[Congressional Record Volume 155, Number 29 (Thursday, February 12, 2009)]
[Senate]
[Pages S2176-S2177]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                        HONORING ABRAHAM LINCOLN

  Mr. ENSIGN. Mr. President, today marks the 200th anniversary of the 
birth of one of this Nation's finest leaders. Abraham Lincoln was born 
in 1809 destined for greatness but with humble beginnings. It is 
remarkable and inspiring to study the life of Abraham Lincoln. Today is 
a fitting time to reflect on some of the lessons we can continue to 
learn from him, especially in light of the challenges we are facing 
today.
  President Lincoln's rise to leadership was full of trials and 
setbacks, most of which would have deterred a lesser man but not 
Abraham Lincoln. Throughout his lifetime, he was the picture of 
incomparable character, willing to put his ego aside for the greater 
good, committed to freedom for the generations, and a true believer 
that he was not superior to anyone.
  These traits may seem like words that are easy to put together, but 
to live your life by them is truly exemplary. It is especially 
remarkable in the face of adversity. It is said that trials don't build 
character, they simply reveal it. Well, President Lincoln served in the 
highest office of our country at one of the most tumultuous times in 
our history. His character was revealed time and time again. Americans 
are still proud of his leadership and his vision.
  During Lincoln's Presidency, our Nation faced the gravest of 
challenges. We were at war amongst ourselves, and the consequences of 
our leadership would go down in history. Either America would cease to 
exist, or we would survive, heal, and one day be stronger than ever. 
Abraham Lincoln made it possible for us to be here today as the United 
States of America.
  Today, we face many overwhelming challenges. They are significant, 
but they are not as dire as the Civil War. We can work together to get 
out of this economic downturn.
  In 1862, Lincoln declared:

       The bottom is out of the tub.

  It sort of feels that way today. All you have to do is talk to people 
to realize the numbness that is permeating our country. Those who have 
lost jobs or homes are facing a painful reality. Most Americans are not 
sure what to do. If you are thinking about buying a home or a car, you 
think many times about it because of the uncertainty of our economy 
today. We have to do something here that will boost the confidence of 
Americans. They have to become consumers again if we want to get this 
economy going. That means dealing with the underlying housing crisis 
that set off the bottom falling out of this ``tub.''
  The other issue we have to remember is that the money we spend today 
will have to be paid for by our children and our grandchildren. So each 
dollar that goes into this stimulus bill needs to be spent efficiently, 
and it needs to be far reaching. Each dollar needs to go toward 
creating jobs and stimulating growth. That way, we can recover from 
this deepening recession and continue to grow.
  Unfortunately, this so-called stimulus bill is not even close to 
ideal legislation. It will bury us in debt, reduce our creditworthiness 
as a nation, and only minimally stimulate the economy. It just doesn't 
speak to the opportunity Abraham Lincoln knew was possible in this 
country.
  He once said:

       There is no permanent class of hired laborers amongst us. 
     Twenty-five years ago, I was a hired laborer.

