The Ashland union. [volume] (Ashland, Ashland County, Ohio) 1854-1868, 1854-06-14
4msonal Skettbts,
tFrom Guizot's History.L
OLIVER CROMWELL.

- A few extracts, describing the dying
scene at the close. of the earthly career
of SO remarkable a man as Cromwell,
and M. Guizotis estimate of This charac-
ter, will constitute the best mode of COM
I mending these volumes to public atten-
ton:
In tho perplexities of those who sur
rounded him Cromwell took no part;
worldly affairs, political questions, even
IN the interests of those persons who
-. were dearest to him, retreated and dis
appeared in proportion as he drew nearer
ITO the grave. His soul fell Jack upon
itself, and, as it advanced towards the
mysteries of the eternal future, it came
% In contact with other thoughts and 9th
er perplexities than those which agitated
the mourners around his bed. Crom-
9WeH'sreligious faith has exercised but
little influence over his conduct; the ne
cessities, combinations, and passions of
this world had more, generally sBayed
him, and he had yielded to their mastery
with cynical eeklessnessHas he was de-
ss'terminedt to become great, and to rule at
.. any cost. The Christian had disap-
a. peared beneath the revolutionary poll
ktician and despot; but though it had dis
appeared, 1t had not altogether persisted.
Christian faith had survived In his soul
=. though oYerladen by SO many falsehoods
81 and crimes; and when the final trial ar
rived, it reasserted its power, and, to use
sza6ne expression of Archbishop Tilloston,
'sCromWeH's religious enthusiasm gain
II ed the victory over his hypocrisy"
On the I'd of September, Cromwell,
who had been delirious, had a lucid in
terval of some duration. His chaplains
were standing around his bed. t'Tell
me I'tsaid he to one of the. them, esis it
possible to fall from grace ?ps SIT is not
possible replied the minister. NThen,"
exclaimed the dying man, 81 am safe; for
know that I was once in graee.n He
: then turned round, and prayed aloud
''ttLord, " said he, "though 1 am a misera-
able and wretched creature I. am in. COW
'saenant with Thee through grace; and I
may, will, come to Thee for thy
= ~peoplel Thou hast made me though
very unworthy, a mean instrument to do
them some good, and Thee service; and
many of them have set too high, a
val6e-upon me thought others wish and
would be glad, of my death; but, Lord
however Thou do dispose of me, continue
and go on to do good for them. Give
them consistency of judgment, one heart
I, and mutual love; and go on to deliver
them, and with the work of reformation
-fiss and make the name of Christ on Thy in
"a struments to depend more upon Thyself.
Pardon such as desire to trample upon
the dust of a poor worm, for they are Thy
people, too; and pardon the folly of this
49, ohO~k- ~ AVIAN for Taor,o lnbr1ef1e
sake, Amen" One of his attendants
Offered him something to drink, and be-
sought him to endeaEor to sleep. at is
: not my design" he answered to drink
qor sleep, but my design is to make what
at length; It was the third of September,
his fortunate day, as he had often called
1.-THE anniversary of his victories at
- Dunbar and Worcester. By a singular
coincidence, the night which had Just
ended had been very Stormy violent
~ tempest had caused many disasters both
: on land and sea; Cromwell had relapsed
= INTO a state of utter insensibility, from
IlsNhich he did not again recover, Be-
zHE tween three and four O'Clock In the after
as noon, as he lay still unconscious, he
=, heayed a deep sigh; the attendants drew
1oA-A-o WI NC hd0 JhcS OAPAACd" % Hrs
. sss@$tAt the news of his death, a general
ashouder, arising from very different
feelings, ranthrough all England. Cava-
sa57 Hers nd7republicans, Episeopalians and
Presbyterians, Jewelers. and Anabaptists
a al CromMeHs enemies, breathed freely
like ransomed prisoners but they did
not stir. More than this: they repress-
= 1edtheirtjoy inpresenee of the imposing
grief of the army and the restless dis
T quietude of the people. Cromwell died
In the plenitude of his power and great
He had succeeded beyond all ex-
pectation, far more than any other of
- those men had who succeeded him, by
their genius, have raised themselves, as
:. he had done, to supreme authority; for
2 he had attempted and accomplished with
equal success the most opposite designs.
During eighteen years that he had been
Ear ever victorious actor IN the worlds
stage, he had alternately soWn disorder
and established order, effected and pun
ished revolution overthrow and restored
government in his country. At every
moment, under all circumstances he had
9Wsdistinguished with admirable sagacity
1.-The dominant interests and passions ofthe
time so as to make them the instruments
.1sof his own rule-careless whether he be
lied his antecedent conduct, so longIas
sahstriumphed in concert with the popular
instinct, and explaining the Inconsistent.