The Appeal. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn. ;) 1889-19??, 1903-08-22
THE. TRUE ABRAHAM LINCOLN.

THE, TRUE ABRAHAM LINCOLN.
liam Eleroy Curtis, author of The True
Thomas Jefferson. Crown Svo. Cloth,
decorated; net, 81. Philadelphia: J. B.
LiRpincott Company: NOVA o.ouoo+oua ~
history, the record of whose lives grow in
interest with each succeeding generation,
and which CLEAN brighter as time passes,
| instead of fading with the general wreck
of men and things, by which they were
envirOEed.
These characters are unique and orig
inal and bear striking analogies to each
Other-the most important of which is
their self dedication to truth.
1884, They-m may be called the guide posts Of
e &llzatlon, ana MAJ =: names as. CHRIST,
Socrates, Luther and Lincoln. It is about
the latter that William Eleroy Curtis has
written under the title, "The True Abra-
ham Lincoln"
The story of Lincoln is always absorb
ing and full of human interest. The vol
umes which have been written about him
would stock a library Of large dimensions
we have. however, read none of them
which surpass in arrangement OF literary
tuis nil nisi bonum'' has exerted such a
profound influence on western thought,
that it's literature fails to throw much
light upon many of the eminent careers
of distinguished statesmen and soldiers.
MIR. Curtis, however, writes in a natural
manner about natural man, and does
not fail to remind us that Mr.. Lincoln
had faults, as youth, and as man.
These faults, however, serve as a strik-
ing contrast to the sublinlity of his char
acter, which had been attained before
his assassination.
The illustrations are profuse and some
of them appear for the first time in a
published biography of the Great Emanci-
Lincoln, the Leader of the Springfield
Bar" is full of interest," as the author
traces his intellectual development, from
that of the average pioneer, upward and
onward until he became pleader of such
striking power and force as to easily sur 5f.
cases men who had been trained in in
situations of higher education.
"The occasion upon which Lincoln dis
the Bloon..,,-ton Convention for the or
ganization Of the Republican party early
in 1856. Never was an audience more
completely electrified by human speech
'..:e convention, which was composed Of
former members of all political parties,
had adopted the name Republican, had
taken extreme grounds against slavery,
and had launched new political organi-
cation; but it contained many discOrd-
ant, envious and hostile elements. Those
who had watched the proceedings were
anxious and apprehensives Of dissention
and jealousy, and Lincoln, with his acute
political perceptions, realized the. danger,
perhaps more keenly than any other man
in the, assembly. He saw before him
group Of earnest, jealous. sincere men;
willing to make tremendous sacrifices
and undertake Titanic tasks, but at the
same time most of them chung to their
own theories and advocated their indi-
vidual methods; with a tenaclty that
promised to defeat their common purpose.
Therefore, when he arose in response to
the unanimous demand for a speech from
the great orator of Springfield, his soul
was flooded with desire andaa purpose
to harmonic and amalgamate the patri-
otto emotions Of his associates.
Those who were present say that at
first he spoke slowly, cautiously, and in
in. force and intensity until he swept the
discordant souls of the assembly together
and his hearers 'arOse from their chairs
with pale faces and quivering lips and an!
pressed unconsciOusly towards him. His
influence was irresistible.
THE REAL BENEDICT ARNOLD.
The Real Benedict Arnold. By Charles
Burr TODD, author Of The True A "a on
New York: AIS. Barnes & Co. -. r. \.
The ''real' and true people seem to
have the front of the stage just now.
An unpleasant impression has prevailed
in many quarters that Benedict Arnold
has not been fairly treated, that his serv-
ices to his country were ignored and his
great fault was not over-emphasized per
cry to ones country far surpasses the
other great treachery to ones friend and
is not to be condoned in any wise There
may be, however certain circumstances
which explain the deed and modify the
bitter condemnation. e stss
While not condoning Arnold's treason,
Mr. Todd emphasizes his invaluable serv-
ices to. America, and shows conclusively
that he four times saved the cause of the
Colonies: first at the battle Of Valcour,s
Island on Lake Champ1ain (the first naval
battle, by the way, in which our arms.
were engaged), where, by his desperate
valor, he gave the British such whole
some respect for American arms that
they gave up their plan Of invasion from
the north that year; second, by raising
the siege of Fort Stanwix In the Mohawk
Valley and putting to flight st. Iegers
invading army marching to aid Rurgoyne,
and third and fourth by winning the two.
battles of Saratoga, which, conjoined,
Cressy included as one of the fifteen de-.
cisive battles of the world.
q Mr.. Todd also shows that it was the:
influence Of Arnold's wife and his fear
of losing her should her reasonable COR
respondence with the British officers be
discovered, which induced Arnold to be-
tray his country, and not the gross In
Justice OF Congress nor the calamities Of
paper generals-the motives generally
.ascribed The book IS an original ana