WM. H. HERNDON.

549

the whole of the above qualities, or a wise combination, will give; whatever there is in a fair, manly, honest and impartial administration of justice, under law, to all men at all times through these qualities and capabilities given, never deviating; whatever there is in a strong will in the right, governed by tenderness and mercy; whatever there is in toil and a sublime patience; whatever there is in particular faculties, or a wise combination of them—not forgetting his weak points—working wisely, sagaciously, and honestly, openly and fairly; I say, whatever there is in these, or a combination of them, that Mr. Lincoln is justly entitled to in all the walks of life. These limit, bound and define him as statesman, orator, as an Executive of the nation, as a man of humanity, a good man, and a gentleman. These limit, bound. and define him every way, in all the ways and walks of life. He is under his law and his nature, and he never can get out of it.

This man, this long, bony, wiry, sad man, floated into our county in 1831, in a frail canoe, down the north fork of the Sangamon River, friendless, penniless, powerless and alone-begging for work in this city-ragged, struggling for the common necessaries of life. This man, this peculiar man, left us in 1861, the President of the United States, backed by friends and power, by fame, and all human force; and it is well to inquire how.

To sum up, let us say, here is a sensitive, diffident, unobtrusive, natural-made gentleman. His mind was strong and deep, sincere and honest, patient and endur

ing; having no vices, and having only negative defects, with many positive virtues. His is a strong, honest, sagacious, manly, noble life. He stands in the foremost rank of men in all ages—their equal-one of the best types of this Christian civilization.

Wr. H. Hemdon

SPRINGFIELD, 1882.

C. T. CORLISS.

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DEDICATED TO THE PILGRIMS

VISITING LINCOLN'S TOMB ON THE NINETEENTH ANNIVERSARY OF THE EMANCIPATION PROCLAMATION, SPRINGFIELD, ILLINOIS, SEPTEMBER 22,

1881.

E have come, fellow-men, of a dark-hued race,

On a pilgrimage to the last resting-place

Of him, who, in life, was a friend to the slave,

But whose mortal remains fill a martyr's grave.

We have come from the East, the North, South and West,

A disenthralled people, no longer oppressed,

But free as the air-as a bird on the wing

To this hallowed shrine our oblations we bring.

Four millions of Freedmen to-day swell the song;
The blue vault of Heaven its echoes prolong.
From the gulf to the lakes, from the lakes to the sea,
The shackles have fallen-the Brother is free.

The crack of the slave-whip no longer is heard,
And hearts no more sicken, while hope is deferred;
The slave-pen and auction block never shall be
Erected again in this land of the FREE.

LINCOLN, the God-like, the friend of our race,
With a stroke of his pen did forever efface
That foul blot, so long our derision and shame,
And carved for himself an immortal name-

A name that shall live throughout all coming time,
Unbounded by country, by language, or clime.
Great-grandchildren's children, as years roll around,
Shall pilgrimage make to this hallowed ground;

And he whom we honored, what tho' he be dead,
What tho' the spirit forever has fled,

Our fond recollection time cannot efface

Of LINCOLN, the saviour and friend of our race.

He blushed when he thought of the deep-burning shame
That slavery brought on Columbia's fair name,

And the proudest day of his life was when

He struck off the chains from four millions of men.

From the depths of our hearts, for this priceless boon,
Let songs of thanksgiving our voices attune;

Let gratitude from these dark temples arise

Like incense from altars, whose flame never dies.

If ever beatified spirits descend

And with those of mortals in harmony blend,

The spirit of LINCOLN is with us to-day,

To charm all our fears and our sorrows away.

So long as the Freedman inhabits this zone,
PHILANTHROPIST, STATESMAN, and SAGE, all in one
We'll hail him, the greatest, the wisest and best,
Who sleeps in yon "windowless palace of Rest."

BORA

ORN in the humblest walks of life, and unaided by education or by fortune, Abraham Lincoln, by his own endeavors and native resources, attained to the highest honor of the republic. He administered that great office so as to win the confidence and affection of the American people. His name will go down through all time imperishably associated with the freedom of a race, and as one of the noblest champions of liberty, humanity and charity for all, in war and in peace.

Land Davis

WASHINGTON, 1880.