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Abraham Lincoln

Edited by

JOHN G. NICOLAY and JOHN HAY

With a Foreword by
HERBERT HOOVER

and Appreciations
by OTHER EMINENT PERSONS

New and Enlarged Edition

VOLUME V

PUBLISHED BY

LINCOLN MEMORIAL UNIVERSITY

LIBRARY

UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA
DAVIS

Copyright, 1894, by

JOHN G. NICOLAY and JOHN HAY

Abraham Lincoln, the Great

Republican.

1

T requires the most gracious pages in the world's history to record what one American achieved.

IT

The story of this simple life is the story of a plain, honest, manly citizen, true patriot, and profound statesman, who believing with all the strength of his mighty soul in the institutions of his country, won because of them the highest place in its government - then tell a precious sacrifice to the Union he held so dear, which Providence had spared his life long enough to save.

What were the traits of character which made Abraham Lincoln prophet and master, without a rival, in the greatest crisis in our history? What gave him such mighty power? To me the answer is simple: Lincoln had sublime faith in the people. He walked with and among them. He recognized the importance and power of an enlightened public sentiment and was guided by it. Even amid the vicissitudes of war, he concealed little from public review and inspection. In all he did, he invited, rather than evaded, exam

1From an Address by William McKinley, before the Marquette Club, Chicago, February 12, 1896.

V

ination and criticism. He submitted his plans and purposes, as far as practicable, to public consideration with perfect frankness and sincerity. There was such homely simplicity in his character that it could not be hedged in by the pomp of place, nor the ceremonials of high official station. He was so accessible to the public that he seemed to take the whole people into his confidence. Here, perhaps, was one secret of his power. The people never lost their confidence in him, however much they unconsciously added to his personal discomfort and trials. His patience was almost superhuman; and who will say that he was mistaken in his treatment of the thousands who thronged continually about him? More than once when reproached for permitting visitors to crowd upon him, he asked, in pained surprise: "Why, what harm does this confidence in men do me? I get only good and inspiration from it."

Horace Greeley once said: "I doubt whether man, woman or child, white or black, bond or free, virtuous or vicious, ever accosted, or reached forth a hand to Abraham Lincoln, and detected in his countenance or manner, any repugnance or shrinking from the proffered contact, any assumption of superiority, or betrayal of disdain."

Frederick Douglass, the orator and patriot, is credited with saying: "Mr. Lincoln is the only white man with whom I have ever talked, or in whose presence I have ever been, who did not consciously or unconsciously betray to me that he recognized my color."

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