The Sun.
London, England, 1865-05-03 00:00:00

The Murder of President Lincoln,

" Historicus" writes to the Times thus :—The
American Civil War is beyond doubt the greatest
event in the history of mankind which has occurred
since the French Revolution. In both cases a cor-
rupt condition of political society has purged itself
at the cost of a terrible political and social convul-
sion. But the French Revolution itself, with all its
horrors, has produced no crime more shocking to
the conscience of mankind than the murder of the
late President of the United States. The tribute
which the civilised world from every quarter is offer-
ing on the grave of that eminent person is the
natural instinct by which the human race gives
utterance to the horror felt at a crime which is a
common dishonour of our nature.

It is too early to judge either of the consequences
of the crime, or of those upon whom the respon-
sibility of it is to be charged. Nothing can be
more unjust than to visit upon whole societies or
general systems the acts of isolated persons who
may commit crimes without authority in their
name. If the Papacy was held responsible for
the massacre of St. Bartholomew, it was not
because it contrived, but because it approved
it. The South:will be judged, not by the act
of the assassin, but by the manner in which they
receive the news of it. Booth has accomplished
against President Lincoln what Brooks attempted
against Senator Sumner. We unhappily know how
the act of Brooks was applauded by both sexes of
the community which he had disgraced. Let us
hope, for the honour of our nature, that such an
outrage on humanity is not to be repeated. I sin-
cerely wish, sir, that Mr. Mason, on behalf of the
people he assumes to represent, had occupied him-
self on this dreadful occasion a little more in express-
ing his regret at the murder of Mr. Lincoln, and a
little less in finding excuses for its commission. I

hope that he will find in the Southern States of
America feyv " well-balanced minds"—as assuredly
he will find none in England—who will see in this
hideous act the " necessary offspring" of anything
but the most detestable cowardice and wickedness.

Upon Mr. Lincoln himself the world, even before
his death, had passed a just and favourable judg-
ment. Situated in circumstances of unexampled
difficulty, he had achieved unexpected greatness:
As the leader, in a revolution which he had
not made, he adhered as closely as that revolution
permitted him to the law. In disaster he was
undismayed, in success he was sober, in the
presence of provocation he was moderate, in
the hour of victory he was merciful. If these
are not the constituents of greatness, political
and moral, I know not what is the meaning of that
word. I see that some persons are disposed
to exult over those who had not at the earliest
moment appreciated the true proportions of his
remarkable character. I do not sympathise in
such censures, the more so, perhaps, because if they
were well deserved I might feel that I ought to
share them. But I think that those who plume
themselves upon their prescient sagacity commit the
common fault of pretending to have been wise too
soon. Mr. Lincoln grew to be what he at length
became by the hard discipline of adversity and the
strict schooling of responsibility. He became great
—as such natures do become great—by the action
of the ennobling duties of such a station upon a
mind honest, courageous, conscientious, and truth-
ful. Under the purifying influences of this fiery
assay the ore is purged from the dross, and shines
out at length in a sterling lustre which did not
belong to its native state. Those who have com-
pared his earlier with his later discourses will have
marked the striking growth of his moral stature.
No one, I think, can have read the Message of
March 4, 1865, distinguished as it was by a tone of
chastened and saddened earnestness, without feeling
that it was the true language of a good and a great
man, sober in the midst of political success, and
moderate in the hour of military triumph. The
lesson to be learnt from the history of such a cha-
racter is to abstain from hasty judgments upon
untried men. I trust it will not be lost at this
moment either at home or abroad.

CALLS TO THE BAR.—May I.—The undermen-
tioned gentlemen were this day called to the Bar by
the Honourable Society of the Middle Temple :—William
Joseph Cripps, 8.A., of Trinity College Oxford, Esq. ;
Joseph James Stuckey, 8.A., of St. John's College, Cam-
bridge, Esq. ; Digby Glen, Esq. ; and Charles Frederick
Hamond, Esq. Lincoln's-inn, May I.—The undermen-
tioned gentlemen were this day called to the degree of
Barrister-at-Law by the Honourable Society of Lincoln's-
inn, viz.: Louis Courtauld, Esq., LL.B., Cambridge ;
John Byers Gunning Moore, Esq., Cambridge ; Benjamin
St. John Ackers, Esq., Oxford ; George Cary, Esq., 8.A.,
Oxford ; John Radcliff Battersby, Esq., 8.A., Dublin.
The Earl and Countess Spencer arrived at Spencer
House, St. James's, on Monday evening, from Althorp
Northamptonshire. Yesterday the noble earl accompanied
the Prince of Wales to the House of Lords.