Marshall County Republican. (Plymouth, Ind.) 1856-1878, 1865-04-27
Our Dead President.

struck in behalf OF the South that would astonist
the world. This mysterious threat was supposed
to referto some great stroke Of generalship des
peration on the part of the rebel forces, and in
creased vigilance was used by the loyal army ant
navy to guard against surprise and to be ready tC
repel the blow when it should come. 1t did no
fall in the manner that had been anticipated but
blows were delivered against the rebel army ant
the rebel capital, until the destroyed and
the other occupied by the Union forces. The
prophets who had predicted the blow that was tC
astonish thc-world wero fugitivSs. and men had
forgotten the utterances of the orIcles or, il re-
membered they were treated as the vain vaporing'
of traitors whose wishes were the prompters oi
their speech.
But although the rebel cause had gone down in
the shock OF battle. to rise again, the blow
came-a blow that will horrify. rs we'll as astonisl
the world. 1t fell upoL the beloved and noble
Chief Magistrate Of the Republic. who in the pre-
sence of a thousand friends who would have died
in his defense, was untmely slain by the hand Of a
vile assassin.
The Nation mourns for its dead President with
depth and sincerity Of grief that attests how uni
vcrsally his great qualities had endeared him to
the people by whom he had been twice chosen for
the high office he SO ably filed.
Mr., Lincoln assumed the reins of power at a
time when this Republic was in the throes Of dis
solution. He was comparatively untried as a
statesman; the slave States were almost unani-
mously opposed to his political views, and the
greater portion of them had formally renounced
their connection with the Union. A large fac
ton of The people OF the free States had opposed
his election, and were clamorous against any at
tempt to sustain the Government by force. Assas
sins logged his footsteps and lay in wait for his
blood while on his way to the Capitol. Treason
lurked in every department of the public service;
day BIZ day. men from whom he had a right to cx-
pect fidelity iorsook their posts, and went over to
tie revolutionists who threatened to capture the
CITY Of Washington, and put him, and all who ad-
hcrcI TO the national cause to the sword No one
ever assumed the responsibilities Of the govern.
men, under more gloomy circumstances, and none
ever performed his duties with more devoted ficl-
iiy or more glorious results. He accepted the is
sue OF war. as forced upon linn by the rebels in
arms against the Constitution he had sworn to pro-
tee. ani relying on the patriotism AMI national
principles of that portion of the country not in re-
bel.ipn. he entered upon long and bloody con-
test not vet fully closed, but he lived to see the
ro~er of the rebellion utterly broken, and was
permitted to inillge the certrinty of an carl Y
peace ana tho speedy uniting of The hostile
ti)u. under one government AMI one Constitution.
a1 ;r.,--,,-f :,
honesty, for a tenlcity of purpose in what was
ri -hi for fidelity to duty under all cllamitias and
Encouragement. for his love of LrsERrv-LIB. Rrr
to all, of every race AMI condition OF men, for a
moral courage and heroism unequallcd in the his
tory Of this land; and for tenderness and mercy
tina; knew no bounds. There were few men who
would have had the courage to issue the Emanci-
patton Proclamation at the time Mr.. Lincoln pro
mulsaod that charter of liberty to four millions o
slaves, the most Of whom had yet to be rescued
from the dominion of masters with arms IL their
hanis. 1t were an easy task to speak deliverance
10 the captive If he hal been victor and the en-
cmy at his feet, bat when that proclamation was
issued the cation was staggering under the disas-
trous defeat at Frederick s5urg, and the spirit OF
disalfecton and hostility to him was prevailing at
the North to an alarming extent To his enemies
ihe set seemed the rashness of madman, and
thousands of his political friends looked upon it
with forebodinss and dismay. But he was wiser
than hs enemies, and by his strong faith and lofty
purpose led his doubling friends in the pathway OF
progress and liberty, until they and thousands
more who before had not been his friends, blessed
the day when he spoke the word that was to result
in making this magnificent Republic in fact wha.
il had long been in name, the 'land Of the free'
lis mercy and kindness OF heart were proverbi-
al. During his official term the circumstances OF
the country made him the arbiter of life and death
TO greater extent than all the rest Of our Pres
dents combined, yet none but the worst malcfac-
tors were executed while the power OF pardon or
Communication was in his hands. How strange that
a man so mcrcful should become the victim Of a
buichesiy assassin.
Mr.. Lincoln died in the 51th year Of his age, in
The vigor of life. 'his eye not dim, nor his natural
force abated." His public career was brief, but
lorg enough to inscribc his name on the scroll of
Immortality. He was not polished man of the
world-many statesmen of less power could have
filed the Presidential chair more gracefully than
he. but he of great intellectual strength,
and possessed of those qualities indispensable to
ruler in the midst of revolution.
He assumed the duties of his high office an un-
known man to foreign nations; he died one of the
best known, and most famous men of earth
When he delivered his first inaugural he was sup
ported by minority of his countrymen; power
ful body Of revolutionists were organizing armies
to expel him from the National Capital the furtl-
er existence of the Republic trembled in the bal
ance: one half its territorial area disowned his
authority, and he stood apparently helpless in the
midst OF enemies. At the expiration of his term
OF Office he was reelected with a unanimity unex-
ampled when parties have struggled for suprema-
cy. and before he died the national power was re-
eognxed. and the national authority substantially
reestablished throughout the limits of the Repub-
public. His tragical death has enshrouded the
land in gloom, and will fill with sadness the hearts
ofli5erty-loviDg men throughout the world; but
noy0re will there be moro heartfelt grief than in
theN2mble cabins of the South, where dwell the
victims of bondage whose chains he has broken
He was the Moses who led them out Of the wilder
ness to the borders of the land Of promises and as
Israel mourned on the plains OF Moab the death of
their deliverer so in all the South will the enran
chsed slave lament the uEtimely death of his ben
efactor, and in all time coming, the name of
ABRAHAM IdxcoLy, the emancipator of the op-
pressed, the friend OF the poor and the lowIy, will
be held ia reverental remembrance.
Our great and good President died full of hon.
ors, and leaves behind him an imperishable name;
but what shall we saw OF the foul and unnatural