The Denison review. [volume] (Denison, Iowa) 1867-current, 1900-02-06
LINCoNIAN SPEECH.
Many Quaint Modes of Expression In
Lincoln's Talk and Writings.


Many Quaint Modes of Expression In
LincOln's Talk and Writings.
To astute practical philosophy and
never failing common sense Lincoln
Joined the most grotesque humor. Nor
was he ever at a loss to enliven or
cheer the most doleful or somber eX-
igency with some droll or sprightly re-
mark or witticism. The hostility of
Thurlow Weed and Horace Greeley
afforded the president an opportunity,
which he did not fail to improve, to
indulge his grotesque humor in note
to Secretary Chase suggesting an APP
pointment-thus: "Mr. Adams Is mag
nificently recommended. but the great
point in his favor is that Thurlow
Weed and Horace Greeley join in rec
ommending him. suppose the like
never happened before and never will
again, so that 1t is now or never"
In speaking of the hostility of the
senate to Seward as secretary of state,
he commented thus: while they SEEM
ed to believe in my honesty, they also
appeared to think, when had in me
any good purpose or intention, Seward
contrived to suck it out of me upper
ceived." Which was an extremely
coarse, but, 1t must be confessed,
graphic. mode Of stating the case
His early acquaintance with Douglas
was not achieved under very fattering
auspices. as would appear from letter
to John I. Stuart Of Nov. IA, 1889,
thus: Speaking Of authenticity, you
know that if we had heard Douglas
say that he had abandoned the contest
it would not be very authentic"
Which, 1t must be confessed was a
very neat way of charging mendacity.
The same masterful politician was
adroit in his political strategy, and
Lincoln understood his ways perfectly.
OF his doctrine of popular sovereign
ty" he said. ut is to be dished up in as
many ways as a French cook can pro-
duce soup from potatoes" And again
he said of it, at has been nothing but
living, creeping lie." Speaking of
Douglas promise that we were just at
the end Of the slavery agitation, he
said, $50 it would seem that the last
tip of the last joint Of the old serpent's
tail was just drawing out of view.'
When the United States senate asked
the president to dismiss Seward, and he
rendered his resignation in conse-
quence. and Chase, from having been a
particeps criminis in the rebuke, had
also to tender his resignation. thus plac-
ing the president in the judgment seat
concerning them. he, with magnanimity
and gracious condescension, refused to
dismiss them and thus acquired NOR
al ascendancy over them in an extreme
degree. He then said to Judge Harris,
with an air of not sardonic. but anus
ed, felicitation, "Now l can ride, for
! have got a 'punlzin' in both ends of my
bag"
But he could likewise be solemn and
dignified in his minor utterances, and,
in view OF the awful denouement Of
( April Is. 1865, the following, written
to Thurlow Weed just one month pre-
viously. has strange significance:
"Men are not flattered by being shown
that there has been difference of pur-
pose between the Almighty and them.
! To deny it, however, in this case is to
deny that there is God governing the
4 world. 1t is truth which | thought
needed to be told. and, as whatever
| there is of humiliation in it falls most
directly on myself, thought others
!, might afford for me to tell it,
| No statement of the wrong of extend.
ing slavery into free territory could be
more forcibly presented than is done
in letter to Samuel Galloway in 1859,
taking slaves into new territory and
buying slaves in Africa are Identical
things, Identical rights or Identical
wrongs. and the argument which will
establish the one will establish the
other"
To Governor Hahn he wrote, "They
(the colored mem will probably help
in some trying time to come, to keep
the jewel of liberty In the family Of
freedom"
Nor yet does he omit to steal brief
respite from carking cares in order to
notify Tad" of great misfortune
, and to condole with him thus: '"rell
dear Tad poor nannygoat is lost. and
Mrs Cuthbert and are in great dis
tress about it The day you left nan.
ny was found resting herself and