The daily Gate City. [volume] (Keokuk, Iowa) 1855-1916, 1913-02-14

In 1859, and appointed by President
Lincoln judge advocate of the United
States army and afterwards breyeted
in 1865 major general, was resident
attorney at Elizabethtown. Governor
Charles A. Weckliffe, postmaster gen.
eral in Tyler's cabinet was another at
torney from a neighboring town who
practiced at the Hardin county bar. /,
myself have seen John J. Crittenden,
second only to Henry Clay as a Ken
lucky United States senator, and also
the famous Kentucky orator. Thomas
f. Marshall, active in the courts of
that famous old county. There were
many others in Lincoln's day and my
day, brilliant men who crossed swords
successfully with the legal giants !
have named. Born In an Intellectual
environment, though he lived there
only until his seventh year 1t is not
surprising that he climbed so high
These men were great, yet there was
an obscure boy-giant among them des-
tined to outstrip the puny fame they
won.
Ladies and gentlemen, while this
meeting is In honor of the birthday o.
Abraham Lincoln, there was another
object in view by Terrence Post and
The patriotic instructor Of that organi-
zat'on, and 1t is to present lesson
to the old and young, and especially
the rising generation-a lesson in
American patriotism, end no grander
theme could have been chosen for
such lesson than an assemblage OF
the people paying earnest and honest
tribute to the name and fame of one
of the noblest and ablest characters
whose deeds form brilliant and sacred
chapters in the history Of this magnifl-
cent land
AS part of this lesson there
comes to my mind an American trim
ity, Washington, Jefferson and Lin
coin, each Of different type and
each differing in some points from
the other; but what does small diff
ference in the matter OF policy amount
to when the great fundamentals on
are in danger? The members OF this
trinity would strike hands on the
declaration The union must and
shall be preserved" The patriotic
sentiment during and at the close Of
the civil war was. THE constitution
as 1t is and the union as it was" and
this was the wise and sincere senti-
ment Of Abraham Lincoln. How his
great country-loving heart must have
ached during that terrible and bloody
strife, confronted as he was by the
defiant southern arms and bounded
and Handicapped by the progressives of
tlrat day with their continuous med
ding and fanatical cry of ION to
Richmond" 1t would have driven a
less able, tactful patriotic and patient
man to the mad-house and the coun-
try to destruction. But with the COM
bined genius of Washington, JEFF
ferson, Grant and Lee, as com
mander-in-chief OF the great armies
| of the union, he arose majestically
above the wild clamor and brought
/ the war to victorious conclusion,
when any other man of the country
would have suffered humiliating de-
feat.
There is lesson in this that should
be studied thoughtfully and prayerful-
~.
Did you ever think why we have
Christmas day on which all christians
join In happy celebration? 1t is the
accepted birthday anniversary of
Christ, the crucifed savior, who es-
tablished the vestibule on earth in
which all men might accept him and
ity conscience and be freed from the
tyranny Of sin.
| Did you ever think of why We have
a Washington day and Jefferson
day? Washington and Jefferson were
| the great saviors of America from OPP
preston and tyranny by the mother
land, and all the oppressed of every
nation were invited to come here and
escape the burdens and humiliation
imposed by heartless, INSCRIPTIONS
md cruel rulers.
Did YOU ever think why we have
Jackson. day? On that memorable
eighth of January, by his intrepid
courage he won the battle OF New TT.
leans and decided the fate Of CHS
young republic in the second war for
independence by winning glorious
victory with an insignificant army of
brave and determined American sol
diers against the proud, naughty, and
well-trained and well-fed soldiery Of
Great Britain.
Did you ever think why we have
Lincoln day? Abraham Lincoln, the
wise, cautious and conservative presi-
dent q snccessnr of Wa hinetnn Inf