The Sauk Centre herald., 1909-04-08

'TEN ANGELS SWEAR ty. among his
ING I AN RIGHT" ,nnoro,s
and in his own cabinet. In no way
did he reveal his greatness more than
by the forgiving manner in which he
treated his maligners.
He looked at this Misrepresentation
like philosopher. At one time there
was blunder in the southwest, which
was charged to the president. An Off
Ger who knew that the blame belonged
on other shoulders was one day visit
ing the White House and mentioned
the matter. He asked If he had not
better state the facts as he knew
them to be.
"oh, no." replied Lincoln, "at leas.
not now. If ! were TO try to read
much less answer, all the attacks made
on me. this shop might as well be.
closed for any other business. l do
the very best l know how. the very
best | can. and | mean to keep on do
ing so until the end. II the end brings
me out all right, what is said against
me won't amount TO anything. II the
end brings me out wrong, ten angels
swearing | was right would make no
difference"
Among the most virulent critics OF
! the president was the Chicago Times
A visitor once appealed to Lincoln {"
suppress the paper on the ground that
it was opposing the war and aiding the
I enemy.
81 fear you do not fully comprehend
the danger Of abridging the liberties
of the people," replied Mr.. Lincoln.
Nothing but the very sternest neces-
sity can ever justify that. 4 govern
ment had better go to the very extreme
Of liberation than to do augbt that can
be construed into an interference with
or to jeopardize in any degree the com
mon rights of it's citizens"
Examples of his overlooking hostile
criticisms were innumerable. Secre-
tary Stanton was not the only malign
er the president appointed to a position
of trust. Those who had viIified him
one year were accepted as supporters
the next. Il choose always TO make
my political statute Of limitations q
SNORT one, ne Sa1u.
Despite the calumny heaped on him
in his lifetime, Mr.. Lincoln has fareG
much better at the hands Of posterity
than have most of the great souls that
have uplifted and blessed the race.
France never has done justice to
Etienne Marcel, who was the forerup
ncr of the French revolution more than
400 years before the beginning Of that
human earthquake. Although Joan OF
Arc saved France and was burned for
ii In 1431, it was less than century
ago that she received general recogni.
ton, even in the land she died 10 pre-
serve.
Girolamo SavOnarOla preac ched repub-
licanism, purity and religious liberty
in Florence and was executed for 10 iID
140S, yet it has been in only cOmparS-
lively recent times that the world has
begun to take SavOnarOla's true meas
ure. :
Gaspard de COIigny. one Of the pur-
est souls in French history, led the
HuguenOts in a religious revolution
and fell i'm the infamous ST. Barthoio
news day massacre in 1872, yet poor
| COlgny has scarcely been rated at his
true worth even TO this day.
Oliver Cromwell, the forerunner Of
modern democracy and OF civil and re-
ligious liberty, died i'm 1858, yet not
till comparatively recent times has his
name been rescued from the malignant
lies that were heaped upon 1t. The 4
world yet has to do justice to Crom-
well. L
Thomas Paine, who died the very
year Lincoln was born. the real author
Of the Declaration of independence
and the apostle of liberty in three
lands, is still misrepresented, hated \
and reviled for the good he did. Yet
the day VIII come W hen Paine Will be 1
placed as high as he has been dragged
low.
Forever the right comes uppernlost
And ever is justice done.
Compared with these, Abra ham LIN |
coins recognition has been swift and
triumphant. Indeed, 1t began the next
day after his tragic death. Poor, in |
sane. deluded Booth thought be was
striking down Lincoln, but as mat
ter of fact he struck down LincOln's |
traducers, stopped the lies of malice |
and crowned the liberator's fame with
the martyrs halo.
Sadly and i'm silence Lincoln bore
Misrepresentation and calumny In his
own day. but as his recompense be has
gained the love Of the ages.
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