The Lancaster gazette. [volume] (Lancaster, Ohio) 1863-1886, 1865-08-03
Henry Ward BeschsT's Tribute to lhc
late President.
Tho New York Tribune says

Henry Ward Beecher's church was
crowded on Sunday morniag to its full
capacity, and hundreds were turned
away from the doors. Half an hour
before the services commenced all the
seats were filled, and large numbers
crowded the aisles and entrances, and
persons even sat upon the speakers
platform and stood outside looking in
at the windows. After prayer, the
singing Of hymns, and the reading Of
the Goth Psalm, Mr., Beccher took, as
his text the first five verses of the last
chapter of Deuteronomy, and COM
menced his discourse by drawing q
parallel betweenthe history of Moses,
after leading his people many weary
years through the wilderness, obtain
ing only vision and not realization
of the promised land, and dying; and
that of the late President passing
through toll, sorrow and war, to come
near to the promised land Of peace,
into which he might not pass over.
The speaker went on to say that
two such orbs Of joy and sorrow never
before came together, as we had wit
messed in one week The joy Of the
nation came upon us suddenly, with
such a surge as no words could des-
cribe. Men laughed, embraced each
other, sang and prayed, and many
could only weep gladness. In one
hour Joy had no pulse. The sorrow
was 80 terrible that it stunned sensi-
bility., The first feeling was the least
and men wanted to get strength to feel
Other griefs belong always to some
one in chief, but this belonged to all
NJ en- walked for days as though q
corpse lay in their house. The city
forgot to roar. Never did so many
hearts in So brief time touch two
such boundless feelings. 1t was the
uttermost of joy and the rfttermost Of
sorrow-noon and midninght without
space. between. We should not
mourn, however, because the depar.
ture ofthe President was SO sudden
When one is prepared to die, the sud
denness of death is a blessing. They
that are taken awake and watching
as the bridegroom dressed for thu
wedding, and not those that die in pair
and stupor, are blessed. Neither
should We IN ourn the mannsr of hi
death. The soldier prays that he may
die by the shot Of the enemy in the
hour of victory, and it was meet tha
he should be joined in common ex
perience in death with the brave MOI
to whom he had been Joined in all hi
sympathy and life, This blow wa
but the expiring rebellion. Epitom
lied in this foul act we find the who'll
nature and disposition Of slavery. |
is fit that its expiring blow should b
such as to take away from men th
last forbearance, the last pity, and fire
the soul with invincible determination
that tho breeding system of such mis-
chiefs and monsters shall be foreve
and utterly destroyed. We neede'
not that he should put on paper tina
he believed in slavery who with trea
son, with murder, with cruelty infer
nal, lowered around that majesti
man to destroy his lifo. He was him
self the long-life sting with which Sla
very struck at Liberty, and he carrie
the poison that belonged to slavery
and as long as this nation lastsit wi
never be forgotten that we have ha
one martyr President--never, never
!; while time lasts, while Heaven last
while rocks and groans, will it be foi
gotten th Vt slavery by its minions slew
him, and in Staying him mado man
Test its whole nature and tendency
This blow was aimed at the life of th
Government. Some murders tRer
have been tharadmitted shades !
palliation, but not such 4 one as this
without provocation, without. reason
without temptation, sprung from th
fury of a heart cankered to all that
!, lpure and just by. slavery The bio
has failed of its object. The Govern
, ment stands more solid to-day tha
ANY pyramid Of Egypt Men lov
Liberty and hate slavery to-day MOI
, than over before. How naturally
how easily the Government passed il
to tho hands of the new President, an
8 Ivow my belief, said the speake
, that. he will be found a man true
. every instinct of liberty, true to Ii
0 whole trust that is imposed in hin
/. vigilaht of the Constitution, careful I
} the laws, wise for liberty, in that !
/ himself for his lifelong has know
/ what it is to suffer from tho stings
r slavery, and to prize liberty from u
: bitter experiences Of his own lif
: Even he that sleeps has by this evel
+ been clothed with new influence. Ii
/; simple and weighty words will |
I gathered like those OF Washington, an
4 quoted by those who, were he aliv
!. would refuse to listen. Men will r
0 ceive q new access to patriotism
o swear you on the altar of his memor
0 to be moro faithful to that country fl
/. which he has perished. They will,
8 they follow his hearse, swear a ne
n hatred to that slavery against whit
Q he warred, and which in vanquishir
Q him has made him u martyr and Co
J. queror. l swear you by the memol
D Of this martyr to hate slavery with {
d unabatable hatred and to pursue it,
o They will admire the frmness of th
man in justice, his inAexible consoien
for the right, his gcntleness and mo
Grafton of spirit, which not all q
: hate ofparty could turn to bitterne'
n And swear you to his Justice and
N 4 - 4 =. 49,, -, ,.,l 20 HE N, aroxy