  Americans have a unique gift in this country. That gift is 
opportunity--the opportunity to grow, change course, and improve one's 
circumstances.
  One of the great freedoms we have in America is the freedom to fail. 
Abraham Lincoln knew a lot about that freedom. He failed many times, 
but he also knew about the gift of opportunity, and he took advantage 
of it. We have seen the resilience and ingenuity of the American people 
throughout history. Our job is to do what we can to let that promise 
grow and not get in the way.
  I believe the stimulus bill we will vote on soon could have been 
vastly improved if it had been written from the beginning with 
Republicans and Democrats as part of the process. That is a lesson we 
should take from President Lincoln. The political process can be messy 
and petty. We should put our egos aside, as Lincoln did when he brought 
his greatest rivals into his Cabinet. We should focus on the end goal 
being the good of our country, not groups to whom each of us is 
beholden.
  We should understand there are no guarantees when it comes to the 
future of our country. We always have to work to protect what has been 
defended for more than 200 years. Lincoln reminded us that ``it is not 
merely for today, but for all time to come that we should perpetuate 
for our children's children this great and free government, which we 
have enjoyed all of our lives.'' If we ignore the consequences of our 
actions today, then we take for granted what is to come for the future 
of our great country.
  President Lincoln was a visionary. On this special day, we cannot 
lose sight of the tremendous lessons of his lifetime. It is never too 
late for us to join together as Americans to create a better and a 
stronger future.
  I yield the floor.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Senator from Illinois is recognized.
  Mr. BURRIS. Mr. President, it is my great honor to stand here today 
and commemorate Abraham Lincoln on the bicentennial of his birth.
  Abraham Lincoln's leadership during one of our darkest periods 
forever changed the face of our Nation. Because of his bold vision and 
undivided faith in the future of our great Nation, freedom and justice 
for all was realized. Without doubt, as this resolution affirms, 
President Lincoln ``redefined what it means to be an American.'' Today, 
I wish to take a moment to recognize another part of his legacy.
  In this resolution, it states that ``despite less than a year of 
formal schooling, he developed an avid love for reading and learning.'' 
Lincoln's stepmother, Sarah Bush Johnston, encouraged Lincoln to read, 
write, and think freely, even as she and Lincoln's father could not 
afford to send him to school. And herein lies the brilliance of 
Lincoln's rise.
  From the backcountry in Illinois to the White House in Washington, 
DC, Abraham Lincoln rose to the highest office in the land by educating 
himself. In his first political address in 1832, seeking a seat in the 
Illinois General Assembly, he said:

       I desire to see the time when education . . . shall become 
     much more general than at present, and I should be gratified 
     to have it in my power to contribute something to its 
     advancement.

  As President Lincoln showed us, education is the foundation of our 
future success. In this period of economic stress and uncertainty, we 
draw on Lincoln's legacy and move forward because of his strength.

[[Page S2177]]

  Mr. LUGAR. Mr. President, I rise today to recognize the 200th 
anniversary of the birth of Abraham Lincoln. On February 12, 1809, our 
16th President was born to Thomas and Nancy Lincoln in Kentucky. 
President Lincoln spent the majority of his adult life in Illinois 
where he became a successful lawyer and politician. But in between 
these periods, he lived with his family in the backwoods of Indiana, 20 
miles east of Evansville. In these famous salt lick hunting grounds 
near the Ohio River, the young Abe Lincoln learned about farming, 
suffered the death of his mother, and grew into a man. Although his 
potential as a leader would not be fully revealed until later in life, 
his experiences in Indiana formed the basis of his self-taught genius 
and helped shape his belief system.
  Abe Lincoln's family moved to Indiana in December 1816 when Abe was 
7, arriving shortly after Indiana entered the Union as the 19th State. 
In Kentucky, the Lincolns had struggled with legal controversies 
related to the title to their land. They were attracted to Indiana, in 
part, because buying land from the Federal Government under the clear 
terms of the Northwest Ordinance would eliminate these troubles. Thomas 
Lincoln acquired 160 acres of land near Little Pigeon Creek in what is 
now Spencer County and set up a farm.
  The family initially lived in a three-sided cabin, known as a half-
faced camp. Abraham, who was always tall for his age, helped his father 
with farming chores. By age 9, he began to learn the detailed skill of 
wielding an ax, which later would be the basis for his backwoods ``rail 
splitter'' campaign persona.
  Soon after arriving in Indiana, tragedy struck the family when Nancy 
Lincoln died of ``milk sickness'' on October 5, 1818. Thomas Lincoln 
married Sarah Bush Johnston on December 2, 1819. Sarah Johnston and her 
three children from her previous marriage joined Abe and his older 
sister Sarah.
  Being situated in a sparsely populated region of southern Indiana 
made access to school difficult. The closest school was a great 
distance over rough terrain from the Lincoln farm, and Abe's attendance 
was sporadic, at best. In 1859 Lincoln wrote a letter to his friend 
Jesse Fell describing his early life and education in Indiana:

