The Sauk Centre herald., 1909-02-11

i
| But his wit was no more marked
than his melancholy. Lincoln was the
saddest of men, trait of character
that grew with the strain of those
four last terrible years. And yet, such
was his capacity for suffering that he
seldom or never betrayed to his most
intimate friends the nature of the
thoughts which weighed him down.
Some men have thought that Lin
coin was an accident; but with great
er truth he might be called a Provi-
dence. He did not have greatness
thrust upon him. He did not seek it,
for he was the most modest of men.
When his name was mentioned for
the presidency he replied: ''I must,
in candor say, that do not think my
self fit for the presidency" But the
people thought otherwise. He was
the most interesting and loyal man
they knew and many believed that he
was the only man who could weld to-
gether the various fragraments into
which the north had been broken by
the slavery agitation. He hated slav-
cry but he was no extremist, SO that
the people recognized in him the man
for the hour.
Mr.. Oehler reviewed the incidents
of the nominating convention and the
succeeding campaign and said that
the triumph of the Illinois ''rail-split-
ter" was the marvel of history. Lin
coin saw clearly that the maintenance
of the Union meant the abolition of
slavery.
Seated in the White House he lost
not one whit of his modesty and hu-
mility, whilst yet he gave others
Iquickly to understand, who thought
they must prompt him in statesman
ship as teacher would an awkward
boy, that i'm his hands was the rudder
of the ship of state, and that under
God he would guide it through those
boist@ous seas safely into port. AS
time rolled on and one disaster after
another came upon the Union camp,
he took more and more his own coun-
sci until almost alone he carried the
burden of that mighty conflict. Pap
er generals and paper campaigns did
not appeal to him. He was the first
to recognize the merits of Grant and
Sherman and stood by them in the
face of fierce opposition.
! Lincoln could manage men in his
gentle way so that they were not
aware they were managed. About
him he had gathered great men, some
who had been his rivals in politics,
others who had doubted his ability,
and yet in his cabinet, as the weary
days increased, no one questioned Lin
coins supremacy and right to rule.
Day and night he was beset by men
who demanded that he emancipate
the slaves. But he waited till the
time was ripe. Nothing could move
him.
SWEET made this remarkable state
ment about Lincoln: she retained
through life all the friends he ever
had, and he made the wrath of his en-
emies to praise him."
The nation put the life and death of
her soldiers into the presidents
hands. And the boy that fell asleep
at his post after hard days march
was pardoned, Stanton and military
discipline to the contrary notwith-
standing. No wonder the soldiers
loved him. And at last when after
due announcement, the proclamation
of emancipation was issued in Janu-
ary 1868, the grateful hearts of race,
whose slIackleS he had broken, pro-
nounced him blessed. When he en-
tered Richmond with Grant over two
years later, the way the freed slaves
gathered about him was sufficient to
convince the world that liberty is the
most priceless boon which we can
give to man.
A little later he again stood OH the
CtotCIh StCIS VI OiAC Sdpitoi diiA uCiAf0
cred his second inaugural. A bright
er day for the Union, discovered by
cruel war, was dawning. 1t was then
that he spoke those memorable words
which have become a legacy of the
nation: "With malice toward none,
with charity for ALL" A little later
those grand words, after the bullet of
the assassin had done it's evil work,
were inscribed on his catafalque, and
a grateful nation was bathed in tears
as they read them.
Lincoln needs no eulogist, 'as his
fame need not fear the malice of the
detractor. His name is forever en-
shrined in the grateful memory OF his,
countrymen. AS the savior of the ma
tion and the liberator of race, Abra-
ham Lincoln will occupy in our Hall
of Heroes his own peculiar place,
unique and unapproachable. He has
taught the nation and the world that
when patriots have settled a question
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