The Deathbed
Silence falls, unbroken save by sobs of strong men
In that room, where Lincoln, at the morning hour's chime
Passed out into the unknown from the world of human ken.
Gone his body and his life work from the world inclosed by time;
But in the silence that was falling after breath of broken prayer,
Words eternal broke the quiet like a bell toll on the air;
Never in the world's wide story, wiser spoke nor Prophet, spoke nor Sages,
Than these words that broke the silence: "He belongs now to the Ages!"
"To the Ages!" well you spoke it, Stanton of the massive mind!
He belongs, the years have shown it, to the world of human kind!
Heard his story, where'er hearts throb o'er the world's far spreading way;
Heard his story, children listen at the closing of the day;
Heard his story, lovers speak it in their hushed and saddened tones
As they wander in the twilight, dreaming of their coming homes;
Heard his story, statesmen tell it, with a thrill of pride and truth;
Heard his story, old men speak it to the country's growing youth.
And the years have shown the Prophets, and the years have shown the Sages;
Writ in fire these words of wisdom, "He belongs now to the Ages!"
Marion Mills Miller was born at Eaton, Ohio, February 27, 1864. He was graduated from Princeton in 1886, and for several years thereafter was an instructor there in the English department. In 1889 he received the degree of Doctor of Literature from his Alma Mater. Since 1893 he has been engaged in literary and social reform work in New York City. He has published some verse and fiction, but his most notable work has been in the fields of translation and history. He has edited The Classics—Greek and Latin (15 volumes), published in 1909, and Great Debates in American History (14 volumes), published in 1913.
In 1907 he edited the Centenary Edition of The Life and Works of Abraham Lincoln in 10 volumes, logically arranged for ready reference. The Life of Lincoln was published separately in 1908 in two volumes. It is based on a manuscript by Henry C. Whitney, whose name it bears as author, although the second volume, Lincoln, the President, was largely written by Dr. Miller. The late Major William H. Lambert, president top of the Lincoln Fellowship, called it "the best of the shorter biographies of Lincoln." Dr. Miller has also edited The Wisdom of Lincoln (1908), a small book of extracts from Lincoln's speeches and writings. He wrote the following poem, "Lincoln and Stanton," especially for The Poets' Lincoln.
The first reference in it is to the Manny-McCormick case over the patent rights of the reaping machine, in which Lincoln had been at first selected as principal pleader, but was superseded by Edwin M. Stanton. Having thoroughly prepared himself, he offered his assistance to Stanton, but was brusquely repulsed. He was so hurt that he felt like leaving the court room, but decided, in loyalty to his client, to remain, and, leaving his place among counsel, took a seat in the audience. Despite his injured feelings he was filled with admiration for Stanton's able and successful conduct of the case. Lincoln, probably referring to a slur of Stanton reported to him, said that he would have to go back to Illinois and "study more law," since the "college-bred" lawyers were pushing hard the "cornfield" ones.
The second reference is to Stanton's criticism of Lincoln's conservative course during the first months of his Presidency; "that imbecile at the White House," he called him. Stanton as Attorney-General at the close of Buchanan's administration had done effective work in foiling the plans of the Confederacy, and he believed in forceful measures to put down the rebellion in its incipiency.
The third reference is to the virtually enforced resignation of Simon Cameron, Lincoln's first Secretary of War, and Lincoln's choice to succeed him of Stanton, whom he realized to be the best equipped man in the country for the place.
The fourth reference is to Stanton's remark by the bedside of Lincoln as the stricken President ceased breathing: "There lies the greatest leader of men the world ever saw."