The Bamberg herald. [volume] (Bamberg, S.C.) 1891-1972, 1909-06-24
Stephens' View of Lincoln.

Stephens View of Lincoln.
In an article entitled How Alex
ander Stephens Received the News
of Lincoln's Assassination" con-
tributed to Uncle Remus, the home
magazine, we discern quite some in
teresting statements. Perhaps it
would be quite a revelation to some
devout Confederates. The writer
says in breaking the news to Mr..
| Stephens of Lincoln's assassination,
that Mr.. Stephens replied after
some silence and contemplation:
"Sir, that is sadder news than the
surrender of Gen. Robert E. Lee.
The writer supposedly authentically
relates this incident, he claiming to
have been personally acquainted
with Mr.. Stephens, and tells with
what emotion it affected the latter
upon his information of the death of
Mr.. Lincoln.
There is no doubt that the vice
president of the Confederacy great
ly admired Mr.. Lincoln and mani
tested great devotion for him per-
sonally Q mean personally in the
sense of brotherhood whereof we are
taught by precept in the Holy Scrip
lures to obey claiming to have
known him many years before the
great struggle between the States,
and through personal contact that
great friendship was. welded be-
tween the two great men. But now
we have before US to decide what
MIR. Douglas meant by saying the
above quotation?
The writer says: "His reply ap-
peared to divine his thoughts" Per-
| haps it astounded him. Mr.. Stephens
then went on to explain. II very
much fear that our good Southern
people have never understood Mr.
Lincoln. knew him well and in
timately and the fallen Confederacy
could have gone into no safer and
more humane hands than Mr.. Lin
coln's."
At this juncture let US come to the
issue. I myself say that it is the sad
dest page of American history
wherein is recorded the assassina-
ton of Abraham Lincoln. 1t was
Ideplorable. No doubt as Mr.. Doug
las is reported to have said to this
man, the Confederacy could have
gone into no safer and more humane
hands than MIR. Lincoln's.
We must take into consideration
the poignancy of the issue arising
from a sectional standpoint. Did
Mr.. Douglass mean literally what he
said, or did he not? Did he mean
resignation of all that noble quail
| ity endowed to man called patriot
ism, a sacrifice of so much blood to
| the cause of the Confederacy for no
purpose; a sacrifice Of that extend
ed self love" so characteristic of
Southern progeny? No, no! He
did not mean it in this light. He
was too patriotic a man, patriotic
Southerner, patriotic statesman.
"Sir, this is sadder news than the
surrender of Robert E. Lee" Per-
haps at this juncture with him his
spirit had taken it's fight unto the
heavenly shores, and for the mo-
ment he laid aside earthly tissues"
like the poet in "Bartholdi's Statue
of Liberty"
upon these heights the air is calm
and pure;
How softly fused earth's clangor
to mine ear;
All changed to music in this upper
sphere!
Live near to heaven, most near II
you would peace secure
Perhaps, too, Mr.. Stephens had
taken his fight to the ethereal
sphere, so did the poet, but neither
were dead, you see, but now maybe
their noble aspirations are fully
realized, for to that upper home
they all have gone, and now together
can Join in a universal brother
hood.
Mr.. Douglas was in favor of Af-
rican slavery, and thought 1t both
morally and politically right. Mr..
Lincoln was tetotal abolitionlst to
the core. In my opinion fanatic
and l don't believe that I would
venture too far to say that he would
have advocated social equality be-
tween the races had he lived.
The writer further says that
SHOULD he have lived and as con-
gress passed the 18th amendment to
the constitution Of the United States
granting to the eX-slaves the right OF
citizenship, he would have promptly
vetoed it, as did Mr.. Johnson, his
successor. Such hold, however, Mr..
Lincoln had upon the congress that
If he had vetoed it, congress- would
not have sustained it over his head
as it did over Mr.. Johnson's." Lin
coin was elected by the Republican
party and held the Office of chief ex-
ecutive of the United States, conse-
Quently he was the instrument that
swayed the sceptre, and so fervently
urged congress towards a recogni-
ton of the freedom of the slaves.
Through the medium Of the press
public sentiment was carried high
against slavery in the South-to the
height of public indignation in the
North. The South, always loyal to
Justice and equity, wanted her
rights respected, regardless OF con-
sequences, and this she maintained
through her representatives in the
congress.
Let US not forget the motto OF our
immortal Calhoun: Truth, justice