Delaware State journal and statesman., 1865-05-23

to-day than ittVer was before. Not only so, but
through our national bOnds, II properly used,
We shall have permanent basis for our curren
ey, and nm investment so desirable for capital
lists Of other nations that, under the laws OF
trade, believe the centre Of exchange will
speedily be transferred from England to the
United States
But the great act Of the mighty chieftan, on
Thich his fame snail rest long o. sr his frame
shsll moulder away is that Of giving freedom TO
a race We have all been taught to revere the
sacred characters. Among them Moses stands
pre- eiuuenty high. lie received the law from
God, md his name IL honoIed among tbs hosts
Of heaven. Was not his greatest set the deliV--
triDg Of three millions OF his kindred out OF
| bondage? Yet we may assert that Abraham
Lincoln. by his proclaim aeon, liberated more
enslaved people than ever Moses set free, and
those not OF his kindred or his race. Such q
power or such an opportunity, Gcd has seldom
| given 10 man. When other events shall have
| been forgotten when this world shall become n
network of republic-; when every throne shall
/ be swept from the face Of the earth When lite
taiure shall enlighien all minas; when the
claims of humanity shall be recognized every
There-ths act shall still be conspicuous on the
pages of history. We are thsnkfd that God
gave to Abraham Lincoln the decision and wie-
dom and grace 10 issue that proclamation, which
stands high above oil other papers which have
Abraham Li0con was good man. He was
knOwn as an honest, temperate, forglving mau
just mani man Of noble heart in every way.
As to his religious experience, cannot speak
definitely. because ! was not priYiledgel 10 know
much of his private sentiments. My acquain-
lance with him did not give me the opportunity
to hear him speak on thO-e topics. This know,
however, he read the Bible frequently loved it
for i,s great truths aud it's profound teachings
and he tried to be guided by Its preeepts. lie
believed in Christ the Saviour Of sinners; aal
think he was sincsre in trying to bring his life
into harmony with tue principles Of revealed RS
ligion. Certainly If thsre ever was man who
Illustrated some OF the principles OF pure reli-
giOn, that man was our departed President
Look over all bis speeches, sten to his utter
ances. He never spoke unkindly OF any man.
Even the rebels received no word Of anger from
him. aud his las, day illustrated in q remarkable
manner his iorgiving disposition. dispatch
was received that afternoon that Thompson aud
Tucker were trying to make their escape through
Maine, and il was proposed to arrest them.-
Mr. Lincola, however, preferred rather to let
them quietly escape lie was seeking TO save
the very men who had been plotting his destruc.
tion. This morning we read Proclamation Of
feiing $25 900 for the arrest Of these men as
aders and abettors OF his assassination so that
in his expiring acts, he was saying, Father,
forgive them, they know not what they do"
As a ruler, doubt il any President has ever
shown such trust in God, or in public documents
so frequently referred to divine aid. Often dill
he remark to friends and to delegations that his
hope for our success rested in bis conviction that
God would bless our efforts, because we were
trying to do right. To the address Of large
religious body he replied Thanks be unto
God who, in our natona, tIials, giveth US the
churches" To q minister who said he hoped
the Lord was on our side, he replied that il gave
him no concern whether the Lord was Oh our
side or not, for he added, - know the Lord is
always on the side Of the right and with deep
feeling iled " But God is my Hituess, that 1t
is my constant at xieiy and prayer that both my
self and this nation should he on the Lords
side"
In his domestic life he was exceedingly kind
and affeotonate. He was a devoted husband
and father. During his presidential term be
lost his second son, Willie To an officer Of the
army he said, not long since DO you ever find
yourself talking with the dead!' and added
a Since Wiilies death. catch myself every day
involuntarily talking with him, as If he were
with me-" On his widow, who is unable to be
here, need ouly invoke the blessing Of Almighty
God that she may be comforted AID sustained.
For his sou who has witnessed the exercises OF
this hour, all that eau desire is that the mantle
Of his father may fall upon him. [Ezclams-
nations OF g Amen.h
hour before we part. This man, though be fell
by an assassin, ,tll fell under the peTmissive
hand OF God. He had some wise purpose 10 al
lowing him so 10 fall. What more could he have
desired Of life for hinseff We're not his honOrs
iul,l There was no Office to which he could
aspire. The popular heart c'nug around him
rs around no other man. The nations OF the
world had learned to honor our chief magistrate.
II ruuors of desired Alliance with Eng and be
true, Napoleon lrembled when he heard Of the
fn OF Richmond, and asked what nation would
Join him to protect hini against our government
under the guidance Of such man. His fame
was full, his work was done, aud be sealed his
glory by becoming the nations great martyr tor
liberty.
He appears to have had a strange present.
ment, early in political life, that ssme day he
would be president. You see It indicated In
1850. Of the slave power be said; "Broken
by il too may he bow TO il never will. The
probability that we may fall 10 the struggle
ought not 10 deter us from the support Of q cause
which deem 80 be iuet. II shall not deter me-
II ever feel the soul within me elevate and ex
pand TO those dimensions not wholly unworthy Of
is Almighty architect, II is when contemplate
the cause Of my country, deserted by all the
world besides, and standi0g up, boldly and
alone, and hurlng defiance al her victorious
( oppressors. Here, without contemplating con-
sequences. before high Heaven aud in the face
| Of The world swear eternal fidelity to the just
/ cause, as deem il, Of the land OF my life, my
/ liberty, and my love-" Aud yet, secretly, he
snil to more than Que: :" never shall live out
/ the four years OF my term. When the rebellion
/ is crushed my work is done" So II was. He
lived TO see the last battle fought, and dictate q
! dispatch from the home Of Jefferson Davis lived
4 till tue power of the rebellion was broken; aud
/ then having done the work for which God had
sent him, angels, trust, were sent to shield him
from Que moment OF pain or suffering, and 10
bear him from this world to the high and glori-
Gus realm where the patriot aud the good shall
live forever.
His career teaches young men that every po-
1 sition Of eminense is open before the diigent
aud the worthy. To the active men Of the
country, his example is an incentive to trust in
God and do right To the ambitious there is this
fearful lesson of the four candidates for Presi-
DENTAL hoHors in 1S o. two OF thrm-Douglas
aud Lincon--once competitors, but now tleep
lug PATRIOTS rest from their labors Bell perished
| in poverty aud misery, as a traitor might perish
| aud Breckinr dge is frightened fugitive, with
| The brand Of traitor on his brow.
Standing rs We DO lodsy, by his cofiu aud
sepulchre, let US resolve to carry forward the
! policy which he so noblY begun. Let u. do
/ light 10 oil men. Let us vow, iu the sight u
1 lleav,n, TO eradicate every vestige of human
siavery TO give every human teing his true
positi,n before God and mAu; to crush every
form OF rebellion and to staud By the aag which
God has given us How joyful thsl it hoatfd
over parts Of every State before Mr. Lincoln's
carer was ended How singular that, to the
fuct Of the assassin's heels being caught In tue
folds of the flag, we are probably indebted for
his capture. The dag and the traitor must ever
be etemcs.
Traitors will probably suffer by the change Of