Judyville High School - Jargon Yearbook (Judyville, IN)

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+I' 41- 22 M , a'9 B A' ,refs-af J! .f f THE JARGON - X s Q. W if N G16 af 'O ' 4 f.. mb to them: You have no oath registered in Heaven to destroy the govern- Cf? ment, while 1 have the most solemn one Io preserve, protect, and defend it. He wished to destroy slavery, but not in a manner that would violate the Constitution. In spite of the fact that Lincoln and Douglas had indulged in some very spirited debates about slavery, at the close of the inaugural address, Doug- las warmly grasped the president's hand and pledged his support to the Constitution. The war was one continuous horror to the tender-hearted man, who was so deeply affected by death. Un February 20, 1361, death entered his home, taking his little son, XYillie. This affected him much, as had the death of his former sweetheart, Ann Rutledge. .-Xll of this added to his concern for the welfare of his country, made him indeed a man of sorrows. President Lincoln always lived up to the name of Honest Abe, which he had earned in his early life, To a man of his tender and honest nature slavery was abhorrent. He had made a vow in 1831, when he was twenty-two years of age. that if he ever had the opportunity to hit that thing, he would hit it hard. The time for the master stroke at this hated institution had now arrived and Lincoln issued the Emancipation Proclamation in 1865, which was to make the black man free forever. The weary years of the war dragged on, with all its horrors and dis- couragements. and Lincoln was re-elected to the presidency. Richmond was at last evacuated, and Lee surrendered on .Xpril 9, 1965, thus ending the war. Lincoln's entrance into Richmond, thirty-six hours after Davis had fled, having set hre to the city, was unattended by martial music or applauding multitudesg but there was one very touching spectacle. lt was the large D number of negroes kneeling, praying and shouting, 1iress de Lawdf' He was their emancipator, who had delivered them from their awful bondage. The burdens and sorrows of bloodshed had made an old man of him, and the appearance of his countenance was very sad. The war was over, with the union saved and slavery doomed. Lincoln now turned his mind to the period of reconstruction. He had told Grant In let Jefferson Davis escape, all unbeknown to himself, that he would take no part in the killing of the Lionfederates. even the worst of his enemies. The unsellish life of this man of the common people was brought to a close by,-an assassins bullet, .-Xpril 15, 1864, while he was at the Ford theater. James Wlilkes Booth, the murderer, was finally caught in a barn and shot down. The nation's loss of this great president can not be estimated. This man, who never willingly planted a thorn in anyone's path, and who could say, at a time when many had been disloyal to him, 1Vith malice toward none and charity for all. His worst enemies never accused him of being selfish in politics, or working to further his own ends. His tender heart always responded to any appeal for mercy, and he always granted to the one asking, if he could possibly find any excuse whatever. This annoyed some of the , generals, who feared military discipline would be destroyed. Un the other , hand, his great determination in the cause of justice is shown, when a slave U. Q3 trader had been condemned and imprisoned for live years. He was fined Q-2 f ' ' F o ik?ZQKQ ' Page fifty-five

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'Xl . ,,,. . JV 1325! Fit : Q N : V o ' 1 -2555 -np' , W -. -UQX re 'PHE JARGON F ,fog .J ' ,F uv 9' va all Agn U ,Sn . WM C6 i one thousand dollars, which he was unahle to pay. Some friends asked Lin- coln to pardon the man. He said, I am, if possihle to be, too easily moved hy appeals of mercyg and l must say if this man had heen guilty of the foulest murder. l might forgive him of such an appeal. But the man who could go to ,Xfrica and roh her ot her children, for no other motive than that which is furnished hy dollars and cents, is so much worse than the most depraved murderer that he can never receive pardon at my hands. lt was Lincoln who nationalized the Thanksgiving festival, wherein a whole nation turns from daily toil. to thank the Giver of every good and perfect gift. Nu doulwt it was his continually asking God to help him that enaliled him to carry the nation through its great crisis, and it can he said ul him, 'l'hough he is dead yet he speakethf' llis hodv rests at Sirinffiield, lllinois. Here was his home which he i , .5 1 left to assume the leadership of the government. Un leaving Springfield for i llvashington, he bade his friends farewell and publicly asked the assistance url' the Divine lleing, without which he would not succeed, and with which he could not fail. There is Tl wonderful monument erected in memory of him at Springfield. the funds heing mostly suhscrihed lay the common people, and eight thoue sand dollars hy the negro troops. l.incoln's memory has heen made immor- tal hecause he never lost the common touch, and hecause of the great service he rendered to the cause of justice to humanity. c 5 c Elmo Rl. Francis, '28 Q 4 if it Page jzjty-.sm