The Manitowoc pilot. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1859-1932, 1912-03-14
ITEMS FROM THE PILOT FILES.
FIFTY YEARS AGO.

and best papers in the west, few days
since, contained an article on "the
strength of the Union," from which
we copy the concluding portion. 1t
not only gives truthful idea Of the
object for which the people are now
fighting, but does ample justice to the
course which President Lincoln has
adopted, and which, so long as he con-
tinues in his wise policy, will be sup
ported by all patriotic people. We
quote:
"What constitutes the strength of
the Union? In what is that strength
contained? 1t is not in its armies
alone, nor in its navy, not in the wis
com OF its rulers, nor in the personal
attachment of the people for them.
That strength consists In the undying
devotion of the people for the consti-
tuition. 1t was to defend the constitu-
tion, that armies volunteered; it was
to maintain that constitution that men
left home and families and marched to
the field. The war was "to maintain
the constitution and enforce the laws"
Had Mr.. Lincoln called for volunteers
to emancipate the slaves, to extermin-
ate slavery, to reduce to abject misery
the people of the south, his proclama-
tion would not have been answered in
the manner that it was. But in a war
for the constitution and the Union,
there was no division of sentiment;
the whole people sustained the govern
ment, and it was that united support
that has given Mr. Lincoln the power
to maintain his government against
this most formidable rebellion SO far
the federal government has been sus-
tanned by an united people Why
should the policy of the administration
| be changed, and Mr.. Lincoln run the
risk of losing that united support that
has enabled him to withstand the en-
emy so long? Why abandon the war
"for the constitution, and inaugurate
new one; when there is such danger
that by so doing he will destroy that
unity of sentiment that now prevails
in all loyal states?
1t is but justice to Mr.. Lincoln that
we should state that HE has shown un-
common firmness in rejecting abolition
ism as his guide; it was pressed upon
him by his closest supporters. But
like patriot he has refused to listen to
ignoble and dishonest propositions,
and has from the beginning declared
that he would wage the war for the
preservation of the Union, and for no
other purpose. All honor to him for
SO doing"
TWENTY-FIVE YEARS AGO.
The Manitowoc delegation to the
Juneau Club banquet at Milwaukee
comprised Messrs Kirwan, Schmitz,
Albert Becker, NJ. II. Murphy, John
| Franz, w. A. Walker and Reinhart
I,ahr.
Heury Ward Beecher died in Brook
lyn on Tuesday morning at $50. He
was taken sick on Thursday night,
although he retired to bed feeling as
well as usual Through the night he
had fit of vomiting and after this he
slept until o'clock Friday afternoon.
Some difficulty was found in awaking
him and it was then found what was
supposed to be sleep was largely stup-
or. Soon his left side became paral-
yzed and he sank into comatose state
in which he remained until he died
He was Is years of age.
Beecher's power came through the
heart and he had as warm one as
ever beat in The human breast He
was eloquent because he had feeling;
he ignored convention because he was
guided by sympathy too strong for
form to govern; and he stood ready to
follow the banner of charity though it
led forever from the line of precedent.
Lcve was his theology and to him it
seemed as If it was Gods chief attri-
butte. With the strength of strong i'm
pulse he denied the existence of hell
because the very thought was a libel
upon his God. Every fiber of his being
was so repellant that he set his inn
pulse against the authority of the
church and felt that humanity was a
safer guide than doctrine. And this
was Beecher in everything.
He detied everything which ran
counter to humanity and JUSTICE; not
with bravado, not with affrontery nor
with affection of heroic attitude, but
as man whose very soul is stirred
with the conviction that he is right.
Whether pleading the cause of the
negro or the Irishman, his advocacy
was not the less earnest because he had
prejudice to contend against nor did
his courage finch from championing
the lowly and oppressed when he met
in the lists the powerful ard the
naughty. His powers did not come
from conscious strength but from i'm
pulsive benevolence which never counts
the cost or the odds.
Measured by the good he has done in
a line In which heroism Is scarce,
Henry Ward Beecher deserves to rank
with the great men of the world. In
tellectually he has few superiors but
one loses sight OF these powers In ad-
miration OF the work of which they
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