New-York tribune., 1918-02-12
4 Notable Judgment of Lincoln, S
By Charles T. White

Abraham Lincoln's adherence to moral
ideals always has been an inspiration to
students of American history.
One of his associates said that with Lin
coin moral question was the mightiest thing
beneath the throne of God
How tenaciously he clung to some of these
ideals is wellnigh forgotten save by those
who take the time to take Lincolns faith
in ideals and run back the various strands
to their sure anchorages.
What student of American history to-day,
without reference to some printed record,
could name even the year of the murder of
Elijah P. Lovejoy? The Britannica does not
mention him at ali. The Century gives him
six lines; Lippincott's, eight
Yet Lincoln, writing in 1857, at period
IN his life when he gave thought to the use
of his written words. wrote of I.ovejoys
death as the most important single event
in the history of the New World
The murder of Lovejoy, the humble Con-
gregational clergyman and editor of an anti
slavery paper, by pro-slavery mob, while
Lovejoy was defending his printing Office in
Alton, ILL.,, a moral earthquake shock
that was felt all over the United States
J. Q. Adams
On Lovejoy
John Quincy Adams "the old man eo-
quent," writing the Introduction of a memoir
to LoveJoy, used these words:
THAT an American citizen, in state whose
constitution repudiates all slavery should die
martyr in defence of the freedom of the press
is phenomenon in the history of the Union.
1t forms an era in the progress of mankind
toward universal emancipation. The
incidents which preceded and accompanied
op6 fall {Lo
joys death point it out an epoch in the
annals of human liberty. He was the
first American martyr to the freedom of the
press and the freedom of the slave"
This tragic circumstance must have been
burned ndelibly into Lincoln's mind 1t made
Owen Lovejoy, brother of the murdered man,
his lifelond friend and COUNSELLOR Lincoln
aid not always agree with Owen Lovejoy in
matters of policy, Owen Lovejoy was an
uncompromising aboltionist Immediately fol-
lowing his brothers death. But Lincoln
forgot that Elijah Lovejoy, as John
Quincy Adams said, the first American
martyr to the freedom of the press and the
freedom of the slave
The transcendent Importance attached by
Lincoln to the death of Lovejoy might have
escaped attention but for the publication by
w. c. MacNaul in 1915 of the volume "The
Jefferson-Lemen Compact" and Lincolns
views on this subject have received wider
circulation recently through the publication
of Gilbert A. Tracy's "Uncolected Letters
of Abraham Lincoln" letter written by
Lincoln, dated Springfield, H., March 2, 1857,
to the Rev. James Lemen, is in many respects
the most remarkable letter he ever penned.
Recently while in Washington l called the
attention of Robert T. Lincoln to it. He
owned the new book containing the letter,
but he had not read it. After carefully
reading it he said, swell, that certainly
proves that my father was not irreligious
man."
Because this letter illustrates how tena-
ciously Lincoln clung to an ideal, or moral
question, involving the freedom of the press
and the freedom of the slave, confident
that the readers of The Tribune this the
anniversary of the many-sided great mans
birth, will be glad to read it, and give the
letter in full: