LINCOLN THE STATESMAN HON. ADLAI E. STEVENSON 'N the humblest of homes in the wilds of a new and sparsely years ago this day. The twelfth day of February—like the twenty-second day of the same month-is one of the sacred days in the American calendar. It is well that this day be set apart from ordinary uses, the headlong rush in the crowded mart suspended, the voice of fierce contention in legislative hall be hushed, and that the American people-whether at home, in foreign land, or upon the deep-honor themselves by honoring the memory of the man of whose birth this day is the first centennial. This coming together is no idle ceremony, no unmeaning observance. For to this man-more than to any otherare we indebted for the supreme fact that ninety millions of the people are at this hour, in the loftiest sense of the expression, fellow citizens of a common country. Some of us through the mists of half a century distinctly recall the earnest tones in which Mr. Lincoln in public speech uttered the words, "My fellow citizens." Truly the magical words "fellow citizens" never fail to touch a responsive chord in the patriotic heart. Was it the gifted Prentiss who at a critical moment of our history exclaimed: "For whether upon the Sabine or the St. Johns; standing in the shadow of Bunker Hill or amid the ruins of Jamestown; near the great northern lakes or within the sound of the Father of Waters flowing unvexed to the sea; in the crowded mart of the great metropolis or upon the Western verge of the continent where the restless tide of emigration is stayed only by the ocean-everywhere, upon this broad domain, thank God, I can still say 'Fellow citizens'!" Let us pause for a moment and briefly note some of the marvellous results wrought out by the toil, strife, and sacri fice of the century whose close we commemorate. The year of our Lord 1809 was one of large place in history. The author of the Declaration of Independence was upon the eve of final retirement from public place, and the presidential term of James Madison just beginning, when, in a log cabin near the western verge of civilization, the eyes of Abraham Lincoln first opened upon the world. The vast area stretching from the Rocky Mountains to the Pacific Ocean was under the dominion of Spain. Two decades only had passed since the establishment of the United States government under the federal Constitution-and the inauguration of Washington as its first President. Lewis and Clark had but recently returned from the now historic expedition to the Columbia and the Oregon-an expedition fraught with momentous consequence to the oncoming generations of the Republic. Only five years had passed since President Jefferson had purchased from Napoleon Bonaparte, for fifteen millions of dollars, the Louisiana country extending from the Gulf of Mexico to the frozen lakes-out of which were to be carved sixteen magnificent States to become enduring parts of the American Republic. From the early colonial settlements that fringed the Atlantic a tide of hardy emigration was setting in to the Westward, and, regardless of privation and danger, laying the sure foundation for future commonwealths. Four States only had been admitted into the federal Union, and the population of the entire country was less than that of the State of New York to-day. This same year witnessed the first organization of Illinois into a distinct political community and its creation by Act of Congress as "the Territory of Illinois," with a white population less than one-twentieth of that of this good County to-day. The United States having barely escaped a war with France-our ally in securing independence-was earnestly struggling for distinct place among the nations. No less significant, and fraught with deep consequences, were events transpiring in the old world. The year 1809 witnessed the birth of Darwin and Gladstone. The despotism of the dark ages still brooded over continental Europe, and whatever savored of popular rule-even in its mildest form-was yet in the distant future. Alexander the First was on the throne of Russia-and her millions of serfs oppressed as by the iron hand of the Cæsars. The splendid German Empire of to-day had no place on the map of the world; its present powerful constituencies were antagonistic provinces and warring independent cities. Napoleon Bonaparte "calling Fate into the lists,"-by a succession of victories unparalleled in history, had overturned thrones, compelled kings upon bended knee to sue for peace, substituted those of his own household for dynasties that reached back the entire length of human history, and with his star still in the ascendant, disturbed by no forecast of the horrid nightmare of the retreat from Moscow, "with legions scattered by the artillery of the snows and the fierce cavalry of the winds," tortured by no dream of Leipsic, of Elba, of Waterloo, of St. Helena-still the "man of destiny" was relentlessly pursuing the ignis fatuus of universal empire. The year that witnessed the birth of Abraham Lincoln witnessed the gathering of the disturbing elements that were to precipitate the second war with the mother country. England-with George the Third upon the throne-by insulting and cruel search of American vessels upon the high seas, was rendering inevitable the declaration of war by Congress a war of humiliation upon our part by the disgraceful surrender of Hull at Detroit, and the wanton burning of our capitol, but crowned with honor by the naval victories of Lawrence, Decatur, and Perry, and eventually terminated by the capture of the British army at New Orleans. As an object lesson of the marvels of the closing century: an incident of so momentous consequence to the world as the formulation of the Treaty of Ghent-by which peace was restored between England and America-would to-day be known at every fireside a few hours after its occurrence. And yet within the now closing century-the Treaty of Ghent coming by slow sailing vessel across the Atlantic-twenty-three days after it had received the signatures of our commissioners the Battle of New Orleans was fought, all unsettled accounts Α WASHINGTON No Cook, no school, no talk with refined men. would have taught Lincoln what his rough early life did. Confronted every day and слегу hom of the day with problems which had to be solved, he got the hast of seeing, deciding and acting by himself. What the forest, what the swamp, what the river taught Lincoln, cannot be overestimated. After long years of it and sharter Jecers New Salem, Springfield and Vandalia, almost suddenly be found himself transferred to the fort of greatest heroz and greatest danger. And how then would act the "man almost unknown", the ut backwoodsman of yestuday? Would he not be stag. gered and dismayed? What would Facsimile of the Last Page of Manuscript of Speech Made by Ambassador Jusserand at Springfield Bloomington Illince, 2 distinctly recall Mr Lincoln as he appeard when appeard when a regular attendant upon the Mesaan bircuit from boutmon thanfith gives ago. Z heard him often at the Bar. He was a you at advocate - earnest, eloquent, im= puddine. heard fro the first political speech & adoveden ed his lip's was in 185-2 in in fim last in 1858 in h Listoncal Conlial Witte den glas for the Donate. - Lincoln will live in the Memory of all who knew him as the Grandest type of the Bome Amniican. Dalient fast Jeans he His public Career is a A remorguey, Nothing cars on trad Wirthing. That can aldo to from his imperishable fami. Adlai & Tinmoon Facsimile of Manuscript Tribute from Hon. Adlai E. Stevenson of Illinois, Ex-Vice-President of the United States |