The Nashville daily union. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1862-1866, 1862-08-17
I Shall the Nation Die

Extract from The funeral Sermon ore, De
body Of Martin Van Bven-E,olih Presj-
dent Of The United States.
" Before us lies the lifeless body of one
OF the Presidents of the Union. We
bury him amid such circumstances as
mover attended the burial of A President
OF the peoples choice before. While we
are engaged in these solemn rites at this
very hour an atrociOus rebellion il war
ring for that Unions utter destruction.
Shall il succeed Shall il be said that
the life Of this republic was measured
only by the life of one of its rulers
Are you ready to lay the Union beside
HIM IN his grave? Are you willing TO
make his tomb the memorial of a repub-
lie which in his own lifctime rose from
three TO thirty millions-put on n trans
cendent glory among the nations-blessed
its citizens as no other citizens ever were
blessed-kindled hope among the op-
pressed OF all the earth-brightene the
prospect of the Saviour's universal reign.
and then suddenly was put 20 death, be-
cause its recreant sons would not defend
1t against the assaults of the foulest con-
spiracY the sun ever looked down upon,
save thar which hung the Lord OF Glory
on the cross o, with such reflections.
who would ever want 10 visit a Prcsi.
dents tomb? Who would wish 20 re-
member even the names of the rulers OF
a nation whose ephcmeral glories would
only cast q deeper infamy upon its un-
timely ruin. If shattered and degraded
and impoverished country, how sad would
all such memories be2 How full of
shame and remorse and bitterness In
stead Of the rejoicing with which we
have been wont TO hail the anniversary
OF our nations birth, we would rather be
tempted 10 say: Let that day be dark
ness. Let not God regard il from above
neither let the light shine upon Il. Let
darkness and the shadow of death stain
it. Let cloud dwell upon IL. Let the
blackness Of She day tcrrify it. Let IL
not be joined into the days Of the year.
Let 10 not come into the number of the
months. With a more poignant grief
than Davids, we would cry The beauty
OF Israel are slain upon thy high places.
How arc the mighty fallen! Tell il not
in Gath. Publish IL not in the streets Of
Anhat"iii ltoN AilN hahEhitIh VI tlt ulllib-
tines rejoice; lest the daughters Of the
uncircumcised triumph As the modern
Jew Of Jerusalem, debarrod from the
temple Of his fathers, weeps every week
at the outside Of The impenetrable wall,
aud presses his thrObbing head in agony
against tho stones, 20 think that be may
no more see the glOries and taste the Joys
and tread the courts Of that holy place
which was once the common heritage Of
all : so would we, in a country conquered
and destroyed by treason, weep az the
outside Of the wall OF an irretrievablo
ruin, over privileges and blessings, over
the names Of rulers and the memories Of
/ prosperity and honor, once ours, but for
ever lost, because IN the hour Of their
danger we rushed not 30 their rescue
Shall II be so, o ye who assemble to-
| day 10 bear one Of your nations rulers
10 the tomb? Can you bear the thought
Of yourselves and your children standing
/ in future years beside that tomb only 10
1 look over that nations ruins? Can you
consent 10 il, il it be in the power Of
man, by the help Of God, 10 avert 80 dire
a doom II not, then hear the voice
| which God in his providence speaks to
you to-day