The Plymouth tribune. (Plymouth, Ind.) 1901-1911, 1907-02-14
Abraham Lincoln.


lucky was born the greatest Ameri-
can that ever lived. Greater mer
than he may have been born in
America, but he was the greatest
American. That is he was the most
unapproachable specimen of that
special type of manhood that is pc
culiar to this country and that the
people of this country most passion
ately admired.
What the American people admire
is a character which by its own in
herent force not only without exter-
nal advantages but in spite of povert,
hardship and ignorance develops into
commanding strength and beauty
without being defaced by affectation
mannerism and social polish-a man
hood which is like an oak tree grow
ing out of a sandy desert or lily
lifting its pure white face in bog
America is full of people like this
more or less, but Abraham Lincoln
was the ideal American. II him nat
ure seems determined to demonstrate
for once that light could come out
of darkness and clean thing out oi
an unclean-in other words, that the
fairest and grandest thing in univer-
sal human nature could spring from
the lowliest and most unfriendly con-
ditions.
1t might have been said of Lincoln
as prophecy said of one whom he
greatly resembled: His visage was
so married more than any man and
his form more than the sons of men.
His physical frame was misshapen
and ungainly but gigantic in its pro
portions and of Herculean strength
His countenance was sorrowful to
the point of ugliness and yet capti-
vating in its loneliness.
Lincoln had to his credit the most
remarkable collection of negative viz
tues of any public man this country
has ever produced. He was never
accused of a vice. 1t is impossible
to say that he had any fault. No one
ever thought of ascribing to him any
weakness. He was never known to
make a mistake He was absolutely
free from jealousy and revenge. He
never had a grudge. He never ut
tered a complaint He never exhibit
ed the slightest approach to false
pride. He was never known TO tell 4
lie nor speak an oath. He was never
a physical nor moral coward.
These virtues might have been as
cribed to weakness if they had not
been combined with towering
strength Was there ever such a toll
er? Were there ever such powers oil
endurance, whether of work, of mis-
fortune or of undeserved obloquy
Was there ever greater patience
greater self-control greater charity OF
a more unerring judgment both oil
men and of affairs?
George Washington the only man
that 1T is becoming TO compare Lin
coin with, was one of the greatest
of men, but he was not an American
in the present-day sense. He was an
English aristocrat, and while the bal
ance in his faculties was grand he
really had conspicuous faults He
was proud, penurious and high tenn
pered and not an angel in domestic
virtue. He had as much bravery
self-control, sound judgment and pa
tient endurance as Lincoln, but it was
never heard that any man loved him
1t is of course, mere speculation
but it is reasonable to suppose that
Lincoln, like Washington, was raised
|! up by Providence for a special work
and that while no other living man
but Washington could have conduct
ed this country through the revolu-
| ton there was not spirit in this
country but Lincoln's that could have
saved it in the civil war
This day, like the 22d of February
is an anniversary that ought 70 be
celebrated all over this country, as il
symbolizes its restored unity AS
man fell by the first Adam and was
redeemed by the second Adam, SO
this country lost the great gift which
it received through Washington and
regained it through Lincoln. and
both of them were southern men and
practically Virginians. Considering
also that Lincoln was the best friend
the southern people had in the north
during the war, his birthday ought to
be remembered on the banks of the
James as feelingly as on the Hudson
and on the shores of Lake Michigan
Chicago Chronicle.