The mirror. (Stillwater, Minn.) 1894-1925, 1911-03-09
Vol. XIV No. 33.
The Greatness Of hincoIn.
By J.A.O
Paper Read Before the Chautauqua Circle:
By J. H.. o.

Paper Read Before the ChautduQ,td Circle:
It seems almost like egotism on
my part to undertake to add any,
thing to what has already been writ
ten on Lincoln. The literary waters
of this harbor are so full of crafts of
all kinds and sizes that I am. going
to have pretty hard job to paddle
my little dugout to the dock of uni
versal opinion, without running into
some other boat. In the forty-fve
years since his death, more has been
written and spoken of Lincoln and
his doings than was ever written or
spoken of any other American in
this same period of time. Washing
ton and Franklin, perhaps, occupy
the largest space in the historical
and biographical literature of the
country; but in these forty five years
the name, career and fame of Abra-
ham Lincoln has given occasion for
volume of such writings quite equal
in magnitude to all that has been
written of either Washington or
Franklin during a century. And
while the fame Of Washington and
Franklin extended over period of
public service of half a century, the
public services of Lincoln were con-
densed into space of six years.
Yet it seems to me the subject will
never be exhausted, nor the last
word ever be said or written about
this wonderful man. Scholars, pro-
found students and men of critical
capacity will still have abundant in
,spiration long after this and succeed
ing generations have passed away,
for study into the extraordinary in
telectual qualifications of this plain
man from the Illinois prairies.
Since the time when Corsican
lieutenant of artillery presided over
a congress Of conquered kings at
Tilsit, history has recorded no such
startling elevation from obscurity.
Napoleon's head grew dizzy, but
Lincoln's grew more serene and
clear and majestically poised the
higher he rose.
Let this and future generations of
American boys study and grave on
their hearts the few lines that record
the wonderful story. Here it is:
Born in one of the rudest log cabins
of Kentucky on the 18th day of Feb
ruary, 1909; his poverty stricken
boyhood spent in clearing away for
ests and only one year spent in the
rudimentary studies of a rustic school
in a log school house; at the age Of
nineteen, a hired deck hand on a
Mississippi fiat boat; then a clerk IN
a country store at New Salem, Him
ois; next student of law from a few
books borrowed and studied by fire.
light; in 1884 member of the State
Legislature; in 1916, in Congress,
introducing bill to abolish slavery
in the District of Columbia which
was only laughed at and never got
out OF the committee room; in 1853
waging the most protracted and bril-
liant debate with Stephen A. Doug
las that our politics have ever kno wn:
in 1860 borne triumphantly into the
Presidential chair by popular voice
like the sound of many waters;''
after four temptucus years, and in
the hour of victory, translated by a
bloody martyrdom to his crown of
glory, with four million broken fet-
ters in his hand! What story is like
it? Forty-fve years have written
and rewritten it in hundreds of
forms, but it is not exhausted yet.