Lincoln, ABRAHAM

1809–1865. Sixteenth pres. U.S.; b. in Ky.; he grew up in pioneer life with few advantages. Obtaining a position in a country store in Ill. at ab. 21, he borrowed some books, and in leisure moments began to educate himself. When the Black Hawk war broke out, he volunteered and was elected captain. He was in the Ill. Legislature 1834-42; practiced law at Springfield from 1839, and was in Congre 1847-49. He was brought more prominently into public life by the agitation over the repeal of the Mi ouri Compromise act 1854, and entered upon public discu ions with such earnestne , intelligence, and enthusiasm as to make him a leader of the anti-slavery element. In 1858 he challenged Stephen A. Douglas, who was seeking re-election as Senator and was author of the repeal, to a public debate of the leading i ues. His speeches in this campaign won him a national reputation. In 1860 he was elected to the presidency. Between his election and his inauguration the sece ion movement was getting well on foot. In his inaugural addre he denied the right of sece ion and announced the purpose of his administration to maintain the Union; this, rather than the mere extirpation of slavery, was the primary and ruling motive of his administration. He disclaimed any intention to invade or subjugate the seceding States, and not until Fort Sumter was reduced did he recognize civil war as a fact and call for troops. While the war was in progre it was a question of great difficulty and delicacy to know how to deal with the fact of slavery. He tried long and in vain to induce the States to surrender their slaves for a compensation. When all propositions of that nature failed, he i ued, Sept. 22, 1862, the preliminary proclama 882 IMG:content-1107.png:[graphic] tion of emancipation, which declared all slaves in regions then in rebellion free from Jan. 1, 1863. Under the extraordinary difficulties of his vast task he displayed phenomenal wisdom, tact, gentlene , patience and self-forgetfulne . A strong effort was made to defeat his re-election by those in the North who were di atisfied with his management of the war or out of sympathy with the principles underlying it. But he was re-elected by an overwhelming majority both on popular and electoral vote, Gen. McClellan, the opposing candidate, receiving only 21 electoral votes out of 233. Meantime the war was drawing to a close, and, shortly after Lincoln's second inaugural, was terminated by the surrender of Abraham Lincoln. Lee, April 9, 1865. On April 11 he made his last public addre . On the evening of April 14, while at Ford's Theater, he was shot by John Wilkes Booth, and died the following morning, to the incalculable lo and sorrow of the nation. Long underrated, owing to the humblene of his origin, his unpretentiousne , and his frank Western humor, he came to be recognized as by far the greatest man of his time, ranking with Washington in loving and reverent memory. His abilities were equaled by the greatne of his heart and the beauty of his character. Some of his sayings are household words: his Gettysburg addre , Nov. 1863, is among the noblest triumphs of patriotic eloquence. -His son, ROBERT TODD, b. 1843, was Sec. of War 1881-85, and Minister to England 1889-93.