The Sun. [volume] (Price, Utah) 1915-1932, 1916-02-11
ABRAHAM LINCOLN.

day of Abraham Lincoln we know him better.
AT the close of the civil war the states that had
attempted TO secede hated him, although there
were many farseeng and keen wtted Southern
ers who realized that Lincoln was the best friend
the South had in Washington When stricken
down by the hand of an assassin his work was
unfinished, and, unfortunately, those who fin
ished il for him undoubtedly strayed fer from
the methods Lincoln would have followed.
When the constitution of the United States
was written there was no stipulation that states,
once having entered the union, could not secede
If they thought il wise This oophole was left
in order TO induce all to enter. In the minds of
many political thinkers the implication was pres
ent that the constitution was binding merely
through the signatures Of all the states Among
others it was stoutly maintained that the consti-
tuition did not specifically deny the right of Sc
cession.
II took four years war to weld together this
original loophole in the constitution, and today
there is scarcely a man, North or South, who
does not admit-n the South at least privately
that the union is better and greater as Lincoln
made t.
Consider then the greatness of the man. Born
in extreme poverty. reared in every manner of
hardships, acquiring an education amid squalor,
and finally landing in the White House at the
most critical time in the nations history this is
indeed a biography that will remain the greatest
source of inspiration TO the natisn. Added to
this, however was the strength of character and
indomitable perseverance of the man. his leader
ship Of men and his well nigh personal command
over the destinies of the nation, and we have a
picture that will never be equalled in this land
Of liberty. And we hope not. because Lincoln's
triumphs were in the midst of woe. want, misery
and bloodshed.
defiled democracy at all times. At Gettysburg
he uttered the immortal phrase. government of
the people. for the people and by the people"
And he meant II. But he realized as every SEN
sibe man does, that there are some crcum-
stances that alter cases even in a republic and
one Of these was when he made the emancipation
proclamation. He merely laid the draft of the
document before his cabinet and said he was
going TO communicate TO them something about
which he did not desire them TO offer any advice.
They might make suggestions as 10 detail, but
nothing more None of them had been consulted
as to the presidents purpose. lie alone settled
the matter. (Morse's Abraham Lincoln" Vol.
2, Pages ll4.1l5) THE constitution invests its
commander in chief with all the law of war in
time of war;" was his justification for his course.
Even in republic there is no room for argu-
ment-no time-under some circumstances.
II is evident that Lincoln construed the consti-
tuition without aid from the courts at this point
yet few people have thought II worth while to
decry him for classifying the emancipation proc
lamation as rule of war;" which il was not
The war was fought primarily 10 prevent seces-
sion, not 10 free the slaves In such a sumptuary
manner. But when the opportunity came. Lin
coin went step farther and. standing head and
shoulders above the cabinet. above congress-
above the people, above the courts. above the
constitution itself. Lincoln with one fell swoop
made good his oath nc New Orleans in his young
manhood. There. in his early days. he had seen
blacks bought and sold in the slave marts and
looking toward the sky, he is said 10 have utter
ed; by God. II ! ever get chance TO hit that
thing. am going TO hit il hard
No one doubts the vgor of his blow when he
got his chance. No one held him back. or tried
TO. No one cared for the technicalites of judi
cial procedure for the loud words and windy
phrases of congressional dignitares. The peo-
Pile of the North were against slavery. so that
when Lincoln brushed aside the cabinet, con-
gress and the courts, he was in reality incarna-
ting government by the people-through him
self.
Those days and deeds are fittingly inscribed
in the scrolls of history. The travail of renewed
birth is n memory. The result has been power
full nation a greater destiny. The bloody shirt
is no longer waved. The remaining soldiers of
the South and North are brothers. friends and
neighbors.
This result iustifies Lincolns life and course
in solving the untoward problems that confront
ed him.
In the last fiscal year the federal health SER
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