BUCHANAN, JAMES. Born at Stony Batter, Franklin County, Pennsylvania,
April 22, 1791; member of Congress, 1821-31; minister to
Russia, 1831-33; United States senator, 1833-45; secretary of state,
1845-49; minister to Great Britain, 1853-56; President, 1857-61; died at
Wheatland, Lancaster, Pennsylvania, June 1, 1868.
* * * * *
CHAPTER IV
LINCOLN AND HIS SUCCESSORS
And so we have come down through the years to Abraham Lincoln--that
patient and gentle man whose memory ranks with Washington's as America's
priceless heritage. A blessing and an inspiration--a mystery, too; an
enigma among men, lonely and impressive; not fully understood nor
understandable to the depths of that great heart of his; not fully
explainable, for what strange power was it lifted that ignorant,
ill-bred, uncouth, backwoods boy to a station among the stars?
Seldom has any man who started so low mounted so high. Abraham Lincoln's
early life was of the most miserable description. His father, Thomas
Lincoln, was a worthless rover; his mother, Nancy Hanks, was of a "poor
white" Virginia family with an unenviable record. His birthplace was a
squalid log cabin in Washington County, Kentucky. His surroundings were
such as are commonly encountered in a coarse, low, ignorant,
poverty-stricken family.
Pages:
112
113
114
115
116
117
118
119
120
121
122
123
124
125
126
127
128
129
130
131
132
133
134
135
136