The Telegraph-courier. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1888-1946, 1925-11-05
LINCOLN
IN GREAT SPEECH
Congressman Rathbone In
Address Here Interests
Kenosha Audience.
LINCOLN'S LAST DAY

One of the most inspiring and in
structive addresses that has been de-
livered in Kenosha on the subject of
nation was heard Monday evening by
the members of the Congregational
Mems Club in the parlors of that
church when Congressman Henry R.
Rathbone gave his lecture on "Din-
coins Last Day" More than two
hundred and fifty members of the club
were held spellbound by the address,
which marked the opening of the
activities of the club for the present
season.
"The events of the last day in the
life of Lincoln bring out in clear re-
lief the great and noble traits of the
man, whom the entire world has
learned to love so well,'' declared Con-
gresham Rathbone, as he launched
his address. He then proceeded to
outline what Lincoln had done on that
last day, starting with. his comment
at the breakfast table to his son,
Robert Lincoln, regarding General
Robert E. Lee, who had surrendered
only few days before at Appomatox
Court House. Looking on picture
of the Confederate leader, President
Lincoln had said: "That is the face
of noble man. How glad l am that
the war is over and we will be living
in peace with the man against whom
we have been forced to fight"
Later in the morning at cabinet
meeting, said the speaker, President
7 al 1o1 NJ ~
the generous terms which he had ex-
tended to the southerners. That after
noon he took a ride with his wife, dur
ing the course of which he showed
how despite the years in the White
House he had kept his humbleness
and at the close of his term. expected
to return to Springfield to practice
law as before.
The speaker told of the last official
act of President Lincoln, when just
before he was leaving for the fateful
visit to the Ford theater, he signed
the pardon of soldier condemned as a
deserter. ellis last official act was an
act of mercy" said the speaker.
Congressman Rathbone went on to
tell how the President, rejoicing that
peace had come, smiled as he entered
the theater and received an ovation.
He told of that dark hour when John
Wilkes Booth murdered President Lin
coin and of how the flag, which, draped
the presidential box, had tripped Booth
and became the avenger of '"this dark
est crime IN history" He continued
to tell how the great men of the ma
tion gathered around the bedside of
the dying president and how Secre-
tary Stanton remarked as President
Lincoln breathed his last, "Now he
belongs to the ages"
An interesting part of the address
was that in which the speaker told
now his father, Major Rathbone, who
was member of the party which at
tended the theater with President Lin
coin, fought Booth and was stabbed
by him.
In closing mis- address, Congressman
Rathbone said, "If a life well spent
is the best PREPARATION for death then
nc man was better fitted to die than
Abraham Lincoln. But what is the
message for the present hour from the
life and death of this great MANI"
If this great leader was alive today,
what would please him most? 1t would
be to see US initiating his devotion to
duty and his courage to stand for the
right. 1T would please him to have
US adopt his maxim, Nothing can be
politically right which is morally
wrong" BY this we may honor the
great Lincoln. Let US keep firm the
faith which he so firmly kept with bis
country and with his God"
Congressman Rathbone was intro
duced by Attorney A. E. Buckmaster,
president of the Congressional Mems
Club. Mr.. Buckmaster was a member
of the same class in the law school at
the University of Wisconsin which
Congressman Rathbone attended.
The address followed the October
dinner of the club, served by the
women of the church. >Einar Monteen
led in community singing after the
supper with a solo following by Nor
ris Turkeison, all proving most en-
pertaining.