so spoke edwin markham.most sublime poetry ever written incised permanently into the very walls behind me. then, as now, framing their author, surrounding the great statue that looks down on us from its chair of state. on november 19th, 1863, this is what he said, four score and seven years ago, our fathers brought forth on this continent a new nation, conceived in liberty and dedicated to the proposition that all men are created equal. now, we are engaged in a great civil war, testing whether that nation, or any nation so conceived and so dedicated can long endure. we are met on a grave battlefield of that war, we have come to dedicate a portion of that field as a final resting place for those who hear gave their lives, that nation might live. it is all together fitting and proper that we should do this. but, in a larger sense, we cannot dedicate, we cannot concentrate, we cannot hollow this ground. the brave men living and dead who struggled here have consecrated it far above our power to add or detract. t

edwin. markham's poem lincoln the man of the people. up from the log cabin to the capitol one fire was on his spirit one resolve. to send a keen acts to the root of wrong. clearing a freeway for the feet of god. the eyes of conscience testing every stroke to make his deed. the measure of a man he built the rail pile as he built the state. pouring his spending strength through every blow the grip that swung the ax in illinois was on the pen that said a people free. so came the captain with his mighty heart. and when the judgment thunders split the house wrenching the rafters from their ancient rest. he held the ridge pole up. and spiked again the rafters of the home. he held his place. held the long purpose like a growing tree held on. through blame and faltered not at praise. and when he fell in whirlwind he went down as when a lordly cedar green with bows goes down with a great shout upon the hills. and leaves alone some place. against the sky so spoke edwin markham but visitors that day pilgrims to this spot ever since could find some