In Chicago, the metropolis of Lincoln's adopted State, fifty public meetings were held in his honor. The city was fairly buried beneath flags, buntings, and pictures of Lincoln. Show-windows were filled with war relics and Lincoln mementoes. Streets were crowded with marchers and military bands. Standing bareheaded in Lincoln Park, in sight of the Lincoln Statue, a group of Civil War veterans fired a presidential salute. Dexter Pavilion, at night, was crowded, while a chorus of one thousand voices sang patriotic songs.
At Gettysburg, where Lincoln delivered his classic address dedicating the national cemetery, November 19, 1863, the day was duly observed. The principal exercises were held on the campus of Gettysburg College, near Seminary Ridge, where much of the first and second days' fighting occurred during the great battle. Lincoln's Gettysburg address was read by Judge Samuel McSwope.
At Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, Vice-President Fairbanks said, in part:
"Who, among all the men of his day, has produced utterances so classic and lofty and which will survive so long as many of the speeches of Mr. Lincoln? It is impossible to think that schools, colleges, or universities could have increased the intellectual or moral nature of Lincoln. He was the marvelous product of the great school of nature. He kept close to nature's heart, close to the people, close to the soul.... His life was spent in the field of conflict. In his youth he struggled with nature. At the bar he contended for the rights of his clients. In the wider field of politics he fought with uncommon power to overthrow the wrong and enthrone the right. He fought not for the love of contest, but for the love of truth. By nature he was a man of peace. He did not like to raise his hand against his fellow-man. He instinctively loved justice, right, and liberty. His soul revolted at the thought of injustice and wrong. His conscience impelled him to uphold the right wherever it was denied his fellow-man. He could not do otherwise."
In New York City the celebration was the most hearty and widespread of its kind ever seen there. The city's official celebration was held in Cooper Union, in the hall in which Lincoln made his great speech called the "Cooper Union Speech," delivered in 1860. Addresses were delivered by Joseph H. Choate and Rev. Dr. Lyman Abbott. At a great club meeting, Booker T. Washington delivered an address, and referred to himself as "one whom Lincoln found a piece of property and made into an American citizen."
In closing this little volume as an humble tribute to the memory of Abraham Lincoln, I desire to say that, while Mr. Lincoln possessed so many excellent traits of character, the most significant and worthy one was his constant anxiety, as he expressed it, to know and do the will of God. This, in the providence of God, is what made him truly great.
Transcriber's Note:
- Minor typographical errors have been corrected without note.
- Ambiguous hyphens at the ends of lines were retained.
- Mid-paragraph illustrations have been moved to the end of chapters.
- References added to the list of illustrations: House in which Lincoln died and Lincoln's mill.