The Xenia sentinel. [volume] (Xenia [Ohio]) 1863-186?, 1865-06-02
Was 1t Ever ParalIeIed?
To the Editor of the N. Y. Tribune.

Sir: The year We are now passing
I through, this EIGHTEEN HUNDRED AM
SIXTY FIVE, stands out in grand, bold
relief from all its predecessors a Star o.
the first magnitude IN Times constelIa,
ton.
1t saw the end of the imperious Slave.
holders Rebellion.
1t saw the end of American Slavery.
Its earliest flowers covered the bier Of a
nations murdered Hero.
Thesun and showers Ofits young months
froshened the green grass over the mar
| tyr's grave.
Its Spring time witnessed the grandest
funeral pageant that ever honored. the
dead or graced the living.
It saw a nation, Thirty Millions strong,
drop scalding tears of sorrow on the tomb
of their slain Chief.
It saw his murderer's dishonored corpse
sunk in an unknown place, ere the victim
reached his grave.
1t saw a. procession of grief,struck
mourners two thousand miles in length.
1t saw the Great Dead carried to his
home by Nation, in whose Funeral Train
cities were pall.bearer, military chieftans
the corpse watchers, high civic fuuctiona-
ries guardians of his Bier, great Imperial
States chief mourners, millions Of uncov-
cred heads bowed in fearful grief, as the
mighty cortege wound its solemn march
under the sunlight of day and the torch
light of night, from the scene of active
duty, to the quiet rest of an honest mans
grave.
1t saw millions of a down,trodden race
lifted to the dignities and responsibilities Of
humanity.
It saw Villages clothed in mourning,
Towns draped in Deaths insignia, great
Cities suspend their traffic, the busy marts
of commerce hushed with awe while the
silence silence Ct death covered an Empire, fit ex
pressions of grief for martyr.
1t saw the dwellings of the rich covered
with costly badges of woe, and the homes
of the poor draped in the more simple and
eloquent symbols of Peoples sorrow.
1t heard holy ministers of Christ's Cos
pei speak words of peace for the murder
ed Dead, and of comfortable coincidence
for the living.
It heard the heart prayers of sincere I
millions for the rest of the departed, and
that his death might not leave the nation
in the utter darkness of desolation.
It heard nation of mourners chant sol |
emn dirges in accord with organ peals and
the thunder Of artillery, over the passing
body Of the nation S martyr.
If respectful, manifest sorrow for the /
dead be any proof of civilization, then did
Sixty-fve rolled into weeks, and the weeks /
wheeled into months, the meridian of the /
year saw the people of other lands meet in
sorrow for the stricken nation, heard their
grief-utterauces, saw their ANOINTED RU- /
LERs bow their heads in the awe of sor-
rowing sympathy, and for once a child Of
Time saw
ga world in tears"
SIXTY-FIYE saw in the molrned one /
the incarnation of Freedom Loving, Lib
people, the impersonation
Of the capabilities and possibilities of In
stitutions based on the voice of man echo
ing the voice of God in the recognition Of
human rights aud manly duties, the Eman
,ipator Of Race, and the Guarantor of
their Liberties.
1t saw in the "deep damnation Of his
taking off the possibilities and capabilities
IF the barbaric system which the GREAT
MARTYR had, with pen mightier than
'onquerOr's sword, condemned to utter de-
1t saw the wOrld-old conflict between
Liberty and Slavery end in favor Of Lib
9rty regulated by Law, of Justice founded
IN Humanity, of Civilization basedo on Right.
Was it ever paralleled ?
SINCLAIR TOUsEY.