Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1911-11-09


Mr.. Taft paid his tribute with that
of kentuckX's mark OF reverence. Ter
her greatest son infthe new statai cap7
itoI, when a monmnen6,, 10 the. war
President, given byathc edesGepdentsl st
a long line of Kentucky pioneers, was
dedicated. Prior TO these ceremonies
Mr. Taft talked to "A score of Negroes.
who became freedmen under the Lin
coin administration. Huddled in Gov
ernor Wilson'S public offices, these
Negroes. vino had never seen a Pres
ident before listened TO MIR Tafts
explanation of the things that went
10 make up Lincoln's emnencc over
other men. Pres. Taft said in part
We are met To dedicate in this cap
ital of Kentucky, a monument to her
son. Abraham Lincoln. Iincom's par
ents were loWlp people from Virginia
and their course was like that OF
many others who migrated from the
old dominion into Kentucky, and
thence across the river te Indiana,
and Illinois Though Lincoln lived
mere but eight years he knew Ken
fncky we'll ana il = most httine hat
il should have "A memorial al him
'"Thnse who we're closest to Lincoln
have said thar he was 4 many=sided
man, and that he gave different i'm
pressions Of himself To- different peo-
pie; that there were things nnexpiain-
ed about him, a continual sadness
and gloom that peryaded oil his wax
ing hours, and they described him in
tones Of mysticism, as if TO make him
greater by removing tl4e=lHes Of his
character
I don't think il is toe much Ia say
that Lincoln mad the most judicial
Temperament OF any man in history
He considered HE arguments Of his
opponents With al the fairness Of
John Stuart Mill and preserved that
calm judicial consideration of the
views Of everyone that became inn
portant. ana in his disagreement with
them. he left nothing more thar The
application of IN apt story or a clear
enciid-like demonstration Of error
without sting.
With his love oil truth, the supreme
trait of bis intellect accompanied by
a conscience that insisted on the right
as he knew IT, with a great heart fun
Of tenderness we have the eonbina-
ZION that made Lincoln ora Of the two
greatest Americans. He hated slavery
because he had reasoned ou1 its in
Justice. and its demoFalizing effect up
on the country ana the community
In which Il was q legal institution
a., dil not hate the slave holders and
there is not the slightest evidence he
ever had feeling of bitterness TO-
ward them as q class He knew how
the institution had grown. how it had
become a part IF society. how closely
Embedded il was in the economy Of
the South and from the time when
ne entered Congress until he died. his
mind WIS bent or problems for The
solution of the difficulty by which the
| cancer would he eycised and 10 i'm
Justice done ia those whose ennsfitu-
tional rights had become intertwined
with the hated system and inter-de-
pendent upon ii.
.Tac South knows, as tie North
J knows now. that there Is no sonl that
mites Them in perfect amitN like thai
Of Abraham Lincoln. the South Knows
as the North knows that every ad-
| miuistration that removes another
cause Of misunderstanding between
| the sections. or that brings then
| closer together in any way. is acting
! under the inspiration Of him whf
| could love mis- entire country with ua
diminished ardof Wnen nearly one
| half was seeking 10 destroy its ihteg
| rity,
| Here then. at a place that knew
| battle, that knew family dissension
that knew bloody conflict, that rep
resented in the sharpest and cruelest
way division of The sections, here
now that perfect peace and amity and
harmony pre- wall. let this memorial be
dedicated as typical of the love Of he
in whose memory II is reared for al