Eagle River review. [volume] (Eagle River, Wis.) 1890-1927, 1906-02-09

character, a man whose backbone was
straight and strong and not inclined to
bend at the will of others or to personal
preferences.
In 1859 the fame of Lincoln had spread
far beyond his own limits, and he was
in much demand to spread the doctrines
Of the anti-secession and anti-slavery
movement which was then just coming to
height. He even went out into Kan
sas and drove miles and miles over the
prairies in ramshackle wagons supplied
by the natives to spread the new gospel.
When once he began to acquire fame his
rise was meteorically rapid.
When Lincoln was elected to the presi-
dency, he was living in the modest two
story dwelling in Springfield, H., which
he always called ''home," no matter
whether he was in Washington or else
where After his election to the presi-
dency, he had thousands of visitors there,
and it is characteristic of the man that
it was not necessary for any caller to
precede his coming with a card. Ihe
doors were open and Whosoever would
was privileged to enter and speak to hlm'
1t was during the period between his cleo
ton and going to Washington that he put
the keen edge on his talent for argument.
Here he had his fill. Men of all kinds
and conditions came to him-rough drov-
ers and farmers who Familiarity called
him ABE" sharp, sleek commercial
men, who had tidings for him from all
parts of the country and who could swap
stories with him to his hearts content
staid merchants, preachers clergymen,
lawyers and other professional men; ana
last, but not least, tradesmen and work
ingmen. All these he received IN the
true spirit of democracy and made per-
sonal friend of every one. Lincoln was
never at loss for a story to enforce a
meaning or make a point, and many or
his yarns are popular to-day. 1t made no
difference what sort of a story it was II
it served his purpose.
1t was during this period that he Sc
lected his cabinet, and it is somewhat
remarkable that he chose for the two
highest places the men who had been his
keenest rivals for the presidential nomi-
nation. Here again he showed that quail
ity of tactfulness for which he was
famous, and also imbibed the sense of
the deep responsibilities which had come
upon him. Political passion was rising
higher and higher and was soon to cul-
inmate in secession, to be followed by war,
but not once in all those months did he
give an inkling Of the course he intended
to pursue except to say that when as
President he should be sworn to support
the Constitution of the United States, and
he should do so to the best of his ability.
He was often embarrassed by the efforts
of rabid abolitiOnistS to get an expression
of opinion from him, but his friends I'M
derstood that at that time he was inclin-
ed to think that if the States wanted to
secede they could not be held in the
Union by force. He did make it clear
that he did not desire to be classed as
an abolitionist and that he believed that
| the slaves should not be taken from their
owners unless compensation were given
them. AS political passion rose higher
and higher, eliminating in the establish
ment of the Confederacy with seven Sc
ceding States as its component parts. his
belief that a policy of Cancellation might
be successful must have been shaken, yet
up to the time he left Springfield he never
lost faith that the North and South could
once more be brought together without
bloodshed. Certainly he never dreamed
that upon him would rest the responsible
ity of raising armies and equipping ma
vies for the most bloody war in the his
tory of the western hemisphere.
At this time he became involved with
the pest of the times, the seeker of Office.
Then there was no hint of civil service.
The Jacksonian idea that to the victors
belong the spoils prevailed, and there was
fight after fight for patronage. Every
hotel in Springfield was the haunt of
office seekers, whose tricks were many,
and it might be said vain. Lincoln's pa
thence and shrewdness suffered some I'M
der these attacks, and finally he became a
careworn man. 1t is a pathetic fact in
the life of Lincoln that that careworn
look never left him until death smoothed
tiles and burdens.
1t was on Monday, FEB. II, 1861, that
Lincoln left Springfield to make the mem
orable journey to Washington, and at
that time he made that well-known adj
dress which has come to be one of the
most priced possessions of the republic.
Moved by the sad feeling by which he was
almost overwhelmed, and going to things
he knew not of, he gave utterance to these
words to the crowd of friends and neigh
bors who came to say good-by:
My friends, no one not in my position
can appreciate the sadness | feel at this
parting. To this people / owe all that |
am. Here | have lived more than a
quarter of century; here my children
were born and here one of them lies
buried. know not how soon | shall
see you again. A duty devolyes upon me
which is. perhaps, greater than that