The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1865-05-11

which ne was called upon from time time TO deliver
of his early associates he was In none Of them be-
trayed into any incompetence Of language towards
his opponents or towards neutals His uerances were
apparently careless but his tongue was always under
command The quality Of Mr. Lncoln's administration
which served however more than any other TO enlist tho
eYmpelhy OF pystanders was its conservative progress
he felt his way gradually his conclusions and those
who VII compare the different stages OF his career
one with another will nnd that his mind was grow
ing throughout the course Of It. Tho naiuetI with
which ne once suggested TO the negroes that they
their presence In the States inconvenent 70 the
white population soon disappeared The gradual change
Of his Language and Of his policy most remarkable
characteristics OF their In his respect for what
good In the past, acng In unison With recognition Of
history But a o SwS S Me- TaSo%. Ui nS
was subject ~ singular modification. II would
seem that no tet himself Of late mere instruments
partly recognize but which ne was poweress to control
In the mixed strength and weakness Of his character he
his coadutor Tor more than four years. and who must
fear, be reckoned his fellow victim The Secretary Of
citizen Of New York More than quarter Of century
ago he was the Governor Of that State and for twelve
yeara he represented in the Senate In the Empire
City and at washington he had attained culture which
the Illinois lawyer never acquired But the experience
Of the politician had perhaps, weakened the independ.
the same confidence as his chief because IL not
known by what influences his course might not be modi
fed
What may be the actual destiny Of the United States
deprived Of the guiding hand Of Mr. Lincoln and Of the
experience OF Mr. Seward no one would venture TO fore
tell In compliance With the provision OF the coDsttu
ton, Mr. Andrew johnson has assumed the Presidency
for the rest of Mr. Lncons term At the when the
last mail left New York the States had not recovered
from the feeling Of horror and asonshinent which had
been created by the news Of Mr. Incons assassination
% Sa' ss nsa S sssn M Ssn
an event was thought highly improbable, and
It was earnestly deprecated by all parties. Tho
ndecorous exhib upon the occasion Of the naugura
ton Of Mr. johnson Vice President piece with
his previous career and indeed the memory of his
duct Governor OF Tennessee must an every American
with the gloomest forebodings On the other hand
anything like violent interruption OF the succession
thing which an American citizen, with his almost
doairous veneraton for the constitution would shrink
from inst stncvey. The best solution OF the difficulty
would be voluntary resignation by Mr. Johnson of
oiiice which 10 ono ever seriously intended him to
I'll, and If his sense of decency does not sug-
gest this course TO him II may be hoped that such
q pressure Of public opinion will be brought to
bear upon him that he may be led to adopt It, His
instant assumption Of the Presidency probably
deemed necessary, and, under such exciting circum-
stances, little can be gathered from the few words
uttered by Mr.. johnson when the oath Of offlco was
administered to him. such they are, they point to
resolution to execute the duties Of the post but the in
uences by which the incoming President is surrounded
cannot be favorable to his retention Of Office General
Grant and General sherman are both in or near
captor OF Richmond, the other the man who
first demonstrated the hollowncss Of the Confederate
resources Neither they Mr.. Stanton the Secretary
Of War can wish to see the work on which they have
been engaged so long, and on which much life and
treasure has been spent wasted because u has fallen TO
hand which Is incompetent TO carry II through The
task Which lies before the President and his Calne I, Ge
mos Considerable aat has engaged TIE attention. f atesmea
FIR severuI generations. Il was doubtful whether Mr.
Lincoln could have accomplished IT. it morally certain
that Mr.. johnson cannot The tate Of naon hangs
the balance and wait with anxiety To which way
II will turn.
Mr.. LINCOLN THE FINEST CHARACTER DEVELOPED
BY THE WAR.
From the London Star, April 27.l
Tho appalling tragedy which has yst been perpetrssed
at Washington absolutely without historical precedent
50 Ss q 1aS %ss
WSn aIssss seward sA ns escape r'S Only
such instances o. the murder of William Of
cy to that which has jDs robbed the United states of
Of tho greatest Of their Presidents But from the
thing to be S men ike sard and
valac. Theyat least might have believed that they
and motive power Of that reigious freedom
which they detestod They might have supposed that
with with the man would & d,e tho great hopes an and the
Of 0rslni That unfortunate and guilty being
believed at least that In Napoleon the Third there stood
an embodied and concentrated system. But Abraham
Lincoln di tator and autocrat He represent.
ed simply the resolution and OF great people
The miserable excuse which fanatcism might attempt to
plead for other political assassns has no application
To the wretch whose eon hand dealt death to the pure
and noble magistrate OF free nation. '"
plment Of late II has been discovered TO be tho
fount and origin OF all the most noble and knightiy
pally known through the medium Of medieval
romance Let II not be forgotten that Southern brains
lately planned the connagnton OF peaceful city. II
can be forgotten while history Is read that the
hands Of ouhern partsans have been redeemed by the
foucst assassin plot the world has known that they
have been acherousy dipped In the blood Of one Of
the best citizens and purost patriots 70 whom the land
Of Washington gave birth
Mr. Abrahdm Lincl cry Of universaJ re-
I.,;H .saa<I Ill I.~xA Vy~
do not believe that even tho neYcest part-
san OF the confcderacy In this coantry will
and horror. 10 Abraham Lincoln has always seemed
ne finest chardtr produced W the Americdn either
rid y ne agg'e He was great not merely by the force
power of intellect by which he guided himself and
his country through such q crisis-but by the
simple nASTa strength and grandeur Of his
Statesman, that without experience he ''di-
yined' his way through any crisis sr. Lincoln thus
precedcnted difficulties which might well have broken
the strength and blinded the prescence Of the best
instnct-by the instinct OF noble unselnsh and manly
nature-a the very ends which the highest Of political
genius the Longest Of political experience, could have
done no more than reach He bore himself fearessly
danger, calmly In dinicuy, modestly in Tho
world was at last beginning to know how good,
and, In the best sense, how great man ne was.
IL had long Indeed learned that he devoid Of
vanity as Of fear but 10 had only Just como to know
what nagnsmiy and mercy tho hour Of triumph would
pVFe nt ho PohSesseu fSeiuctant enemies were just
beginning 10 break into euogy his wise and noble
clemency when the bastard hand Of vile murderer do.
stroyed his noble and valuable life We in Englsn1 have
something to feel ashamed Of when med eatc upon
the true greatness Of the ruthlcs siain Zoo
many Englshnen lent themselves tc The vulgar and
ienoble cry which was raised .-nIiest him English
w,ers aesraued then9ves - te level Of the coasest
q,Sa'rss rhsS yath they had tell Of Abraham Lincoln
goped 70 cr,tlc,se foreign patriot as a rnenal
ssn' ~, comment on ,9s Earring Of hero They sneeed
At his msnners as v Cromwell Chesterfield; they
accused him on uiiness az II Mrabeau was beauty;
in.y pleasantly Of bis figure m Peel
posture Mailer they facetious aboo; his dress
" Cavour was D'0rsay; they were fhdg gnant about
his Jokes as " PaimcrEton never jestcd We do not
fury against the "Corsican Ogre" In which foreign
statesman was ever no dealt with In English writings as
Mr Lincoln. And when make the comparison we
cannot but remember that while Napoleon was our un-
scrupuous enemy Lincoln steady friend. Assaed
by the coarsest attacks this side the tried by
the sOroet tenntntona TINT Abraham lincoln cnmly