The Jeffersonian. [volume] (Stroudsburg, Pa.) 1853-1911, 1865-04-20
Tn Memoriun.

lie thonght on Friday night, while all was
10Y and rejoicing here, that tragedy was
being enacted at Washington, which
would fill nations heart with untold
grief: that while we were celebrating the
glorious deeds, achieved under the en-
ligbtened wisdom which marked his no
BILE administration the bullet of bastard
lv assassin. had cut the life cord which
bound him to earth, and severed the links
which personally held him enchained to the
hearts of the American people. Victory
how glorious: Death how appalling! The
public mind is Mortified at the enormlty
of the crime; the public heart is bowed
dowa with sorrow at the loss it has sus-
tanned.
Abraham Lincoln is dead, and the land
is shrouded in gloom. The greatest and
best beloved of Americas statesmen is
A.. gathered to his fathers, and shall be
known of earth no more forever. 1t Is
not as though he had died in the fulness
of time, and departed as the Patriarch de-
lighted to depart, with his feet gathered uT
in he'd and his good work all accomplish
cd. Even such death would have been
q national calamity-how infinitely grea
ter the calamity when, in the midst OF
health. in the midst of triumph, and With
the promise of long years OF usefulness
and honor before him, he is ruthlessly
snatched from life, the victim of tral
tors revenge and bravo's bullet.
In the noblcness of his soul, loyal hearts
saw in Abraham Lincoln the mark Of
Gods hand in the chosing of servant t.
bring about the consummation of grea
and glorious purpose. a sovereign HIM
self, and elevated from the humber walk'
of sovereignty, recognised in this land o
the free, by the aid of his own indomita
bic will, he was peculiarly fitted to be
come the highest servant in the govern
ment of a free people. His whole lli'
was life Of good works for the oppressed
everywhere his heart was heart welle'
up with kindness for his fellows; his de
sires were desire for peace, prosperity ant
happiness to all men his love was low
for his God, his country and the who'll
human race. 1t is not too much, then
to say that his Death, which God has per
mitted to fall upon us so suddenly and s.
crushingly, is as scourge to draw US
rs children Of the greatest governmen
Of them all, to a closer and more christian
like performance of duty. Bitter indee'
is the cup which our bereavement force
to our lips-thrice bitter the dregs a
they are reluctantly drained: but ma,
we not hope that the Divine contempla
ton has. in our sorrows, much that is de
signed to make US blessed-much to con
stitute US a still more worthy example fo
the other nations of earth.
The nation mourns. In its vast length
and breadth the voice of lamentation i
heard And why should we not mourn
Just as peace begins to dawn upon tn
horizon of our war ridden and bleeding
country just as rebels begin to recove
their reason just as traitors begin to dis
cover the treacherous character of th
ground upon which they stand just a
the political friends of Abraham Lincolr
begin to see, in its full measure, the wis
dom of his election to the Chief Magis
tracy of the Union; just as his politica
opponents begin to confess the wrong o
their denunciation and to acknowledg
the full worth of the man just then tn
assassins bullet snaps the cord of life, an'
the Presidents soul wings its fight t.
heaven. Not in anger would We ask tha
the assassin may have meeted out to hin
his just doom, for it appears to hay
needed this to secure just appreciation
of Abraham Lincoln's many and exaltet
virtues, aud to give us startling evi
dence of the great truth-''in the midst
: of life we are in death y not in anger
but in sorrow such as nation never before
experienced, would we pray that tha
Providence which so ruleth in myste
~ may bring consolation to an afflicted
people, and meet out to the instrument
of our sorrows such punishment as to Hin
seemeth best. Gods ways are not man
ways.
Yes, Abraham Lincoln is dead but
all that was of him is not dead His no
bleness Of soul, his exalted virtues, his
great deeds, and his glorious memory
will live in the hearts of grateful people
so long a wisdom continues to be rever
eneed and history to be written.