t
to strains of sadness. Yet throughout all his trials he never lost the
courage of his convictions. When he was surrounded on all sides by
doubting Thomases, by unbelieving Saracens, by discontented Catilines,
his faith was strongest. As the Danes destroyed the hearing of their
war-horses in order that they might not be affrighted by the din of
battle, so Lincoln turned a deaf ear to all that might have discouraged
him, and exhibited an unwavering faith in the justice of the cause and
the integrity of the Union. [Cries of "Bravo!" and cheers.]

It is said that for three hundred years after the battle of Thermopylae
every child in the public schools of Greece was required to recite from
memory the names of the three hundred martyrs who fell in the defence of
that Pass. It would be a crowning triumph in patriotic education if
every school child in America could contemplate each day the grand
character and utter the inspiring name of Abraham Lincoln. [Loud
applause.]

He has passed from our view. We shall not meet him again until he stands
forth to answer to his name at the roll-call when the great of earth are
summoned in the morning of the last great reveille. Till then
[apostrophizing Lincoln's portrait which hung above the President's
head], till then, farewell, gentlest of all spirits, noblest of all
hearts! The child's simplicity was mingled with the majestic grandeur of
your nature. You have handed down unto a grateful people the richest
legacy which man can leave to man--the memory of a good name, the
inheritance of a great example! [Loud and enthusiastic applause.]

* * * * *

SIRES AND SONS

[Speech of Horace Porter at the eighty-sixth annual dinner of the
New England Society in the City of New York, December 22, 1891. J.
Pierpont Morgan, the President, occupied the chair, and called upon
General Porter to speak on "Sires and Sons."]

MR. PRESIDENT AND GENTLEMEN:--All my shortcomings upon this
occasion must be attributed to the fact that I have just come from last
night's New England dinner, in Brooklyn, which occurred largely this
morning. They promised me when I accepted their invitation that I should
get away early, and I did. I am apprehensive that the circumstance may
give rise to statements which may reflect upon my advancing years, and
that I may be pointed out as one who has dined with the early New
Englanders.

I do not like the fact of D