Daily Ohio statesman. [volume] (Columbus, Ohio) 1855-1870, 1865-04-27
.09lQ .gtateslllart,
The Funeral Grafton Delivered in
New York by George Bancroft.

New York, April 2G.-The following Is
the substance of the oration: ~
| Mr.. Bancroft said Our grief at the crime
which had clothed the continent in mourn
ing, finds no adequate expression in words,
no relief In tears. Neither the Office with
which Mr.. Lincoln was invested, by the ap-
| proved choice of a mighty people, nor his
| simple-hearted kindness of nature, could
save him fl ON the iiendish passions OF re-
entless fanatics. Millions attend his re-
mains as they are borne in solemn process
| sion over our great rivers, along the sea
| side, beyond the mountains, across the
| prairies, to their final resting-place in the
valley of the Mississippi. The echoes of
his funeral knell reverberated through the
| world, and the friends of freedom of every
tongue, and in every cline, are his mourn
eTs. Members Of the Government which
preceded his administration opened the
gates of treason, and he closed them. When
he went to Washington the ground ON
which he trod shook under his feet, and he
left the Republic on a solid foundation.
Traitors had seized the public forts and ar
senals, and he recovered them for us. The
Capital, which he found the abode of slaves,
is now only the abode of the free. The
boundless public domain which was grasp
ed at, and, in a great measure held for the
diffusion of slavery, is now irrevocably de-
voted to freedom.
These men talked iargon of balance of
power in the Republic between the slave
States and the free States, and now the fool
ish words are blown away forever by the
breath of Maryland, Missouri and Tennes-
see. n..... ..... r.. .
The atmosphere is now purer than ever
before, and the insurrectiOn is vanishing
away. The country is cast into another
mould, and the gigantic system of wrong,
which had been the work of more than two
centuries, is dashed down, we hope forever.
As for himself personally, he was scoffed at
by tie proud as unfit for the station; and
now, against the usage of later years, and
in spite of numerous competitors, he was
the unbiased and undoubted choice of the
American people for second term of SER
vice. Through all the bitterness of treason,
he retained the sweetness of most peace
able disposition; the loss of myriads of the
lost on battle-iields, and more terrible de-
struction OF our men in captivity by the
slow torture of exposure and starvation, had
never been able to provoke him into har-
boring one vengeful feeling, or one purpose
of cruelty. How shall the nation most COM
pletely show its sorrow at Mr.. LincOln's
death--how shall it best honor his memory?
There can be but one answer grief most
like the character of action and breathe
forth in assertion of policy to which he fell
sacrifice; standard on which he held his
hand must be uplifted again higher than
before, and must be carried above every
thing else. His emancipation proclama-
ton must be affirmed and maintained.
Events have removed doubts of
its legality and binding force. MIR. Ban
croft incidentally alluded TO the usurpation
ofpower of the Executive by General Sher-
man, saying from this bad act, which peo-
pie with one united voice condemn, no
great evil will follow save the shadow on
his own fame. He referred to President
johnson, to whom remained the power to
consummate the vindication of the Union,
and concluded as follows: .'...s ........
Z To that Union Abraham Lincoln has fall
en- a martyr. His death, which was meant
TO sever it beyond repair, binds it more
closely and more firmly than ever. From
Maine to the southwest boundary on the Pa
cific, it makes us sone country. We may
have needed imperishable grief to touch its
inmost feeling. The grave that receives
| the remains OF Lincoln, receives a maj tyr
| to the Union, and the monument which will
rise over his body will bear witness to the
Union; and his enduring memory will as-
| sist, during countless ages, to bind the
States together, and to incite to love of our
| one and undivided country. Peace to the
| ashes of our departed friend of his country
and his race. Happy was his life for he
| was the restorer of the Republic. He was
| happy in his death, for the manner of his
end will plead forever for the Union of the
States " -. .'' ... t'.''+