Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1905-02-13

the White House. Beneath the picture was a
facsimile Of Lincoln's famous Gettysburg
speech.
Gen. William w. Backmar Of Boston.
Mass, commander-in-chiefo of the Grand
Army Of the Republic. presided at the gath
ering and made the principal address of the
evening. Other speakers were Representa-
tive B. B. Dovener of West Virginia. Repre-
sentatives William s. Greene of Massachu-
sets and Daniels of California. Representa-
tive Goulden, who was on the program,
was called to New York. and. therefore was
unable to be present. Besides the speakers
there were seated on the stage Col. William
M. Palmer. representative from Michigan;
son, Dan A Grosvenor. Col John Twee-
dale, Rev. Henry N. Couden. chaplain of
the House Of Representatives, and Chaplain
Bradford Of the Department of the Poto-
mac, G. A. r.
Gen. Blackmar's Address.
In his address,. General Blackmar re-
viewed the life and achievements Of Lin
coin, and referred to him as an example
to the generation OF younger men. He paid
glowing tribute to the patriotism and
lofty purpose OF the martyred leader. He
said:
In 1902 nInety-six years ago today. there
was born a boy In poor little log cabin
on the then far distant frontier In Ken
lucky, whose parents were so poor that
they could hardly give him proper clothing
only give him the very coarsest food and
barely sufficient of that to maintain life
This boy born and reared In an abject
poverty the extent of which can be with
difficulty realized by the inhabitants Of
this now prosperous country. had no OPP
portunity given him for schooling. even
such as the very poorest children of our
states have today. In fact, he had no OPP
portunity to attend school, and only learned
his letters and learned to read by reason
Of the kindness Of a good woman. He had
but two or three books, which he thoroughly
dlgested but more to the point, assimilated.
'.As clerk in a country store. as one of
the hands on a Mississippi fiatboat.
land surveyor, proficient to a moderate de-
gree; as a captain in the Black Hawk
war as member of the legislature of ILL
nois, he rose step by step until he became
q. memberof Congress and had the courage
TO challenge the great leader of his state
ia that day to personal contest for the
sena torshp meeting him upon the stump
repeatedly, and always to the satisfaction
and surprise of his friends who little
dreamed then of his ability. Although this
opponent. Stephen A. Douglas, won the
senatorship Lincoln won the admiration
of his countrymen and paved the way to
his subsequent nomination to the presi-
dency. He became the leader at the bar of
his state, noted for its great lawyers, and
was nominated and elected to the highest
office in the world-the presidency of the
United States"
Log Cabin to White House.
Turning to the picture typifying Lincoln's
career, General Blackmar said: THUS
making the rugged journey. as set forth in
this picture SO graphically, from the log
cabin to the White House-a picture which
is in itself a lesson in patriotism which
Burnside Post had placed in every school
in the District of Columbia. and is trying
to place In every schoolhouse In the coun-
try as an object lesson to the rising gen
Grafton. What grand lesson it IS to every
poor struggling boy in our country. teach
ing him never to be discouraged; for this
noble life, from dire poverty he never knew
to the greatest heights of fame and COM
mand, was won by this democratic country
man Of his. Hence. every boy in the land
should be encouraged to do his best to
emulate and follow the example Of this
glorious commoner Abraham Lincoln
Colonel Tweedale read Lincoln's Gettys-
burg address and ]. Whitcomb Riley's
tribute.
Representative Dovener's Tribute.
Representative Dovener, in telling of the
news of Lincolns assassination coming to
the command Of the Union army with
which he was serving said that the con-
federates. who brought the message, were
as much affected as were the northern men.
He declared that ST Abraham Lincoln had
lived the southern people would have had a
friend in him, and there would have been
an carrier NcallNS OIL CN6 SeCI1Ondl u1Ner-
ences. For the men who fought the war
for the confederacy knew LincOln's great
ness and honOred him.
1T is well that we should come together
once year to honor the memory of Abra-
ham Lincoln" said Congressman Greene.
I'VE should perpetuate his name for the
benefit of the youth In country where
ability and industry and integrity get posi-
ton without regard to ones surroundings.
He was blessed by the divine spirit to do
the work he did, for no human being could,
without divine aid. accomplish what Lin
coin did"
cold and spoke under great difficulty. He
remarked that his physical condition did
not justify his presence. but that feeling
of intense devotion to the sreat-hearted
man in whose honor the services were held
had impelled his presence.
Ex-Governor Perham of Maine was intro
duced to the audience and made a brief
talk in which he declared that he had never
felt quite satisfied with himself for not
entering the army. But" he explained "a
seat in Congress seemed a little more al
Turing at that time, and anyhow. helped
to devise means for the maintenance OF the
army, and being here, I became acquainted
with and learned to love Abraham Lincoln"
1.-THE history Of the revolution could not
be written without the name Of Washing
ton," said Representative Daniels OF Cali
fornia, land no more easily could the his
tory Of the rebellion be written without the
name of Lincoln
He reCOQnIeQ some Oh the tnr1llinR INCL
dents of the civil war and dwelt upon the
great services at critical periods OF the
martyred President.
The program was interpreted with
patriotic selections by the orchestra and
the exercises closed with benediction by
Chaplain Bradford Of the post.
The following was the committee Of ar
rangements: George 8. Benson. chairman:
Dan A. Grosvenor. secretary, and George
c. Ross treasurer.
DR.. Radcliffe's Discourse.
Rev. DR.. Wallace Radcliffe. pastor of the
New York Avenue Presbyterian Church,
paid high tribute to Lincoln's life and
character In sermon last evening. He
said the martyr President was like King
David. In that he was man after Gods
own heart"
THAT does not mean." continued the min
lister, that either David or Lincoln was
perfect, or lived In the unclouded favor of
God Each was very far from perfection