"Ll E> RARY

OF THE

UNIVERSITY
OF ILLINOIS







-0-1096



THE

LINCOLN MEMORIAL:

ALBUM-IMMORTELLES.

ORIGINAL LIFE PICTURES, WITH AUTOGRAPHS,

FROM THE HANDS AND HEARTS OF EMINENT

AMERICANS AND EUROPEANS,

CONTEMPORARIES OF THE GREAT MARTYR TO LIBERTY,

Cincoln.



TOGETHER WITH EXTRACTS FROM HIS SPEECHES,
LETTERS AND SAYINGS,



COLLECTED AND EDITED

OSBORN H. OLDROYD.

WITH AN INTRODUCTION BY

MATTHEW SIMPSON, D.D., LL.D.,

AND A SKETCH OF THE PATRIOTS LIFE BY
HON. ISAAC N. ARNOLD.



NEW YORK:

G. W. Carleton & Co., Publishers.



LONDON : S. LOW, SON & CO.
MDCCCLXXXIII.



ISOLD ONLY BY SUBSCRIPTION.}



COPYRIGHT, ^



OSBORN H. OLDROYD.

1882.



i



Stereotyped by TROW

SAMUBii STODDKB, pRiNrmo AND BOOK-BINDINO Co^

flO ANN STREET, H. Y. N. Y.



*



TO

THE AMERICAN PEOPLE,

THESE

LITERARY IMMORTELLES TO ABRAHAM LINCOLN,
THE PRESIDENT

WHO ROSE FROM THE RANKS OF THE PLAIN PEOPLE;

THE PATRIOT

WHO GAVE HIS LIFE FOR HIS COUNTRY;

AND

THE LIBERATOR

WHO BOUND UP THE UNION, AND UNBOUND THE SLAVES,

ARE





U-



PREFACE.



IN offering this volume to the public a few words
from the editor may not seem out of place.
On the fifteenth day of April, 1880, I was standing
near the monument of Abraham Lincoln, waiting for the
Lincoln Guard of Honor to begin their first memorial
service on the fifteenth anniversary of the death of
Abraham Lincoln. The gathering was a small one, it
being only about twenty-two minutes after seven o'clock
in the morning. As I gazed on the pinnacle of the
towering shaft, that marks the resting-place of him
whom I had learned to love in my boyhood's years,
when, in the spirited campaign of 1860, " Old Abe" was
the watchword of every Republican, I fell to wondering
whether it might not be possible for me to contribute
my mite toward adding luster to the fame of this
great product of American institutions. I had begun
as early as 1860 to collect trophies from his campaign,
and had ever since then carefully preserved every article
I could secure that related in any way to his memory.
The first thought that came into my mind, as I stood
looking at that noble monument, was that of building a
Memorial Hall in which to preserve the memorials I then
possessed and those which I might subsequently secure,
and I then and there adopted this plan. I have con-
tinued up to this time to gather Lincoln mementos,
and have now in my possession nearly two thousand
books, sermons, eulogies, poems, songs, portraits, badges,
autograph letters, pins, medals, envelopes, statuettes,

w



vi PREFACE,

etc., etc. The fact is, I have collected everything I could
find sacred to Lincoln's memory, from a newspaper scrap
to his large cook-stove and other household articles. I
desire here to thank the many friends to whom I am
under obligations for valuable contributions. I have the
promise of several more, that will be sent me in due
time, and I shall always be thankful for any Lincoln
relic sent me, no matter how trifling it may seem to the
owner. The accumulation of Lincoln relics induced me
to collect the opinions of the great men of the world
in regard to the noble martyr, in order to demonstrate
how universally Mr. Lincoln was beloved and respected.
Letters were sent to distinguished persons East and West,
North and South in our country, as well as to persons in
England, requesting them to express their estimate of
Lincoln's public and private character and of his ser-
vices ; and the more than two hundred responses to be
found in this volume, over the fac-simzles of the writer's
names, shows the unexpected success I met with in this
effort. Their publication in book form, together with
the other reminiscences of Lincoln found in this volume,
will, I have no doubt, be approved by the public. It has
been my purpose to produce a work the contents of
which might in some degree shed luster on the name of
the immortal emancipator, and the external appearance
of which might be an ornament in any house or library.
How far I have succeeded in attaining the goal of my
ambition, of this a generous public will have to judge.
Surely the gathering of the material for this volume has
been the greatest pleasure of my life. It has been a
source of profound gratification to me, not only to
receive the many tributes of great men's thoughts upon
the life and character of Lincoln, but also to visit the
old friends of his boyhood and listen to their simple and
unvarnished stories illustrating the goodness of his heart.
What a noble example was his whole life ! I have often
thought what a beautiful book for boys might be made
out of the boyhood of Lincoln if the past were collected



