American Falls press. [volume] (American Falls, Idaho) 1907-1937, 1916-02-17
GREAT ANNIVERSARY.

Today is the anniversary of the birth of Abraham Lin
coin.
We call it the great anniversary because the lie OF LIN,
coin was a notice, served upon the youth CT the United
States that there is q nobility of mankind which does not
depend upon fortune, birth, education, or any OF the
usual means which help him to gain name and station,
but which espite all the means on which ordinary men
rely for preference, could still assert itself and make the
world stand abashed in its august presence. Lincoln had
brain of his age; he had a heart big enough to take In all
suffering humanity; he had an integrity that was incor-
porated into the very fibre Of his life. Said Douglas: he
was the hOnestest man | ever saw"
One of the most brilliant men who ever came to the west
was Senator j. Y. McDougal. He went to California from
Illinois, where he had known Lincoln for years.
One day in Sacramento a discussion arose among the
members of the bar of the city concerning what seemed
to them a wonderfully logical speech that had been dellv-
cred that day in the court house. Finally McDougal SAID;
81 heard it; it was a good speech, but if you want to read
the most logical speech | ever read, go to the state library
in the capitol, tur nto page of the-volumeo OF the
Congressional Globe and read the speech there delivered
by Abe Lincoln of Illinois" And who is Abe Lincoln, was
asked him to which he answered: HE is a country lawyer
in Illinois. He would be about six feet three, if ne would
~straighten up, raw boned, jolly, story telling careless man,
with the homliest, saddest face you ever saw but he knows
more than anybody. He never had more than a smatter-
ing of elementary education, but he did not need it, ne
was born with more sense than all of us can ever acquire.
Jim Green, a great St. Louis lawyer, and a pronounced
Southerner went over to Illinois, to hear the Douglas-Lln-
coin debate at Freeport. Returning to ST. Louis his
friens gathered around him and one SAID: "lhe ntue
giant is getting away with the %raisplitter easy enough, is
he not?" To which Green replied: mo, he is not, nobody
can. All you can do is say you'll be id if you stand it."
General Carl Schurz returned from Chancellorsvlle
and was imprudent enough to write Mr.. Lincoln a letter
criticizing his conduct of the war. Lincoln replied to 1t
and that finished General Schurz until the end OF the war.
Seward, as secretary of state, sought to control the adj
ministration.
At a critical time when we were in imminent danger
of a war with Great Britain and France, Seward wrote TO
the British premier and incidentally mentioned what ne
had done. LET me see the letter, please" said Lincoln. 1t
was given him. He sat down and read the letter, expung-
ed here a word and there a line, added here a word and
there a line, then pushed it over to Seward and SAID:
"Have it copied that way and send it" Seward read it
through and then was great enough to say: MIR. Presl-
dent as corrected, that is a most able state paper" Horace
Greedy, in his Tribune, had more than once criticized the
administration sharply. Greedy was a most gifted man,
his paper had grown so great that he believed 1t should
Influence the nations course, but Greedy never had Level
judgment.
When the Gettysburg cemetery was to be dedicated, one
of the foremost orators of all the world was called to make
the address. He spoke two hours. MIR. Lincoln followed
him. His speech lasted only six minutes. They were both
published in the Tribune next morning and speaking OF
Them, Mr.. Greedy wrote: "Who will say that there was
not more in the six minutes than in the two hours speech!
But at that time Mr.. Lhncolns work was nearly finished
and the invisible wireless must even then have begun II
,lbring him messages from that station in the stars where
the deeds Of men are passed upon. Another great address