The central Presbyterian. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1856-1908, 1864-08-04

verify OeNeYe DGu tI!s uehuish sp!iiU N.Y. ~
first in every Southern home a David s.
Creigh, 1t would have benin great meas
ure and long ago ended.
When, upon time, the Gauls made an
irruptqa into Rome, one Of them went 60
far in the Senate as to pluck a cOuscriPt
father by the beard. The hoarJ headed
patriot, fred at the irdignity, instantly
struck the intruder 10 the earth. Worthy
Of deeper reverence is he who has, even
with bis own life, vinjicated The sancfity Of
lis home, and the insujted honor Of bia
family. Then" said Judas MaccaPeus, sit
is better fer rs to die in battle than to be
hold the calamties Of ocr people and cur
sanctuary TyraDts should always raise
ne heroes. Soch men As David s. Creigh
ere the barriers, the rocks that limit III lst
aggression, and. wicked violence. Ana
ton OF fee men, sscramented together, a
Joining Of all hands. knitting of all hearts
the CRY Of the valiant, that ii Is 6eter 10 dc!
these msks the boundaries of rapine and
desolation; at ;hege awful signs the rob
bers Of the earth are appalled,, and dread
lest they should have provoked mankind
enough"
Aad now, all lbia deteatsble iniqoity-
tbia dcOming TO death d citizen OF exalted
worth. and simply becsuoe he was true to
the most sacred obligations of husband
and falber-for an act which virtue con-
mends from enc end Of the earth t" the
otber;-so call t6is by ony other name Than
mu,der, is to destroy the use Of language,
and confopnd all just distinctions among
men. No wonder those soldiers stood agbaat
at The crime and called it by its right name
murder. No wonder. the chaplain, Mc'
Osborn, spoke of it to MIR. Creigh'e yenera-
BILE pastor in terms Of abhOrrence When
Huuterg army in their ght from avenging
justice, were passing like vast packs Of fam
,shed wolves through Greenbrier county,
this chaplain called upon DR.. McElhenny,
the interview, as We understand haviag
reference to the trsgcal fate Of his beloved
friend and elder. Upon being invited ct
it's Close to partake of dinner "a comfort
presumed to have been greatly reededy he
dec3i0ed the hospitality, sOying that, latter
what had taken place he could not eat IN q
Soatiern man s house. and that providence
had seemed to be against them ever since"
II will be comfort to remember tina. our
couatryman and brother never for O mo-
ment covered before the wrotches who
stained their hands in his blood. 1t needed
no testimony from the chaplain, or from
himsel; to assure US of this. 1t belonged
to tho noble nature of the man, to his
Christian faith, bud his innocence Of crime,
to meet the poger of military assassiDs
calmly, frmly-his trust in God, his hope
in heaven.
A large and happy family, wide circle
of devoted friends are deeply stricken by
this event. The shock uQol the public mind
is great. If this admission gratifea the
perpetrators of the deed, or their sympe-
tbzsrs, let them take it as part Of the in-
hertauce CT those who ''eDjoy the pleasures
Of sin for o season" It has pleased Him
whose "waya are past finding out" often to
ALLOW his best people to be delivered into
ths hands Of wicked men" His own most
holy and beloved Son was not an excep-
ton. But faith assures US that while, to
our apprehension, He does or permits many
things strangely and darkly, He really and
ever dOeth all things wisely and we'll.
No malice, no device in the mode Of bis
death can cast the faintest stain upon this
good name. A stain! No, the name OF
David s. Creigh is from this day sacred to
his country, sacred in its history. The spot
where he met his fate shall be marked for
the reverence OF generations TO come. And
a public monument by the graves Of his
kindred qhalI attest the admiration Of his
country for a man whose browning honor it
is that by Federal authority he was mar
tyred for defending his own home from
plumber, his own family from insult, and bis
own life from violence. "IHe memory o.
the jna Is blessed"
"Bm the name # the ,Ojcked shall rot."-
The justice of this world (et the slumber-
inc vengeance Of God rest in his own hands,