Gloucester County Democrat. (Woodbury, N.J.) 1878-1932, 1906-02-15


He did not possess the brilliant genius
of Hamilton, yet Hamilton never read
the future more sagaciously. He made
no pretensions, to Webster's massive
and magnificent oratory, yet Webster
never put more truth in portable form
for the popular guidance He posses
sed Benz. Franklin's gift OF terse pro
verbal speech, without Franklin
skeptical infirmities. He hardly pos
sessed the mental dignity of Washing
| ton, nor did he have his prestige as a
victorious general, but he solved the
most momentous problems of govern
ment no less grandly than did Wash
| ington the problem of Independence.
And his name and fame, as one has de-
clared, must be immortal while liberty
shall have worshippers in any land.
Each nation compares him with its
own most popular hero. To the
French he affords strong points of re
semblance to Henry 4th. He reminds
the Dutch of William of Orange. Euro
pean historians use language in re-
gard to him, which is reserved only
for the most illustrious names. Merle
d'Aubigne says, "The name of Lin
that history has to inscribe on it's an
nails" Emilio CASTELAR, in an Grafton
against slavery in the Spanish Cortes
called him "the humblest of the hum
BILE before his conscience, and the
greatest of the great before history
In his own country, the eulogies OF
him form a special and striking liter
Eature. Historians vie with each other
to tell vividly the story of his life, and
to unfold the secret of his power. Low
ell, in an immortal ode calls him,
New birth of our new soil, the first
American. General Sherman says,
"Of all the men ever met, he seemed
to possess more of the elements of
greatness combined with goodness
than any other" General Grant, after
having met the rulers of almost every
civilized country, said that Lincoln
impressed him as being the greatest
intellectual force with which he had
ever come in contact. Few men are
so great, that they can safely leave
their name and fame with the enemies
whom they have defeated, but Lin
coin compelled the admiration of those
who were against him, and even they
speak his name with reyerent praise.
Gen. Longstreet calls him the great
est man of rebellious times, the one
inatchIess among forty millions, for
the peculiar difficulties of the period. !"
So his memory shines with enduring
splendor to the eyes of friend and foe.
Among those who have done great
things for humanity, and being dead,
have left behind glorious heritage,
he stands pre-eminent. Time that has
worn many regulations, has left no
trace upon his. His name, his unicue
personality,-his distinguished ser
vices to humanity and to the nation,
remain before the world, with a fas-
cination that never diminishes. OF
this life I speak to-day, because it
seems fitting to do so in the presence of
this company and on the Sabbath so
near to the day that atcommemorates his
birth. Not that his life needs our eulo-
gy. not that any words of mine can
add to the lustre Of his fame. We
might say of Lincoln, what Lincoln
himself said of Washington ION that
name no eulogy is expected. To add
brightness to the sun, or glory to that
name, is alike impossible. Let none at
tempt it. In solemn awe pronounce
the name, and in its naked deathless
splendor leave it shining on.
The simple facts of his biography
are these: He was born in one of the
rudest log cabins of Kentucky, on the
18th of February, 1909. His boyhood
was spent in clearing away forests
and enduring hardships incident to the
life of a pioneer. His early education
consisted of a year spent in the rudi-
mentary studies of a rustic school. At
the age of nineteen he became hired
deck-hand on a Mississippi fatboat.
Afterwards he was a clerk in a cOun-
try store. Next we see him law stu
dent, with few borrowed books,
which he studied by the light of a
kitchen fire. In 1884 he was a mem
ber of the Legislature. In 1916 he
was in Congress, introducing bill
| to abolish slavery in the District OF
Columbia. IN 1858 he was waging the
most prolonged and brilliant debate
with Douglas that American politics
has ever known. In 1860 he was
borne triunaphantly into the presiden'
| tial chair, by the popular voice which
was like the voice of many waters
/ AHSls lOliOWEQ. lOul tC11 pcotu0ufo J St.1 .
lin which he carried to victory the
most complex and difficult war OF mo
fdern times and, amid confused c0un
sells and intensified jealousies, solved
a problem that had nenaced the gov
ernment fer hundred years. Then
Just in the flush and joy of victory
glad and grateful for the saved IN
ion, full of generous plans for the de
! feated South, looking expectantly fol
a new career of growth and glory fol
j the well nigh shattered nation, JUS
as the sun Of the new day which ht
lrejoiced to see, was tinting with it:
promise, the chastened land, he fel
lby the assassin's hand, and went ts
his grave with martyrs crown upol
Ibis brow, and with the tribute Of {
sorrowing nation laid at his feet.
It is no easy matter to analyze ;
great character. And after you have
separated it into its constituent ele
ments as they seem to you, you hav'
yet to account for their marvellous
combination. 1t does not help uG tt
1;o.1,f 14xr la,soo 1zif7c II III