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The wise statesmanship exhibited at that critical time. was originated by Abraham Lincoln.

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S. G. BARNES-J. M. BAILEY.

331

TH

HE right man in the right place was never more clearly seen than in the story of President Lincoln. His simplicity and humor, his patient wisdom and hopeful courage, his conspicuous integrity and universal charity made him by all odds the most impressive figure of our dark days. And coming years can only make more tender the affection and more profound the reverence which his own age has been proud to give to the savior of his country.

D. G. Barnes.

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IT

gave

no promise of the power he showed at the head of the nation; but I believe he was born for the emergency, and when it came I am confident that of the three interested the emergency, Mr. Lincoln, and the American public-the emergency was the most completely astonished. It is my humble judgment that in all the positions the great crisis forced him into he was a perfect fit.

DANBURY, 1882.

JM Bailey.

ADDRESS TO THE POLITICAL CLUBS.

IT has long been a grave question whether any government not too strong for the liberties of its people can be strong enough to maintain its existence in great emergencies.

On this point the present rebellion has brought our republic to a severe test, and a presidential election. occurring in regular course during the rebellion, has added not a little to the strain. If the loyal If the loyal people, united, were put to the utmost of rebellion, must they not fail when divided and partially paralyzed by a political war among themselves. ?

their strength by the

But the election was a necessity. We cannot have a free government without elections; and if the rebellion could force us to forego or postpone a national election, it might fairly claim to have already conquered and ruined us.

The strife of the election is but human nature practically applied to the facts in the case. What has occurred in this case must ever recur in similar cases. Human nature will not change. In any future great national trial, compared with the men who have passed through this, we shall have as weak and as strong, as silly and as wise, as bad and as good. Let us therefore study the incidents of this as philosophy to learn wisdom from, and none of them as wrongs to be revenged.

While I am deeply sensible to the high compliment

ADDRESS TO THE POLITICAL CLUBS. 333

of a re-election, and duly grateful, as I trust, to Almighty God for having directed my countrymen to a right conclusion, as I think, for their own good, it adds nothing to my satisfaction that any other man may be disappointed or pained by the result. May I ask those who have not differed with me to join with me in this same spirit towards those who have?

INTERVIEW WITH A GENTLEMAN.

THERE have been men base enough to propose to me to return to slavery the black warriors of Port Hudson and Olustee, and thus win the respect of the masters they fought. Should I do so, I should deserve to be damned in time and eternity. Come what will, I will keep my faith with friend and foe. My enemies pretend I am now carrying on this war for the sole purpose of abolition. So long as I am President, it shall be carried on for the sole purpose of restoring the Union. But no human power can subdue this rebellion without the use. of the emancipation policy, and every other policy calculated to weaken the moral and physical forces of the rebellion.

AUGUST, 1864.

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