The Jasper news. [volume] (Jasper, Missouri) 1898-1924, 1917-02-08

-MM7kSO of an association to the
V IN possession Of the govern
D" ment of the United States
contrast strangely with the passions
which illumined the period in which
his lot was cast, toward the close
breaking into volcano of blood and
flame, his tragic death unhappily not
the endj for we now know that, while
he was entertaining the most benevo-
lent intentions toward the beaten party
in the strife, his taking Off gave at once
the signal and the pretext for letting
loose upon the vanquished swarm of
evil spirits working ills even worse
than those of war itself.
For at least ten years before the
secession of the Southern states the
two sectional extremes in and out of
congress talked like madmen, the raw
ing ranging from the abolition orators
melodramatic "My curse be upon the
Constitution of these United States" to
the rodomontade of the Southern sena-
tor who would not be pacified until he
could "call the muster roll of his slaves
beneath Bunker Hill monument"
AS the sectional pressure frightened
| In national politics before the advent
of actual hostilities those conservative
men who tried to avert the oncoming
clash of arms were driven to the wall.
Neither extreme would listen to mod
crate counsels. The interposition Of
the border states proved of doubtful
restraint and was of short duration.
During the war and after it was over
these patriotic men Jared no better
than the firebrands, the mass and body
of the Southern people COMPOUNDED
with the original secessionists. Even
now the distinction that once existed
Is blurred, If not lost. Yet great
majority of the Southern people were
devoted to the Union and at least q
strong minority were opposed to slav-
cry.
No one understood this better than
Abraham Lincoln. He was himself of
Southern birth. He and all his tribe
were Southerners. Although he left
Kentucky when child, he was an old
child; he never was very young; nor
did he go very far, growing to man
hood In Kentucky colony, for what
is Illinois, what Chicago, but a Ken.
lucky colony, swollen somewhat out
of proportion? He was in no sense
what we used to call "a poor white
Awkward, nngainly but aspiring, the
spirit of hero within that rugged
easement fine, far-reaching imaglna,
ton behind those heavy brows; the
courage of lion beneath those patient
kindly aspects and, long before he
WAS of legal age, Il leader among men
His first love was u Rutledge; his
wife was q Todd.
Lincoln the Poet.
We know that he was a poet, fol-
nave we not that immortal prose-poen
recited at Gettysburg? We know tina
he was n statesman, for has not tint
vindicated his conclusions? But thu
South did not for long time know
except rs kind of hearsay, that h,
was friend-the one friend who hat
the power and the will to save it alik,
from its enemies and itself. The dires
blow that could have fallen upon
hapless and PROSTATE people was de
livered by the assassin's bullet tina
struck him down.
-Iuch of n misleading kind has BEEF
written touching what did and did no
happen Mt the Hampton Roads con
ference. Nothing happened Their
which changed the irreconcilable al
titude of the combatants. Their agents
indeed, argued from opposite prem
ises-the restoration OF the Union tn
sine qua non of the one side, the rec
ognition of the Confederacy the ultima
tum of the other.
NeitheS, indeed, possessed the pow
err to come to terms. Mr.. Davis ha
no right to dissolve the Confederac
= and dIsband its armies, Mr.. LlncOi
none to commit his government to an
definite treaty. II is fact, howeveI
that the federal president was pr.
pared with plan then and there I
end the war, which, could 1t have bee
adopted, would have saved two month
bloody fighting and spared the Sout
. the humiliation of the final collaps
and surrender.
i Though this has been denied, 1t al
rnits of NO dispute, The historic issu