Peninsula enterprise. [volume] (Accomac, Va.) 1881-1965, 1904-02-13

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
mellowing sunset of Lincoln's life was
even more glorious IN its golden refiec-
ti0ns than when he was accomplishing
the great purpose of his life-the pres
ervation of the Union. Like Moses OF
old, he 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 be a 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 Ap-
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
boy In blue" clasp hands as brothers.
A Noble American.
How, then, did he want to reach out
the hand Of reconciliation On Feb. 5,
1865, after the outcome of the war was
practically decided, he drafted a bill
by which, II congress consented, $4OO,-
100000 was to be paid on account OF
the liberation Of the slaves. He pre-
sented this proposed bill to his cabinet,
and when they unanimously rejected
It the president as Norman Hapgood
tells us, sadly folded 1t up and laid
1t away" AS soon as Richmond had
been evacuated he got on the cars and
started south. He went not as con-
queror, but as a messenger Of peace.
In his plain, simple way he practically
said to the old Virginians IL am your
brother. / AIN 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 disbandlng south
ern armies alike: "Go home. Take your
horses and plow your fields. Go home
and be our friends and comrades In
stead Of our foes" what was Lincolns
comment? "Good! Good! All right
Exactly the thingw Admiral Porter
gives these as Lincoln's words, which
he heard him repeat 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 comprehended within himself all
the strength and gentleness, all the
majesty and grace of this republic was
Abraham Lincoln" He was as true
and pure and noble and patient and
God inspired an American as ever
lived.
A Lesson of Love.
q Today, IL / had II In my power, l
would start pilgrimage to the Spring
field tomb. would have the southern
er as we'll as the northerner, easterner
and the westerner go there and learn
the lesson Of gentle and glorious love.
what" some cynic cries, would you
have the southerner go there as to a
shrine" Yes, my brother, would
have the southerner go to Lincoln's
tomb and kneel, the same as would
have the northerner go to the sacred
tomb of Lexington, Va, and bow rev.
erently before the dust Of honored, gen.
tie Robert z. Lee. Both Of these men
were conquerors. Both have subdued
and by their example will yet subdue
great hosts, whose numbers, In the dim
future, will be counted by the millions.
Both have won and will win their
greatest victories not by the sword,
but by love. When the civil war was
closing these two great leaders were
able to say to each other, "Thou art my
brother" Both are enshrined In their
nations love and admiration.
Trust In God.
Therefore, fellow countrymen, with
the universal affections Of the American
people, cannot the north come with her
sacred dust of Springfield, ILL.,, and the
south come with her sacred dust Of
Lexington, Va; then after the north
and south with their precious burdens
have both met at the national capitol at
Washington cannot the two different
sections which once stood face to face
In battle now stand side by side and
bury their two sacred dead In one
grave? Then over this one grave, en-
tombing the commingling dust Of the
two sacred dead, cannot and will not
the reconciled north and south chisel
one single God given epitaph, such as
old Kentucky placed upon her memorial
shaft, erected upon the once blood soak
ed field of Chickamauga to her "boys
! in gray" and to her boys in blue" "As
we are united In life and they unit
ed in death, let one monument per
petuate their deeds and one people, for
getful Of all asperities, forever hold In
grateful remembrance all the glories OF
that terrible conflict which made all
men free and retained every star upon
the nations nag."
Abraham Lincoln's parting words to
his fellow townsmen when for the last
time he left the Springfield depot for
the national capital were these: To-day
leave you. l go to assume a task
more difficult than that which devolyed
upon Washington. Unless the great
God who assisted him shall be with
and aid me must fail, but If the same
omniscient mind and Almighty arm
that directed and protected him shall
guide and support me I shall not fan
| shall succeed. Let us all pray thai
the God Of our fathers may not forsake
us now. To him commend you all
Permit me to ask that with equal sin
cerity and faith you will invoke his
wisdom and guidance for me-" Thi;
was the keynote of his whole gentle
loving, patient, forgiving life: Trust IL
God and patient dependence upon the
divine will. To Abraham Lincoln'i
| God commend YOU. May that Goo