Gunnison news-champion., 1924-02-08
Lincoln Was Not
SoMld and Meek
Great Liberasor Could Bare
Teeth and Fight Whea
Necessary
ey PROF. .. ;. ctoRANp. In chieaso
GvonIno American.

~ PROF. .. ). cioRANo. In chieaso
Evening American
There 10 q tendency IN recent writ
ings to picture Lincoln 10 mild and
meek that his red-bloodesiness and his
emphatic methods Of rebuke are tcsi
and the real value Of the giant amons
men 10 destroyed.
Several recent biographies and many
orations and magazine articles Of late
ycars have given the impression that
Lincoln was not master II his cabinet
II Is said he often laughed and told
stories whea his serious opinion was
needed
II any president endured intrigue st
the cabinet board Lincoln did. Not u
single other man who ever sat In tn
presidential chair would have per
mitted the bold personal campaignInr
Il his persOnal associates.
But Lincoln seemed to let these men
so %. gradually disclosing not onl,
TO hImself but the public their selfish
personal ambitions and then at the
right time and In an Inimitable way he
would grab the oficial by the coat
collar and bring him back to the
struixht and marrow path Of Lincoln
idens.
Lincoln's manner Of dealing with
men was entirely different from that
Il any other president.
He even ran after" General Nc
Clellan and permitted offensive CORE
spondence and NO end Of ''siights'' to
come Ia light But Lincoln. like an
indulgent father. could. when the
proper moment came. call q halt and
take some Of the officials I'm the wood
shed and dust their trousers''
uitisnatum 70 PiettsrsL
To show he was not ,ntimidated.
give . copy Of . letter which he read
At a cabinet meeting during the time
when Stanton. Chase and Seward were
secretly condemnlng one another and
suggesting removals % that they might
all the better conduct their campaign
to prevent Lincoln's reelection and seat
themselves.
TIE letter reads:
Il nsst bs tAs Judge how long to
retain In, and when to remove any
ef you from his position. 4 would
greatly pain me to discover any Of
yen sndeavoring 70 procure sn-
others removal. q. In any way. 70
prejudice him before the publie.
Such eadeavof Weuld b Q wrong
to me and much wsrse Q wrong to
the country. Ny wish y that on
this subjsct NO remark be made,
nor question asked by any Of you.
Aers o. eisawhers. BOW o. here. =
after" AZ
One day early In Lincoln's admins
tration. Nrs. Lincoln aid to him:
TT 10 common rumor about the cap
ital that Seward and not you will be
the president-that he will rule you"
He replied:
Il may not rule myself. but certain.
ly Seward shall mot. Tie only ruler
I have IL my conscience. following God
in II. and these men will have to learn
that yet"
At another time Lincoln was visited
by congressional committee headed
by Thad Stevens. who burst In on Lin
coin with the accusation:
''The way You are running this coun-
Try IL causing It to be approaching hell,
and very fast"
LINCOLN asked: "About how far from
that place are we nowr
Stevens sharply replied: II would
say about a mile"
Lincoln smiled and replied: "About
a mile--why that's about from here to
the capitol" And everyone save
Stevens roared.
stepped Out Of Beaten Path.
Seward, who had for years toiied to
subordinate Lincoln. finally wrote to
his wife: Executive skill and vigor
are rare qualities. The President Is
the best Of u.s."
On July 30. 1853. Lincoln issued
public letter. designed especially for
the soldiers and sympathizers Of the
Confederacy:
1T Is the duty Of every govern
ment to give protection to its citi-
sens and especially those who are
organised n soldiers in the public
service. II IL, therefore. ordered
that for every soldier Of the United
States killed In violation Of the
laws Of war. . rebel soldier shall
be executed /: and for every one en-
slaved or sold Into slavery, q rebel
soldier shall Be placed at hard
labor on the public woriEa."
pssmlssd oissy for Az osBs,ais.
look upon this order - The least