The Sun.
London, England, 1866-02-28 00:00:00

HIS INAUGURATION.

The fourth of March came. With instinctive wisdom,
the new President, speaking to the people on taking the
oath of office, put aside every question that divided the
country, and gained a right to universal support, by plant-
ing himself on the single idea of Union. That Union he
declared to be unbroken and perpetual ; and he announced
his determination to fulfil " the simple duty of taking care
that the laws be faithfully executed in all the States.''
Seven days later the Convention of Confederate States
unanimously adopted a Constitution of their own ; and the
new Government was authoritatively announced to be
founded on the idea that slavery is the natural and normal
condition of the negro race. The issue was whether the
great Republic was to maintain its providential place in
the history of mankind, or a rebellion founded on negro
slavery gain a recognition of its principle throughout the
civilised world. To the disaffected Lincoln had said,
"You can have no conflict without being yourselves the
aggressors." To fire the passions of the Southern portion
of the people, the Confederate Governmentchose to become
aggressors ; and on the morning of the 12th of April began
the bombardment of Fort Sumter, and compelled its
evacuation.

UPRISING OF THE PEOPLE.

It is the glory of the late President that he had perfect
faith in the perpetuity of the Union. Supported in ad-
vance by Douglas, who spoke as with the voice of a
million, ho instantly called a meeting of Congress, and
summoned the people to come and repossess the forts,
places, and property which had been seized from the
Union. The men of the North were trained in
schools ; industrious and frugal ; many of them deli-
cately bred, their minds teeming with ideas and fertile
in plans of enterprise ; given to the culture of the
arts ; eager in the pursuit of wealth, yet employing
wealth less for ostentation than for developing the re-
sources of their country ; seeking happiness in the calm
of domestic life ; and such lovers of peace that for genera-
tions they had been reputed unwarlike. Now, at the cry
of their country in its distress, they rose up with unap-
peasable patriotism ; not hirelings—the purest and of the
b blood in the land; sons of a pious ancestry, with a
cl r perception of duty, unclouded faith and fixed resolve
to succeed, they thronged round the President to support
the wronged, the beautiful flag of the nation. The halls
of theological seminaries sent forth their'young men, whose
lips were touched with eloquence, whose hearts kindled
with devotion to serve in the ranks, awl make their way
to command only as they learned the art of war. Strip-
lings in the colleges, as well the most gentle and the must
studious ; those of sweetest temper and loveliest character
and brightest genius passed from their classes to the camp.
The lumberman sprang forward from the forests, the me-
chanics from their benches, where they had been trained
by the exercise of political rights to share the life and hope
of the Republic, to feel their responsibility to their fore-
fathers, their posterity and mankindi went forth resolved
that their dignity as a constituent part of this Republic
should not be impaired. Farmers and sons of farmers left
the land but half ploughed, the grain but half planted, and,
taking up the musket, learned to face without fear the pre-
sence of peril and the coming of death in the shocks of
war, while their hearts were still attracted to the charms
of their rural life, and all the itender affections of home.
, Whatever there was of truth, and faith, and public love in
the common heart broke out with. one expression. Tho
mighty winds blow from every quarter to fan the flame of
the sacred and unquenchable fire.