Five Mile Beach weekly journal., 1915-04-09
APRIL IS. 1915

Catafaique.
get him, but his public work was past
history. or 50 it then seemed.
Lyen be.O.e Lincoln was laid in his
tomb the ntiion was plunged afresh
into The tilrlloil of war and war
alarms. &, neral Sherman was yir-
tually ic. t:el o. treason in the matter
of la.isii.s tilns With the Confeder-
ates lo1 ias surrender of Johnston's
large arlls. Cant was sent to the
front 10 +. ievp sherman. The fleeing
Confederate government was being
pursued for fear Il new stand would be
made i'll the mountains or beyond the
Mississippi. Andrew Johnson stepped
into Lincoin's shoes and was instantly
at odds with his cabinet and col
leagues. Grant was 1.-THE man of the
hour upon whom the public relied to
restore order, but even Grant was
checked by red tape and a yelled
jealousy and hostility which often tied
his hands.
The ink was barely dry upon Lees
treaty of surrender when Sheridan
was ordered to gather his forces and
proceed to the Mexican border and pre-
pare for a new wan with the forces of
Macmillan. For three years following
the end of the Confederacy and the
death of Lincoln anxiety and misgiv-
ings ruled the nation. not to be dissi-
pated until the election of Grant, 'the
man on horseback to the White
House in 1865. Grants sword took
the place of Lincoln's wisdom and hon
esty as the guarantee of national life
and safety. Never was the saying THE
king is dead: long live the king more
applicable than in the 6EtsadtAa
1866. Grant was the new king, though
unconsecrated and unenthroned. The
verdict upon Lincoln was that he had
wrought honestly and nobly, but time
alone could determine the enduring
value of his labor. Not until the TWEEN
ty-ffth anniversary of his death was
there a national movement to COM
memorate his life work by celebrating
his birthday.
Lincoln's Closing Days.
The last six months of Lincoln's ca.
reer i'll the executive chair were nota-
bly, eventful, In November, 1864, he
was reelected upon his record as war
president of three and a half years.
His reelection had not been a foregone
conclusion. Such was the demand for
a military man that General Grant had
been impelled to declare that he would
not be a candidate. General MeClel.
Ian ran ON an anti-war platform, and,
although his electoral vote was light,
he drew a surprising popular vote.
That the people of the north were
tired of the wal was evident in spite
OF Lincoln's triumph at the polls on a
ringing wal platform. In order to
prove his desire for peace he yielded
to the pressure of the hour and met
Vice President Stephens Of the Con.
federate states at Fortress Monroe, in
February. 1860, to arrange the prelimi
naries of negotiations. His firm avow.
al that the basis of such negotiations
must be the submission of the south
ended the conference. and from that
time on the problem of conquering
peace and restoring the relations of the
sections absorbed his heart and mind.
His thought, his hope, his conviction
were epitomized in that marvellous In
augural address of March 4. when he
surpassed not only himself, but all the
classics of American political eio.
quence. One specimen sufices to stamp
its tone and power:
with malice toward none, with
charity for all, with ifmness 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 has borne the bat
tie and for his widow and his orphan
to do all which may achieve and cher
ish a just and lasting peace among
ourselves and with all nations"
While in Richmond after the fall Mr..
Lincoln said that he believed that the
conquered people would be "let III
easy" This was in accordance with
views expressed to Grant after b
had met Confederate peace commits
sioners. Grant states in his memolrs
that at that time Mr.. Lincoln said
that If the southerners would agree
to perpetual union and the abolition
OF slavery he would be willing to hand
them a blank sheet of paper with his
signature attached and let them state
the terms themselves. These views,
known to the Federal generals In the
field, Influenced them in their stipula-
lions for the surrender OF the Confed
crate armies.