PREFACE. vii

and properly presented. All the friends of his youth
whom I have seen give testimony of the purity and
nobleness of his character ; they say he always wanted
tc see fair play and that he was honest and upright in
all things. He found great delight in helping any one
in need. An old friend of Mr. Lincoln's, now living in
Petersburg, 111., told me how he at one time was build-
ing a house and was unable to make a brace fit. Mr.
Lincoln happened to come that way, and the former
said to him that if he would cut him a brace he would
vote for him the first time he ran for President. Lincoln
took a slate and pencil, and after getting the distance
between the joists, he estimated its dimensions, made a
pattern and the brace slipped in, a perfect fit. " I did
not vote for Lincoln," added the man who related the
story, " as I promised to do, but I have regretted it
ever since." Few better examples of industry could be
furnished to young men than the life of Lincoln. He
was always as busy as a bee. He always carried some
good book in his pocket, and when not otherwise engaged
he would read, and was usually seen reading when going
to and from his work. It is hoped that the sketch of
Lincoln given in this work, the many extracts from his
speeches, and the numerous thoughts and utterances in
reference to his life and character by the foremost men
of our time may be made accessible to the youth of our
land, in order that thus many a young heart may be
stimulated to industry, honesty, goodness and patriotism,
and may find encouragement for higher aspirations and
good deeds. The names of some persons will be missed
in this work by many of the readers. In reference to this
I have only to say that the fault is not mine. For some
reason or other they did not respond to my urgent
solicitations. It now remains to me to express my most
hearty thanks to all those persons who have so kindly
aided me in the preparation of this volume. I am
particularly indebted for their special interest to Rev.
Matthew Simpson, Hon. I. N. Arnold, Prof. Rasmus B



viii PREFACE.

Anderson, Benson J. Lossing. LL.D., Rev. Theo. L.
Cuyler, T. W. S. Kidd, Joshua F. Speed, Joseph Gilles-
pie and Jesse W. Fell. Their generous assistance has
been a great comfort and help to me.

All I ask is that with the sale of this book I may
realize some funds with which to build a Memorial Hal),
where I may display to the public, free of charge, my life
work in the collection of memorials and souvenirs of
Abraham Lincoln, which will in due time be bequeathed
to the public.

I am aware that there are many imperfections in all
human enterprises, and am not blind to the faults of
this work, but I can truly say that it has not been under-
taken for the purpose of making money, but solely as an
outcome of my enthusiasm and reverence for its great
hero. I have spared neither pains nor expense, and, in
view of this fact, it may not seem immodest if I bespeak
for my effort the generosity of the critic and the liberality
of the public.





a

SPRINGFIELD, ILLINOIS, JULY, 1882.



GENERAL CONTENTS.



PAGI

AUTHOR'S PREFACE, 5



INDEX TO THE WRITINGS AND SPEECHES OF

ABRAHAM LINCOLN, . . . 11

LIST OF CONTRIBUTORS, 15

INTRODUCTION BY BISHOP SIMPSON, 23

LIFE OF ABRAHAM LINCOLN, BY ISAAC N. ARNOLD, . 29

MISCELLANEOUS, 70



INDEX



TO THE

WRITINGS, SPEECHES AND SAYINGS

BY



3lbraf)am Ctncoln.



First Political Speech when a Candidate for the Illinois

Legislature in 1832 . . . . . . . .76

Extract from a speech delivered December, 1839 ... 78
Resolutions upon slavery in the Illinois Legislature . . 80
An address before the Springfield Washingtonian Temper-
ance Society, February 22, 1842 ..... 84

Speech at Peoria, Illinois, October 16, 1854 .... 98

Extract from a speech at Springfield, Illinois, June 26, 1857 100

Letter to Hon. Stephen A. Douglas ..... 102

Extract from a speech at Springfield, Illinois, June 17, 1858 . 106

Extract from a speech at Chicago, Illinois, July 10, 1858 . 108
Extract from a speech delivered at Springfield, Illinois,

July 17, 1858 112

Extract from a speech at Ottawa, Illinois, August 21, 1858 . 114

Extract from a speech at Freeport, Illinois, August 27, 1858. 116

Extract from a speech at Galesburg, Illinois, October 7, 1858 i?o

Extract from a speech at Quincy, Illinois, October 13, 1858 . 124

Speech at Alton, Illinois, October 15, 1858 . . . 130

Extract from a speech at Columbus, Ohio, September, 1859 132

Extract from a speech at Cincinnati, Ohio, September, 1859 134

[xi]



xii INDEX.

