New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1865-04-17

Eand most powerful opponent Of all avcidable SCI
kyerity. all not indispensable hsrShness, in sup
tpressng their Rebellion. His very last public
kutterance-the speech of the Tuesday night prior
ITO his assaSsnation-wa conceived in THIS
Esprit, and had no other purpose than to recon-
Ecile the North to the most gentle and magnahi-,
smous treatment of the discounted Insurgents
I If ever man made war in Christian spirit, MIR.
kLincoln was that man His first Inaugural Isl
the most affecting appeal ever made 10 oisai-I
Elected party against the madness and crime oil
Hplunging their country into an abyss Of blood,
Rand horror. His last Inaugural, so solemn and
srelgious in its tone, and now seeming to have
Ebeen written under the shadow Of impending
Hdeath. is pervaded by the same spirit. His fall,
Eings as a leader in such a crisis were prompted
by nature slow to anger and shrinking iroml
i any but the most indispensable shedding of
sblood. No portion Of the American people have,
greater reason to dcplore his murder than those,
lin whose presumed interest or to glut whose,
Z malgnity it was perpetrated.
4 President Lincoln fell q sacrifice to his
! country's salvation as absolutely. palpably, as
Though he had been struck down while leading
!, AN assault on the ramparts Of Petersburg. The,
swretch who killed him was impelled by no,
fpriyate malice, but imagined himself an avenger
5of that downcast idol which, disliking to be
Sknown simply as Slavery, styles itself the,
FSouth" He was murdered, not that Slavery
Knight live, but that it might bring down its
emost conspicuous enemy in It's fall. His death
B sets the seal of Fate to the decree that dooms
gSlayery speedily to perish, not in this country
konly, but in all its remaining lurkng-placeS
i Throughout the civilized world.
4 The Republic is saved forever from its giant
v@rse and shame. Ii will not be divided; it
ewill all be Free. If there had been doubt of
sthis last week, as there was not, there is
sdoubt no longer. Our abiding and serious peril
sis TRANSMISSION into the veins of the Loyal
millions of some portion Of the blood of the
Emonster they have slain. The public feeling
faroused bv the double assassination at Washing
ston needs to be Gained and directed, not
hinfamed and aggravated. There is depTayity
kbut no danger in the babblc of the mad fool who
says he is glad Lincoln is killed; there is food
! for graver thought, there is a call for sterneT
reprobation in the pious suggestion that our
4 good President has been Proyidentially called
thence in order that the leading Rebels may re-,
lceive that condign punishment which his kind.
aness of heart would have avertcd.
4 For nothing can be further from the truth
Ethan the current notion that Mr. Lincoln was
Eman easily detected from his course He was
rslow to reach conclusions; but, once attained,
Ethey were immovablc. He was among the last
Ito perceive that the struggle into which we
shave been plunged could only DO fought to a
fsuccessfnl issue by openly recognizing the fact
that Slavery had challenged the Union TO mortal
sencounter and that the gage must be taken up
gas it was thrown down. but, once convinced OF
sthat fact, he was convinced forever. There was
gnot in all America one man more inAexible in
fhis resolve that Slavery should die and the
kUnion be restored than was Abraham Lincoln.
nAnd whoever imagnes that he could have been
Sduped, or cajoled, or wheeded, out of his pur-
Epose on this head, does gross injustice TO his
kintmOry. we venture 10 duu Adl no man per-
kceived more readily or repclled more sternly
Ethan he the error of Gen. Weityel in consentng
Z Ito the convocation under our flag at Richmond
I of Extra Billy Smith and his presumptively 4
fimpenitent cOnfederates on the assumption that
sthey are to-day the Governor and Legislature,
sof Virginia.
To human vision, it would seem that Mr.t
Lincoln has fallen at the very moment when
/ his loss would be most keenly and Justly felt.
THE soldier had done his work: the hour Of the
statesman had fully struck: and the President
twas ready and eager for the task. Had he lived
Ia very few days longer, we believe he would
shave issued Proclamation Of Amnesty which
j would have dissolved all that remains Of the 4
Rebellion, leaving its leaders no choice but be- 4
tween flight and unconditional surrender. We
shave no special knowledge of the purposes Of his
successor, but we will not doubt that the good I
Providence which has borne our country so no.
'bly through her past trials will continue her
guide and guardian through whatever may be !
still before her, and that the storm and gloom
of the present will speedily be eiraced BY the
sunshine Of Peace, Union and Impartial Free
do,O. Z
ANDREW JOHNSON. Z