The Potter journal. [volume] (Coudersport, Pa.) 1857-1872, 1865-05-17

powers, may be designated by men, his
inaesture is from God alone. In bis
Office the ruling Head of the nation is
Gods minister He places him there
even though it be through the will and
vote of the people, to be for the nation
His own organ and administration OF the
higher powers. When the assassin as
sailed this Head of the nation, and this
right hand of Gods rule on the earth, be
was making direct assault upon Gods own
authority in the high place of His power
On this throne of earthly power he struck
down whom God had set up He feared
not the attempt, thus to wrest the gov
ernmeut of a nation from the divine hand
itself, and by his own daring act first to
arrest then annul, and finally to change
the ruling Head of the nation in the face
of God's investure, and the will OF MIL
lions of mer
Moreover the act of the regicide, is, as
far as it goes, a stroke for anarchy. a
deadly thrust al the head paralyzes for
the time the whole body Of the nation,
and abrogates government, so that II the
whole nation were in state adapted for
the result, universal anarchy would ensue.
1t is only the virtue and loyalty of the
nation that prevents the legitimate effects
of the assassin's will and Intention
Thanks to God for that true, vigorous,
adjusting virtue of the nation which en-
ables it to rise from so fearful shock,
and to move with such prompt frmness,
harmony aud power in the path OF Its
great and solemn mission But this does
not abate the turpitude Of the awful
crime on the other hand it sets It's enor-
nifty only into stronger relief, as showing
the high character of the government he
sought to annul, and the generous loyalty
Of the millions against whose vigorous
patriotism the crime has been perpetrated.
Such being the character of the crime
which has caused our present grief, and
such the horror with which this crime of
regicide shows itself to be regarded by
the whole nation, in harmony with the
deepest sense Of all civilized, and espec.
tally christiauiaed, nations and ages, the
sorrowing millions may we'll this Gay lift
their hands to heaven, and ask, How is
such a crime possible? ? Where is an
adequate begetting and sustaining ele-
ment ard basis for such crime to be
found? Certainly it has been in no other
way possible for it to appear except as
the nursellng and legitimate ripe fruit of
that enormous treason which has, during
the last four dreadful and bloody years,
labored to consummate substantially the
crime by aiming its deadly dagger at the
very heart of the Republic itself
Whether formally, and by organized con-
9piracy or not, still essentially and really
treason AID rebellion is the Legitimate
mothor of regicide The assassin of the
President snd head of the nation, whether
thercunto appointed or not, is the organ
of that treason which has its embodiment
in the great Rebellion 1t was the con
centrated life of that great treason which
nerved his arm and guided the fearful
weapon of death The truth of this fact
beats to day with powerful harmonious,
self-at9esting assurance in the patriotic
and loya, instincts Of millions of sad and
sorrowing hearts.
How better can we improve this sad
occasion than to possess our souls more
fully with a deeper sense of the enormous
crime of treason a crime which, accord
ing to the wisdom Of all christian nations,
can only be adequately atoned for by the
penalty of death. We speak our own
deep convictions, and we hope the con.
yictions Of all present, when.we say that
no sign Of the times portends greater
danger to the nation at present than that
morbid and unchristian spirit which is
in some quarters beginning its endeavors
to avert the penalty due TO treason. We
dread this spirit more than all else that
is before us as a nation. Such men as
Beecber and Greeley, who are endeavor-s
inc to lead off in this miserable effort to
degrade and ignore the eternal sanctions
Of divine and human law, and to convert
the honest but unre8ecting people to
their crusade against the true idea and
end of law aud justice, are now emphat'
ically the enemies Of the Republic. This
mawkish sentimentality is called mag
nanimity." What missioner It's true
name is infdelity to the majesty Of law.
1t offers premium for treason and, If
successful viii be the greatest unfaith-
ness and cruelty to posteTity of which
the rulers Of our eventful age can be
guilty. 1t viii be in truth the laying up
of wrath, anarchy and rebellion for our
children. 1t will be a comforting prece-
dent for treason in all coming ages of the
Republic. 1t will show that treason and
rebellion deserve and shall receive moth.
ing but magnanimity, in a degraded
sense of that word. 1t will ever show