The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1856-1888, 1865-05-20
AxExIcAs FELLOW CITIZENS

the Murder of President LrycoLy.
AxEEICAs FELLOW CITIZENS
No wonder that 50 many are cOngregsted here
to-day % testify their HEARTFELT sorrow for oul
Nations loss. And no wonder that so many o.
almost every cline and every nationality, deeply
s7mpa.hizinZ with our grief, are here with US IL
the Sanctuary to-day. That thrill Of anguish
which every loyal American felt all across yonder
continent, as the sad tidings were borne to them
tina. President Lincoln had fallen by the hand o
on assassin, ha. been fsh not less deeply By eUGy
one of US. Why, yesternIght, did strong men,
little accustomed u weep, shed tears as they met
each other on our streets? Why was there mourn
ing in so many households our children. sad
denei, as If by the tidings that one Of our dear
CIT kindred had died2 Why, but because we all
felt that this was 70 each one of us a personal
berelvement-to every true American, the sad
dest Intelligence that had ever reached these
shores. Our isolation from our fatherland has
not blsached ont our love of country. Not all
the waves that roll between us and yonder far
distant shore could wash out our patriotic devo-
ton TO that dear land from which for a time we
are voluntary eIiles-as not all those waves
could suffice 10 wash out that organized crime
which to-day causes 4 whole nation to mourn as
they never mourned before. Not that Abraham
Lincoln, great and good as he was, was SO much
greater OF SO much better than all others of our
illustri0us dead. But as none had ever borne the
responsibilities Of Chief Magistrate during such
trDuDIOu5 Times, N lHu5 Deeu IcTL1lLIeu Z v
so useful a life, 50 neither had any of our great
men ever died such u death. The Nation. sOrely
bereaved, had wept for its departed statesmen and
heroes before, but never had it mourned the IN
timely death Of so illustrious a martyr. The
Fathers of the Republic, with fitting hOnors had
been laid to rest. The people, devoted TO their
chosen rulers with that intelligent devotion which
liberty alone can foster, had shed tears of COM
mingled sorrow and gratitude, when the only
Washington the centuries could afford died in a
good old age in q~uietness and full of honors.
Such statesmen rs Clay and Webster, too great
u be Presidents, had been almost idolized by the
people while living, and sincerely mourned by
them when they died. Twice before had they
carried to the grave their Chief Magistrate, when
IS vet he had served but a small portion of his
official term. But never before have they mourned,
as now they mourn, for one stricken down at the
very height of his popularity, from the very PIN
nacle of earthly glory, not by the act of God.
but at the instigation of the Devil not by the
gradual approach of disease, which might have
prepared US for the shock, but suddenly, by the
blow of q fend in human form, a rash and fool
hardy, yet calculating and deliberate assassin.
But it Is no part OF my purpose to rouse your
Indignation or to intensity your grief, as it is
alike needless and impossible 10 increase your alb
horrence Of this mOnstrous crime. Let Inc the
rather, as a minister Of the Gospel of peace,
whose mission it is 10 comfort the afflicted, indi-
cate some Of those elements of consolation which,
while they SERGE not to mitigate the crime or To
lessen our loss, may help to assuage our grief.
Think not alone of the Nations loss in the
Presidents death. but also of what the Nation
has gained by lis most useful and Luxurious hfe,
through more than one official term marUeiOusiy
Nobody doubts that this same malignant, muir
derous spirit which has a, length eliminated in
assassination, has been cherished in the
hearts OF multitudes at the South and the North
ever since this Internal treason was matched. 1t
plotted and thought to consummate its hellish
purpose 80 / Baltimore, before the man Of the PEG
pie, that man Of common honesty and common
sense, should be installed III the place of his i'm
6eciIe predecessor, who was content to see the Ma
ton die under his hand without remedy, and who
knew Of no way in which rebellious States could
be coerced ; and il has been breathing out threats
Of assassination, and Offering brides and large
for assassination ever since. But lie, the
preserver Of the man and the Nation,
the fiendish purpose for more than four
long years. Tbs marvel Is, not that he Is slain st
but that God has shown His great love to
our Nation by preserving him go long. Think
you that he who, for those long. anxious years.
had held with u steady hand the helm of State,
the vessel was out-riding the protracted
storm, and had, under God, guided il safely
the breakers till it had almost reached
he port of ~peace-think you that when Rich
mond was taken and Lee surrendered he was not
ready To say with one Of old, = Now let me depart
in peace :" All yes, if il had only been in peace,
then we could the better have borne 1t. But to
a violent death in the midst of his usefulness,
IS yet the work was not finished, and the
proclamation of peace, signed by that honored
name, Abraham Lincoln, had not as yet been is
sued TO the world-to be murdered when there
was seemingly less cause than ever to anticipate
ito fall n victim TO that malice which struck
It the head OF the Nation, only because it utterly
iespaired of destroying the Nation itself-tO
like Moses, to the very border of the prom
sed land, and by faith TO behold, as from the
of Nebo, the future glory of the Repub-
ic, and yet not be permitted TO enter the land
see the promise fulflled-this seems sad in
iced. But what if the Nation had been left
their great Leader whilo as yet wander
ng in the wilderness. and no promise of peace
rad greeted their longing eyes? Yes, even in the
of our SORROW, there is this occasion for
gratitude the dark cloud is fringed with this
golden edge, and we can say, thank God, he lived
q see the promised land. towards which, with
he patience of q patriotic faith, he had 30 long
,een journeying. Yes, thank God, he was per-
ONE the perpetual and peaceful heritage of a
,rsst and strong and united people but be knew
Tot that the time and manner of his own death
hould DC the miracle by which the Jordon waves
e difficulty and doubt should be rolled away,
hat the united tribes, bearing the sacred ark of
liberty, might at once go over to possess it.
o., our bereavement is bitter our loss is great
TT hearts are very heavy but we accept all that
iOd has permitted, with an unfaltering faith that
lie will bring great good out Of the monstrous
vii, and that He will, by the sympathy Of their
mutual griefs, bind the hearts of loyal Americans
as they could have been bound together
4 no other way. U, my cOuntrymeni was such
sacrifice needed To seal with more than royal
lood our bond of love to our country, and our
oveuant Of faith in freedom ? Who shall saw
rat he who has died for that faith would not