The Daily Alaska empire. [volume] (Juneau, Alaska) 1926-1964, 1929-02-12
THE HUMANISM AND TOLERANCE OF
LINCOLN.

One OF the central points around which Amer
lean history revolves is the fact that each recur-
ring anniversary of Lincons birthday shows more
clearly the appreciation of the world Of the
character and attanments and achievements of
the great Civil War President of the United
States. On this 120th anniversary of his birth
he is universally regarded as occupying place
in the very front rank among the great who
have given service to civilization. 1t is generally
admitted that when he stricken with the
bullet of a half crazed assassin who had lived in
a fog of whiskey and vanity" he authority
the strategy of war, on international and con-
stitutional law and the science of government.
Long before that he tower of human
sympathy. His soul had developed almost past the
understanding of ordinary mortals, yet he was
among the simplest of men.
Bigger than anything else about Lincoln,
probably, was the breadth and depth of his toler-
ance, the humanity and humanism of his great
wisdom. This was what Lowell had in mind
when he wrote
His lonely mountain peak of
mind,
Trusting to thin air DER our cloudy
A sea-mark now, now lost in vapors
blind;
Broad prairie rather genial, level-ined,
Fruitful and friendly for all human
kind.
Lincoln's great stature is probably more near
ly measurable by the record we have of his
thinking and purposes following the surrender
of Lee. Notwithstanding that most of the poll
ticians and the most vociferous of the church
leaders in the North demanding vengeance
against the South, Lincoln made it very plain
Quoting Woodward that
he was opposed to coniseation, to any
sort of dragocnng methods in the con-
quered States and to universal Negro
suffrage-though he thought that Ne
groes who could read and write, and
those who had served in the army, ought
to be allow to vote. But the States
themselves should regulate the suffrage
he contended the question did not fall
within the frame of National functions.
Just few hours before he shot in the
back. April IA 1865 and the mad actor
who struck the most cruel blow that ever
delivered to the South went limping across the
stage OF theater, waving a dagger and below
ing, Sic semper Tyrannis,' /" Lincoln presided at
his last Cabinet meeting. len. Grant was the
Presidents invited guest at the meeting, and
we have the following from the commanding
Generals pen, quoting the President
l think it providential that this great
rebellion is crushed just as Congress has
adjourned and there are none of the dis
turbing elements of that body to hinder
and embarrass us. If wise and
discreet we snail reanimate the States
and get their governments in
ful operation, with order prevailing and
the Union re-estabished before Congress
comes together in December. l hope
there will be no persecution, bloody
work after the is over No one need
expect me to take any part in hanging
or killing those men, even the worst
of them. Enough lives have been
sacrificed. We must extingush our re-
sentiments if expect harmony and
union.
Some conception of the Lincoln courage NAV
be inferred from the circumstance that so MANY
in high places in the Nations councils expressed
feeling of relief at his passing. George w
Julian, prominent member of Congress at the
time and writer of not little fame wrote that
he attended political caucus the day after Lin
coins death, and while everybody was shocked
at his murder, the feeling was nearly universal
that the accession of Johnson would prove God
send to the country" He added that Lincoln's
views on reconstruction '.as distasteful as
possible" Charles Sumner wondered if his death
was not a judgment of the Lord" Emerson
thought perhaps his death was "proyidential'
that the country needed "a new spirit born GU,
of the ashes of war" Many preachers expressed
similar thoughts in memorial sermons famous
Methodist divine thought the Lord NAV have
been accomplice of John Wilkes Booth He
declared that many think: providence has per
mitted this calamity befall us that sterne,
hand might rule over our National affairs" Gen
Benjamin F. Butler at public meeting in New
York referring to the assassination said
Perhaps / may say reverently that
this dispensation of Gods good proyi-
dence is sent to teach that the spirit
of rebellion has not been broken by the
surrender Of its armies
Due to the sitting of the great heart and pro