American citizen. [volume] (Butler, Butler County, Pa.) 1863-1872, 1865-05-17
2.
Funeral Address Deli igerel by Bish-
op Simpson at Springfield.

entire Union: Near the capital OF this
large and growing State of Illinois, in the
midst of this beautiful grove, and at the
open mouth of the vault which has just
received the remains of our fallen Chief
tain, we gather to pay tribute OF respect
and drop the tears of sorrow around the
ashes of the mighty dead. a little more
than four years ago, from his plain and
quiet home in yonder city, he started, re-
ceiving the parting words of the concourse
of friends who gathered around him, and
in the midst of the dropping OF the gen
tie shower he told of the pains of parting
from the place where his children had
been born and his home had been made so
pleasant by early recollections. And as
he left he made an earnest request IN the
hearing of some who are present that, as
he was about to enter upon responslblli-
ties which he believed to be greater than
any which had fallen upon any man since
the days of Washington, the people would
offer up their prayers that God would and
and sustain him in the work they had CIV
en- him to do His company left your
quiet city but, as it went, snares were IN
waiting for the Chief Magistrate. Scarce
" did he escape the dangers OF the way,
or the hands Of the assassin, as he near
ed Washington, and | believe he escaped
only through the vigilance of the officers
and prayers of the peoples so that the
blow was suspeneed for more than four
wears which was at last permitted through
the providence of God to fall. How dii-
ferent the occasion which witnessed his
return Doubtless, you expected to take
him by the hands, to feel the warm grasp
which you felt in other days, and to see
the tall form walking among you, which
YOU had delighted to honor in years past
But he was never permitted to return un-
til he came with lips mute and silent, his
frame encoffined, and a weeping nation
following as his muurners. Such scene
as his return to you was never witnessed
among the events Of history There
have been great professions of mourneIs
There was one for the patriarch Jacob,
which came up from Egypt, and the Egyp-
tians wondered at the evidences of rev.
erence and flial affection which came
from the hearts of the Israelites. There
was mourning when Moses fell upon the
nights of Pisgah and was hid from hu-
man view. There have been MORNINGS
in the Kingdoms of the earth when kings
and warriors have fallen; but never was
there, in the history of man, such mourn
ing as that which has accompanied the
funeral procession and has gathered around
the mortal remains of him who was our
loved one and who now sleeps among us.
If we glance at the procession which fol
lowed him we see how the nation stood
aghast. Tears filled the eyes Of many
sunburnt faces. Strong men, as they
clasped the hands of their friends were
unable to find vent for their grief in words.
Women and little children caught up the
tidings as they ran through the land, and
were melted into tears. The nation stood
still. Men left their p!ows in the fields
and asked what the end would be- The
hum of manufactures ceased, and the
sound of the hammer was not heard
Busy merchants closed their doors, and
in the Exchange gold passed no more
from hand. Three weeks have passed.
The nation has scarcely breathed easily
yet. A mournful silence is abroad upon
the land Nor is this mourning confined
to any class or to any district of the coun-
try. Men of all political parties and of
all religious creeds seem united in paying
this mournful tribute. The Archbishop
of the Roman Catholic Church in New
York and Protestant minister walked
side by side in the said procession, and a
Jewish Rabbi performed part of the sol
emn service. There are gathered around
his tomb, representatives of the Army
and Navy, Senators, Judges, Governors,
and off of all the branches of the
Government and members of all the civic
associations, with men and women, from
the humblest as well as the highest occu.
pations. Here and there, too, are tears as
sincere and warm as any that drop. which
come from the eyes of those whose kin
dred and whose race have been freed from
their chains by him whom they mourn as
their deliverer. Far more have sazed on
the face of the departed than ever looked
upon the face of any other departed man.
More eyes have looked upon the process
sion for 1000 miles, or more by night
and by day, by sunlight, dawn, twilight
and by torchlight, than ever before watch
ed the progress of a procession. We ask
tb;s .,roa,