Reporter and farmer. [volume] (Webster, Day County, Dakota [S.D.]) 188?-1946, 1904-06-02

picket. MI. PRESIDENT, she sdlu,
"wop't you pardon him. l know he
was SO tired he could not keep
awake" Abraham Lincoln picked
up a telegram from the boys com
mander, protesting against further
pardons in his division as utterly
destructive of discipline, and read it
with anguish in his voice. 81 can't
do it in the face of this" said the
president, and she said, 81 am old
and he is young. II they must kill
some one for the good of the army,
kill me and let him live" And the
president replied, 81 am commander
in chief and while | know but little
about commanding armies, | know
that the son of this woman is more
S to the country alive than dead.
The general can't execute him until
/ say SO and when | do the general
will be older than Methuselah."
She fell upon her knees and thanked
him as the widow Of Main had
thanked the Savior beyond the city
walls. This is the reason we SC
much love the memory of Abe
Lincoln.
My fellow country men had it not
been for these dear mothers OF
America, across the Potomac and
the Mississippi alien nations would
be watching as France and Germany
watch across the Rhine. The
paryers and faith and death of all
the dead would have been in vain;
the ear of God been deaf; the blood
of the revolution and the rebellion
a wasted food. 1t would not be
true that every man is by his
Creator endowed with the right to
his own life and his own liberty.
1t would not be true that no tax OF
burden can be laid by the govern
ment upon the people except with
their consent.
Perhaps Mr.. Mckinley will be the
last soldier of the civil wal to be
elected to the presidency. If SO it
be, with what greater honor to the
army in which he enlisted as a pri-
vate, could the list be closed? |
knew him when he was a member of
congress and scarce mentioned for
the higher Office. He had then the
elements of greatness: ability, elo-
quence, patience, charity, fortitude,
devotion to conscience, to duty and
to his friends. The kindness Of his
heart glimmered always in his dark
eye, lowered in his smile, tingled in
the grasp of his hand and made a
part of every tone in his voice. He
was loved then in a smaller sphere
as since in the greater. His convic-
tions as firm and unyielding as
the Calvinistic doctrines of his ances-
tors; and yet, SO tinged was he with
the spirit Of liberality, that he spon-
~taneously gave to every man the
right to hold differently. His argu-
ments were addressed to the judg-
ment and reason, never to a mean
ambition, motive or passion.
To him as president was it given
to first cover with flowers the scars
of the civil war, and to be openly
honored and loved nthe very strong
holds of the old confederacy. We
can almost see the mantle of Lincoln
upon his shoulders, as he-a Union
soldier elected by the opposing
party-stands in Atlanta the center
of the southland, mingles his SYM
pathy with them for their own dead,
and welcomes them to the flag of a
country finally united 10 the hearts
of men more firmly than in the iron
letter of the law.
On this day for the old soldier the
flight OF time is stopped and back
ward turned. He is again the boy
marchingto the war with his mothers
kiss fresh upon,his cheek, his fathers
blessing laid upon his head. His
manner gay, perhaps, as he steps
away to the time of the drum, yet
in his deeper heart are holy emotions.
Careless ofdeath and loving right,