American citizen. [volume] (Butler, Butler County, Pa.) 1863-1872, 1865-06-07

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Samuel, 1879. "And the victory that day turned
unto mourning unto all the people"
Absaloms rebellion was the darkest
page in Jewish history.
1t was got up in the spirit of ambition,
and carried on with reckless arrogance
and hate. 1t was causefess assault upon
one of the most mild and benignant OF
governments.
Under the pretext of being oppressed,
and under promise Of greater justice to
the people, Absalom succeeded in turn.
ing away the carts Of mgltitudes of the
subjects of David; and induced them to
declare in his favor. ''And the conspir-
acy was strong; for the people Increased
continually with Absalom."
Even.Ahthophel, who had been in Da-
vid's Cabinet, (to speak in modern style)
joined the conspirators David s nephew
Amasa, treacherously turned against his
uncle, and became the leader of Absa.
lom's army
They at length joined battle in the will
derness; in the wood of Ephraim; east
of the Jordan; where the kings troops
we're victorious, and 10000 of Absalom' s
forces were slain. He, himself caught in
the branches of an oak, had three darts
thrust into his heart, by Joab, David's
General; and thus miserably perished.
There was cause for great rejoicing that
the lawful and good government had thus
been preserved, and that rebellion had
been overthrown But because the kings
son had been slain the outward demon
strations of joy were not INDUCED in
And the victory that day was turned
unto mourning unto all the people"
There are many points of resemblance
between that ancient rebellion and the
result of it, and the rebellion so recently
put down in our own country. Both we're
got up in the spirit of ambition, and car
rled on in hate. The latter as we'll as the
former, was "A causeless assault up one
OF he most mild and b.njgnant of gov
eFnmeuts. The leaders, like Absalom.
pretenied that the people had injustice
done them, which they were seeking to
redress
Some that had stood high like Ahitho.
phel and Amasa, in the Cabinet and in the
army; headed the conspiracy. After ter
rlble slaughter, the government succeed
d,-and the laws are established.
Hal David been assassinated after the
victory, the parallel would have been al
most complete.
Now, as then, the victory is turned in
to mourning. Then, however, the mourn
ing arose from the death of the Conspir
ator, simply because he was the Chief
Rulers son and because of the kings
sorrow. Now the mourning arises from
the death of the Chief Ruler himself,
fallen by the hand Of ruthless assassin,
employed, no doubt, by men in the inter-
est of the rebellion.
Let us consider, First-Our causes for
mourning and humiliation.
Second-0ur causes for rejoicing and
thanksgiving.
The first cause for mourning apd hu-
initiation, and thai 70 which PresidenS
johnson especially refers, is the death by
assassination of Abraham Lincoln
The rocity of the deed, the relation
which President Lincoln held to his coun-
try, and his great excellence of character,
all conspire to fill the land with grief and
humiliation.
The civilized world stands aghast at
the magnitude Of the crime. Such a sen
saton has, perhaps, never before been felt
among men, at the death of dny one.
Political men who differed from him on
great national subjects, as we'll as those
who approved OF his doings, unite in ac-
knowIedging his great worth, end in hon.
oring his memory.
We have accumulating evidence that
President Lincoln was good man in the
best sense-thath he was God fearing and
pious man. When he left home to en-
ter upon his high Office to which the peo-
pie had called him, you remember, with
what earnestness he asked for the prayers
of his old peighbors and his fsllog citi.
zens.
He was eminently humane and mag
unanimous. What different spirit did
he breathe from that of his antagonist,
Jefferson Davis The latter, IN address
sing his countrymep on his way to his
nsurped authority, said FThe time for
compromise is past, aud we are now de-
term ned-to maintain our position, an
make all who oppose US smell Southern
gap powder and feel Southern Steel"
D. l. n. n