did. Neither let us be slandered from
our duty by false accusations against MS.
nor frightened from 1t by menaces of de
struction to the Government, nor of dun-
geons to ourselves Let us have faith that
right makes might, and in that faith, let
us, to the end, dare do our duty, as we
understand it,"
A STRONG AND FAVORABLE IMPREs-
SION.
The Cooper Institute speech made a
profound impression upon the public,
All who saw and heard Mr.. Lincoln felt
the influence of his strange hut powerful
personality, and acute minds recognized
in the unsophisticated Western lawyer a
new force in American politics. This
speech made Mr.. Lincoln known through
out the country. and undoubtedly did
more than anything else to secure him the
nomination for the Presidency. Aside
from its extensive republication in the
newspapers, various editions of il appeared
in pamphlet form, one of the best of which
was issued by Messrs. G. c. Mott and Ce-