The Appeal. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn. ;) 1889-19??, 1903-05-30
THE TRUE ABRAHAM LINCOLN.

the True Abraham Lincoln. BY Will
liam Eleroy Curtis author Of The True
decorated; net. 81: Philadelphia: j. B.
Lippincott Company.
There are a few rare characters in
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
environed. j.
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.
( They may be called the guide posts OF
civilization, and may be1named as, Christ,
Socrates Luther and Lincoln. It is about
the latter that William Eleroy Curtis has
ham LincOln.< 80
The story of Lincoln is always absorb
ing and full Of human interest. The vol
umes which have been written about him
would stock library Of large dimensions
we have, however, read none of them
which surpass in arrangement OF literary
detail. Mr.. Curtis publication. DE NOR
tuis nil nisi bOnum' has exerted such
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.
Mr.. Curtis. however, writes in a natural
manner about a natural man. and does
not fail to remind us that Mr.. Lincoln
had faults, as a youth and as a man.
These faults, however, serve as strlk-
ing contrast to the sublimity 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 Emancl-
pator's life.
Bar is full of interest, as the author
traces his intellectual development, from
| that Of the average pioneer. upward ana
| onward until he became pleader OF such
and n
| pass in the logical presentation OF MS
cases men who had been trained in in
situations Of higher educa ton.
| THE occasion upon which Lincoln dis
| played unusual power as an orator was
! the Bloomington Convention for the Or
ganization OF the Republican party early
SSs NeEsg 5 bg h"sn speee
| The Convention, which was composed OF
| former members of all political parties;
had adopted the name Republican, had
and hau launched a new, political organi-
! cation; but it contained many discofd-
| ant. envious and hostile elements. Those
who had watched the proceedings were
| anxious and apprchensive- Of dissentlon
| 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
| willing to make tremendous sacrlnces
| and undertake Titanic tasks. but at the
same time most. of them chung to theH
| own theories and advocated their indi-
vidual methods with a tenacity thai
| promised to defeat their common purpose
| Therefore. when he arose in response tc
the unanimous demand for a speech frop
the great orator of Springfield his sou
was Hooded with desire and a purpose
to harmonic and amalgamate the patrl'
otto emotions Of his associates.
Those who were present say that al
first he spoke slowly. cautiously, and IL
| monotone, but gradually his words gre"
in force and intensity until he swept the
discordant souls Of the assembly together
! and his hearers ''arose from their char:
with pale faces and Quivering lips ane
pressed unconsciously towards him. Ill:
influence was Irresistible.