Iowa state bystander. [volume] (Des Moines, Iowa) 1894-1916, 1909-02-19
Eulogy on Abraham Lincoln
Delivered bu
John L. Thompson.
Published by request.

Fellow Countrymen: The past, as 1t
were, rises before us tonight as q
dream, one hundred years ago Thomas
Paine died and Aoranam Lincoln was
born. What magnificent exchange.
One hundred years ago Napoleon Bon
aparte, the world greatest military
hero and king maker, was in the zenith
OF his reign. He had conquered En-
gland, subdued Germany, the proud
Romans and plucky Greeks sat
silently at his feet. Italy and Russia
were glad TO become allies Of his and
thus he became truly the great world
Enporer. One hundred years ago
King George Ill celebrated his so
years as King OF England. One hundred
years ago witnessed the birth of MeDdel-
shon, the great musician, and this year
one hundred years ago William Glad
stone was born and William Pitt died;
One hund, I'd years ago to-day Thomas
Jefferson was President of the United
States. One hundred years ago there
were only IS states in this country, and
this day one hundred years ago Abra-
ham Lincoln, the man of sorrow, the
son of toll, the child of nature, the boy OF
freedom, was born in lite one room
log cabin in tho wild, rough hills of
La Rue County, Kentucky. reared by
the unseen hand of Jehovah, who
called Abraham of old from the land
Of Ur, this child was called from the
land Of Kentucky, across the Ohio
I, Indiana, thence 10 the prairies Of
Illinois. where he left q monument
that will last SO long as the human
civilization shall endure.
To-day and tonight all over Amer.
lca and even foreign countries the
people have observed this as . national
holiday. assem- bling in their various
churches and halls to do honor and paw
tribute TO America 8 greatest man. Our
country has. produced many statesmen
many noted warriers, many noted
christians, many noted musicians,
many scholars, many philosophers and
poets and msny noted presidents but
only few eraet men would call him
8 Washington, but thst great Virgin
Han held slaves. 4 would cali him q
a Grant, but that great soldier was q
warrior. I would call him a Poe or
Whittier but they were only poets; !
| would call him a Beechei or Tai
mage but they were only preachers; |
would call him Mckinley or Inger.
soil but they were only statesmen;
Abraham Lincoln was the embodi-
! ment of all these men, and even more
he was man of love, Of purity, OF
nature, OF freedom, of liberty, Of hope,
and child of God.
| The Great Emancipato has left an
inspiring lesson for the young men. OF
to-day, born in poverty; reared on the
frontiers of America, with no college
education, no royal blood or money, he
the barefooted fatboatman, the rail
splitter, the country groceryman, he
the village grocery man, the lawyer. the
legislator, the congressman and lastly
our martyred president for the cause,
human liberty and freedom.
Dear friends, cannot tonight re.
view his history. 1t is known to every
school boy and is known to every per-
son who loves liberty and justice.
will briefly state some OF the benefi &
that we the sons of an enslaved race,
have received. Sumner, Garrison,
Lovejoy, Whittier. Harriet Beecher
Stowe and John Brown had appeared
upon the arena of action and had pass.
ed but he, Abraham Lincoln, was the
last mountain that lowered above the
deluge, the last resting place for
heavens delight.
He, like Abel of old, heard the cries
of the slaves and hurled /; thunderbolt
at the curse, broke the shackels from
the sable shoulders Of 1000, 900 OF
slaves. The music of the bloodhound
ceased the cries of mothers torn from
their loving children was n } longer
heard; the slaves pen, the auction
block, and the whipping post was sur
planted by school houses, churches
and colleges; and to-day millions are
honoring this great hero.
Tonight it is possible that we the
decendents of these freedmen. should
feel proud that we can meet as we
have tonight and testify to our pro
gress. To-day we have II 900, 900 col
ored people. Even five years after the
gress of the U. s., q senator in JEFF
Davis seat, making laws for their for
4 mer master We have sent 25 coloreC
men to congress. We have reduced
our illteracy from loo per cent to les:
than 40 per cent since the emancipatol
died. Our progress has been marve
lous, SO well fixed, so generally known
4 We have little more than 25 900 Ne
groes in the professions; $4,000 ia gov
ernment employment;7, 900 in state EN-
ment; more than 5000 enlisted in The
United States army and navy; SO banks
owned by color.d people. In ever,
state in the union there are good hon
est, and intelligent men and womel
trying to help make the world better
These colored soldiers here tonigh