Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, 1911-11-09
WATTERSON PAYS
LINCOLN TRIBUTE
Kentucky Editor Delivers Address at
dwelling of Monument at
City Of Frankfort.
SPEAKS OF HIS PERSONALITY
Gives Story of Family Cleaned from
Documents.
DISPROVES MANY STORIES TOLD
Makes Plain Facts About Birth of
Martyred President
DELvES DEEP INTO HISTORY
Graphic Description Given of First
Inauguration of Great Leader
and Scenes in Washington
Mt the Time.
Gives Story of Family Cleaned from
Documents.
'1SPROvEs MANY STORIES TOLD
Makes Plain Facts About Birth Of
Martyred President.
DELvEs DEEP INTO HISTORY

FRANKFORT, KY. Nov. s.-Henry
Watterson, editor of the Louisville
Courier-Journal. delivered an address
here today on Abraham Lincoln on the
occasion Of the unvelllng of the Lincoln
Memorial. Mr.. Watterson's oration was
devoted mainly to the personality, the
origin and the spiritual life and char
acter' of Abraham Lincoln. He gave
minute account OF the Lincoln and
Hanks family derived from documentary
evidence: disproved the falsehoods touch
ing Liucoln's birth and traced his noble
qualities of head and heart to his
mother. In concluding this passage he
said:
Tomorrow there will assemble in
little clearing Of the wildwood of Ken
tucky a goodly company. 1t will en-
brace the greatest and the best of our
time and land. The president and the
chief justice and the rest will gather
about a lowly cabin, whose unhewn logs
like the serried battlements Of Elslnore
gave prelude to the swelling act of
theme yet more imperial, to consecrate
a shrine. OF him that was born there
the final earthly word was spoken long
ago; but, Mother Of God. shall that throng
pass uONH l1b OAiSiue anu away NilnuuI
looking into the heaven above in unutter-
able love and homage with the thought OF
a spirit there which knew in this world
nought of spleador ana power and fame;
whose sad lot is was to live and die in
obscurity. struggle. almost In penury
and squalor; whose tragic fate It was
after she had lain half lifetime in her
humble, unmarked grave, to be pursued
by the deepest, darkest calumny that
can attach itself to the name OF woman;
the hapless, the fair-haired Nancy
Hanks?
mo falser, fouler story ever gained
currency than that which impeaches
the character of the mother OF Abra-
ham Lincoln. 1t had never any founda-
tion whatsoever. Every known fact
flatly contradicts it. Every aspect Of
eircumstantial evidence stamps It pre-
posterious lie.
LIT was period- OF heroic achievement
tempered by religious fervor. II was
a pious, God-fearing neighhorhood OF
simple hard working men and women.
Debauchery was unknown Double living
was impossible. Thomas Lincoln and
Nancy Hanks as l have shown, came
of good people. Historically, IT. would not
ham Lincoln any more than It matters
that he whom the English monarch is
proud TO call his progenitor was bas-
tard; but It offends the soul OF brave
and just manhood, 1t should arouse in
the heart of every true woman a sense
OF wrong that so much as a shadow
should rest upon the memory of the
little cabin in which Nancy Lincoln gave
TO the world an immortal son, born in
clean, unehallenged wedlock, nor thought
OF taint or shame anywhere.
LET no one of those that gather there
go thence without a heart salute to the
gentle spirit OF Nancy Hanks Lincoln,
that maybe, somewhere beyond the stars
among the angels of the choir Invisible,
will look upon the scene, serene and safe
at last in the bosom Of her Father and
her God!'
LincOIn's Arrival In Washington.
Mr. Watterson told a graphic story OF
the coming OF Lincoln to Washington and
his first inauguration. His narrative took
the form Of a personal "reminiscences. Il