The Wonderful Story of Lincoln: And the Meaning of His Life for the Youth and Patriotism of America — John Shaqi
The Wonderful Story of Lincoln: And the Meaning of His Life for the Youth and Patriotism of AmericaStevens, C. M. (Charles McClellan)
History
The Wonderful Story of Lincoln: And the Meaning of His Life for the Youth and Patriotism of America
Stevens, C. M. (Charles McClellan)
Lincoln, Abraham, 1809-1865 -- Juvenile literature
"Stern be the Pilot in the Dreadful hour
When a great nation, like a ship at sea,
With the wroth breakers whitening at her lea,
Feels her last shudder if the Helmsman cower;
A God-like manhood be his mighty dower!"
This seems to show that the patriotic men of the literary East were
not yet sure of him. In fact, it was not yet sure that there was any
man anywhere who could remain sane and true through the rampant
treason and raging strife.
A year later Frank Moore wrote:
"Stand like the rock that looks defiant
Far o'er the surging seas that lash its form!
Composed, determined, watchful, self-reliant,
Be master of thyself and rule the storm."
If the Americans who tried to destroy Washington could now appear
among us and see what we and the world think of him, they would hardly
attempt to justify what they said and did to ruin him. Many lived to
realize their error in defaming Lincoln and to appreciate their
pitiful malignity in spreading the gossip and slander about him. And
yet a few strove on to save some of their reputation for intelligence
or personal honor and honesty, until research and cumulative evidence
established the unassailable truth of his standing and character as
one of the noblest and greatest of Americans.
The lesson of personal justice and integrity is learned slowly where
freedom has long seemed to mean political license to distort and
defame party opponents. But election slanders die out as the people
emerge from party possession and mastery. After the election is over,
still increasing numbers become conscious that most of the evils told
of the opposition have either been lies or the distorted halftruths
that are more misleading to the honest-intentioned minds.
But, fortunately, one of Lincoln's great sayings has been proven true
even in the miscellaneous freedom of Americans. To an insignificant
interruption on an insignificant occasion, one of those famous sayings
popped up, as it were from the mass of thinking in Lincoln's mind,
"You can fool some of the people all of the time, and all of the
people some of the time, but you cannot fool all of the people all of
the time."
Lincoln's great passion for friendship in the midst of his prophetic
vision is shown in the last paragraph of his first inaugural address.
He said, "I am loath to close. We are not enemies, but friends. We
must not be enemies. Though passion may have strained, it must not
break our bonds of affection. The mystic chords of memory, stretching
from every battlefield and patriot grave to every living heart and
hearthstone all over this broad land, will yet swell the chorus of the
Union, when again touched as they surely will be, by the better angels
of our nature."
V. SIMPLE INTERESTS THAT NEVER GROW OLD
Lincoln's great sympathy for those who mourn is expressed in a letter
of condolence to a friend whose father had just died.
"Dear Fanny:
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account