Delaware State journal and statesman., 1865-08-04
MERLE D'AUBIGNE ON THE DEATH OF
NIB. LINCOLN.

MIR. HeRry A. Smythe, President Of the Cen
tral National Bank Of New York, has received
from George q. Fogg, our Minister to SWitzer-
land, letter Of coincidence addressed to Mr.
FOgg by the author of the " History Of the Re-
formation" Mr.. Fogg says: "0f the many
letters sent to me from the most eminent men in
letters and science, | have thought that you and
other Of our friends in America would be inte-
rested in one from the great historian of the Re-
formation, DR.. Merle d'Aubigne, Of Geneva-a
name which is a household word in America.
DR.. dAubigne is now more than seventy years Of
age, but still retains much of the vigor and all
the industry Of his younger days. No man bet
ter than be has the right to assign Mr.. Lincoln's
place in the pantheon Of history"
The following is the letter:
Translation.
"GESEyA, April II, 1866.
"MONsIEUR LIZ MIEIsTRR; At the moment
when our hearts we're excited at the great deli.
versnoe which God has accorded for your people
AT the moment when we were rendering
Thanksgiving to Him for putting an end. in your
noble country, to the two greatest evils with
which humanity can be afflicted, war and slave
ry-a terrible news comes to change our joy
into the deepest mourning.
:" The blow which has struck Mr.. Lincoln
strikes all the friends Of Justice, order liberty,
and religion. He has been the instrument of
God for the accomplishment of one Of the great.
est acts, perhaps the very greatest, which will
illustrate our century-the defnitiye abolition
of slavery throughout Christendom. He is not
only the instrument, but the victim. While not
venturiug to compare this with the great saori-
fee of Golgotha, which gave liberty to the cap
tiVes, is it not just in this hour to recall the
word of an Apostle Il John lii. 10y, In this
we have known love. in that Christ has laid
down his life for US; and therefore ought we
also to lay down our lives for our brethren.
Who can say that the President did not lay down
by fhs arasasss or his devotion to a srsse
duty The name Of Lincoln will remain one of
the greatest that history has to inscrbe on its
annals.
Parrcidal hands, in striking down the chief
of your people, have thought to be able thereby
to arrest the great work he had commenced.
But If men pass away, God remains. God,
whose minister Lincoln was, will crown the
work Of peace, order, and liberty, which has
cost this generous man life so precious. We
weep with you, my dear sir; but we hope also
with you and our hopes shall not be deceived.
May God himself assuage the wounds of your
people. May the @gis of His Gospel restore to
them union, harmony, peace, and prosperity.
Among the legaoieH which Lincoln leaves us,
We shall all regard as the most precious his sPi-
rit of equity, of moderation, and of peace, ao-
cording TO which he will still preside, if may
SO speak, over the restoration Of your great ma
tiOn.
Excuse me if dare avail myself Of the liber-
ty you have given me on other occasions to
correspond with you, in order to pray you to
receive, in these painful circumstances. the ex-
preston of my coincidence and of my profound
respect
MERLE D'AUBIdER.
To the Hon. George g. FOgg, Minister Resi-
dent of the United States of America in Swift
zerand."