Marcus Ahlenfeld Goldsmith

“ It is now for them to demonstrate to the world that those who can fairly carry an election can also suppress a rebellion; that ballots are the rightful and peaceful successors of bullets; and that when ballots have fairly and constitutionally decided, there can be no successful appeal back to bullets; that there can be no successful appeal, except to ballots themselves, at succeeding elections. Such will be a great lesson of peace; teaching men that what they cannot take by an election, neither can they take it by war; teaching all the folly of being the beginners of a war. ”

“ On the south bank of Nolin Creek, three miles from what is now Hodgenville, Kentucky, was a little log cabin. About it stretched barren grass and straggly bushes. The land was slightly rolling with scarcely any foliage to break the monotony.
All about was desolate. Just why anyone would select this as a home site is hard to understand. The soil was so "poor" that only with the hardest labor could it be made sufficiently productive to repay the labor of sowing.
Here came Thomas and Nancy Lincoln and here on February 12, 1809, was born a son, Abraham Lincoln. ”

“ A nation may be said to consist of its territory, its people, and its laws. The territory is the only part which is of certain durability. ‘One generation passeth away, and another generation cometh, but the earth abideth forever.’ It is of the first importance to duly consider and estimate this ever-enduring part. That portion of the earth’s surface which is owned and inhabited by the people of the United States is well adapted to be the home of one national family, and it is not well adapted for two or more. ”

“ Now came the problem of reconstruction. No man was more capable of handling this difficult problem than was Lincoln, and had he lived, the chaotic condition that existed in the South might have been quickly remedied. ”

“ And whereas when our own beloved country once, by the blessing of God, united, prosperous, and happy, is now afflicted with faction and civil war, it is peculiarly fit for us to recognize the hand of God in this terrible visitation and in sorrowful remembrance of our own faults and crimes as a nation and as individuals, to humble ourselves before him and to pray for his mercy–to pray that we may be spared further punishment, though most justly deserved; that our arms may be blessed and made effectual for the re-establishment of law, order, and peace throughout the wide extent of our country ”

“ In regard to the homestead law, I have to say that in so far as the government lands can be disposed of, I am in favor of cutting up the wild lands into parcels, so that every poor man may have a home.
Inasmuch as our country is extensive and new, and the countries of Europe are densely populated, if there are any abroad who desire to make this the land of their adoption, it is not in my heart to throw aught in their way to prevent them from coming to the United States."
"The Union, the Constitution and the liberties of the people shall be perpetuated." ”

“ During the eventful years that followed—years when the very life of the nation was threatened, when defeat was followed by defeat and the North was in a state of varying mutiny and in fear of invasion, through all these stern times Lincoln was calm and self-possessed.
1862
"All persons held as slaves are free." ”

“ It is rather for us to be here dedicated to the great task remaining before us–that from these honored dead we take increased devotion to that cause for which they gave the last full measure of devotion; that we here highly resolve that these dead shall not have died in vain; that this nation under God, shall have a new birth of freedom; and that government of the people, by the people, for the people, shall not perish from the earth. ”

“ Arose the man, whom all the nation
Revered and honored.
THE LIFE OF ABRAHAM LINCOLN
His Parents
Abraham Lincoln, the sixteenth President of the United States, first saw the light of day in a log cabin in the woods of Kentucky. Little did his parents realize that the tiny child who came to them on the twelfth day of February, 1809, would become the idol of the American people—a man than whom there was none nobler.
His father, Thomas Lincoln, was an easy-going backwoodsman, sturdy in build, a carpenter by trade. ”

“ It has pleased Almighty God to hearken to the supplications and prayers of an afflicted people, and to vouchsafe to the army and navy of the United States victories on land and on the sea so signal and so effective as to furnish reasonable grounds for augmented confidence that the union of these States will be maintained, their Constitution preserved, and their peace and prosperity permanently restored. But these victories have been accorded not without sacrifices of life, limb, health, and liberty, incurred by brave, loyal, and patriotic citizens. ”

“ Thus let bygones be bygones; let past differences as nothing be; and with steady eye on the real issue, let us reinaugurate the good old 'central ideas' of the republic. We can do it. The human heart is with us; God is with us. ”

“ Only one, Robert Todd Lincoln, grew to manhood. He was Secretary of War during the Garfield and Arthur administrations, and from 1889 to 1893 was Minister to England.
1860
A man of superhuman trait
To guide the tottering Ship of State
The nation well chose Lincoln.
President
Lincoln challenged Douglas to a joint debate and seven meetings were decided upon. Although the campaign was a losing one for Lincoln, the favorable sentiment created by his anti-slavery argument helped elect him to Presidency.
On May 16, 1860, he was nominated as the Republican candidate for Presidency. ”

“ Labor is prior to, and independent of, capital. Capital is only the fruit of labor, and could never have existed if labor had not first existed. Labor is the superior of capital, and deserves much the higher consideration. ”

“ The resources, advantages, and powers of the American people are very great, and they have consequently succeeded to equally great responsibilities. It seems to have devolved upon them to test whether a government established on the principles of human freedom can be maintained against an effort to build one upon the exclusive foundation of human bondage. ”

