Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1906-02-10
MARTYR PRESIDENT
incidents in the Career of Abra-
ham Lincoln.
LITTLE THINGS IN HIS LIFE
From Them Are Drawn Conclusions
of His Greatness.
MOSES OF THE REPUBLICANS
Realized His Great Responsibilities
When He Took the Office of
President.

The world never wearles of the recital of
/ the little things which make up the warp
and wool in the careers of its great men,
| These little things the indiees OF char
acter. the everyday incidents by which life
| Is judged. From them the conclusions of
the great masses are drawn
Abraham Lincoln was a giant among
men. Measuring in height six feet four
| inches. with arms of proportionate dimen-
sions, he stood physically, as he did men
| tally. veriable Ajax among his fellows.
| This commanding appearance was the more
manifest when he was thoroughly animated
| by the significance of some great cause.
Mr.. Lincoln was by virtue of his I'M
paralleled leadership the Moses of the re-
publican party in the state OF Illinois. At
a public meeting in the late fifties to give
form and direction to said party in his
state, he was chosen the mouthpiece. The
charge had been made by a prominent
speaker on the part of the opposition that
the manifest policy of this new republican
party was the dissolution and destruction
of the Union.
This charge touched the heart of Mr.. Lin
coin very keenly and he felt called upon
to refute and resent 1t with every fiber of
his sensitive nature. Tracing carefully the
| evolution of the party from the liberty-lov-
| ing elements of pre-existing parties. he
reached the climax of his effort when he
announced the oarcle: Il declare before God
and my fellow countrymen that there is
not seintilla of truth in the declaration
| that the purpose of the republican party is
| to destroy this Union; and 1 affirm with
equal emphasis that it will not permit the
democratic party to do So
When this statement was made the
| speaker rose upon his tiptoes and extended
| his long arms to their utmost length, as
| Stunning an attitude which no artist has
been able to depict. The sight was pic
turesque: the effect was electrically magi-
| CAL THAT speech" says Thos. j. Hender-
! son, who heard 1t and from whom this in
| cident was obtained. was the keynote of
| the republican party in Illinois and its de-
livery made Mr.. Lincoln the leader of the
party in the state and subsequently in the
nation"
Realized His Responsibilities.
Shortly prior to his starting on his MEM
orable trip to Washington to be inaugu-
rated, Mr.. Lincoln was visited at his Spring
| field home by his old-time friend and sup
| porter, Mr.. Thos. ]. Henderson. The latter
| said to him: Mr.. Lincoln. I am not here
| an applicant for any position. but simply
called to pay my respects before you leave
! for the nations capital. Realizing how bus
! lily you must be employed in making your
preparations, shall not consume your time
/ AS an OlQetlmG IFlenu fSiI constrained
wish for you the greatest success in your
| new and important position as President of
| distracted nation
Mr. Henderson" said the President
elect please be seated. / am COMPARE
| lively free today. and 1 wish to confer with
YOU l am deeply sensible of the great ma
| tional problem to be solved. Our southern
brethren are misguided but they are deeply
| in earnest What may be the terminal ton
| of this conflict the Lord only knows. l do
not. I am going to Washington to do my
duty as President as 1 understand it, and
| shall trust to God and the American people
| for results / solicit the cooperation of all
| the friends of the government transmitted
| to us by the fathers. If then we shall fail,
the responsibility rests not upon u.s."
THE President" said Mr.. Henderson
| showed conclusivey that he was thorough
| ly acquainted with the true status of af-
fairs He was not ignorant, many are
disposed to assert, of the magnitude of the
struggle upon which the national govern
| ment was entering and the direction of
| which would be guided largely by him.
| There can be, therefore. little force In the
| criticism often made that President Lin
coin erred in calling out at first but Is, 600
men to suppress the rebellion. Under the
circumstances 1t was unwise to call out
more than could be equipped at the time
for active service. President Lincoln acted
wisely in calling for just the number he
knew he could be prepared for real duty
at the 'front.'
A little affair occurred at Northeast,
ton that shows the kindheartedness and
greatness of the man. 1t is the incident
of the little girl who, kissed by the Presi-
dent-elect, said: Mr. Lincoln why don't
you wear a beard?" MY dear child "said
he, IF the wearing of a beard will afford
you pleasure. I'll surely crafty your wish"
1t is historically true that every picture
of the great war President that represents
him having a beard was taken after
that date. The language of scripture, "A
little child shall lead them.'' was fulfilled
on that occasion.
At Rochester, Pa, occurred another in
cfdent during that famous trip, illustrating
the strong hold the President had upon
the common people. Mr.. Michael Weyand,
editor of the Beaver Times. Informed me
that he and Henry Dillon, an express drv-
er at Beaver Falls. Were standing together
at the rear end of the last car in the presi-
Dental train Mr.. Dillon. himself a stall
wart of more than six feet and a great ad-
mirer of tall men. said when Mr.. Lincoln
appeared on the platform of the car: 81
believe 1 am as tall as Uncle Abe" 81
don't know about that" said Mr.. Lincoln
at the same time grasping the man by the
hand and virtually lifting him up on the
platform. "We'u settle that matter Now
no cheating, At that moment both men
removed their hats and stood back to
back. Mr.. Lincoln was the taller by sew
! tr.Dt, LII. IL