The Calumet news., 1912-02-12
W. ]. CALBRAITH
ON ABE LINCOLN
TELLS OF LINcoLN's GREAT PA.
TIENcE m ADDRESS AT
CALUMET coNeREeA.
TiONAL.

Services commemorating the birth
of Abraham Lincoln. were conducted
at the Calumet Congregational church
last evening and pr6scd very interest
ing. The principal features OF the pro-
gram we're an illustrated address by
Rev. l.. X. Long. and an address by
Hon. w. J. Galbraith on "Lincolns
Patience" Mrs. c. III. Rodi. who was
to have given reading was unable to
chorister of the church, rendered a
very enjoyable solo.
The address Of Hon. w. ]. Galbraiih
was as follows:
w. J. Galbraith's Address.
Illinois. as you all know, IL bound on
the west and south by the Mississippi
river. II Is touched on the northeast
by Lake Michigan and on the south
east by the Ohio river, and this is i'm
portant To bear In nina. for its effect
on Illinois and Illinois history.
Through the gateway of Lake Michi-
gan came In the early days the New
England population and northern IL
linois Is essentially New England i'm it's
original inhabitants. Southern Illinois
being touched by the Mississippi and
Ohio Rivers was peopled almost en-
tirely by people Of southern descent
people of southern breed and with
southern population dominated over
the northern population.
The first constitution of Illinois was
essentially southern. The local gov
ernment of Illinois was essentially
southern. 1t was copied from Vir-
ginia. not from New England. and the
greatest Offering that Illinois has Civ
on 10 the nation and to the world was
the man. born in Kentucky. of Virginia
parents. who came into illinois by way
of the Ohio, through Indiana and
through central Illinois. South CEN
tral Illinois is not a lovely country. II
Is a vast expanse of corn fields. level
as the floor. as far as the eye can
reach. The Sangamon river. which is
made famous in history more through
Lincoln's name, is a sluggish, muddy
ditch, draining a prairie country and
on this Sangamon river is Springfield,
the home of Lincoln.
LineoIn's Patience.
Lincoln was a very real character in
my boyhood neighborhood. l should
Judge that about three out of five of
the men over forty-five years of age
were Union veterans. and nearly all of
the men of that age had some person
al yno,vIodVe of Tincoln had hea rd
him speak in the Lincoln Douglas de-
bates and I'm tho court room. They had
sat on jures on which he had appear
Cd as advocate--they had heard him in
other public and semi-pubiic places.
Now, I have for. the reason that the
young are inclined to look up to Lin
coin as some sort of myth n super-man
to think that he is different from other
men. lie differed from you and from
me only In degree. only i'm quality and
intensity. He had the trials of the or
binary every day life. such as you and
have and will have He was cour-
ageous as all great men are courageous,
but added to that courage, and 10 my
mind the distinguishing feature OF
| Lincoln's life and character. was the
patience that was almost omnipotent
I wish 10 sketch situation I'm which
Lincoln found himself at the time he
was inaugurated. March 4th. 1861.
would be glad to point out many incl
dents of his life. but 20 my mind this is
the most striking and in order to bring
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