The central record. (Lancaster, Ky.) 18??-current, 1911-02-10
Lincoln's Birthday.

Were the American people to follow
the Swedish custom of concentrating
the memory of their great men by de-
claring their natal day holiday, the
working days in this country would
soon be few and far between. But
were we to follow this custom, the
birthday of Abraham Lincoln would be
close up toward the head of the list
Especially dear should be the name of
this truly great man to the hearts of
all Kentuckians, for he was one of us.
Born of humble parentage, the son of a
farmer, in little log cabin in Larue
county near Hodgensville on the 18th.
day of February 1909, the necessities of
his family compelled him to devote his
entire time to the cultivation of their
little farm, beginning as soon as he was
large enough to lift hoe. His educa-
ton was sadly deficient, having gone to
school scarcely year in his entire life.
His family removed with him to India
ma in 1916 and from there to Illinois in
1880. The first great achievement of
his life was to prove himself the champ
ion railsplitter of his locality, which won
for him the nickname of "railsplitter"
a term often applied to him in after
years. His first political achievement
was his election to the Illinois legisla-
ture in 1884, studied law at odd mo-
ments and admitted to the bar in 1886,
he was thrice elected to the legislature
afterward, and moved to the state cap
ital where he became actively engaged
IN politics, the elimination of his efforts
being his election to the presidency in
1860 over William H. Seward who be-
came his Secretary of State, and whom
there was an attempt to assasinate at
the time of Lincoln's death, but who
recovered from the injuries sustained.
Because of his anti-slavery views and
before his inauguration as president six
of the southern states seeded from the
Union. That Lincoln has no desire or
purpose to interfere with the institution
of slavery however, is proven by the
following words in his first Inaugural
address.
Il have no purpose, directly or indi-
rectly to interfere with the institution
of slavery in the states where it exists.
/ believe have no lawful right to do
so, and have no inclination to do so, -
On January l, 1863 he issued as a
war measure" the Emancipation Pro-
clamation as means toward the sup
preston of the war of rebellion. He
was reelected to the presidency in the
Fall of 1864. His second Inaugural ad-
dress was one of the greatest utter
ances that ever fell from the lips of
mortal man, concluding with the men,
orable words:-"With malice toward
none, with charity for all, with firm
ness in the right as God gives us to see
the right, let us strive on to finish the
work We are in, to bind up the nations
wounds, to care for him who shall have
borne the battle, and for his widow and
his orphan, to do all which may achieve
and cherish just and lasting peace a.
mong ourselves and with other nations. u
On the night of the 14th of April 1865
while seated with party of friends in
a box in Washington opera house he
was shot through the head by j. Wilkes
Booth, dying from the wound before
the following morning.
Thus passed the Great Emancipation
one of the greatest men this country
ever knew, and certainly one of she
greatest that Kentucky ever produced.