Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1904-09-24

him as her own child and taught both
Lincoln's father and the boy to read
and write. Born in Kentucky, proud
ly reared in Indiana, grown to man.
hood in Illinois, he was not a Kentuck-
ian, he was not an Indianan, he was
not an Illinoisan, he was in a proud
sense, an American. Though he only
reached the rule of three in his
school arithmetic at school, he studied
at nights and became sufficient math-
ematician to be an expert land survey
er. Though he knew no Greek, he
picked up such little Latin as he found
absolutely necessary in his studies of
the law. He became a master of the
English tongue, equal to the most Gull
tured scholars.
Hundreds of years ago, Pericles, the
Athenian ruler delivered his great ora
ton over the Greek soldiers. who had
died in battle and for hundreds of
years that Grafton stood alone unequal
led as the greatest of the world. But
on through to Gettysburg at the dedi
cation of the monument over that field
Of victory, Lincoln penciled upon his
knee on the back of an envelope his
immortal Gettysburg speech of only
twenty-nine printed lines. Pericles
Grafton had even its companion piece.
One of the greatest speeches of all
times was delivered by Abraham Lin
coin on that great occasion. When
| Lincoln was twenty-three years of age
the Black Hawk war broke out.
! Lincoln was tall ,lngainly
country boy, working in store, spend
ing his nights and Sundays in study.
The Bible and Shakespeare were his
constant companions. He learned his
morality from one and his knowledge
from both. When his company gath
cred together for the purpose of elect
| ing captain, Lincoln was candidate.
He went to one side of the company,
with his opponent to the other. All
who would have Lincoln gathered
around their choice. His few opponents
went to the other side of the field, and
Lincoln was soon chosen almost unarl-
| imously. After the close of that war,
he became candidate for the state
legislature, and he was elected to sew
eral successive terms. In 1916 he was
elected to congress for single term,
and in that term he found time to pre-
pare bill for the abolition of slavery,
in the District of Columbia. From
/ that time to 1852 he devoted his time
to the profession of the law, and to
occasional campaign speeches. In 1858
when the great Douglas was candi-
date for reelection to the United
States senate from Illinois, no oppon'
ent was thought of but Lincoln. The
campaign attracted attention through
out the whole country. Lincoln was
at once the public favorite.
"The popular majority in Illinois
cast their votes for Lincoln but the
! legislative districts had been sc
arranged that Douglas had the major
ity of the legislature. Lincoln lost the
senatorship but reached the presiden
cy. (. Douglas won the senatorship ant
! lost the presidency. From the time O.
Lincoln's election in 1860 his life!
story could constitute the his
tory Of the United States for h
became part Of all it's great event
J until the assassin's bullet slew him il
: April 1855. Lee had surrendered
Richmond was taken and the war wa
5 over. The opposition to the nationa
!, government had crumbled. When tn
cowardly assassin took the life of on
of the greatest men that the world hal
ever known, his body was carrie'
!, from Ford's theatre to house acros
the street and the family, the cabine
. and friends stood by his bedside unit
, the end came. Then Edwin M. Stan
: ton, the great war secretary, threw
sheet over the dying face and said
= He belongs to the ages"
v Mr. Lacey then proceeded to reviey
e the life, work and history of Mr.. Lir
coin and though he discussed othe
. matters connected with the welfare Q
the colored race as we'll, his address
, was devoted largely to the life an
: services of the martyred president. H
related many incidents and anecdote
of Lincoln life. some humorous an
some sad. His address was an extend
ed one and was greatly enjoyed an
appreciated by his audience.