PAGE

Extract from a speech at Jonesboro, Illinois, September 15

1858 : 138

Extract from an address at Cooper Institute, February 27,

1860. 140

Address to the citizens of Springfield, on his departure for

Washington, February u, 1861 142

Letter of Acceptance 148

Speech at Toledo, Ohio ... .... 150

Speech at Indianapolis, Indiana 152

Speech to the members of the Legislature of Indiana, who

waited upon him at his hotel 158

Speech at Cincinnati, Ohio ....... 160

Speech to the Ohio State Senate 162

Speech at Steubenville, Ohio ...... 164

Speech at Pittsburgh, Pa 166

Speech at Cleveland, Ohio ....... 168

Speech at Buffalo, N. Y. 170

Speech at Syracuse, N. Y. , . . . . . .174

Speech at Utica, N. Y 176

Speech from the steps of the Capitol, Albany, N. Y. . 178

Speech in the Assembly Hall at Albany, N. Y. . . . 180

Speech at Poughkeepsie, N. Y 182

Speech at Peekskill, N. Y 184

Reply to the Mayor of New York ..... 186

Speech to various Republican Associations, New York. . 192

Speech at Newark, New Jersey. . ... 194

Speech in the Senate Chamber, Trenton, New Jersey . . 196
Speech at Trenton, New Jersey, delivered in the House of

Assembly. . . 198

Address to the Mayor and Citizens of Philadelphia. .. . 200

Speech in Independence Hall, at Philadelphia. . . . 202

Speech before Independence Hall, Philadelphia, Feb.. 1861 204

Speech at Lancaster, Pennsylvania 206

Speech before the Legislature of Pennsylvania, at Harris-
burg, February 22, 1861. . . . . . . . 208

Speech to the Mayor and Common Council of Washington 210
Proclamation, April 15, 1861 . . . . .212



INDEX. xiii

PAOB

Reply to Governor Hicks and Mayor Brown. . . .216

Message to Congress, in extra session, July 4, 1861 . 222
Personal Conference with the Representatives from the Bor-
der States . . . . . . . . .224

Reply to Horace Greeley . . . . . . .226

Reply to a Religious Delegation 228

First Inaugural Address 230

Abolishing Slavery in the District of Columbia . . . 234

First Annual Message to Congress, December 3, 1861 . 236
Proclamation, relative to General Hunter's order declaring

slaves within his department free ..... 244

Reading the Emancipation Proclamation to his Cabinet,

September 22, 1862 . . . ... . . . 246

Reply to the Resolutions of the East Baltimore Methodist

Conference of 1862 . . . . . . . 248

To the Synod of Old School Presbyterians, Baltimore. . 254

Reply to the Committee of the Lutheran Synod of 1862 . 256

Second Annual Message to Congress, December i, 1862 . 258

Emancipation Proclamation, January i, 1863. . . . 262

Reply to an invitation to preside over a meeting of the

Christian Commission ....... 266

Reply to address from workingmen, Manchester, England 268

Remarks made to some friends New Year's evening, 1863 . 270

From the letter to Erastus Corning and others . . . 272

Response to a serenade . . 278

The President's Dispatch 280

Proclamation 282

Reply to a Committee of the Presbyterian Church . . 284

Letter to General Grant ,288

A Proclamation, July 15, 1863 . . . . . . 290

Presentation of a Commission as Lieutenant-General to

U. S. Grant 292

Letter to James C. Conkling 294

Reply to the letter of Governor Seymour, of New York . 296

Address on the Battle-Field of Gettysburg .... 298

Third Annual Message to Congress .... 300
Speech at a Ladies' Fair in Washington . . . .310



xiv INDEX.

