The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1916-04-15

would have been "the friend in need"
to the dowdtrodden South.
Now, why has this man been put
on such a pedestal at the North and
why are the people of the South fall
ing into line and talking about his
"greatness?" One Southerner was
heard to class him with Lee and
Neutrality-suspicious. noble gentlemen,
VINO walked in the fear of God, whose
lips were never soiied by vile jokes,
whose courage was sublime and whose
patriotism would have risen far above
party politics and personal considera-
tlon! Our youths should be taught
the difference between true greatness
and a shoddy imitation Of it and
should be taught to know the real
Lincoln from the idealized one that
one hears Of from the Northern press
and partisan historians. I once list
ened to debate at the Camden grad
ed school on the query Were CAL
houn. Clay and Webster Americas
greatest statesmen" and the mega
tive Won and proved to their own sat-
isfaction that Clay gambled. Webster
drank and Calhoun tried to ruin the
senate because he couldn't rule it, and
that Americas greatest statesman was
Abraham Lincoln! 1t is claimed that
Southern minister was heard to de-
clare that he was the greatest man
who had walked the earth since the
Nazarene!
confess I do not know what Lin
coins fame as statesman rests on,
as was not old enough when he was
president to understand just what he
did to win the title, and this phase
of his character was not dwelt on in
the only book Of reference at my COM
mand, but I hope. for his admirers
sakes. that it is better founded than
the claim to his being a good man."
made by his champions. It would be
anomalous to call person good"
who SCOTS at religion and whose word
was not his bond according to we'll
authenticated history, who was low,
tricky and cunning" according to
the estimation Of, a brilliant mem.
Der Of his cabinet, the contempt of
which member for his chief made
him insulting to him at times. This
contempt seems to have been shared
by the other two members of the cab
met, and as Miss Tarbell admits, by
most OF the prominent politicians of
the day. and was doubtless engender-
ed by intimate knowledge of the man
himself and not by scorn of his
humble birth or from the uncouthness
Of manner for which he was notorious
his undeniable intellect would
have made them pass over his origin
and charitably pardon his manners
because of the lack of social training
lie was almost impossible for him to
have had in his early youth. What
was probably objectionable was his
clownishness. his vulgarity and his
general uhiitncss to be the chief of
a great nation.
very tyro in logic could prove
that Lncoln's emancipation proc
lamation didn't make him great"
because he was simply the mouth
piece Of the Northern people, yet +
am persuaded this proclamation has
been accounted to him for righteous
ness by thousands of both black and
white who believe he was indeed the
great liberator." Now We must dig
about this pedestal that Lincoln has
been put upon and see if there are
good and true reasons for placing him
there before we simply follow the
lead and accept myth and legend
FOR truth. And il we find, he has a
right there upon his pedestal, am
sure my colleagues OF the u. D. c.
will be as willing as am to give the
devil his due and allow him to stay
there. But i'll the meantime let every
organization dig until we get at the
very root of the matter!