Evening journal., 1910-01-29
NEW NEWS OF YESTERDAY
Hannibal HamIin'S Journey
Of Love Just Before Death
BY "Holland."
BY "HoIIand."

OF the United States during Lincolns s
FIRST term in the White House, we're
alive to-day he undoubtedly would
take a great deal Of satisfaction in
the fact that IA Of the states have 80
far made Of Lincoln's birthday a
legal holiday. For he It was who
really started and crystallized the
movement that has led to legal OBJ
servance Of the day, though I believe
you won't ind this stated In any ac-
count OF the establishment Of the day
a. a legal holiday.
Mr.. Hamlin, who was almost the
last survivor OF those who were Of
the immediate administrative family
Of Mr.. Lincoln, died in 1891 in
Bangor, Me. Il SO chanced that in
February OF that year was a passen-
ger on the Boston express for New
York, and after dining, / went into
the smoking car. A moment or two
later a sturdy old gentleman entered.
threw himself easily upon one Of the
divans, took from his pocket very
black cigar, lighted 1t and began
smoking. It was Hannibal Hamlin,
looking not a day older than he did
when, on his retirement from the sen
ate in March Of 1881, had bade him
good-by In Washington.
Quite naturally, we renewed our ac-
quaintance, and after a little CONVERSE
ton expressed interest in the self
evident fact that he, in the dead OF
winter and at his age should be max
ing a rather lengthy railroad trip.
Now. you are not going to inter
view me-" declared the old gentleman,
with a smile, II never have been In
terviewed, and don't purpose to be-
gin now; but win tell you conf
dentially what the object Of my trip is
sometimes It used 10 be said.
when Mr.. Lincoln was president that
he ignored me, but that is not true.
Ny relations with President Lincoln
we're not only cordial. but intimate,
although the public knew little Of
them. And | came, In that inter
course, to have what believe to be a
true understanding Of Lincoln's char
acter. Although he was intellectually
a great man, yet think that his real
greatness lay in the moral grandeur
OF his character. He was, morally. as
great as Washington. That is. after
all, the only true greatness.
Now, sometime ago. as was sit
ting in a little club down in Bangor
that ] go to every day TO play cards
and sometimes to chat about men and
the politics Of an earlier day. II
seemed to me that there ought to be
some formal way Of recognizing per
manently, and by all the country and
by future generations, the moral char
acter OF this great leader. After
thinking the idea over. 1t occurred to
me that the best way would be for
every state 10 set apart Lincoln's
birthday as a memorial day, and so
decided TO go to New York and tc
Philadelphia, and possibly to Wash
inEton. where could meet some ole
friends and make an earnest plea fol
the national establishment OF Lin
coins birthday as a memorial.
IT am now making this journey.
have not much more time left me be
fore Join those who were associated
with Mr.. Lincoln and who have passed
on; and want my last public service
to be a plea for the universal estab
lishment in the United States Of Lin
coin Memorial Day"
A few months later, in the summe
OF the same year, Hannibal Hamlil
lay dead in his home in Bangor Blu
the plea for the memorial observanc,
Of Lncoln's birthday which he mad
on that day before the New Yorl
Lincoln club, and his subsequent pr
vate effort both in New York an,
Philadelphia unquestionably led &
and crystallized the agitation, which
several years later, caused Illinois
Minnesota and New York TO be tn
frst states to declare the birth dat
Of the great war president ~ legs
holiday. For, until Mr. Hanilin COZ
ceived the idea OF a universal Lncol
memorial day, and, at 50 years {
age, and In the dead of winter, mad
his journey in love in its behalf, ther
had been no determined concerted e
fore to make the day a legal holida
Ia any state, and It was only observe
informally at banquets by Lincol
clubs and other organizations.
Copyright, 1909 by r. J.. Ed~ards)