The Nashville daily union. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1862-1866, 1865-05-16

ways seemed the finest character pro-
duced by the American war on either
side Of the struggle. He was great
not merely by the force of genius
and only the word genius will de-
scribe the power of intellect by which
he guided himself and his country
through such a crisis but by the simple.
natural strength and grandeur of his
character Talleyrand once said of a
great American statesman that with.
out experience, he "diyined" his wav
through any crisis. Mr.. Lincoln tbps
OWNED his way through the perilous,
exhsusting and unprecedented dificul1
ties which might well have broken the
strength and blinded the prescience of
the best trained professional statesman
he seemed to arrive by instinct-bv
the instinct Of q noble. uusel6sh and
manly nature-at the very end which
the highest Of political genius. the
longest OF political experience, could
nave done no more than reach. He
pore himself feaTlessly in danger. calm
" IN difnculty, modestly in success.
Inc world was at last beginning To
know how good, and, "A the best sense.
how great man, he was. It had LONG
indeed, learned that he was as devoid
OF vanity as Of feaz, but it had onlv
just come to know what nagnanimity
ana mercy the hour of triumph would
prove that he possessed. Reluctant en-
einles were Just beginning to break
INTO eulogy over his wise and noble
ciemency when the bastard hand of 3
vie murderer destroyed his noble and
valuable lie. We in Enqland have
something to feel ashamed of when we
mediate upon the true greatness of
man so ruthlessly slain. Too many
Engllshmen lent themselves 70 the vuf.
gar and ignoble cry which was raised
against MN English writer's degraded
themselves to the level of the coarsest
eaficaturists when they had to tell of
abraham Lincoln. They STONED 10
criticize foreign patriot as a mental
might comment on the bearing of a
nero. They sneered at his manpers
as II Cromwell was a Chesterfield thew
accused him Of ugliness. as If Mrs l,esI,
was beauty they made coarse pless,
ahtly OF his figure, as if Peel was a
posture master; they were factions
ABOUT ms dress, as il Cayour was
u orsay; they were indignant about his
Jokes, as if Pslmerston never iestad |
y, we oot remember any instance since
Inc widest days Of British fury against |
the 'Corsican Ogre" in which a foreign |
statesman was ever so dealt with in /
English writings as Mr.. Lincoln. And |
When we make the comparison. We can
not but remember that, while Nano- /
leon was our unscrupulous enemy. lin.
coin was our steady friend. Assailed |
oy tne cosrsest attacks on this side of
the ocean, tried by the sorest tempta-
IONS on that, Abraham Lincoln calmly
and steadfastly maintained a policy Of
peace with England, and never did a
deeoI never wrote or spoke q word
n y nc was unjust or unfriendly TO the
brltish nation. Had such q man died
BY the hand Of disease, in the hour of
hls triumph, the world must have
mourned for his loss That he has fal.
len by the coward hand of a vile sssas-
am eXasperetes and embitters the grief
beyond any power of language to ex-
press.
from TIC London Daily News.
But he has fallen, and by a southern
hand. We can not, as yet, tell the mo-
tive that urged the treacherous blow.
but the fact that two had conspired TO
murder, the one the President the
other the Secretary of State shows
that at least there is not INSANITY to be
reconed as possible explanation. But
we will not, without overwhelming
proof, let the horrible conspiracy. or the
phrases OF Its actors, lead Us TO Law il
70 the charge of abettors in the south
We will not doubt that from what late.
" "Ss the Southern government and
people, there will come at once earnest
dlsayoWals Of any knowledge of the
meditated crime, and that if the muir {
oerer OF Mr. Seward has reached tho
territory their power yet holds, he will
be seized and surrendered as one guIItv '
Of a crime against humanity itself On s
60 other terms, at least. will their Fng-
lsh sympathlzers believe in Southern 1
'chlValry. For, though some among
Us have, by growth of preiu lice, come i
70 think slavery not a sin, there Is no s
tugIshman yet whom secret assassin 7
itlon does not horrify And the kind. .
y nature, the earnest desire to do right. I
Which even his opponents confessed in
Aoraham Lincoln, will, now that he is
gone, turn to him all sympathieg. and I
make ali among US call, with one voice, |
.or vengeance on his detestable muir, n
ieTer. !
from tie London Etandard il
Much as we have condemned the al. e
ltude Of the American people during g
he civil war, and though we have. from
he hrst, opposed the policy and cen
the acts Of the late President Of -.
ne United States, we must sympatbize !!
With the nation that is widowed by this
udden bereavement, Now that he is 7
lead, the good qualities of the upfor. :
innate Lincoln seem to come into the q
foreground We remember mis- honesty =
mi has manliness; we do Justice to his :.
consistency; we give him all praise for ),
he spirit Of Cancellation which he has r
hown, for his refusal TO be borne along
y The sanguinary counsels of his :
rlends we make some allowance for =,
us frequent and untimely leyity. we :
lmost excuse his obstinacy in the pro. :,
eCDtlOn of tho yuar ~