The Nashville daily union. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1862-1866, 1865-04-18

He had died at the hands OF an assas-
sin, prompted by the friends arrayed
against the United States Government
Mr. Smith said, in substance. as fol.
lows: II Is impossihle to repress my
feelings on this sad occasion But A few
DAYS ago al was bright and promising
for an early and happy peace. To-day
we are assembled in the Senate cham.
her shrouded in the habiliments Of
death. The best purest aud greatest
man Of the age has fallen, and in a
manner disgraceful to the era in which
we live. Is there a man who loves his
country with the heart of a true patriot
capable 70 give expression TO his feel.
ings on this memorable occasion2 A
man universally beloved by the true
and loyal hearts Of the countryside
beacon star Of hope 10 Republican lib
eriy-has fallen not in natural dis
pensstion OF Providence, bat by the as
sassin's hand. The most gifted in in
tellect could not pay him that tribute
which his great powers merit When
uture ages unfold the scroll Of fame,
Abraham Lincoln, the sixteenth Presi.
dent Of the United States, viii tower
above al others Of the age in which
he lived, ike the giant OAK
of the forest He will stand the super.
Tor o. any man Of his day, side by side
with Washington, the equsl il not the
superior of any man who has figured
on earth since the day of the Saviour.
| feel, Dir. Speaker, as If that shot had
been aimed at each and every loyal
heart in the nation 1t has tended to
arrest law and order, and it will arouse
in every patriotic heart a feeling Of
vengeance. swear anew to-day my
devotion 70 my country, and eternal
vengeance. to treason and rebellion
These are simply my feelings. ! do
not feel capable Of doing the subject
justice. Just as the storms Of war were
being swept away, and peace doomed
| up in the distance, within the very
grasp Of the great and good man, it is
thus snatched from him by the hand
Of dastardly assassin. The South may
/ mourn, for they have stricken down
their very best friend. Let US renew
our pledges Of loyalty to our country,
and aid with all our parts its onward
march to triumph.
Mr. Butler, from johnson county,
spoke as follows:
Mr. SPEAKER-Senstors, when n great
man falls the nations mourns, when q
great man dies the nation weeps, and
to-day the nation is in tears, for a
great man has fallen. We see it in
every countenance, we read it in every
face that the heart is sad on account
Of the great national calamity l do
not envy the heart Of any man or
woman who is not sad on account Of
the loss the nation has sustained by
the death Of President Lincoln. Sir,
the last four years have been marked
with startling and terrific events; great
armies have met and fought some
times the national, sometimes the rebel
arms were victor o IS. The loyal people
were elated with victory or were de-
pressed that the national arms were
beaten The public mind has been
| trained 10 receive startling and aston
/ ishing news, and the nation to mourn
the loss OF good and great men. Bat
| Sir, when the news came that
President Lincoln was no more,
the nation wept as she never
had wept before, and the startling
and terrible events of four dreadful
years of revolution sunk into insiguif-
! canoe compared TO the shock that the
nation received at the news of Presi-
dent LinoOln's death, when the nation
was rejoicir G over the brilliant lccess
| Of the national arms, when all patriots
and lovers of the country were rejOic.
| ing that this unnatural and wicked re-
bellion was well nigh crushed, that this
powerful nation was soon to be again
united and again happy and prosper
Gus Then it was that the terrible
crash came Oh, when it was an
nounced that the President was assas-
sinated, the prayers, the earnest prAy>
eTs Of millions assembled to Heaven TO
spare him yet a little longer. But he
is not only dying bat dead. Yesterday
fall Of life and rejoicing In common
with the nation over the nations sue
cess, and to-day sleeps the sleep oil
death while the nation mouFRs
the loss Of 50 good and groat q
man. Tsnnesles more than mCurns
she weeps, for she has lost true and
tried friend Senators, this Is the sec
ond occasion on which We have been
called to pay respect to the memory o.
the dead in the short space Of time thGI
we have been assembled in a leglsla
tive capacity may we again be i'm
pressed with the important lessons tC
be always ready, for il such an hour as
we thirk not the Son Of man come;h
Mr.. Bowen said Language Is toe
feeble to express the deep feelings o.
grief and sorrow feel on tins occasion
The great administrative ability and
craftsmanship of President Lincoln
was developed 10 me in 1850, when
first read his inaugural address. want
10 say at this time that most stuns and
alarms me, is not the loss, hOWeV,
much il may be regretted and deplored
by the nation, but the terrible prece
dent we have before as The asgassina
ton Of the Chief officer Of the Govern
ment and his Prime Minister strikes al
the very heart OF liberty and freedom
in our country. and paves the way for
despotism. When the Chief Executive
officer OF tie Government has TO be
approached through bayonets, as may
be the case hereafter, liberty is gone
| If foul treason strikes at a virtuous and
noble President, It may be done again.
Il is an alarming precedent aud hor-
rible tOeontemplate The philosophical
truth has been written, there is no liber.
" when men Kill one another Ny
feelings are too sad to express the hor-
ror and grief feel. 1t is consoling to
know that his successoFlsa true repre-
sentative Of the people and worthy OF
our hearty support
Mr.. Hall said This dark deed stands
unparalleled in the history of the world
/ IL strikes sorrow 10 every heart, and
suffuses every eve With tears. IL the
/ President had siczened and died in
peace on his bed, it would have been a
! sore grief to the nation, u. it is paiufI Il
| beyond expression TO contemplate the
terrible manner in which he was cut off
the victim Of assassination. Alas for
our bleeding country that she should
| thus be carried back to the dark ages
of fiends and demons We are too
much disposed 10 trust IN our prosperity.
Let us ask the aid Of Heaven in our
deep affection Sorrow has too speedily
followed in the footsteps of Joy, and to-
day nation weeps bitter tears OF q Oay
for the loss of her most beloved and
/ gifted son
Mr. Senter said Were I to consult
my own feelings, J would not further
depress this body with painful expires
siOns OF grief on this melancholy DC
casion, but love Of country and heart
I felt sorrow for its bereavement prompts
me to make few remarks But few
days ago the great national heart was
full OF JOY and hope, and in this short
period ats pulsations have ceased. The
great body has been stricken down.
The President of the United States has
fallen when he was trusting 70 his
children TO unite soon in pesce and