TRIBUTES TO LINCOLN.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LII, Issue 91, 13 May 1909, Page 3

TRIBUTES TO LINCOLN.

AX INTERESTING LETTER. The February American magazines naturally have much to say about Abraham Lincoln. One oi the most interesting contributions to the "Century" is a letter written by th e late John Hay,| then the President's private secretary, and later Secretary of State. It was written to his friend Nieolay, senior private secretary. It would be hard to find a better or more sympathetic estimate of Lincoln than this off-hand letter:— ''Executive Mansion, "Washington, August 7, 1803. "My Dear Xico, —This town is as dismal now as a defaced tombstone. Everybody has gone. The Tycoon is in fine whack. 1 have rarely seen him inoie serene and busy. He is managing this war, tlic draft, foreign relations, and planning a reconstruction of the L'uio.i, all at once. I never knew with what tyrannous authority he rules the Cabinet till now. The most important things he decides, and there is no cavil. I am growing more and more firmly convinced that the good oi the country absolutely demands that he should be kept where he is till this thing is over. There is no man in the country «o wis", so gentle, and so firm. I believe the hand of God placed Him where he is. "They are working against him like beavers, though (Tl and that crowd), but don't seem to make anything by it. T believe the people know what they want, and unless politics have gained in power and los't in principle they will 'have it. J. 8."

LINCOLN AS ORATOR. Putnam's Magazine contains "Recollections of Lincoln'' by General .Tames (.'rant Wilson. General Wilson was on friendly terms with Lincoln from 1858 until the day of his death, and tells many amusing and interesting auecdo.Us 01 the President. Incorporated in this article is a facsimile of Lincoln's first autograph copy of the famous Gettysburg address as actually delivered. It was made for John Hay on his return from the dedicatory exercises, and '.i reproduced through the courtesy of Mrs. Hay. There is also reproduced in facsimile and from the sam« source the second inaugural address, in which Occur the words, known wherever the name of Lincoln is known: "With malice I toward none, with charity for all." Of this address Mr. Gladstone said to General Wilson that it was "unquestionably, a most striking and sublime utterance, not surpassed by any delivered during the nineteenth century." In a letter to Thurlow Weed, who had written him a complimentary letter on the address, Lincoln wrote:

'•Everyone likes'n compliment. Thank you for'yours on my little notification speech, and on the recent inaugural address. I expect the latter to wear if well as'—perhaps better liaii—anything I have produced; but I believe that it is not immediately popular. Men are rot flattered by being shown that there has been a difference of purpose between the Almighty and them. To deny it, however, in this case, is to deny that there is a God governing the world. It is a truth which I thought needed to be told; and as whatever of humiliation there is in it falls most directly on myI self. I thought others might afford for I me to tell it,"