American citizen. [volume] (Butler, Butler County, Pa.) 1863-1872, 1865-05-17


cannot speak definitely, because was not
priviledgcd to know much Of his private
sentiments.
My acquaintance with him did not give
me the opportunity to hear him speak on
this topic. l know, however, he read
the Bible frequently loved it for its
great truths and for its profound teach
ings; and he tried to be guided by its
precepts. He believed in Christ, the
Saviour of Sinners, and l think he was
sincerely trying to bring his life into the
principles of pure religion Certainly, if
there ever was man whe illustrated
some of the principles of pure religion,
that man was our departed President
Look over all his speeches. Listen to
his utterances. He never spoke unkind-
y of any man. even the Rebels receiv
ed no words of anger from him, and the
last day illustrated, in remarkable man
ner, his forgiving dispositionn. A dis
patch was received that afternoon that
Thompson and Tucker were trying to
make their escape through Main, and it
was proposed to arrest them. Mr.. Lin
coin, however preferred rather to let them
quietly escape than have the very men
who had been plotting his destruction
arrested =; and this morning we real the
proclamation offering S25, 600 for the ar
rest of these men as aiders and abettors
of his ASSASSINATION. So, that in his ex-
piring acts he was saying "Father, for
give them; they know not what they dc" +"
AS rule | doubt if any president has
ever shown such trust in God or in pub
lie documents so frequently referred to
Divine aid. Often did he remark to
friends and to delegations, that his hope
for our success rested in his conviction
that God would bless our efforts because
we were trying to do right. To the ad-
dress of large religious body he replied.
Thanks be unto God, who, in our ma
tioDa trials, giveth us the churches -
To minister who said he hoped the
Lord was on our side, he replied that it
gave him no concern whether the Lord
was on our side or not, for, he added, 81
know the Lord is always ON the side of
the right, - and, with deep feeling, added:
"But God is my witness that it is my
constant anxiety and prayer that both
myself and this nation should be on the
Lords side" In his domestic life he
was exceedingly kind and affectionate.-
He was devoted husband and father
During his Presidential term he lost his
second son, Willie TO an officer of the
army he said not long since: "Do you
ever find yourself talking with the dead ?"
and added, "Since Willie's death 7 catch
myself every day involuntarily talking
with him, as if he were with me-" On
his widow, who is unable to be here, |
need only invoke the blessing of Almgh-
ty God that she may be comforted and
sustained. For his son, who has witncs.
ed the exercises of this hour, all that
can desire is that the mantle of his faith
er may fall upon him. Excamations of
amen
Let us pause moment in the lesson Of
the hour before we part. This man, tho
he fell by the hand of an assassin, still
he fell under the permissive hand of God.
He had some wise purpose in allowing
him so to fall What more could he have
desired of life for himself? Were not
his honors full? There was no office to
which he could aspire. The popular
heart clung araund him as around no 9TH
er man. The nations Of the world have
learned to honor him. If rumors of a
desired alliance with England be true,
Napoleon tr.mbled when he had heard of
the fall of Richmond and asked what ma
ton would join him to protect him against
our Government. Besides the goodness
of such man, his fame was full, his
work was done, and he sealed his glory
by becoming the nations great martyr
for liberty. He appears to have had a
strange presentiment early in political
life, that some day he would be President.
You see it, indeed, in 1889. OF the
slave power he said, "Broken by it ? !
too may be asked to bow to it. l never
will. The probability that we may fail
in the struggle, ought not to deter us
from the support of cause which deem
to be just. 1t shall not deteEme, if ev-
er feel the soul within me elevate and
expand to these dimensions, not wholly
unworthy of its Almighty architect. II
is when | contemplate the cause of my
country deserted by all the world beside
aud / standing up boldly and alone, and
hurting defiance at her victorious oppres.
\ aars Here without contamnIatino, con.