Delaware State journal and statesman., 1865-04-25

When the great conflict broke forth upon
us, how many of us longed for leader,
ior great man like Napoleon, who, by
his own genius should guide the nation
through the peril and save it from the
threatening ruin, when Mr.. Lincoln first
passed through this city on his way to
the Capital, l thought if / could only get
near him, should whisper in his ear =
\ Lead lead lead | the people want a
leader" But how shortsighted and
ignorant was the thought l did not
know | had no idea what an intelligent
and mighty nation God had been creating
here. did not see that what the country
needed was not dictator whose iron
Will should be the supreme law, and in
whose hands we should all be bat as clay,
but only servant faithfully to carry out
the national will, to represent and embody
in act the spirit of patriotism and liberty
which Heaven in its own secret and
gracious ways had hidden and nourished
in the heart of it, And such q servant
the nation has had in the hozr of its
deadliest peril. The wretched miscreant
who murdered him called him tyraut
The unutterable absurdty of so naming
him is equalled only by the blackness Of
the crime. He, Abraham Lincoln, a
tyraptl There is not left behind him on
the face of the earth a gentler- hearted
man. He never Intentionally laid an
Injury of the weight of hair upon a
single human being If he had one
quality that rendered questionable his
fitness for the high place which he oceu-
|pied, it was the kindly nature that beamed
from those eyes that overfowed with
human tenderness.
And yet he was ruler. Oh yes, more
than a ruler-king, emperor was he,
according to the grand definition of
power which the great Teacher gave to
the world when he said /: "If any man
Twill be great, let him serve, even as the
Son of Man came not be served but to
serve even to the giving of his very life a
ransom for many" And as a servant.
how single-hearted has been his fidelity |
1t seems to us now, il has seemed to us
from the first, that he was, by nature,
utterly incapable of thinking Of himself,
of consulting any private interest of his
own. Sensitive as woman to the suf-
lerlngs of another, hard as adamant to
the thought OF his own advantage. Called
to confront terrible emergency, in which
he had no precedents to guide him, what
was there that could have saved him from
lgoing fearlully astray but the wonderful
Isingleness OF his nature That has
crowned him with glory that eclipses
every diadem that ever rested on mortal
head 1t was no gift of genius to which
he owed his triumph.
lie had nothing of what men regard a.
greatness only simple human heart
liked, immovably as with links of iron
amidst the mighty tumults OF the time
upon the salvation of his country, upor
the redemption of his sacred pledge
His "incorrigible" honesty was the rocI
upon which we all reposed with conf
|dence of the strength of which we wer,
not ourselves aware. And he ruled us a,
no king ever ruled, because he served u
as no people ever yet were served. Wei
done, we'll done, good and faithful servant
thou hast entered into the joy of th
Lord, and over all this nation let til
mantle fall
Deeply as we lament him-cruel mos
lcruel, as this event seems to us, we mus
not for one moment doubt that il il
scharged with q wonderful power I,
purify and strengthen this nation. Th
Sblood of this man, so trusty and wei
beloved, is to cleanse and sanctify IL.
like the blood of all who have died 70
Freedom and Humanity. It cannot fo
Ia moment be forgotten on what day
was that the murderous shot took from d
thisdear life, the day of the worlds creates
martyrdom.
When Gods holy child, whose resu
rection this day commentaries, dice
murdered on the Cross, to all huma
seeming the hope of the world perishe
with him. To one standing by tina
Gross, unilluminated by any but huma
wisdom, the blackness of darkness mus
have rested on the future. But such
blessing has come from that death. such
Hspirit of life and truth went forth from 4
that the day that celebrates it has Ion
been styled the good day Good Brida,
When the bitterness of our loss, no
lso great, passes away, as it will und,
the soothing influence oftime, this countr
shall have another and special reason fc
this designation. 1t must needs be thg
the unanimity of these now sorrowin
millions will be increased instantly an
greatly. Already is the nation strong,
stronger now than it was three day
3ago. We were growing insensible to ii
heinous wickedness OF the Rebellion.
And this frightful event, suddenly la,
ing bare its hellsh nature, shows us tha
the demon spirit which it engenders
sharpening the national sense, and teacl
ING us that in dealing with the traitor
who hesitate at no enormity, mercy mu
be tempered with judgment.
Moreover, this deep, universal anguis
is melting and cementing all hearts int
one, Just as, just before, we were unite
#by common joy. A few hours ago W
stood, clasped hand in hand in the gla
sunlight of success, on the mountain to
OF brilliant triumph Now we me,
and clasp hands again in the dark deptI
OF great grief Rejoicing and weepin
together, heart melts into heart. Thu
in the all-wise, all-merciful Providence
all things are nourishing the sacred Ii
OF the Nation. Joy and sorrow, life an
death, come to it, arch-angels fro
Heaven, to watch over it, and train it u
to a majestic and immortal manhood.
But bear with me, dear friends
cannot say any more to you now.
cannot speak to you at any length tn
morning Our hearts are all too full.
crushing sense of loss-has it not stunne
and bewildered us all wonder that