Decorah public opinion. (Decorah, Winneshiek County [Iowa]) 1895-1928, 1901-08-07
4 COMMON TALK
ABE JONES INDUCES IN SOME
COMPARISONS.
Washington and Lincoln are weighed
in the balances.

ever produced Washington and Lin
coln-and it is hard thing to do. The
former is the acknowledged Father
and the latter the acknowledged Savior
Of his country. Washington's victory |
over the most powerful foe at that time,
was most remarkable. OF course he
was backed up by eminent generals
and soldiers whose patriotism has never
been excelled and never will be. At
that time traitors were as plentiful Tin
to the population) as copper
heads in Lincoln's time, and both were
far more contemplate than the open
enemy. Such distinguished generals
as Green, Gates, Putnam, Allen,
Lafayette, Arnold, Marion (the swamp
fox of the South) and scores of others
contributed largely to our independ-
ence.
Benedict Arnold was one of the
bravest and most brilliant of officers,
but little high-toned, and when
Washington gave him a slight repri-
mand for spending SO much of the
peoples scanty funds, he turned traitor
and joined the British army. Several
years after the war, when he was
living in Europe, q distinguished
foreigner called on him and asked for a
letter Of introduction to some of his
friends in this country as he was about
to visit it. Arnold replied, while tears
ran down his cheeks, ssAlas! alas! am
the only man in America who can
truly say that he has not a single friend
in the whole country Such is the
deserved fate of traitors. Had he been
caught his neck would have filled the
moose in place of the brilliant young
Major Andre.
AS contrast 1 will give you one
anecdote of General Francis Marion.
His operations were all in the South
lhis headnuartexs -WRra in his tent: his
bod y-guard consisted Of one negro ser
want. An English Office visited him
under a flag of truce and was invited to
dinner. After a pleasant visit Marion
ordered Sam to ''bring in the dinner"
which consisted of nothing but sweet
potatoes and salt. The officer returned
and reported to his superior that they
might as well embark for England, fol
when such generals as Marion would
live on potatoes and salt without com
planning, that people could never bt
conquered; and his words were pro
phetic.
Credit is not always given where i
is due. We frequently read Of great
victories won by . great general o.
great admiral as though they were th'
only ones who were there. IT 40, they
must be superhuman. We also read o
thousands OF dead and wounded on th'
field after q battle. They cOuldn'
possibly be all generals, for most o
them live to good old age. We some
times read that officers and men tough
heroically, which should head mel
and officers. Anybody with q pul
strong enough can be an officer, bu
men with God-given principles q
manhood must be born. 1t Is tru
that it sometime happens that a
officer and q man are combined In one
AS to the honesty and judgment
Washington and Lincoln / can max
no distipction. Washington was quit
q wealthy man for his time and wa
somewhat aristocratic in his notions
Had friend slapped him on the bac
and said, "How are you George?"
might have ended In duel, but II on
had slapped Lincoln on the back an
said, "H0w are you Abe?" he woul
have replied, s'Gut; vie geht's?"
Il Washington and his soldiers gay
!, freedom to the American colonies wit
% population about the size of Ne
York today. Linc0lR, with one strOk
|Of his pen, gave freedom to milliO
more human beings who had been
bondage for centuries, and whic
broke the backbone of the rebellion
: Lincoln was . true man Of the people
' He was at home anywhere -On fla
! boat, splitting rails, running dam
grocery with Douglass this best Gu
; t0mer) canvasing the etate Of Illino
o against the most brilliant orator an
: statesman Of the Democratic party, an
, holding him levek (for 1t Ii dispute
question which took the lead) and la
Of all, as occupant OF the White Hous
{ OF course, Mr.. and Mrs. Lincoln ha
Q to attend reception bail. ! WASH
= there and don't know which It WI
but he was called for a speech. ! thin
: the first he had made since his inaug'
Q ration. He was very tall man an
:, Mrs. Lincoln was very short. She WI
!, hanging to his arm when he salt
= = Ladies' and gentlemen, you now b
oIScld The long and the short Of the a.
4 'ninistratiOnn
eI Without any desire to pluck . sing
y laurel from the brow Of Washington,
J, must give It as my opinion that Abr
ham Lincoln was the grandest ma
y that ever trod American soil.
~ Ann JoNEs.