The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1901-02-12
LINCOLN.

To-day will be naore generally observed
than has been the anniversary of any 9TH
er American except George Washington. In
recent years those who claim TO be follow
ers Of Jefferson have ascertained the date
of his birth and celebrated it. but the peo-
pie at large remember but two Americans
the anniversary of whose birth they cele-
brate and will celebrate so long as the Re
public exists-Washington and Lincoln.
These two men will live in every generation
of Americans. 1t might be assumed that
these men, while they lived. were the OBJ
jects of universal admiration and affection
because they are so now. 1t is unfortunate
for such an assumption that contempora-
ries of those men write of their acts and
their views, and that from these contempo-
raneous writings history has been made.
To-day the history of the country during
the periods when Washington and Lin
coin were at the head of the Nation shows
that no two men were more abusively,
falsely and Indignantly assajled than were
George Washington and Abraham Lincoln.
History is not only instructive, but it con-
tains the warning lesson of retribution.
Most of the men who Indignantly assailed
Washington have reason to be thankful
that they were engulfed in the murky
waters of oblivion. OF all the men in the
North who assailed Abraham Lincoln while
ne was President, what one of them would
not their posterity have forgotten as an
opponent? Who would covet to-day the rep
utation of any one of the leaders in the Re
publican party who were hostile TO Lincoln
and secretly conspired against him when
President? Terrible, indeed, is the retribu-
ton of history upon those who have fought
the Nations greatest men.
During the past few years certain men
and newspapers seem to have c~onspired TO
monopolize the name, the fame and the
views of Abraham Lincoln. Few of those
who were his detractors are now alive,
but their political heirs who take their
name and. in a guarded manner, claim the
deeds of their political ancestors. seem de-
ermined to recall the infamy of their po-
Htical parents by b~estowing
praise upon the deeds of Abraham Lincoln.
Turn back to the days of the Lincoln ad-
ministration, and consult the newspapers
of that period. and the u~tterances of the po-
litical ancestors of these men will be found
to reek with the most malignant misrepre-
sentation of that great man To-day some
of them will meet to praise Lincoln-do
these men realize that every sentence ut
tered in glorifcation of Lincoln is the most
terrific condemnation of those who bore
their party name while Lincoln was Presi-
dent? There is not a Democratic paper in
Indiana. published while Lincoln was Pres
ident, that is published to-day. that does
not brand with infamy those who edited it
from 1861 to 1865, whenever a word is
printed in praise of Lincoln. Furthermore,
every sentence printed in condemnation of
Lincoln and his opinions is a tacit con-
domination of the course pursued and the
words uttered by nearly every active Demo-
cratic leader in indian during the Lincoln
period.
These words would not have been writ
ten If the men who bear the political name
of those who devoted four years to the de-
traction of Lincoln simply extolled his vir-
tues and his achievements. They are said
because, as the residuary legatees of every
political assailant of Lincoln they are now
claiming that. by virtue Of Lincoln's deeds
and opinions, they are his followers. In
Ohio a club composed mainly Of the IONS
of the assailants of Lincoln will meet to-
night to link his name with that of Jeffer-
son, Jackson and Bryan. In his early days
Lincoln chose the anti-Jackson party and
was a Wing until he helped to organize
the Republican party. He was ever opposed
TO the Democratic party when in its best
estate. Yet the Lentzes, the Altgelds and
others who lave garbled his speeches and
applied them to subjects which are not un-
der consideration, or put words into his
mouth after his death. have the audacity to
claim him as their prototype. The living
who stood by Lincoln when he was Presi-
dent and those who a inherited his par
ty name and principles protest against this
sacrilege.