The Nashville daily union. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1862-1866, 1865-04-18

DNt@A At1AA1AiVlN LkLIAOUln ftfIN4F
ing from him m many Of his nIost pro
minent political movements, to th,
high moral iiltrrPidtV, iaF.riJL pHac,pL,
and generous antagoni5m which character
| lied his administration Of the affair.
of the nation, in this hour and time o.
| its greatest need. His manly and gen
, erous nature disdained to euveIopf
8iereyi in technical meshes-and his ef
forts even seemed 10 be rather TO eYis
cerate the truth and the justice Of the
case, than to succeed In showing Urrr,
merely because he possessed it. How.
ever, he always cuts at one blow, the
Gordisn of the red tape, provided
your application had merits
To every person whether high OF
low, rich or poor, white or colored, Alb
raham Lincoln Was always courteous
and accessible, and noone ever applied
to his experience, vigorous intellect,
and profound knowledge, for aid, con
sultation and instruction, without OBJ
tanning the benefit of his assistance.
Such was the great man Whese loss
we mourn--such the calamity which
the nation has sustained As man
Abraham Lincoln was full Of noble
qualities. He was generous and char
liable even 10 fauit-he had "a heart
to devise and a hand 20 do liberal
things his means were always ready
at the call of the needy, and deserving,
and freely emptied asslfto the wants
of friendship.
But the most distinguishing feature
of his character was his moral courage
Descended from true American parents
nursed in the lap of poverty. and train
ed under the rugged difficulties of from
tier life-his was that intrepid and
manly spirit, which made him worthy
of filling the place in the Government
formerly occupied by Washington, and
Adams, and Jefferson, and Taylor
True to principle and feelings in the
assertion OF the right, he never sWerv- /
ed TO the right hand or the left 20 pro
mote personal interest or court popular
favor Mailed in the armOr of honesty. /
all respected his motives and admired
his boldness, and independence, whilst !
many of them lamented what they /
believed to be his errors Of opinion as
fearlessly avowed as they were c0nscien- |
tiously entertained; he seemed encir /
elsd as it were, with an atmosphere Of /
dignity, armed with some s'sctj. power !
to repel hostile or dishonoring assault /
Often in his long and useful career !
was this noble trait Of his character /
called into play by the dearest inter
eats of the country, and never did he 4
fail to throw himself into the breach 1
and do valiant and efficient battle Tor
what be believed to be the right
Abraham Lincoln was q great man
great in his moral characteristics, self
poised, disinterested, faithful, fearless
He was no hunter Of. popularity-he
was no couFtier IN the saloons Of the
great, or demsgogue on the busting
before the people. The same charac
teristies that make the sycophant at
courts, make the dema gogue before the
people. Falsehood Is the essential /
feature of both. To say what is agree.
able, but not true; to faiter with pro-
fessions which sre unreal and thus to
obtain confidence and support; to fur
ther objects of ambition; is the usual
course OF the ssskss OF popularity lie
valued the esteem OF men;
hut it was esteem based on truth and /
virtue.
Favors are seldom just, but som eIimes
they fall upon the right man-who
feels that correct principles are essen
tial to their official distinction. in the
noble language Of Lord Mansfield, Of
whom it is reported Mr.. Lincoln might
well have said, 81 honor the people, ] /
love popularity. but il IS that popular
ity which toil5as, not that which is
soggh ofisr."
So his popularity followed him in all
the walks of life, and finally lifted him
to the highest Office in the gift Of the
American people-and again confer
ring the same position upon him, al
though no one Of our Presidents for the
last thirty years had been thus hon
ored.
His charity, his large heart who can
measured Who can circuulscribe that
great liberal nature, which in its full
ness overlooked all bounds, and poured
itself all abroad, pardoning the wrong
doer and forgiying the repentant traitor!
In the midst OF the honors thus con
ferred upon, when owing to his sagacity,
skill and wisdom in the Executive
Departments, a3d the gallantry and
bravery of our armies in the field, the
dark cloud of rebellion, which hung 4
like pail over the country, has been
scattered and dispersed, and q liberal
generosity was being shown to all he
is cut down, and the 'Plsoss that have /
kown him, will know him no more for
eveE" -
Carses deep and loud, follow thetoot-
steps of the fleeing murderer and If
not caught and executed, may "grin-
ming skeleton" always look over his I
shoulder, and accompany him to the
grave. curdling his life blood, and dry
ing up the vitality of his system.
Although the President is dead-we
have no fear Of the nation life twill /
live
"sail on, Oh Ship of State.
Sail on, Oh! Nation strong and great
Humanity with all its fears;
With all is hopes Of future years
Hangs breathless on thy fate
] have implicit confidence in the IN /
tegrity, wisdom, and fsithfuluess Of
Andrew johnson who now fills the /
Presidential chair-becsuse 7 know that 1
he was expatriated from his beloved /
home in East Tennessee, and separated /
from his family by Rebels, because be /
loved that country, over which be Is /
called suddenly 10 preside, too well 70 /
betray il into the hsnq5 Of traitors
he has gone to his rest He has 50 /
lived as to win from all the accord that /
he was an Loaesf man. and TO unite even (
his opponents in the declaration, thst I
however widely he may have erred, he .
was still t7.s It will be for other gen
erations after the throes sud passions |
Of this civil war shsl have been oblite-
rated, 70 sit in Judgment on his opin- Z
ions and oouusels and award o. deny
to him the merit of superior wisdom
Here Let me close this imperfect I
tribute to his memory-tears for his /
loss-the cypress and the willow for his
grave. He we'll deserve such homage
for all his life was devoted to right, 70
truth. to freedom Aud now that he is
no more, feel that there is sn unfad-
ing memory for one whose words and
actions were in unison with the sublime
harmony Of eternal RsLt--as God gI-c
hin to see the Rigt,--and that 10 VIII
rise above the transient oisoords Of time
forever and forever,
move, therefore, the adoption OF the
Resolutions.-
Mr.. Steele seconded the motion o.
Mr.. Cooper in a warm eulogium on the
merits Of the departed, which was lis
tened to with great attention
Mr. Hood said
This is the saddest hour the rebellion
has brought forth This is the tragedy Of
tragedies, the assassination Of assasina
tions. This has been the elimination Of
the dark and bloody deeds which have
characterized this rebellion from its
inception 70 this present hour Abra-
ham Lincoln has perished BY the hand
Of traitor. This is simply the foulsst
act of the war You and ], Mr. Speak
er, and the Legislature and government
| Of Tennessee, as well rs our fellow cid-
zsns generally ofthe South, know what
IS the spirit that gave the hend the
nerve 70 take the life Of the nation