The Madisonian. [volume] (Washington City [i.e. Washington, D.C.]) 1837-1845, 1841-04-09
GENERAL HARRISON SAVED THE
COUNTRY IN HIS LIFE, AND UNITEs
1T IN HIS DEATH

0ENEhAl4 HAhHlSON bAtED IAE
COUNTRY IN HIS LIFE, AND UNITEs
1T IN HIS DEATH.
We do not think il necessary to undertake to
prove the truth of this first position, and if the
second be true also what a blessing may yet
come out Of this affective and astounding be-
reavement9 We will give some reasons for this
hope Never was nations sorrow like our
sorrow, in this event II will subdue all minds.
IL will melt the soul of the nation into tender
ness. Consequently, this immense and wide
spread feeling will ally the hearts Of the people
to the memory Of the Man, and carry along with
II respect for his principles. This is the natu-
raj operation ofmen's minds under such circum-
stances. The American People respected Ge-
neral Harrison before. Go into their hearts
now, and you will find that they lore him,
though dead, and because he is dead. They
had no test of their love before. Now il comes
home to them, and the action Of their grief stirs
up side by side with the veneration they feel,
the sentiment Of undying affection. Separate
| from such regard, the principles of the man who
can. 1t cannot be done. They are sealed in
| the heart.
| We have arrived at crisis as nation, in re-
gard TO those great measures most indispensable
to Our relief, which impels US forward in
one direction, and only one. There is no
alternative 1t lies not within the scope Of
mans invention to devise one. And that
path is the drift into which the nation has been
forced within twelve month past, with the
name of HARRISON before il. All events, in the
mean time, have contributed to accelerate this
movement, to give force to those opinions, and to
bring down on the true interests Of the nation
the full blaze of the sunlight of experience
| They who doubted six or three months ago. or
even one month, are vastly wiser now, than at
| either Of these periods, recent as they are. The
nation is absolutely ruined, if no redeeming
measures can be found Many of those who
have opposed them, and who may yet oppose
them for the sake of consistency, would come
round, if they knew il were necessary to carry
them. And we fully believe, that the time is
not remote, that it is very near, rushing upon US,
when there will be greater unity and vigor of
opinion in the Government, in Congress, and
among the people, for redeeming and healing
measures, than has for long time characterized
the history Of the country.
And the ilumined path of the amented HAIR
RIsoN will reflect its light all faces and at no
point Of his career does SO much eff'ulgence
beam upon the nation, as when he steps from
the stage Of action here, and b. queathes TO US
his name, his character, and his principles. He
has gone down to the grave ripe in wisdom,
/ - dow in htc fhap.
ry and views of our Government known and
read Of the people, and as we trust--peace to
his soul-in peace with his God. He will be
seen lingering on that verge, so recently trodden
by his footsteps, pointing the nation ONE WAY.
He cannot speak again, and there is no more
advice.
Who that witnessed that funeral train but
Wednesday, winding its way up Capitol Hill,
while its rear was still hanging on the angle at
the Treasury building, did not see that the heart
of the nation followed hm2 Who that cast
his eve on that unbroken connexion of mourn
ing festoons, which stretched along the Avenue
on the front of it's walls, and who that observed
the solemn stiffness of the scene, the suspension
of all other cares and thoughts did not feel that
the pulse of the republic was beating with sor-
row? The same sentiments that were felt here,
will be felt everywhere ; the wave Of affection
that begun in this city, will roll over the land
and immerse all hearts in its tide.
| Tell us, then, if it will not have to do with
opinion2 Who can cast poison in this puri
fying ocean, that shall kill those who drink
Of it? II was the hand Of God that bereaved
us and that same almighty agency has estab-
lished immutable laws in our hearts and minds,
which, in given circumstances, lead invariably to
known results