Democratic messenger. [volume] (Snow Hill, Md.) 1869-1973, 1904-02-13

q RICH, to lean and from whose infiu-
ence he had a right to expect succor
and help, If the armies of Lee were
attacking him in the front. the rancor-
Gus tongues of some who were his
closest advisers were broadcasting
their evil murmurs everywhere.
Well" says some nearer. why did
he allow those men who were nearest
to him TO criticise him: Why did he
not do as one of his Springfield friends
suggested. kick them out of Officer"
That question cannot he answered in a
better way than 10y quoting the words
Lincoln spoke when he said. quietly.
that il was easy enough to kick a man
out. but moi always so easy To get an
other man Ia fill his place and do as
well rs he did In those few words
we aliZe the results Of Iincoln's pa
thence with those 81 called friends who
kept publicly criticising their chief.
He once said TO Leonard SWEET. Il may
not have made aS great a president as
some other men. but believe | have
kept the discor,ant elements together
as we'll as any one could" Like Abra-
ham Lincoln. are we as Christians
ready 10 let men criticise us and find
fault with us If only we can use them
for the cause of Christ as Lincoln was
able To Use Stanton and Seward and
Simon Cameron and Hooker and Nc
Clcllan and Thaddeus Stevens and
Greeley and Bennett TO help save the
Union:
Leader Of the People.
As the twilight is the most beautiful
part Of the day. so we find that the
mcllOwing sunset of Iincoln's life was
even more glorious in its golden refiec-
tiOns than when he was accomplishing
the great purpose of his life-the pres
ervation of the Union. Like Moses Of
old. lie was able To lead his people
through the dark wanderings In the
wilderness; but. also. like Moses. he
was not to be allowed TO plant his foot
in the promised land. The Jordan
which separated him from his southern
people In the reconstructive period was
to he n great river whose waters came
from the falling tears that millions Of
eyes shed over his bier and by his coffin
lid. In those few days that led up to APP
pomattOx and thereafter we may know
what fruit the patience of Lincoln
would have borne. His purpose was to
bind up the nations bleeding wounds
and make the boy in gray" and the
hoy in blue" clasp hands as brothers.
4 Noble American.
How. then. did he want to reach ont
the hand of reconciliation? On Feb. 5.
1865. after the outcome of the war was
practically decided. he drafted a bill
by which. il congress consented. $780,
00O.O00 was to he paid on account Of
the liberation OF the slaves. He pre-
sented this proposed bill TO his cabinet.
and when they unanimously rejected
II the president, as Norman Hapgood
tells us. sadly folded il up and laid
ii away" AS soon as Richmond had
been evacuated he got on the cars and
started south. He went not as n con-
queror. but as a messenger of peace.
In his plain. simple way he practically
said to the old Nirginians: Il am your
brother. am your friend. Come, be
my brother and my friend" When
that other messenger of peace. Ulysses
S. Grant. practically said to the Off
GERS and men of the disbanding south
ern armies alike: 60 home Take your
horses and pillow your fields Go home
and he our friends and comrades in
stead of our foes what was I.incoln's
comment? Good. Good. All right,
Exactly the thing Admiral Porter
gives these as 1.incoln's words. which
he heard him repeat n dozen times. In
the glorious hopes Lincoln held of fu-
ture reconciliation. do you wonder that
Henry Grady the eloquent Georgian.
was impelled To say that the first
who comprchendcd within himself all
the strength and gentleness. all the
majesty and grace of this republic was
Abraham Lincoln He was az true
and pure and noble and patient and
God inspired an American as ever
lived
Lesson Of Love.