The Waterbury Democrat. [volume] (Waterbury, Conn.) 1917-1946, 1943-02-12
Walter WinclaeII
In Me1C York

understood that you can't make q
man free by merely saying so.
Sometimes you have to fight and
die to get the benefits. In the
middle Of the Civil War, q group
asked him to free the slaves. He
answered them by drawing this
analogy: How many legs will o
sheep have II you cali q tail q
Lego" he asked them "Five," was
the reply "You are mistaken"
countered Lincoln, because by CALI
ing tail q leg, you don't make 1t
So"
In similar vein, q friend once
asked him how long q mans legs
should be. He answered: II should
think q mans legs ought to be long
enough to reach from his body to
the ground"
Another time an enthusiastic sup.
porter told him: "Mr. President, I'm
from New York state, where we
believe that God Almighty and
Abraham Lincoln are going TO save
this countryl"
MY dear friend" answered Lin
coin, "you are only half right"
His famed debates with Douglas
gave rise to many pungent anec-
dotes. One Of the best, we think,
Is this: Douglas once related Linz
coin was q grocery keeper selling
among other things whiskey and
cigars. mfr. L." said Douglas, twas
very good bartender'l'
Lincoln countered with: "What
Mr.. Douglas has said, gentleman
Is true enough; I did keep o gro-
Gerry, and I did sell cotton, candles
and cigars and sometimes whiskey;
but ! remember In those days Mr.
Douglas was one Of my best custom
ers. Many a time have I stood on
one side Of the counter and sold
whiskey to Mr.. Douglas on the other
side, but the difference between us
now Is this: have left my side Of
the counter, but Mr.. Douglas still
sticks to his as tel1aciously as everl'
Lincoln's relations with his gen.
erals inspired many stories. One
Of the most famed concerns the
note he sent to the vary cautious
Gen. Mcclellan, to wit: 1T you
don't want to use the Army I should
like to borrow It for awhile. Yours
respectfully, A. Lincoln" .. An
other time he went to the front To
visit McClellan's army with q
friend. They stood on a hill and
saw the vast camp. His friend told
him that this was McClennan's
army Of the Potomac Lincoln
corrected his friend: "No, no, you
are mistaken. This Is General Nc
Clellan's bodyguardl"
His devotion to the principles Of
Justice remained steadfast. From
the time he was a humble lawyer
to the time he achieved the highest
honor In the land, he carried justice
like torch. But his devotion wa
tempered with humanity and under
standing -- he had q heart. HI
deprecated those who rtgidly fol-
lowed the rules without mercy. HI
described O Judge with such idea!
Tie would hang man for blowing
his nose in the street, but he woult
quash the indictment II 1t failed X
specify what hand he blew 1t With
It has been said that you can bes
describe q man for recounting anec'
dotes about him. It fits best In Lin
coins case, such there is q gold
mine Of stories about him. But a
much as anecdotes about Lincoln re.
veal the great man, they don't tel
us half as much about him as the
Gettysburg address. 1t was ill-re'
ceived In the newspapers OF the
day; some Just ignored 1t. But to.
day 1t stands as more than q great
speech; It Is q testament OF free
dom. It should be read and re-
read, Each reading adds to Its
uhdying greatness. II what Lincoln
said at Gettysburg Is In your heart
America Is there.
The elouuence Of one Of his classic
observations still rings with truth
today. "You are probably familiar
with It. During the war he stated;
1T am not concerned with knowing
that the Lord Is always on our side
But 1t Is my constant anxiety ano
prayer that and this nation should
be on the Lords side"