The Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1837-1867, 1865-05-05

clear minded. how larse hearted. how
lrusttul IN the people, how leaning on
God- To aim pistol at the head OF
such a man. who never willingly injured
anybody, who never deceived trust repoS-
cd In hlm, whose character WAS simple,
transparent, homely, sturdy. kindly. the
world will never debate whether ,hat MAS
a blunder or crime; it has already pro-
nounced If TO be an unmitigated anu ficnd
ish crime, and that verdict will stand.
An execration, malediciion. a curse. cali
ii what YOU will, rests already ON ihe
name of the assassin, and will abide there
till the trump of doom But for him
whom we call The victim. there could have
been no mere suspicious moment in which
10 die Ii was a euthana>y- 1t MIS- II
death in the very climax of physical and
moral victory Ii WAS the day Of the end
Ii was the day OF the fiag raising on Sum
ter the citadel of treason. the day of the
PRONUNCIATION OF The order 10 stop drafting,
the day which mere Than ANY other mark
ed and signalized the end OF The war. Ii
was just four years work 10 a day. and
he did it. and departed 1t WAS bui a
step, by the grace of the Master, from The
earthly JOY and glory of that hour 10 The
resi- of the heavens. Let him resi-
Ii has been a pleasure 70 compare The
late president in certain aspects with the
noble Roman whom Shakespeare calls
The foremost man Of ali the world
Ii Is a higher pleasure now 10 comnare
him with better If not a greater man,
William the Silent. The founder of the
Dutch republic One would say that that
man did and suffered in the cause of hu-
man freedom, and especially of religious
freedom, up 10 the limits OF which human
nature is capable. With slender resources
and few adherentS, and the light Of Gods
truth IN his soul. he planted himself on
the sands. and few ships on the waters.
of northern Holland in opposition 10 the
vast Spanish monarchy which then ruled
the country In the interest of a bigoied
and prosecuting church. and determined a>
only silent men do determine that there
should be one spot in Europe. at le;a>1.
free from religious prosecutions. The re-
sourses OF the whole Spanish kingdom. and
the wealth of Mexico and Peru. which
then belonged 10 Spain, Were exhausted
before he could Ice moved from his moral
position on the truth and Ii> physical pe-
siiion ON the sands \ little nation MAS
growing up around him. ihe hearts of Il
brave and long->utfering people Were he-
ing linked 10 him. Il new power wsl- rising
ON the coast of the North Sr=, whose moral
elements Were antagani>iic 30 church and
state As then constituted. and ihe .anaii-
cal Philip III OF Spain, Whose armies had
been dashed IN yGlin against the fearless
breasts of The Protestant Dutch. had re-
course in his despair 70 The arts Of asks
sins 10 despatch an Antagonist whom he
could not overcome 10y arms Twenty
tive thousand crown> IN gold and a patent
OF mobility were Offered 10 any one --sufii-
cienilr generous of hcg,rt 10 ri H. of this
pest. delivering hun to H. alive or dead.
or taking his life" When WAS religious
f:anatici>m and the love of pelt' ooml'inel
ever appealed 10 in VAIN TO perpctrale =
deel oi horror, In obedience Ie Ines.
motives, the good William fell N tae door
of his hanyneli'lg house in Delti on the
10th OF Julr. l5Si- IL l. refreshing 10
remember thai ihe a>>;l>sin. instead of las
hoped for reward received four ,larS Ia
Ter a tcrtnring death II ihe hands of The
indignant llollanderS- Spain g;iinlad no.
thing by her kings low yillainy, while
popular AMI Religious liberty gained a mar
tyr who cemented with his blocd The
foundations and the superslrurture of
still existing state The pcoale fonlly
call HIM - Fa,her William " sill. iuSi a.
the cnlorel race upon ili> continent for
generations TO come viii l,,..l'he the la;aille
OF - Father Ahrsllia.n. In leinl of le-
nacily OF purpo>e ami of personal i'itceTi-
" and of' deep, uno>tenlaiieaS. rcligiopS
faith. we like ia compare tle late rre>i-
dent with William of Orange. and bclieNe
that the results of The ac1 ol' assassination
will not be different IN the two r;a-l7.
namely. the toning up ami Strengthening
of nation
To some ii may appear less appropriate
that we choose 10 compare finally Pres
dent Lincoln and hi> death with the per
son and death OF The jorou- ami elastic
Henry ~. the Protestant king of France
But there i one pniat Of comparison
which Will strike the sense Ofrrerv i,'r-,,a
as appropriate The Edict ui Nam,s :. hv
which the oppressed Prole>l:ini> of France
received almost equal pritil>-e-- religious
and secular, with the Catholics. which
was The Gift OF Henry IL 10 ihe French
nation. WAS a document that cannot l,ut
remind lis of the emancipation proclanla-
ton. That was the famous paper OF iis
century: 80 is this That had results the
most widespread and heneiioent upon lhe
peasiniry and artiZan> of France: this
viii have results a. widespread and Ice
neiicent on the seryile sons of toll on this
continent. That unfortunately was re-
voked hundred year~ later by a sl,bse-
quent king: this, thank God, Is irrevoca-
ble and perpetual. Beside this, the
French king. ike the American president
was jioeose in hlS temperament. told we'll
a good story that told We'll in turn on The
subject in hand, and was fond, Ike linn.
of cheerful companion~hip among al Glass
e. of people Both bore up brs,rely uni,r
oft repeated disasters. both b.held The