The Bismarck tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, N.D.) 1916-current, 1919-02-12

J.
keen the anguish he must have felt
when he could not grant their petit
ton!
| When, in 1861, he took the presi-
dental office, he was ridiculed by the
social leaders, cartooned by knocking
Journalists, and despised by the chief
men of his own party. Seven states
eign Influence in their favor, and he,
an inexperienced mariner, must guide
the ship of state DER troubled seas.
But it was soon evident that n strong
hand was ut the helm, a hand that
In the Providence of God should bring
forth the good ship triumphant, to
evermore sail on, "a union strong and
great" -
Never in our country's history were
greater men in the councils Of the ma.
ton, men of wiser judgment, more stall
wart character, yet to them President
Lincoln became monument OF
strength from whose calmness they
gained new courage, and upon whose
strong arm they leaned for support.
In times of disaster he was not dis
heartened. nor was he carried away by
victory but was always self-restrained
and determined. manifesting unfailing
cheerfulness and good humOr.
How fratcrnal the spirit he showed
toward the secceded states when he
urged them to the union. in your
hands,, my dissatisfied fellow country
men," he said, land not in mine is
the momentous issue Of the civil war.
The government will mot assail you.
You can have no conflict without be.
ing yourselves the aggressor."
He>wa strongly opposed to slavery.
yet it was not his purpose nor that
Of his party to legislate against 1t
where it already existed, but to pre-
vent it's further extension and evcntu-
ally it would become extinct. He
urged the slave states to abolish slav-
cry, pledging the financial aid of the
government to compensate the owners.
He said to them, $50 much good has
notHbeen done in all past time as is
nOMHin the Providence Of God! your
high privilege to do.,- May the vast
future onOt, have cause TO slament that
you have sneglectetllit. j>IoH% I9ta&
1t was President nI1incOln'sliA para.
mount purpose to save the union, but
in doing so he was destined to be-
come the ;liberator of the slave. When
urged Ato follow up his emancipation
proclamation with a recommendation
Of a constitutional amendment because
1t would further, his political prospects,
he ,reRlie haverneyGr vet done an
Official act with reference to its dear
ilne&, upon; my denomination, and II don't
like, to- begin now.i 4 i can see eman-
GipatiOn coming u Who ever will wait
for it, will see; 1t too. Who ever gets
in the way Of it,iwill be run over
by it," $3.50 - ani,,-,e.s fci@+af
Seven years previous, in 1865, when
the republican party was being Or
ganiZed, Mr.. Lincoln's advice as to
the platform was asked and he said,
'"Take the Declaration of Independence
and the gates of hell will not prevail
against it,"
His character was sublime in it's
simplicity and strength, august in it's
morality, kindly in it's magnanimity.
He never used his high position as
the vantage ground of selfish interest.
"He never sold the truth to serve the
hour: nor paltered with eternal God
Tor, power" He was perfectly at
home in the presence Of the greatest
or the humblest, for to him d King was
hut a man and a beggar was nO, less.
His heart was stirred by the vail that
came from the cabin of the slave. for
his NATURALLY tender heart was made
doubly sympathetic by having through
out his early life throbbed meath the
garb OF poverty.
Perhaps no higher tribute has been
paid to the greatness Of Lncoln's char
acter than is found in the poem of Tom
Taylor In the London Punch, written
Immediately after his assassination.
TO appreciate the lines we must re-
member that the writer had, for four
years, made Lincoln the butt of his
ridicule and cruel witicisms:
Yes, he had lived to shame me from
my sneer-
To lame my pencil and confute nv
pen .a
To make me own this mind. Of
princes peer,
This rajl-splitter, true born king
of men,"
In the dim vista of years to come
no narrative of history will be read
with keener interest than the stories
OF sacrifice, OF patriotism and courage
OF the boys in blue who offered on
their country's altar "'their last full
measure Of devotion" and not less fas-
cinating will be the story of their
beloved chief whom the whole united
people shall proudly honor, when at
last the time shall have come that men
read history with their eyes and not
with their prejudices.
II you want the family to be healthy
ana active, give them HOLSTERS
Rocky Mountain Tea this month. 1t
regulated tho hou,ola A.y--rAI. t.