Imagini ale paginilor
PDF
ePub

SPEECH AT BUFFALO, N. Y.

I AM sure I bring a heart true to the work. For the ability to perform it, I must trust in that Supreme Being who has never forsaken this favored land, through the instrumentality of this great and intelligent people. Without that assistance, I shall surely fail; with it, I cannot fail. When we speak of threatened difficulties to the country, it is natural that it should be expected that something should be said by myself, with regard to particular measures. Upon more mature reflections, however and others will agree with me-that when it is considered that these difficulties are without precedent, and never have been acted upon by any individual, situated as I am, it is most proper I should wait and see the developments, and get all the light possible, so that when I do speak authoritatively, I may be as near right as possible.

C. F. BURNAM.

171

PRIO

IOR to his elevation to the Presidency of the United States I had never met Mr. Lincoln, although I was acquainted with the splendid reputation he had achieved in Illinois as a lawyer and statesman. His venerable father-in-law, Robert S. Todd, of Lexington, was one of my earliest friends, and his more. distinguished relative, Hon. Daniel Brady, of this town, was my first law preceptor. From these gentlemen I had learned to admire his great character, and was not surprised, when, in 1860, the nomination for the chief magistracy of the republic was given him by the convention at Chicago over rivals so illustrious as Chase and Seward.

After his election, I met Mr. Lincoln often in Washington, and it will be always one of the pleasant memories of my life that I had this privilege and shared somewhat his regard and confidence. Great as were the men who constituted his cabinet-and in no administration were ever found three greater men than Chase, Seward and Stanton-I always thought, and still think, he was greater than any of them. Calm, courageous, generous, just; he was the impersonation of patriotism, and his labors to restore the Union by suppressing the rebel Confederacy, and by striking off the fetters from four million slaves, followed by his untimely death by the hand of an assassin, gave to him of all the men of this century the first place in the eyes of all mankind.

Nothing which can be done to perpetuate his fame, to keep him ever before the coming generations of his countrymen, should be omitted.

RICHMOND, 1882.

C. 7. Purnam

JOSEPH P. BRADLEY.

173

THE

HE greatness of his figure in our history stands so near and towers so high that it cannot be taken in at a glance in this generation.

Joseph P. Bradley

WASHINGTON, 1880.

SPEECH AT SYRACUSE, N. Y.

I see you have erected a very fine and handsome platform here, for me, and I presume you expect me to speak from it. If I should go upon it, you would imag ine that I was about to deliver you a much longer speech than I am. I wish you to understand that I mean no discourtesy to you by thus dealing. I intend discourtesy to no one. But I wish you to understand that, though I am unwilling to go upon this platform, you are not at liberty to draw any inference concerning any other plat form with which my name has been, or is, connected. I wish you long life and prosperity, individually, and pray that with the perpetuity of those institutions under which we have all so long lived and prospered, our hap piness may be secured, our future made brilliant, and the glorious destiny of our country established forever.

« ÎnapoiContinuă »