PA61

Letter to A. G. Hodges 312

Speech at the opening of a Fair in Baltimore, April, 1864 . 314

Reply to a Committee from the Methodist Conference . . 316

Response to a delegation of the National Union League . 318

Speech at the Philadelphia Fair 320

From his Letter of Acceptance 322

Saving a Life 324

To whom it may concern 324

Speech to a serenading club of Pennsylvanians . . . 326

Address to the Political Clubs 332

Interview with a gentleman ....* 334

Letter to Mrs. Eliza P. Gurney - 338

Reply to a committee of loyal colored people of Baltimore 340

Remarks to the iSQth New York Regiment .... 342

Speech to the i64th Ohio 344

Reply to a company of clergymen 346

Speech to the i48th Ohio regiment 354

Remarks to a serenading party at the White House . . 356

Observance of the Sabbath 358

Letter to Mrs. Bixby, of Boston ...... 360

Remarks to a delegation from Ohio ..... 362

Fourth Annual Message to Congress, December 6th, 1864 . 364

Reply to an Illinois clergyman 366

Instructions to Wrri. H. Seward, at the Meeting of Messrs.

Stevens, Hunter and Campbell, at Fortress Monroe, Va. 368

Second Inaugural Address, delivered March 3, 1865 . . 370

Remarks upon the fall of Richmond 372

A Verbal Message given to Hon. Schuyler Colfax . . 374
Remark previous to attending the theater on the night of

his assassination 375

Fac-simile of the play-bill at Ford's Theater on the night

of April 14, 1865 376

Fac-simile Letter to J. W. Fell, 1859 479

Autobiography of Abraham Lincoln, in Fac-Simile . , 480



ALPHABETICAL

LIST OF CONTRIBUTORS



PAGH

Arnold, Isaac N., Author 29

Anderson, Rasmus B., Author ^ . . 77

Ayres, R. B., Major-General 79

Abbott, Lyman, Author and Divine 81

Adams, Charles Francis, ex-Min. to England . . 83

Arthur, T. S., Author 99

Affleck, W. B., Lecturer 123

Allyn, Robert, Professor . . . . . .139

Andrews, Israel Ward, College President . . . 388

Avery, John, Professor 525

Anthony, Henry B., Statesman 515

Botta, Anna C., Authoress 71

Bennett, H. S., Chaplain Fisk University . . . 105

Blanchard, Rufus, Author 153

Bellows, Henry W., Divine 169

Burnam, C. F., Lawyer 171

Bradley, Joseph P., Justice Sup. Court . . .173

Burnside, Ambrose E., Major-General . . . 175
Bright, John, Member of Parliament . . .179

Bascom, John, College President .... 185

Bennett, Emerson, Editor 249

Boutwell, George S., Statesman 267

Barnum, P. T., Showman ..... 319

Barnes, S. G., Professor 331

Bailey, J. M., Journalist 331

Bancroft, Cecil F. P., Professor 339

Bedell, Gregory T., Divine 341

Bradley, W. O., Lawyer 361

[XT]



xvi LIST OF CONTRIBUTORS.

