Eureka Reporter | 1906-02-09 | Page 3 | "the First American"

THE FIRST AMERICAN the observance of lincoln s birth day Is evidently destined to become universal with the american people it Is not yet so general as the vance of washington s birthday that Is because lincoln Is still too near for all to forget as all have forgotten of washington that he was a party leader as well as the savior ot his country when the healing hand ot time shall have brought that forgetfulness the american people will celebrate the birthday of lincoln with a more anti inti mate affection though not with great er reverence or gratitude than they will that ot washington the reasons tor this distinction are apparent when we remember that a man of washington s character might have been produced in some other country though he never was while a man of lincoln s character obvious ly could not have been produced else where than in the united states recognition of this tact has led english historians to claim washing ton as a greit hman no less than a great american no foreigner however has ever dreamed ot eo I 1 claiming abraham lincoln his char s acter was too racy of his native soil to be claimed as anything but amer lean As they perceive the peculiarly amer 1 lean quality of lincoln s genius the american people will celebrate ever more widely his natal day as one ot their greater festivals while they jp will revere more the memory of wash ington they will love more that of lincoln he was of themselves the common people whom he said god must loye because 19 made so manat of them abraham lincoln was indeed the first american As such his memory will be more than honored it be loved as long as the republic en f dures