338 



MR. WALLACE'S PRESENTATION ADDRESS. 



Mr. Chairman, Ladies and Gentlemen :- — I have the honor on 

 this occasion to represent a two-fold constituency. 



First. About thirteen thousand citizens of Brooklyn, without dis- 

 tinction of creed or political faith — men, women and children, who, for 

 the love they bore a great and good man, made up a contribution to 

 honor his memory. From the laborer on the highway, from the 

 workshop, from the counting-room and store, from the stately man- 

 sion of the wealthy, and from the scanty apartment of the industrious 

 poor, wherever reverence or love for Abraham Lincoln thrilled the 

 heart, or wherever was detestation or horror at the dreadful deed 

 which so suddenly terminated his useful life, thence came the little 

 drops into the treasury, a name with every dollar, and a dollar for 

 every name. Noble men ! noble women ! Names fragrant to the 

 memory, worthy to be preserved — and they have been preserved in 

 the archives of the Historical Society, that all who come after may 

 know to whom belong the honor of building up this monument to 

 Abraham Lincoln. 



My second constituency is a body of prominent patriotic citizens 

 who banded together during the war, and contributed freely of their 

 time, of their influence, and of their means in support of the Govern- 

 ment, whose praise is in every mouth, and who are known as the 

 War Fund Committee of the City of Brooklyn. 



Under the auspices of the committee, books were opened for sub- 

 scription immediately after the assassination. Not more than one 

 dollar was received from any person, that we might have pre-emi- 

 nently a people's monument ; and the committee bear testimony to 

 the alacrity with which our citizens resj)onded to the call. 



The committee also bear testimony to the faithful management 

 of their treasurer, who not only kept safe his whole trust, but so in- 

 vested it as to make the $13,000 contributed earn $1,000 more, 

 which sums together make the amount expended for this statue. 



The committee also bear testimony to the liberality of our local 

 press, which, without reward, except the consciousness of doing a 

 good deed, used its mighty influence to fan the flame of patriotism, 

 and encourage contributions to this noble object. 



And especially the committee bear testimony to the skill and 

 ability of the sculptor, H. K. Brown, whose works of art adorn 

 Greenwood and Union square and the national capitol at Washing- 

 ton, and many other places of lesser note, and who with long and 

 patient labor has produced this bronze statue, which portrays the 

 likeness and characteristics of our late and lamented president to 