PAGB

Barrett, Lawrence, Tragedian . . . . . 373

Black, J. C., General 436

Bigney, M. F., Author and Journalist . . . 389

Bishop, R. M., ex-Gov. Ohio . . . . . 511

Barrows, John H., Divine ...... 506

Burk, Thomas, House of Commons .... 443

Bowman, Fred. H. ........ 438

Bennett, John, Merchant ...... 558

Boyd, Andrew, Publisher ...... 568

Cuyler, Theodore L., Author and Divine . . . 103

Clay, Cassius M., Statesman ..... 195

Colfax, Schuyler, ex-Vice-President . . . 199

Collyer, Robert, Author and Divine .... 203

Conkling, Roscoe, Statesman ..... 205

Coxe, Arthur Cleveland, Divine . . . . 261

Clarke, James Freeman, Author .... 345

Cooper, Peter, Philanthropist 387

Chadbourne, P. A., Professor 388

Chase, Thomas, College President .... 464

Cox, S. S., Author and Statesman .... 464

Crosby, Howard, Author and Divine . . . 554

Cooke, Rose Terry, Authoress . . . . . 429

Carpenter, Cyrus Clay, ex-Gov. of Iowa . . . 485

Coriis, Corydon T., Physician 551

Carman, Caleb, Shoemaker . . . .518

De La Matyr, G., Member of Congress . . . .181

Douglass, Frederick, Orator .... 265

Dow, Neal, Lecturer 373

D'Ooge, Martin L., Author and Professor , . 377

Dana, Charles A., Journalist ..... 377

Dawes, Henry L., Statesman 386

Dilke, Charles W., House of Commons . . . 433

Drake, Samuel Adams, Author 398

Davis, David, Statesman 553

Dale, R. W., Divine 432

Edison, Thomas A., Inventor . .... 115

Eastman, Sophie E., Authoress .... 403



LIST OF CONTRIBUTORS. xvii

PAGE

Eastman, Zebina, ex-Consul ...... 486

Frothingham, O. B., Author and Divine .... 161

Forney, John W., Journalist .... 163

Franklin, William B., Major-General . . . 239

Frye, William P., Statesman .... 293

Foster, Charles, Governor of Ohio .... 355

Fish, Hamilton, ex-Secretary of State . . . 355

Frieze, Henry S., Author and Professor . . . 359

Field, Cyrus W., Inventor 359

Frazer, Virginia A., Authoress 483

Fisk, Clinton B., Major-General .... 446

Fisher, George P., Author and Divine . . . 437

Fell, Jesse W., Lawyer 468

Fee, John G., Professor 411

Gough, John B., Orator 191

Garland, Augustus H., U. S. Senator . . . 235

Grant, Ulysses S., ex-President .... 323

Gray, Asa, Writer and Scientist .... 339

Goodwin, W. W., Professor 409

Grow, Galusha A., Member of Congress . . 409

Godwin, Parke, Author . . . . . . 432

Garfield, James A., ex-President .... 408

Griffith, George Bancroft, Author . . . .411

-Gayarre, Charles, Author . . ... 43 1

Gillespie, Joseph, Lawyer . . . . . 455

Gibbon, John, Major-General 407

Gibson, W. H., Adjutant-General Ohio . '. . 444

Greene, William G., Farmer . . . . . 516

Haven, E. O., Author and Divine 149

Hastings, Hugh J., Journalist 243

Holmes, Oliver Wendell, Poet 243

Hall, Eugene J M Poet 251

Hewitt, Abram S. Statesman 257

Hale, Eugene, Statesman 297

Hart, Charles Henry, Author .... 301

Hubbard, Gurdon S., Merchant .... 305

Higginson, Thomas Wentworth, Author . . . 325



xviii LIST OP CONTRIBUTORS^

FAG*

Hazen, William B., Major-General ... . 343

Hancock, Winfield S., Major-General . .311

Hall, Newman, Divine ...... 430

Harrington, C. S., Professor . 435

Hayes, Rutherford B., ex-President s 437

Howells, William D., Author ..... 407

Holland, J. G. Author ...... 465

Howard, O. O., Major-General . .... . . . 392

Hopkins, Louisa Parsons, Authoress . . . 397

Houk, Leonidas C., Member of Congress . . 444

Hatch, Rufus, Banker 514

Herndon, Wm. H., Lawyer 526

Julian, George W., Member of Congress . . . 253

Judd, Mrs. Norman B 520

Kirkwood, Samuel J., ex-Secretary of Interior . . 207

Kautz, August V., Major-General .... 401

Kidd, T. W. S., Editor 448

Lossing, Benson J., Historian 327

Lanman, Charles, Author 151

Lippincott, Charles E., General .... 410

Larcom, Lucy, Authoress 571

Longfellow, Henry W., Poet 466

Meigs, M. C., Quartermaster-General . . . . in
M'Culloch^Hugh, ex-Sec'y of Treasury . . .117

Merritt, Wesley, Brevet Major-General . . . 127

Morrill, Lot M., Statesman t 137

Minier, George W., Merchant 187

Maynard, Horace, ex-Postmaster-General . .271
Meyer, Albert J., U. S. Signal Officer . . .297

Martindale, E. B., General 309

Morton, Levi P., Minister to France . . . .311

McLellan, Isaac, Poet 313

Murdoch, James E., Elocutionist .... 347

Morey, William C., Professor 317

Marvin, James, Professor 391

Mead, C. M., Professor 391

Merrick, Frederick, ex-College President . . 428



LIST OP CONTRIBUTORS. xix

FAQS

McCook, Anson G., Member of Congress . . . 465
Matthews, Stanley, U. S. Senator .... 433
Miller, Samuel F., Justice Supreme Court . . 443
McNeely, William, Farmer 393

Northrop, Cyrus, Professor 229

New, John C., ex-U. S. Treasurer .... 416
Newton, William Wilberforce, Divine . . . 404
Nance, George Washington, Farmer . . . 556

Oglesby, Richard J., ex-Governor of Illinois . . .227

Phelps, Elizabeth Stuart, Authoress . . . .21

Pagliardirri, Tito, 72

Pike, Albert, Author 255

Phillips, Wendell, Author and Orator . . . 281
Porter, Noah, Author and Professor . . . 281
Prime, Samuel Irenaeus, Author, Editor . . . 285
Pratt, C. E., Brigadier-General .... 287

