and therefore could not fail. With him justice and righteousness were not matters open to negotiation or subject to compromise. And so this lonely man, this majestic man, with abiding faith in the justice of his cause and its ultimate triumph, unmoved by passion and undisturbed by criticism, pursued unerringly his course, which, to use his own language, was "as plain as a turnpike road," until victory was won and this government "of the people, by the people and for the people" was preserved not alone for us, but for all the liberty loving people of the earth. May we not from our knowledge of what Abraham Lincoln did in his day of great trial, understand what Lincolnism, if I may use the term, means to-day. Plainly, it means that we must not permit ourselves, because of mistakes made or temporary defeats or set-backs suffered, for one moment to lose our faith in the ultimate triumph of our cause. It means sacrifice, devotion and loyalty on the part of all our people. It means the mobilization and utilization of all our national resources for the accomplishment of the great purpose for which we have taken up arms. It means that the united and patriotic support by all our people to those charged with the management of the war. It means calling to the Nation's service the best trained, the best equipped and the most competent men to serve their country, regardless of political considerations. It means stamping out inefficiency wherever found in the public service. It means that having taken up arms in defense of our liberty there can be no compromise of the issue until we shall have made secure for all time the right of free governments to exist with out the constant dread and menace of attack from any military power, however invincible it may believe itself to be. We have indeed received a sacred trust. May we prove worthy of it! May we here to-night catch something of the spirit of Lincoln and Lincolnism. Let us here to-night in this home of Republicanism, individually and as an organization, once more renew our allegiance to the principles and tenets of Abraham Lincoln, our faith in the people whom he loved, our trust in popular governments and with clasped hands and hearts beating in unison offer up ourselves and all we hold dear to the cause for which he so nobly lived and heroically died; for then and then only shall we be entitled to call ourselves worthy disciples of Abraham Lincoln. THE THIRTY-THIRD ANNUAL LINCOLN DINNER of the REPUBLICAN CLUB of the City of New York At the Waldorf-Astoria FEBRUARY 12, 1919 Addresses of HON. CHARLES D. HILLES REV. J. PERCIVAL HUGET, D.D. ADDRESS OF HON. CHARLES D. HILLES President of the Club The Lincoln Dinner of the Republican Club is a fixed feast which has been celebrated annually, without intermission, since 1890. As a club we have attained our fortieth birthday. Since the last occasion on which we commemorated the birth of the great Emancipator, the Club has recruited into its membership five hundred and five men, and to-night its register stands at 1900 strong, embracing representatives of the party from fortyfour of the forty-eight States, and from all of the territorial possessions. The Club advocates, promotes and maintains principles of Republicanism. It associates itself with the living movements of the hour. No civic obligation is more important than that of stamping out the evil of indifference to political duties. Through political organizations and clubs, and through these alone, shall we solve the problems of consummate interest that have direct contact with the life and property and happiness of every citizen. The founders of the Club raised no great barriers to membership. The controlling conditions are good citizenship, ardent and patriotic Americanism, and loyal and stalwart Republicanism. The Club is exclusive and provincial only in these respects, and |