Essex County herald. [volume] (Guildhall, Vt.) 1873-1964, 1921-02-10

DelCH uLlutE lle IlNllllIS HlutC VI III
tree. 1t was just such a bench as this and undel
this identical tree that Lincoln during the DARK
days of the war sat until late into the nlShI. ~
few hundred yards behind stands the frame
house in which he spent many a night IN ofaer
to have freedom from the cares OF his ONCE rol
more than fifty years veterans of the civil war
have been visiting this spot in the Soldiers nome
which Lincoln liked so well. and now it is ire
duented by men who fought in the Spanish-Amer-
lean war and men who did service in the Norld
war. From this spot one can see the new LIN
coin memorial three miles distant to the SOUTH
west, and lust across the Potomac beyond the
memorial looms up Arlington cemetery.
Other Reminders of Lincoln:
To the north and west of the Soldiers home
on the outskirts of the City but within the DIS
trict of Columbia, are many material reminders
of the days of Lincoln. For instance, thefe Is
the old fort from which Lincoln witnessed the
repulse of the would-be invaders of the capital
And extending east and west from this Old fort
are remnants of numerous Notifications that Lin
coin visited many times.
on Tenth street there still stands the ola Fora
Theater building III which Lincoln was aSSaS-
sinated, and across the street in the tWo-St"ry
brick house in which he died is a Lincoln
museum supported in part by appropriations
from congress and in part from private sources.
one may see there the many reminders OF the
early career of Lincoln, such as a log from his
boyhood home, Il fence rail which he split IN
1880, the commission Of captain which he won Ill
the Black Hawk war in 1882, many autographed
letters, the chair in which he sat in his Spring
field home when he accepted the first nomination
to- the presidency and the old family BlDle IN
which Lincoln's name appears.
AS the years have gone by congress has placed
in the halls and corridors of the Capitol a num-
Der of busts and paintings of Lincoln. The bust
by Albert DegrOut is in the east corridor OF the
senate wing. There is also in the senate wing a
lincoln portrait about which sightSeprS may be
seen any day. In the house wing there hangs Il
painting that represents the first reading of the
emancipation proclamation before. the cabinet,
September 20, 1862. In the portrait are seen
secretary of war, Edwin NJ. Stanton; secretary
of the treasury, Solomon 2. Chase; secretary Of
the navy, Gideon Wells secretary of state, VIII
liam II. Seward; secretary of the interior, Caleb
b. Smith; postmaster general, Montgomery BAR,
and attorney general, Edward Bates. This paint
ing was presented to the United States by Eliza
beth Thompson in 1870. Alexander II. Stephens
eyvice president Of the Southern Confederacy,
who was then a member of the house of repre-
sentatives, made the speech Of presentation.
There are few outside statues to detract from
the interest that will always center around the
great memorial in Potomac park. There is a
Lincoln statue at Fourth and d streets, by Scott
Flannery, and also a statue in Lincoln park
which is called the emancipation mohuuHeHt. 1t
is by Thomas Ball.
Dedication of Memorial.
AS the years 90 by men in public life at the
capital of the nation refer with increasing fire.
aupncy to the wise utteranceS of Lincoln. A
glance over the speeches in the two houses OF
congress will show that it is a rare thing for a
senator or congressman to make Il speech OF
consequence without quoting Lincoln. The retlr
ing President Of the United States in his las
general message to congress told the Legislators
that as he approached the end of his term ne
found his thought dominated by an immor;a
sentence uttered by Lincoln:
LET us have faith that right makes might, ant
in that faith let us dare to do our duty as We
understand it,
Apparently the present year Is to bring al
increase in the interest in Lincoln in his owl
country, If such a thing is possible. The dedica
ton of the national memorial will be more thai
n national event. The plans for this affair in 81
far as they have been perfected call for the par
ticipatlon Of the representatives of all foreigl
governments here. The eulOgy may be delivered
Inv the President of the United States. Tn
preference was for dedicatory exercises on Febru
airy l., the birthday Of the martyr President, bu
1t has been decided that it would be better. {
wait for the balmy weather of spring.
1t is nearly f~fty-tive years since Lincoln passe
on. Tt quote George Bancroft, the eulogiar
again:
mot In vain has Lincoln lived, for he IN
helped to make this republic an example of ju,
tice, with no caste but the caste of humanity"