Palmer, Ray, Poet and Divine .... 289

Payne, C. A., College President .... 299

Porter, Robert P., Journalist . . . . .512

Pomeroy, E. C., Teacher ...... 560

Porter, David D., Admiral ...... 399

Rice, Alexander H., ex-Governor of Mass. . . . 378
Ramsey, Alexander, ex-Secretary of War . . 287

Rector, Henry M., ex-Governor of Arkansas . . 505
Ross, Alexander Milton, Physician . . . 418

Rollins, James S., Member of Congress . . . 490

Simpson, M., Author and Divine 23

Speed, Joshua F., Lawyer 143

Stoneman, George, Major-General . . . .221
Stephens, Alexander H., Statesman .... 241
Shuman, Andrew, ex-Lieut. Gov. of Illinois . . 245
Schaff, Philip, Author and Divine . . . 253

Sturtevant, J. M., College President .... 273

Shrigley, James, Divine 335

Spinner, F. E., ex-U. S. Treasurer . . . .363

Sherman, William T., General 367

Schofield, Glenni W., Member of Congress . . 369



xx LIST OF CONTRIBUTORS.

PAG a

Smith, Richard, Journalist 417

Scott, L., Divine 405

Strong, William, Justice Supreme Court . . . 406
Smyth, Frederick, ex-Governor of N. H. . .412

Sherman, John, ex-Sec'y U. S. Treasury . . . 428
Swisshelm, Jane Gray, Authoress .... 4 J 3

Stoddard, W. O., Author 434

Smith, William F., Major-General . . . -555

Trowbridge, John Townsend, Author . . . .157
Taylor, A. A. E., College President . . . .386
Townsend, E. D., Adjutant-General . . . 504

Townsend, George Alfred, Poet and Novelist . . 513

Volk, Leonard W M Sculptor 217

Whittier, John G., Poet 101

Warner, Charles Dudley, Author . . . .129
Winthrop, Robert C., Statesman . . . .165

Warren, William F., Professor 167

Williams, S. Wells, Author 177

Walker, William, Lawyer 213

Wood, Fernando, Member of Congress . . . 398
Woodford, Stewart L., General .... 445

Warner, Willard, U. S. Senator . . . 439

Waite, Morrison R., Chief Justice . . . 467

Wheildon, William Willder, Author . . . 440



THK angels of your thoughts are climbing still
The shining ladder of his fame,
And have not reached the top, nor ever will,

While this low life pronounces his high name.

But yonder, where they dream, or dare, or do,

The <k good " or "great " beyond our reach,

To talk of him must make old language new
In heavenly, as it did in human, speech.




ANDOVER, MASS., NOVEMBER, 1881.

[xxi]



INTRODUCTION.



r T ^HE name of Abraham Lincoln is imperishable.
His fame is world-wide. Born in comparative
poverty, trained in obscurity, mingling with the sons of
toil in early manhood, he yet rose to one of earth's
proudest positions, and at his death the world was in
tears. He was not born great, as the heir of a great
name, or of an estate ; yet he was born great in having
a strong intellect and a noble heart. Without the sur-
rounding of friends, without the influence of wealth, he
rose slowly but surely. Step by step he ascended the
great pyramid until he stood upon its lofty summit. As
we read history, how few names survive. Multiplied
millions pass away in every generation ; a few hundreds
only are honored by coming ages. In early history the
names which live are chiefly those of warriors or founders
of nations ; but Lincoln was no warrior ; he drew no
sword ; he fought no bloody battles ; he had no stars
upon his breast. Others, as the founders of schools of

philosophy, have left a name ; as Plato, and Socrates, and

[xxiii]



xxiv INTRODUCTION.

Aristotle. You hear of Croesus through his untold
wealth ; but Lincoln was neither teacher nor millionaire.
First, his name lives through his honesty and unselfish-
ness, in his business, in his profession of the law, and in
all his transactions among men, he gained the grand title
of honest. His word was not doubted. No man believed
that he ever betrayed any trust.

When in after life he had millions under his control,
not even an enemy whispered a suspicion of his illegally
or selfishly controlling a dollar of public money. If an
honest man is the noblest work of God, then Mr. Lin-
coln's title to high nobility is clear and unquestioned.

In his busiest moment, in his most anxious hours