The New York herald., 1865-04-21
THE SOLDIERS.
sermon Delivered Before the Garrison on
Governors Island.


Governors Island.
The following was delivered at ST. Cornelius
church, Governors Island, yesterday by Rev. James A.
NJ. La Tourette, post chaplain
BY His light walked in darkness-JoB xxx 3.
This Is the saddest hour that our country has ever
known 1t is not hour of despair It is not an houi
OF encouragement The elegraphc wires trcmb na
now with the burden Of victories But in the dying
throes and contoons Of tho great dragon Of rebellion
has inflicted final sting which, in the rcco OF the ma
tons vengeance will only serve tho cHectuay to
scatter Its dismembercd fragments to the four winds
heaven. II Is an hour OF sadness TO unlike any other
hour in history II s not because man has been
murdered Sixty Thousand noble patriots have been
starved to death in rebel prisons and felt half
bitterly; for though that had been hitherto the
looked upon as one of the incidental expe-
rences Of war, either with impoverished foe or
else with brutalized enemy, who would 30 beyond
bounds 0f honorable warfare To destroy army
which of the two true yet TO bo asccrtained
But IL Is because the President OF the United States
Official representative Of republican liberty before the
world OF nations is stricken down by tho hand OF an
assassin worse than those who cucided Saviour for
they knew not what they did II Is a remarked cir.
cumsance that this rebellion has been characterized at
different times by acts OF the widest foy No loyal
heart received the news of this assassination with
great shock ns tho hearts OF those arch traitors who
originated and have kept alive tho names ot this rebel
lion They are wire enough TO know that when the soul
lu hDi"ha Lcoh cit ule OOuy " carried Win u INTO
the ably 50 OF eternity the key Of this ons door
morcy TO them-a door which In the kindness of IA
heart ne had hair unlocked. There moro
magnanm nous terms of surrender afforded t. prosrato
Toe than those ntcy rendered 10 the Of their
Two great armies, and Of concation and for.
bcarance had be inauguraed BY the yery brain which
FOOLS bullet pierced aud thoy doubtless know that
more unwso act Tor their interests could such
juncture as The present. have been committed. What
have tney gsncdH victorious nations Indignation.
Nhat have they exchangcd7 Ono President whose policy
they understood in the highest degree TO them
solves, for another the decnon Of whose character thc
dcefminnion OF whoss will, whose patriotic fasr1ces
nave pcth tcscl ia tho ccibe ot their porsecu
ton 1hey have not stopped the wheels q our govern
ncn OF hihdercd the movements of its machinery
Ot Tue ttur spirit which, four years ago fred
shot ot we hear OF The nation and forced luwing
aud al ufht au uncNnccting south into Of the hOo-
lest wars ci history, has with the parrl, da hand
asserted s dem ~ nature. Anl this asfassnaton was
euufey uHcaed for Othcr rulers who have bccn mur-
dcrod, nave la various nsar been yrannca or "a
% theE promises, have sought uy what ono Of our
own poes calls tle
Mounting devil, ow ambition
@ riss oven upon The ruins OF their country And tho
motto wAIcb wa7 hurled back upon the audience from
M stae was, 'Nc seisIr tgrIaH s tie motto of tue
tac oi virginia, who had Ooased hhcrO ,hal sho vas
ihe moher ~ PRESIDENTS, aud can now III 10 that boast
that she s tue murderer OF prng ents Itt what part
cenad man, Or even any uncandd or pre- IudOoi man,
STOW ~ nave hrcu tyraual alY IA fro i tae loue
Ift ~ muse Who 8rc high Va blthofliv u tlis .fG-
council or iu ctup-twIn can SLOW cirtiCr
iHtfdn'", conscientious Adherence W ah u if cr.
t'1'i.er h"n ~ Of purpose theu 0u at hu"atri ffs
dcnH pm ~ DOT beir m8 pilp .mofg rla-..-n ilc
N'tl 1t LlouDuua tltfs-l1r t gtUHUfsi Ui |t Iiaf
III vas g. en che rfui rhrf, otaorF I"as l.vt.ri
' ''csa'' II Wa ps'to hi> sea dslilim1 "h4t