OCR Text |
Show The Splendid Character of Lincoln. Howellsln Harper's MaRaalne. If America means anything at all, it means the sufficiency of the common, the insufficiency of tho uncommon. It is the affirmation in political terms of the Christian ideal, which, wheu we shall allirtn it in economical and social terms will make us the perfect state; and Lincoln was the earliest, if he is rot yet the only American, to realize in his otlice the divine purport of the mandate: man-date: "Is any first among you? Let him be your servant." lie had a just ambition and a just pride in duty well done, and a just hope of gratitude and recognition; but all these motives sank into abeyance, and may be said not to have governed his action, which was ruled simply by the desire to serve to his best ability tho people who had set him over them. If it were not for the record, this long tale of what ho bore anil did, his patience with every manner man-ner of wilfulness and weakness, vanitv and arrogance, wickedness and stupidity stupid-ity would be incredible. |