The Cleveland leader. [volume] (Cleveland [Ohio]) 1865-1865, 1865-05-13


Mr.. johnson cannot The fate of nation
langs in the balance, and we wait with
anxiety TO see which way it will turn.
NIB. LINCOLN THE FINEST CHARACTER DE-
vELoPED By THE WAR.
TFrom the London Star, Al fril III
For Abraham Lincoln one cry of uni,
yerssl regret will be raised all over the
civilized earth. We do not believe that
even the fercest partisan of the COnfeder-
scy in this country will entertain any sen
s'ment 1T such time but one OF grief and
horror. To us Abrsham Lincoln has al
WAYS seemed the finest character produced |
by the American war on either side of the |
He was great, not merely by |
the force of genius-ADd only the word |
genius will describe the power Of intellect |
by which he guided himself and his cUun-
try through such crisis-but by the sim
pie natural strength and grandeur Of his
character. Tslleyrsud once said OF Il
great American statesman, that without
experience he tdivined" his way thI ough
any crisis. Mr. Lincoln thus divined his
Wsy through the DeIilous, exhaustiDg and
difficulties which might we'll
have broken the strength and blinded the
Of the best trained professional
statesman. He seemed TO srrive by instinct
by the instinct of noble, unse! fish and
manly nsture-qt the very ends which the
highest of political genius, the longest OF
political experience, could have done no
more than reach. He. bore himself fear-
lessly in danger, csluhy in diflicdSy, mod
estly in success. The woFld st last was be-
ginning 20 know how good, and, in tho
best sense, how great man be was. 1t
had long indeed learned that he WIS rs de-
void of vsnity IS of fear; but it had only
lust come TO know what msgnanimity and
mercy the hour of triumph would prove
that he possessed. Reluctant enemies
were Just beginning to break into eulogy
over mis- wise and noble clemency when the
bastard hand of vile murderer destroyed
his noble and valuable life. We in Elg-
land have something to feel ashamed of
when we mediate upon the true greatness
of the man so rnthlessly slain. Too many
Englishmen lent themselves TO the vulgsr
and ignoble cry that was raised against
him. English writers degraded themselves
TO the level of tho cOsrsest caricaturists
when they had TO tell of Abraham Lincoln.
They stopped TO criticize foreign patriot
as menial might comment on the bearing
of q hero. They sneered at his msnnerg,
as if Cromwell was q Chesterfield; they
accused him of ugliness, rs if Mirsbesu
was beauty; they made cosrss pleasantly
of his figure, rs if Peel wss posture mas
ter; they were facetious about his dress, as
If Cavour was a DOrssy; they were IN
dignant about bis jokes, as if Pslmerston
never jested. We do not remember any
instance since the widest days OF British
fury against the "Corsicsn Ogre" in which
n foreign statesman was ever SO dealt with
in English writings as Mr.. Lincoln. And
when we make the comparison we cannot
but remember that while Napoleon was our
unscrupulous enemy Linceln was our
steady friend. Assailed by the cosrsest at
tacks on this side Of tho ocean, tried by the
sorest temptations on that, Abraham Lin
coin calmly snd stesdfastly maintained y
po.icp of peace with England, and never
did deed, never wrote or spoke word
which was unjust or Unfliendly TO the
British nation. Had such man died by
the hand of disease in the hour of his tri-
umph tho world must have mourned for mis-
loss That he has fallen by the coward
hand of vile assassin exssperates and en-
gusge 30 express.
Had Lincoln been a vain man he might
almost have ambitioned such n death.
The weapon Of the murderer has made
sure for him an immortal place in history.
Disappointment, failure, political change,
popular caprice, the efforts of rivals, the
malice of enemies, can touch him no more.
He lived long enough TO accomplish his
great patriotic work, and then he became
It's martyr.
rom the London Daily News, April q
In the hour of his great work done, Pres
ident Lincoln has fallen Not, indeed, in
the flush of triumph, for no thought of tri-
umph was Ia that hon Sst and humble heart
nor in the intOxicstion of applause, for the
fruits of victory were not yet gathered in
his hand, was the Chief of the American
people, the foremost man in the great
Christian revolution of our age, struck
down. In all time 10 come not
among Americans only, but among all who
think of manhood rs more than rank, and
set worth abovedisplsy, the name Of Abrs-
ham Lincoln will be held in reverence. a
purity of thought, word and deed never
challenged, disinterestedness never sus-
pected, an honesty of purpose never i'm
pugned, gentleness aud tenderness that
never made private enemy or slienSted =
friend-these are indeed qualities which
may well make nation mourn. But he
had intellect as we'll as goodness. Cautious
ly conservative, fearing TO pass the limits
of established systems, seeking the needtul
amendments rather from growth than al
terstion, he p owed himself in the crisis the
very best suited for his post
Mr.. JohnsOn's character will be discussed
during the next few days, just as Mr.. Lin
coins was not long sgo. Two months ago,
few people in this country had even heard
of Mr.. johnson; now nothing is more
common thon to hear the most conclusive
judgments pronounced on his character =
an evening cOLemporsry spoke of him
yesterday rs drunken mechanic" This
is the kind Of language that we have TO
guard against. OF course, if the phrase
correctly represents the facts, it is not be-
cause Mr.. johnson can dispose of fleets and
armies that we are TO hold our tongues
We therefore wish to state the result Of in
quiries we have thought if our duty to make
Of the incident SO regretable,so untoward,
which occurred at the recent installation,
we know Just as much and just as little rs
our cotemporaries. But we are assured by
those who cannot but know the facts, and
We entirely believe, that that incident can
not, without injustice and injury, be taken
to represent the character of MIR. johnson.
Those who know him well, describe him MS
q man of real capacity and of temperate
habits. Mr.. johnson was elected from the
great Southern state of Tennessee to rep
resent it as Senator in Congress befJre
the war. Since the war he was chosen
by Mr.. Lincoln rs Military Governor Of
Tennessee. These are testimonials such as
are not given to habitusl drunksrds, or to
men whom nature has marked out for me-
chanicsl pursuits. Let US wait awhile and
see how Mr. johnson behaves before we
pass judgment ON him. 1t is our interest,
as well IS our duty.
From the PsIl-msT Gazette.J CO.,,
Since the day when Henry ". was stab
bed by RaVsillsc, fouler, or more detes-
table, or more deplorsble event than the
assassination Of President Lincoln was
never committed in this world. The loss
itself is unspesksbly great, not only to the
United States, but to ourselves He was
our best friend. He never lent himself TO
the purposes of that foolish and wicked mi
nority which tried TO set enmity between