Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1916-02-12

The city, State and nation today is
thrilled with the memory of a homely
. man born in a log cabin in Kentucky lO7
years ago-Abraham Lincoln, who saved
. the Union, freed the slave and assured
freedom TO the free"
All the revilement of the "uncouth bar
4 barian.'' who sat, in anguish of heart. in
. the Presidents chair while secession
. threatened to rend the United States
ssunder, has vanished. In its place TODAY
+ there Is nothing but tribute to his name
Z for the ideals which he upheld in time of
stress, for his solemn greatness, his pa
tence, his charity and his bUmor.
In this city especially there is cause
\ to remember the man whom many con-
slider a greater democrat. through force
Of circumstances, than Thomas Jeffer-
son: the man who with simple, unerring
strokes carved for himself name among
those Of the worlds greatest men, For
Lincoln stopped in this city on WASH
lngton's Birthday, 1861, on his way from
Buffalo to Washington to be inaugurated
President of the United States, and de-
liyered one Of his two greatest speeches
In front Of Independence Hall, when he
raised the new flag of the country, with
- stars In the blue field.
LINCOLN IN PHILADELPHIA.
1t was here, on the spot now marked
" UOhHe tdDlet, lndl ADranam Lin
coin outlined his political creed, the creed
that he followed unwaverlngly through
I he tempestuous years that ended-for
him, but not for the South, which he
loysd-when an assassin's bullet laid him
4 low
All my political warfare has been in
A iavor OF the teachings that came forth
from the sacred walls of independence
Hall" he declared, while thousands hung
] on every word of the President-elect.
May my right hand forget it's cunning
and my tongue cleave to the roof of my
mouth II | ever prove false to those
teachings"
The advent of the "backwoods Presi-
dent is remembered by many Philadel-
pnhns, then children, now gray-haired,
sho recall how he made his way slowly
nom the Continental Hotel to the State
house. now Independence Hall, in
paiouche drawn by four white horses
ana escorted by platoon of policemen.
me streets were packed with throngs
eager TO see the "rail-splitter," who was
occupy the first office in the land and
eheer him on his way. Traffic was
suspended for several hours during the
station.
lhe speech he delivered after unfurl-
Hs the nag was eXtemporaneous and Is
Ta'oied oy but one other from his lips
,nst was the immortal Gettysburg ad-
aess, which is considered the finest
% ,%geeGh IN the English language, and
mu"h ,Sh ne himself regarded as mot
Ss.sn % u Is said of the Gettysburg ad-
thst mat what notes he did prepare for
,ia sa' eisssic We're scrbbled down, in a
swe OF deepest spiritual depression, on
OF paper while his train sped
~"Hu the bloody battlefield.
FAMOUS FOR WORD AND DEED.
Lincoln is as famous for the words
NAY ne uttered as for the deeds which
~ aeccmpished. He had the happy
my OF simple, noble phraseology, and
e,,b eu V more than any other American,
wh uhe exception of Franklin.
ie.sa.-t acknowledged to be the finest
fron frple H OF English In the language comes
Sn 4, a nls pen 1t is contained In a letter
NJ. ppso,atlon pon TO an obscure woman, a
hllsd H. OF Boston, who lost five sons
unpS.I ~ the Union army Having this
n.as-asI record in the files of the War
apartment brought to his attention he
N, ra., SSsn S and scribbled a few lines, which
a nr.n ns on wall OF oxford University
. q, ,Lqualed In the English language
m slr simple loftiness of dlctlon.
lal Ie,,sS ,,eIu9lhs hs sentence of the immor-
ess,i@ay that our heavenly Father may
ass asIss Ia the anguish OF your bereavement
n M you only the cherished memory
MA !. loved and lost. and the solemn
eip eossiv 'nat must be yours to have laid SO
don sacrifice upon the altar of free
AZ sHn sueeinct phrase Lincoln defined
slsctsdi i0Ssves pSes, before and after he was
nation 'onVietion that not only the elimi-
IA oI slavery but the upholdlng OF
M abisriean ideals of government were
b ~ ses S Of suppressing the rebellion
TINE 'outh he expressed thus:
,sssSr1 s conflict win settle, at least for
n ~ es 90 10 come, whether man Is cana
u sSVerning himself and, consequent-
hss ~ greater Importance TO the free
m |" the enslaved."
l,,saS. central idea of secession is the
alsll ~, St anarchy" he argued. 1--WE
ls,i boso'y bo'y save or meanly lose the last.
nope Of earth" ''' '''S''
aisls when the national capitaI was
tnd n slsoratmg the surrender OF Lee
lafs !, sad OF the Civil War with brassy
ksd Bar ~ bands playing THE Star-span-
shossd Ls and Yankee Doodle" he
IA n m. sls greatness of heart when he
PIN ing p oandmaster;
pi1ie.' It's ours again"