TH

THE COMMEMORATION ABROAD

HE truly national character of the commemoration of Lincoln's Centenary is shown not alone by the celebration of the day in every city and hamlet, church and school, home and library; by rich and poor, educated and unlettered; by the most distinguished officials of the Nation, State, or city, and by the humblest private citizens; but perhaps more than all else by the way in which the day was observed by absent Americans on foreign shores.

The Lincoln Centenary was widely celebrated abroad by the American colonies, under the direction of the American consuls, and at the American embassies. These celebrations evidence the abiding interest of Americans the world over in the life of "the first American." Wherever groups of Americans were found, the day was given over to patriotic exercises, in commemoration of the man who stands, as never before, for all that America means to the hearts of her sons and daughters.

The universal interest which this great American awakened was also shown by the recognition of the Centenary of his birth by the citizens of these foreign nations, and by the tributes to him by the sons of Japan and England, Germany and France, Italy and Brazil.

England, the country perhaps closest to us of all, by ties of blood and common ideals, paid homage to the day through the person of its King, Edward VII., addressing to Ambassador Bryce at Washington the following message for transmission to our Secretary of State and the people of the United States:

"His Majesty's government has learned with interest of the preparations which are being made by the President and people of the United States to commemorate, on February 12, the anniversary of the birth of Abraham Lincoln.

"I have to request Your Excellency to convey to the Secretary of State, the cordial sympathy of His Majesty's government, with the spirit

which inspires the United States on this celebration, and their desire to share in paying a tribute of honor and appreciation to the strength and simplicity of President Lincoln's character."

The Mayor of London, England, cabled to President Roosevelt the following message:

"The Lincoln city flag waves over the Guild Hall to-day in sympa. thetic commemoration of the event."

At Rochdale, Lancaster, England, a great meeting was held, presided over by the Mayor, while Hon. John L. Griffith, American Consul at Liverpool, delivered the Centenary address. Other speakers recalled that Rochdale's great townsman, John Bright, had loyally supported the cause of Lincoln.

A cable message was also received from Manchester, England, where the crowds, gathered to take part in the commemoration of the day, over-taxed the capacity of the hall provided, and necessitated an over-flow meeting.

Brazil honored Lincoln and Lincoln's country through the participation of Ambassador Nabuco in the celebration at Washington, D. C., while in its own towns and cities, national flags were hoisted on all the federal, state, and municipal buildings; the Brazilian warships were dressed, and at ten o'clock on the morning of the Lincoln Centenary day, both warships and fortresses fired a salute of twenty-one guns.

At Paris, France, the American Club observed the birthdays of both Washington and Lincoln, with joint impressive ceremonies, while on the Centenary day itself the Lyceum Club gave a banquet at which were present Ambassador and Mrs. White and two hundred Americans resident in Paris. Dr. Henry Van Dyke, of Princeton University, acted as the speaker of this occasion, as well as of the commemoration at the American Club.

At Berlin, Germany, there were two commemorative meetings; one at the University of Berlin, under the direction of Professor Felix Adler, and the other an essentially American meeting at the home of the Ambassador.

In Rome, Italy, a special banquet was held, attended by one hundred and ten Americans, including Ambassador Lloyd

Griscom, Signor Nathan, Mayor of Rome, and several other Italian dignitaries, Ambassador Griscom making the principal address of the evening.

In the Hawaiian Islands a civic and military parade marked the day, with exercises at the Opera House in the evening; while at Manila, and all through the Philippine Islands, patriotic exercises were held in schools during the day, with a general celebration at Manila, presided over by GovernorGeneral James Smith, at which the principal address was delivered by Mr. Justice Johnson of Manila.

It is regretted that an account of these various foreign and territorial celebrations, fuller than we have here been able to offer, cannot be given, with the full text of the speeches delivered that day in Europe, Asia, Africa, Australia, and in the islands of the sea, but the limits of this volume permit the inclusion of only a very few.

