The advocate. [volume] (Charleston, W. Va.) 1901-1913, 1907-02-21
....LlNC0)|L||..|||el'S. n !.
Birthday celebrated
ln the Usual Manner in New
/ York, Choate Making a
Great Speech ON Great
\. Lberator .."..

New York, Feb. 16.--The week
just closing may properly be called
RL1ncoln week. His name and fame
i have been celebrated during the
I week In all sections. Aside from
the oratory Of the banquet hall,
P quite the most notable contribution
to the literature on Lincoln was
made by the Hon. j. H. Choate, the
distinguished barrister and diplomat,
who delivered an Grafton on Lincoln
at Cooper Union, this city, Wednes-
May evening, before great con-
of people. Mr.. Choate, be-
being great orator ! and
ss.tL1ncoln's, and sat with him forty
z seven years ago on the same plat
form from which he spoke this week,
T. when. Lincoln made bis first political
I speech in the east. MIR. Choate de-
n %scribed the scene in most eloquent
and eHectiye fashion, applause aftt,r
applause .rreeting his remarks. 1t
has been ong time since so much
rear paar,ots eloa~ " before 50. many zeal
platform Of thu L.entz,. .'''
Mr.: Choate { - ~ part, after
sketchihg Lincoln's career:
Il have been thus detailed in
sketching his early years because
upon these strange foundations the
structure Of his great fame and serv-
Ice was built. In the place of
school or university training fortune
substituted these trials, hardships
and struggles rs preparation for
the great work which he had to do.
1t turned out to be exactly the
emergeRaS 2dired.' Ten years in
stead tASEe public school and Ahe
university certainly never could
have fitted this man, for the unique
work which was to be thrown nron
him. Some other Moses would have
mad to lead us to our Jordan, to
the site Of our promised land of
liberty E...> ...'
: He was born great, as distinguish
ed from those who achieve greatness
OF" have 1T thrust upon them, and
mis- inherent capacity, mental, NOR
at, physical, having been recognized
/, by the eSedie ated intel lgance oGsa free
ifi iiiS. |fS5y1bf
3 StlsslFt Ter $sh B day sof deadly nerfi.
I tl: is ntiyC xorty seven years since
first g&<E and heard Abraham
Lincoln, but the impression which
he left on my mind Is ineffaceable.
After his great successes In the
West. he came to. New York to make
q political address. He appeared in
every sense Of the word like one of
the plain people among whom he
loved to be counted. At first sight
there was nothing impressive Or i'm
posing about him, except that his
great stature singled him out from
the crowd; his clothes hung
aWkwardiy on his giant frame; his
race was Of dark pallor, without
the slightest tinge OF color; his
scanned and rugged features seemed
ready for the burrows of hardship
and struggle; his deep set eyes look
ed sad and anxious his countenance
IN repose gave little evidence of that
brain power which had raised him
from the lowest to the highest sta
t1on among his countrymen as he
talked to me before the meeting, he
seemed IL! at ease, with that sort of
apprehension which q young man
might feel before presenting himself
10 a new and strange audience,
whose critical disposition he dread
ed. His fame as q powerful speaker
had preceded him, and exaggerated
rumor Of his wit-the worst fore
runner of an orator-had reached
the East,
when Mr.. Bryant presented him.
on the high platform Of this build-
1ng, Cooper Institute, q vast sea of
eager, upturned faces greeted him
full or Intense curiosity to see what
th1s rude child Of the people was
1ke. He was equal to the occasion.
When he spoke he was Transformed:
his eye kindled, his voice rang, his
race shone and seemed to light up
the whole assembly. For an hour
and half he held his audience IN
the hollow Of his hand His style
or speech and manner Of delivery
were severely simple. With no al
tempt at ornament or rhetoric, with
out parade Or pretense, he spoke
straight to the point.
1t was marvellous to see how this
untutored man, by mere self-discip
line and the Christening Of his own
spirit, had Outgrown all meretriclous
arts and found his own way to tho
grandeur and strength Of absolute
simplicity. He closed with an an
peal TO his audience, spoken with all
the hro Of his aroused and kindlinc
conscience, with full outpouring o.
his love Of justice and liberty to
maintain their political purpose on
that lofty and unassailable issue OIL
right and wrong which alone could
Justify 1t, and not be intimidated
from their high resolve and sacred
duty by any threats Of destruction to
the government or Of ruin to theth4
selves, He concluded with this tell
ing sentence, which drove the whole
argument nome to all our hearts
Let MS have faith that right makes
mi8hS and in thet faifh let MS to
That night this great hall, and the
tho ~