174 ABRAHAM LINCOLN. 



where the rough and ready understanding of the people 

 is sure at last to be the controlling power, a profound 

 common-sense is the best genius for statesmanship. 

 Hitherto the wisdom of the President's measures has 

 been justified by the fact that they have always resulted 

 in more firmly uniting public opinion. One of the 

 things particularly admirable in the public utterances 

 of President Lincoln is a certain tone of familiar dignity, 

 which, while it is perhaps the most difficult attainment 

 of mere style, is also no doubtful indication of personal 

 character. There must be something essentially noble 

 in an elective ruler who can descend to the level of con- 

 fidential ease without losing respect, something very 

 manly in one who can break through the etiquette of 

 his conventional rank and trust himself to the reason 

 and intelligence of those who have elected him. No 

 higher compliment was ever paid to a nation than the 

 simple confidence, the fireside plainness, with which Mr. 

 Lincoln always addresses himself to the reason of the 

 American people. This was, indeed, a true democrat, 

 who grounded himself on the assumption that a democ- 

 racy can think. " Come, let us reason together about 

 this matter," has been the .tone of all his addresses to 

 the people ; and accordingly we have never had a chief 

 magistrate who so won to himself the love and at the 

 same time the judgment of his countrymen. To us, 

 that simple confidence of his in the right-mindedness of 

 his fellow-men is very touching, and its success is as 

 strong an argument as we have ever seen* in favor of the 

 theory that men can govern themselves. He never 

 appeals to any vulgar sentiment, he never alludes to the 

 humbleness of his origin ; it probably never occurred to 

 him, indeed, that there was anything higher to start 

 from than manhood ; and he put himself on a level with 

 those he addressed, not by going down to them, but 