MANCHESTER, ENGLAND

HE public meeting held in Manchester to celebrate the Centenary, led to a remarkable demonstration of interest in Abraham Lincoln's life and work. When the meeting was planned, the offer by the Lord Mayor of the use of his parlor (a room with accommodation for about four hundred people) was accepted readily, for it was anticipated that it would be adequate for the occasion. Instead of four hundred nearly five times as many people made their way to the Town Hall in the afternoon, and an overflow meeting in the large hall had hastily to be arranged. Even then there were no spare places, for while the surplus audience quite filled the large hall, the smaller room was packed to the doors and scores of people had to stand. To prevent disappointment, the speakers addressed each gathering in turn. Bishop Welldon, Dean of Manchester, was the Chairman in the Lord Mayor's parlor, and the Deputy Mayor (Mr. Councillor Harrop) presided in the large hall.

Extract from a Manchester newspaper.

Bishop Welldon recalled the dates of Lincoln's birth and death, and spoke of the deep impression made on the citizens of Manchester by the circumstances of the President's end.

BISHOP WELLDON'S SPEECH

A public meeting was held in the Old Town Hall in King Street, and a resolution was passed expressing "horror and detestation of the deplorable crime which has resulted in the violent death of the chief magistrate of the American Republic." Forty-four years later we are met here to express our faith that Abraham Lincoln "though dead yet speaketh." His name is imperishably associated with one of those supreme moral triumphs which ennoble and exalt the life of nations, which are not achieved without bloodshed and without agony, but having once been won endure forevermore. The slave trade has become so entirely a matter of history that few who are present to-day can imagine what it was. But if anybody cares to read a chapter of a book which has quite lately appeared-Lehmann's "Memories of Half a Century," and the chapter entitled "Richmond Slave Market"-he will realize and will never forget the unspeakable shame of the slave trade.

It is sometimes said that President Lincoln was cut off before his work was done. To my mind his work was done on that day, April 3, 1865, when the flag of the Union was hoisted at Richmond over the house in which the Confederate Assembly had been wont to meet, that day when, as he rode silently through the streets to his house, "the colored people in multitudes flocked around him, they rent the air with their shouts, they danced, they sang, they prayed for blessings on his head, they wept, kneeling at his feet."

The roll of the Presidents of the United States of America is one of which any country may be proud. Among those Presidents, Lincoln, if he is not the greatest, is at least the most familiarly known. The magnitude of the meetings gathered to-day in his honor is a witness to the undying lustre of his name; but in him there were certain elements * Given in part only.

which appealed, and do still appeal, to the popular mind. He rose, as other Presidents have risen, from a humble state of life. There was in him a simple, homely eloquence. Everybody knows his dictum about swapping horses. But I always like better that saying of his which he was wont to put in the form of a dream, when he saw somebody watching him who said, "That is a common-looking fellow," and he replied, "Yes, God prefers common-looking people; that is why He has made so many of them."

Lincoln was characterized by a certain background of melancholy, which gave a charm and character to his youth. It is to his eternal credit that he saw the truth respecting the Union in the United States, that he saw on what conditions that Union could endure, and that he resolved, whatever the cost might be, to preserve it. I recall to your mind those words of his, "A house divided against itself cannot stand. I believe this Government cannot endure permanently half slave and half free. I do not expect the Union to be dissolved-I do not expect the house to fall-but I do expect it will cease to be divided. It will become all one thing or all the other." Thank God, it has become all the home of free men.

No words can exaggerate the weight of responsibility which rested upon Lincoln before and during the Civil War. It is impossible to admire too strongly his integrity, his sympathy, his love of peace, which never failed him in the hours of battle and of victory. I do not think anyone here will forget that in all that he did he was actuated by a strong, if somewhat undefined, religious feeling. He believed-and may I not say rightly believed?-that in his great crusade for liberty the Almighty stood at his right hand. He remains as one of the heroic figures of all history, for he laid down his life that the slaves might be free.

Vice-Chancellor Hopkinson, of Manchester University, related some of the incidents which occurred in Lancashire at the time of the Civil War, and recalled memories of the workers in the cotton trade who supported the cause of liberty.