The Jeffersonian Democrat. [volume] (Chardon, Ohio) 1854-1865, 1865-06-23
Extracts from the Conclusion of Cha's
Summers Eulogy on Abraham Lin.

coin,
Such, fellow .citizons,i ,is tho Lifo and Char.
-aoter of Abraham Lincoln. You have dis
cerned his simple beginnings;--havo watched
his early struCges;-have gratefully fol-
lowed his conservation to those truths which
our fathers declared; ;-have hailed him as
the twice elected head of tho Ropublic,
through whom it was known in foreign
iands;--hayo recognized HIM at period Of
national trial as tho representative of the
unfulflted promises of our Fathers, even as
Washington was tho representative of Ma.
tional independence; and you have beheld
him struck down, at the moment of victory
whom Rebel Slavery was everywhere sue.
cumbing. Reverently we acknow ledge the
finger OF the Almighty and pray that all our
trials may not fail; but that the promises Of
tho Fathers may be fulfilled, so that all men
shall be equal before tho law, and govern
mont shalt stand only on tho consent of tho
governed-two self evident truths which the
Republic announced at it's birth.
Traitorous assassination struck him down.
But do not be too vibdictivc in heart towards
the poor atom that held tho weapon. Re.
serve your rage for the responsible Power,
which, not contont With assailing tho life of
the Republic by otrocious Rebellion, hos
outraged all laws human and divine; has or.
ganized Barbarism as principle o. conduct;
has taken the lives of faithful Unionists at
home; bas prepared robbery and murder
on rhe Northern borders; has fired hotels.
hllod with women and chld-en; has plotted
TO scatter infection and yellow fover; has
starved American citizens, held as prisoners;
has menaced assassination always; and
now. at 'ast, true to itself, has assassinated
our President, and this responsible Power
Il &c
that has takon tho lifo of our beloved Chief
Magistrasc, and here is another triumph OF
its Barbarism. On Slavery let vengeance
fall. l care not what you do with the
worms 10 employs; but do not-I entreat
you-yiold any indulgence to this murder
Gus wickeGness Ravalac, who cook tho
life OF Henry Nv. of France, wos torn in
pieces on tho public square IN trout of the
City Hall, by four powerful horsos, each ono
OF thom attached to ono of his limbs, md
tearing 10 opposite directions, until, at last,
aitcr q fearful struggle, nothing of tho
wretcted assassin remained in the hands OF
the exccutioDer, except his empty shirt
which was ut once handed over to be burned.
Such should bo our vengeance; and let
Slavory be tho victim.
But not only Slavery, which is another
name TO: property 10 man, but 30 also that
other pretension which is not loss irration-
al, that Human Rights can depend on color
This is the shirt of the assassin; and must
be handed over to be burned.
Such vengeance will bo like kiss of
reconciliation; for it will remove every OBJ
stacle TO peace and harmony. Tho people
whore Slavery once ruled will bless the blow
which destroyed il. Tho people where the
kindred tyranny of Casio once ruled win
rejoice that this too fell undor tho same ,
blow. They will not yet confess that it was
dealt in no harsbnoss to them, in no un-
kindness, iG no desire to humiliate, but sim.
ply and solemnly. 10 tho name of tho Ro.
public, and of Human Natures; for their
good as we'll as Ouls; nay, for their good moro
than ours. !
1t is by ideas that we havo conquered, {
moro than by armies Tho sword of the
Archangel was less mighty than the mission
which he bore from tho Lord. But, if the
ideas which havo given us the victory arc
now neglected.; if the promieos of the Dec.
larntion, which the Rebellion openly as
sailed, arc still left nnfufilled, then will our
blood and treasure havo been lavished in
vain. Alas for the dead who have given
So bravely to their country; alas!
for tho living who havo been loft to mourn
the dead;--if any rolc of Slavery is allowed
10 continue; especially if this bloody I'M
postor, defeated in the precns sion of prop
erty in man, is allowed TO perpetuato an
OHgarchy Of the skin!
And how shall these ideas be saved: At
this moment all turns on the colored suf-
frage in tho Rebel States. This Is nop The
point of national safety. A mistake on this
point is worse than the loss of battle
And yet hero again wo encounter the Re
beIlion in all it's odious protensons, hardly
loss audaciOus than when it took up arms.
Around it's expiring camp fires already gath.
or its old supporters with newly taken oaths
Of allegiance on tho lips, plotting how still
to preserve their oligarchiaI power.
The argument for tho coorod suffrage is
overwhelming. 1t springs from the nocoss-
ity of tho caso, as well as from tho rights of
man. This suffrage is needed for the &C.
curly OF tho coorod people; for the sta
bllity OF the local government; and for the
strength Of tho Union. Without it thero 10
pic. instability for tho local govornmcnt
and weakness for the Union, involving of
course tie national credit. Without it the
Rebellion will break forth under new alias,
nnarmcd it may be, but with white votes to
take possession of the local government and
wiold 1t at will, whether at homo or in tho
national councils. II it be said that tho
coored people are unfit, then do say that
they arc more fit than their recent masters.
or oven than any among the "poor whites"
They have been loyal always, and who arc
you, that, under any pretence, exat tho
prejudices of tho disioyal nboye tho rights
OF the loyal! Their suffrage is ncoded now
moro even than you over needed their mus.
kets or sabres. An English statesman u, after
tho acknowledgment Of the Spanish Colo.
nies as Independent States, boasted that he