| OCR Text |
Show THE DIXIE OWE Abraham Lincoln Abraham Lincoln was a man. He had the measure of a man physically, morally, and mentally. Conspicuous was his honesty. The name Honest Abe which his neighbors fastened on him was never lost, shaken off, or outgrown. His was something more than commercial honesty, he always insisted on fairness in sports so that he came to be the standing umpire of the neighborhood. He was judge, arbitrator, referee, umpire, authority in all disputes, games and or horsematches of man-fles- h flesh, a pacificator in all quarrels ; everybodys friend, the best natured, the most sensible, the best informed, the most modest and unassuming, the kindest, gentlest, roughest, in all New fellow best strongest, and about. Salem the region Lincolns tenderness of heart over rode almost everything. Like a great, rugged mountain peak he rose above the squalor of the times he lived. The enemy of his country found his heart made of steel but the poor, weeping mother whose son was to be shot at sunrise found him gracious and tender as an angel of light. Like the Great Master he was a friend to the meek and the lowly. In young manhood with utmost gentleness he restored a pig from the mud to its proper and sane footing and spoiled a brand new suit in doing it. When Lincoln became president his tenderness of heart was as beautiful as the glow of the sunset. To him the boys in the Blue and the Gray were as sons. On him the burden of a Nation fell. He had the greatness of soul which would disallow the little petty things of life and bestow upon his bitterest enemies opportunities to make their names immortal. From the first E. M. Stanton, Secretary of War, lost no opportunity to belittle Lincoln and said all manner of unkind things about him. He made no secret of his disgust for that long, lank creature from Illinois and declared he would not associate with that GiOne day Stanton was raffe. called into Lincolns office to prepare some pardons for some condemned soldiers. Stanton strolled up and down the office declaring the boys were justly sentenced. Mr. Lincoln sat quietly during the storm of the tempest and then said, Mr. Stanton, I would like those papers in the When Stanton had morning. who had witnessa friend gone, ed the scene said, Abe, if I were as big as you I would have taken him over my knee and Lincoln replied, spanked him. an is able and valStanton No, uable man and I am glad to bear his contempt for the service he can give this nation. Years after Stanton perceived the immortality of the man whom he had despised and said in accents of deepest emotion And now he belongs to the ages. However, in spite of Lincoln being tall, so tall, so angular, awkward, and ungainly he was not ugly. His face, when speaking, was lighted with an inward fire. The whole man was transfigured. A little girl who had been told that the President was very homely was taken by her father to see the President. Mr. Lincoln took her upon his knee ane chatted with her in his merry way. When she turned to go she exclaimed, Oh Papa! he isnt ugly at all, hes beautiful. Lincoln, in a letter to Horace Greely, expressed his love for If I could save the Nation. the Nation without freeing any slaves I would do it, what I do about slavery and the colored race I do because I believe it helps to save the Union. In the solitude of the woods where Lincolns boyhood footsteps wandered he inhaled the spirit of Liberty. The very breezes whispered the glad refrain of freedom and Lincoln caught the rfiusic and taught it to a nation. During Lincolns term in the Presidency he was criticised from all sides. For one person Lincoln was too radical, for another too conservative but both joined hands to annoy him. Before the death of Lincoln, this spirit of fault finding, obstruction, hostility was not uncommon and was painfully aggressive. After his death there was a revulsion of feeling. Many who had failed to give the cheer, sympathy, and encouragement which they might have given in life, shed bitter and unavailing tears over his death. As Christ gave his life to save Mankind so Lincoln gave his to save a Nation. Had Lincoln lived he would have seen his every ideal, thought, and speech reach the highest fame. The famous Gettysburg speech which Lincoln sorryfully termed a failure is now hanging in the Oxford University in England as the highest and most perfect type of speech ever given in the English tongue. As the wave of sorrow passed over the land from ocean to ocean many tributes were printed that worshipped and exalted the dead President. Conscience and not expediency, not temporary advantage, not popular applause, not the love of power was the ruling and guiding motive of his life. He was patient with his enemies, and equally patient with equalfriends. No ly unreasonable act of his administration hasty can be traced to his impatience. He had a tender, brotherly re- (Oontinueil on Piige Eight) |
