The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1865-04-20


Expyession ar sorrow.
Twenty-Five millions OF persons observed al
The same hour yesterday the obsequies Of Mr.;
Lincoln, expressing with common sentiment
J their most exalted respect for the martyred
Executive of the people, and their bitter and
vehement execration of the murderer by whose
hand he fell So universal an expression of sor-
row. at The same time so sincere, has never before
/ been known. Throughout the United States it;
was the same Even Canada, hitherto ratheri
hostile than Indifferent to orr IDEAS sympa-''
thized in this public sorrow; and it is said that;
Richmond also saw clearly enough to appre-
(ciate the real nature Of this event, and was
|draped in the habiliments Of wo, though III
was SO lately the headquarters and homo Of,
the principles that directly led to this act
For treason and murder ever kcpt together,
As two yoke devils, sworn to either purpose
Our own city must certainly have excel1ed
! all others in the extent to which the people
carried their public expression in this matter.
Under the influence of the one idea every house
3front became monument to the lost leader Of
1.-THE nation, and gloomed in consonance with
I the thoughts Of those resident within. In some
cases it was merely that the shutters were,
3closed Gin consequence ofdeath." In other cases
| there was the simple, unobtrusive Grape on the
! door, as it would have been for the father of
the family. But in the vast number Of inst .nces
the people rose by common inspiration TO the
idea that they were not merely uttering their
isorrow over the death OF a loved and venerated
imam, but that they were contributing each his
. share towards the great spontaneous expression
of opinion on this occasion that the American
people were called upon to make. Some OF the
! Expressions were grand, indeed, taken sinrly.
7 Broadway, on both sides, through its whole
length, was craped from the cope to the base
tment of almost all the houses From many
( houses long ribbons of Grape streamed "likc
( the meteors of troubled heaven" and many
Ewere wrought with high artistic effect into ad :
{mirable designs with the same sombre material.
i So it was with one street. Other streets went
/: in the same direction, though not so far, and
: other cities expressed themselves with the Same
! emphasis. And, taken altogether, such an ex-
preston, spread over whole continent, is one
of the grandest facts of human history.
It is evident from the tone of mems speeches
that the horrible act of murder perpetrated on
!; the head OF the nation has fearfully changed!
! the temper of the country-lately so disposed;
I to mercy-towards all associated in the rebel
1 lion. And this fact was also apparent in some
!. of the notices put up with the emblems Of sor-
Grow, and made the walls upon which they were
awritten more significantly eloquent than were
the walls of Balshazar's palace. In this sense
1.-THE country accepts the murderer's act. There
twas one man SO powerful with the people that
Che could have swayed and moved them to a
smerciful forgiveness of the offenders; and that
Imam the offenders have slain. Let them take
/ the consequences. Such is the popular thought
q The mercy that was quick in but late,
by your own counsel is suppress and killed
You must not dare, for shame, to talk CT mercy