The Lancaster gazette. [volume] (Lancaster, Ohio) 1863-1886, 1865-05-11

no man was found to take his place
lie was rc.cected, and the harvest Of
success came in so grandly, that he
might have said: Now, Lord, lettest
thou thy servant iepart in peace, for
mine eyes have seen thy salvation
Yet he was free from weakness or
vanity.
Thus did he exhibit, on occasion,
in due proportion and harmonious ac-
ton, those cardinal virtues, the trinity
of true greatncss-courage, wisdom,
and goodness ;-goodness to love the
right, wisdom to know the right, and
courage to do the right Tried by these
tests and by the touch stone ofsuccess
he was the greatest of living men.
But why multiply words Of his
greatness? We read it in the nations
eyes. What a scene do we witness !
Some of us remember when, on the
18th day ofEebruary, 1861, four years
and two months before his death, the
President, on his way 10 Washington,
was hero, and spoke in the State
House. Then this sclf-made Western
man was untried; and his friends and
he himself questioned his capacity to
fill the responsible position to which
he was chosen. lie spoke with mis-
givings, but, placing his reliance on
Providence, went forward reluctantly
to the chair. And now, after four
short years, he returns home; on the
bosoms of millions Of men, his way
watcrcd with tears and strcwn with
flowers; receiving in his tomb, an ova-
ton, such as was never offered 70 any
living man. ...
Ho stood on the summit, his brow
bathcd in the beams Of tho rising sun
of Peace, singing in his heart the an
gclio song of "Glory to God in tho
highest; peace on earth; good will to
man." .... ....
with malice to none, with charity
for all, he had forgiven the people Of
the South, and might have forgotten
their leaders, covering with the broad
mantle of his charity, their multitude
of sins.
But he is slain-slain by slavery
That ficnd incarnate did the decd
Beaten in battle, the leaders sought to
save slavery by assassination. Their
madness presaged their destruction.
Abraham Lincoln was the personi-
fication ofMercy. Andrew johnson is
the pcrsonifcstion Of Justice.
They have murdered Mercy, and
J...i.S luivs ulumc--uuu Ine people,
with one voice, pray to heaven that
justice may be done. The mere mo,
mcntum of our victorious armies will
crush overy rebel in arms, and then
may our eyes behold the majesty of the
law. They have appealed to the
tsword ;--it they were tried by the laws
of war, their barbarous crimes against
humanity would doom them to death
The blood of thousands of murdered
, prisoners cries to heaven. The shades
of sixty-two thousand starved soldier
rise up in Judgment against them
, The body of the murdered Presiden
0 condemns them. Some dcprccate ven
geance. There is no room for ven
4, geance here. Long before justice cal
: have her perfect work, the materia
\ will be exhausted, and the recor'
closed.
Some wonder why the South kille'
= her best friend. Abraham Lincoln wa
:, the true friend of the people OF tn
. South; for he was their friend as Jesu
i is tho friend of sinners--ready to say
=, when they repent. He was not tn
y friend of rebellion, of treason, ofslavc
e ry-he was their boldest and strorgcs
u ', foe, and therefore they slew him-bu
= y, in his death they dic-the people hav
= Judged them, and they stand convict
y cd, smitten with romorso and disma
" while the cause for which the Pres
! dont perished, sanctified by his BLOOD
- - grows stronger and brighter. Thes
70 arc some of the consequences OF tn
, death of Abraham Lincoln. Ours
= tho grief, theirs is the loss, and his
!, the gain. He died for Liberty an
= = Union, and now he wears the martyr
r = crown. He is our crowned Prcsidcn
. While the Union survives--while I'll
=, love of Liberty warns the huma
~ heart, Abraham Lincoln will hold hig
:" :. rank among the immortal dead.
n- The nation is saved and redeemc'
in She needs no aid from rebel hands
n reconstruct tho Union. The Unio
ID needs no reconstruction. 1t was III
r made by man; it was created by Il
I'd God of nations. 1t is vital and immo
III tai. If it has wounds in the membe
ID of its body, they will heal, and lea'
Ic, no scar, without the cordial compr
in mise with treason. Let US beware
the Dellah of the South, who has
an lately betrayed our strong man. l.
CT the "prodigals" feed on the husks t
or they come in repentance, and ask
mt be received in their fathers house
IT. not as equals to their faithful brethre
ne but on level with their former sc
or wants. Then we can consider tho
or petition, and discuss the question, n
he of the reconstruction Of the Unic
ny but of the formation Of free Stat
fl. from the national domain. Un
nd then, let tho sword which reclaim
their territory rule it, tempered 4
he national law. Some cry concilati(
,at and say there can be no peace by co
on quest On the contrary there is
'u- enduring peace but the peace that
of conquered The peace of France il
vs. conquered peace; the peace OF Eli
e. l>oI 20 onnnuoroA and nOnnuoT