“ A rising lawyer with a guiding star
Of noble deeds to do.
Soldier, Postmaster, Legislator
In 1831 the Black Hawk War broke out. The following year Lincoln enlisted in a company recruited at Sangamon, Illinois, and was elected Captain. He obtained excellent military training although his company did not see much of the war.
At the close of the war, Lincoln was appointed postmaster at New Salem. His next vocation was that of surveyor. In 1833 Lincoln made his first political speech and in 1834 was elected to the Legislature. Here he met Stephen A. Douglas of whom we shall hear later. ”

“ So plain that no one, high or low, ever does mistake it, except in a plainly selfish way; for although volume upon volume is written to prove slavery a very good thing, we never hear of the man who wishes to take the good of it by being a slave himself. ”

“ And yet no approach to such unanimity is attainable unless some deference shall be paid to the will of the majority, simply because it is the will of the majority. In this case the common end is the maintenance of the Union, and among the means to secure that end, such will, through the election, is most clearly declared in favor of such constitutional amendment.”
“With firm reliance on the strength of our free government, the loyalty of the people and with unshaken faith in the Supreme Ruler.” ”

“ Nine years later, on June 16, 1858, Lincoln was nominated as the Republican candidate for Senator of Illinois. Opposing him as candidate for the Democratic party was Stephen A. Douglas.
BIRTHPLACE OF ABRAHAM LINCOLN
His Family
On November 4, 1842, Abraham Lincoln was married to Miss Mary Todd. She was a charming young woman of twenty-five — a Kentuckian by birth, animated, well read, an exceptionally clever conversationalist.
The match was an excellent one. Lincoln made a loyal and indulgent husband. Mrs. Lincoln was an excellent housewife — a true helpmate to a great man. ”

“ Bade fair to sap the very life
Of our great nation.
War
War! The nation was to know the horrors of armed conflict.
The tramp of armed thousands was heard over the land. Rioting and treachery were rife. The Sixth Massachusetts regiment was mobbed while passing through Baltimore and a large number killed. Troops rushed to Washington. ”

“ The strongest bond of human sympathy, outside of the family relation, should be one uniting all working people, of all nations, and tongues, and kindreds. Nor should this lead to a war upon property, or the owners of property. ”

“ Chairman, I hold that while man exists it is his duty to improve not only his own condition, but to assist in ameliorating mankind; and therefore, without entering upon the details of the question, I will simply say that I am for those means which will give the greatest good to the greatest number. ”

“ Re-elected to office, he served continuously for eight years. In 1837 he made his famous "Lightning Rod" speech. The same year Lincoln left New Salem and was entered at the bar, "a full fledged lawyer," at Springfield, Illinois. ”

“ The brave men, living and dead, who struggled here, have consecrated it far above our poor power to add or detract. The world will little note nor long remember what we say here, but it can never forget what they did here. ”

“ Property is the fruit of labor; property is desirable; is a positive good in the world. That some should be rich shows that others may become rich, and hence is just encouragement to industry and enterprise. ”

“ If they look back through this history to trace their connection with those days by blood, they find they have none; they cannot carry themselves back into that glorious epoch and make themselves feel that they are part of us ”

“ That the poorest and most thinly populated countries would be greatly benefited by the opening of good roads, and in the clearing of navigable streams within their limits, is what no person will deny. Yet it is folly to undertake works of this or any other kind without first knowing that we are able to finish them — as half-finished work generally proves to be labor lost. There cannot justly be any objection to having railroads and canals, any more than to other good things, provided they cost nothing. ”

“ Let every one who really believes, and is resolved, that free society is not and shall not be a failure, and who can conscientiously declare that in the past contest he has done only what he thought best — let every such one have charity to believe that every other one can say as much. ”

“ I have never studied the art of paying compliments to women; but I must say, that if all that has been said by orators and poets since the creation of the world in praise of women were applied to the women of America, it would not do them justice for their conduct during this war. ”

“ Let not him who is houseless pull down the house of another, but let him work diligently and build one for himself, thus by example assuring that his own shall be safe from violence when built.”
“Gold is good in its place, but living, brave, patriotic men are better than gold.” ”

“ And it may be esteemed fortunate that in giving the greatest efficiency to these indispensable arms, we do also honorably recognize the gallant men, from commander to sentinel, who compose them, and to whom, more than to others, the world must stand indebted for the home of freedom disenthralled, regenerated, enlarged, and perpetuated. ”

“ But we ourselves must not decline the burden of responsibility, nor take counsel of unworthy passions. Whatever duty urges us to do or to omit, must be done or omitted; and the recklessness with which our adversaries break the laws, or counsel their violation, should afford no example for us. ”

“ That on the first day of January, in the year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred and sixty-three all persons held as slaves within any State, or designated part of a State, the people whereof shall then be in rebellion against the United States, shall be then, thenceforward, and forever free ”

“ In the midst of other cares, however important, we must not lose sight of the fact that the war power is still our main reliance. To that power alone can we look, yet for a time, to give confidence to the people in the contested regions that the insurgent power will not again overrun them. ”