       We reached our new home about the time the State came into 
     the Union. It was a wild region, with many bears and other 
     wild animals still in the woods. There I grew up. There were 
     some schools, so called; but no qualification was ever 
     required of a teacher, beyond readin, writin, and cipherin' 
     to the Rule of Three. If a straggler supposed to understand 
     latin, happened to so-journ in the neighborhood, he was 
     looked upon as a wizzard. There was absolutely nothing to 
     excite ambition for education. Of course when I came of age I 
     did not know much. Still somehow, I could read, write, and 
     cipher to the Rule of Three; but that was all. I have not 
     been to school since. The little advance I now have upon this 
     store of education, I have picked up from time to time under 
     the pressure of necessity.[sic]

  Thomas Lincoln, who had received no formal education himself, saw 
little value in Abe's schooling. But Abe's stepmother Sarah encouraged 
him to read on his own. Abe immersed himself in the family Bible and 
borrowed books from neighbors. He read Parson Weems' ``Life of 
Washington'' at an early age, as well as such classics as Benjamin 
Franklin's ``Autobiography'' and Daniel Defoe's ``Robinson Crusoe.''
  The first exposure that President Lincoln had to political argument 
came at a country store owned by James Gentry, a local land owner and 
friend of the Lincoln family. Abe worked in Gentry's store, soaking up 
conversation on politics and frontier life. As Lincoln grew, his 
horizons expanded beyond Spencer County. In 1828, he worked on a 
flatboat carrying goods for Gentry all the way to New Orleans. On this 
trip he encountered slavery for the first time.
  The Lincolns moved to Illinois in 1830 where Abe went on to become a 
lawyer and State politician, Member of the U.S. House of 
Representatives, and finally President of the United States.
  The strong feelings of pride that Hoosiers feel for President Lincoln 
are amplified by remembrances of the President around the State. For 
example, the Indiana State Museum located in Indianapolis houses the 
largest private collection of President Lincoln memorabilia in the 
world. Included in this collection are signed copies of the 
Emancipation Proclamation and the 13th amendment, family photos, and 
more than 20,000 other items. Additionally, the Lincoln Boyhood 
National Memorial continues to fascinate visitors and preserve 
Lincoln's Hoosier legacy.
  Hoosiers are proud to celebrate President Lincoln's life and the 14 
formative years he spent in Indiana. The ties of the Lincoln family in 
Spencer County will never be forgotten, and new generations of Hoosiers 
will learn how Lincoln lifted himself up from humble circumstances to 
become a great President and a true American hero.
  Mr. MARTINEZ. Mr. President, today our Nation celebrates the 
bicentennial of Abraham Lincoln's birth, a man who became one of the 
finest leaders America has ever known. Given his service to our Nation, 
it is fitting that we pause to acknowledge President Lincoln's lasting 
contributions to our society.
  President Lincoln was a writer, an attorney, and a statesman, but 
above all else he was a strong advocate for the common man. This was 
due in large part to the fact that he was a common man. He was born 
into a family with modest means, became self-educated, and entered into 
a life of public service at the age of 23.
  During his Presidency, Lincoln once remarked, ``God must love the 
common man, he made so many of them.'' He gave a voice to the 
disenfranchised, the destitute, and the dispirited, and even in the 
face of adversity, he stood strong in support of the notion that ``all 
men are created equal.''
  He also led with conviction during a turbulent time in our Nation's 
history. As President, Lincoln guided our divided Nation with moral 
clarity and persevered when the fabric of our democracy was tested. He 
helped to heal our Nation after the Civil War and put America on a path 
to overcome the dark days of slavery.
  Today, President Lincoln's virtue extends far beyond our borders. He 
has inspired generations of individuals seeking to advance the cause of 
freedom and liberty even when their voices have been silenced. These 
individuals find inspiration in places like Havana, where a statue of 
Lincoln still stands proudly along the Avenida de los Presidentes. I 
join them in hoping for the day when Lincoln's dreams can be realized 
and the people of Cuba can taste the same fruits of liberty we as 
Americans cherish.
  On this day, we are reminded not only of Lincoln's contributions to 
our society, but also his vision, which continues to guide our Nation. 
May his life continue to inspire us and his words always serve as a 
source of hope. As he once wrote, ``The cause of liberty must not be 
surrendered at the end of one, or even one hundred defeats.'' May God 
bless Abraham Lincoln, and may He continue to bless the United States 
of America.

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