ln Memorial Library,'
as Lincoln needs no memorial, being one of the dozen supremely
great rulers of men the world has ever seen."

The Library was completed in 1904, and I was invited to deliver
the dedicatory address, which invitation I was very glad to accept.
It was an interesting occasion, held in the main room of the library
building, which was crowded with the very best people of the city.
I give a few extracts from the speech I delivered that evening:

"Mr. Chairman: It was a great pleasure to me to be invited by your
library board to participate in these exercises attending the
opening of this splendid library building.

"I can not resist on this occasion the inclination to say a few
words in reference to Springfield and my early relations to it.

"Old historic Springfield! Here have taken place many of the most
important events in the history of Illinois. Springfield has been
the centre of the political struggles of both parties since it has
been the capital of the State. Many of the great statesmen of
Illinois have occupied seats in the legislative hall in Springfield.
Here were mobilized during the Civil War the thousands of troops
who went forth to do and die for the Union. Here the greatest
General of the age received his first command. Here Lincoln and
Douglas met, and from here Lincoln went forth to assume a task
greater than any President has been called upon to undertake in
all our history.

"Springfield is endeared to me by all the sacred memories of
friendship, family, and home.

"I came here fifty years ago. In Springfield I received my legal
education, was admitted to the Bar, and in your old courthouse here
I practised my profession. In Springfield I married and reared my
family, and here my children are laid in their final resting-place.

"Those early days of my residence here are among the happiest of
my life. Official duties have necessitated my absence a great part
of the time for the past twenty years, but my heart lingers with
it, and the ties which made those early days so happy will never
be broken so long as I shall live."

After giving a history of the library and referring to the generosity
of Mr. Carnegie, I continued:

"This is a material age. Carnegie, the great captain of industry,
is a typical representative of the leaders of this age. It is well
worth our while to stop to consider why he should devote a part of
his great wealth to the founding of public libr