The Irish standard., 1907-02-16

Mncoln's place in history as one of
the great masters OF English prose is
conceded by scholars the world over
His unrivaled skill in formulating his
ideas in apt epigrams and forceful
phrases is likewise admitted, says w.
r. Norton in the Chicago Tribune.
orisns have become so Incorporated in
current language and literature as to
be used by writer's and speakers with
out being conscious that they We're
quoting from Lincoln. And by so much
as his rnaxinls and sayings have be
come common property in that ratio
has the language become enriched and
anplifed. Especially does this apply
that that class of the people, which in
cludes the most of us. Of which he
said: Il think God must love the COM
mon people because he made SO many
ef thern." Few memorial day orators
fail to counsel their hearers to consider
the lessons Of the war in the light Of
the second inaugural, with malice to-
ward none, with charity for ALL" Nor
does he fail to quote from the Gettys-
burg speech the epitaph of the soldiers
who had given "the last full measure of
devotion" that government of tho peo-
pie, for the people. by the people may
not perish from off the earth.'
1t is interesting to note that While
this definition Of popular government
Is the one always quoted it is not Lin
coln's earliest expression Of the same
idea. In his. special message to con-
gress, July 4, 1861, he said: "And this
issue (the so-called right of secession)
embraces more than the fate Of the
United States. 1t presents to the whole
family Of man the question whether a
constitutional republic or democracy,
a. government Of the people by the
same people, can or cannot maintain
it's territorial integrity against domes-
tic foes" This early expression Of
this fundamental idea Of political per-
petuity attracted no special attention;
the second sent a thrill of patriotism
vibrating in every heart. The thought
was no greater in the second instance
than in the first, but it. was more hap
PLY expressed, a remarkable instance
Of the illuminating power of appro-
pirate diction.
This faculty of condcnsing an Grafton
into an axiom, or of cen1enting separate
truths into mosaic Of strength and
beauty, gives Lincon's writings and
speeches the impetus which is drifting
them into mortality. Only once. it
would appear, would the mystical lore
which inspired his utterances mslead
him in a prediction, but when he said
at Gettysburg: "The whole world will
little note nor long remember what
We say here. but it can never forget
what they did llere,' he did not fore
see that the world would ever re-
HeInOef WnaL ne SAID there, S the
complement of what his soldiers did
there.
While this address and the second
inaugural are the birth place of the
quotations from Lincoln in most COM
mon use, it remains true that they are
hut single pearls from clusters of
equal brilliancy, each of these address,
- being a mosaic Of lofty thought and
felicitous expression unapproached in
English speech. In answer to a. letter
from Thurlow Weed, complimenting
him on this second inaugural, Lincoln.
wrote a note Of thanks, In which he
said: II expect the address to wear
a. we'll as anything I have produced,
but I believe it is not Immediately pop
llar. Mon are not hattered by being
shown that there has been a. difference
Of purpose between the Almighty and
them. To deny it in this case however,
10 to deny that there is a God gov
.esmnD the world" This solemn re-