Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1865-04-28
ABRAHAM 11NooLN's GOOD NAME.

Perhaps the man has never lived whose death
occasiored sorrow at once so deep and so
widespread. What noble words have been said
and written about him, words that make our
eyes water and our hearts burn. Rarely, if
ever, has mortal man received such tribute of
such speech, so early after death. Were the
best of these utterances collected into book,
they would be not only high and grateful con-
ISOLATION to our late Presidents sorrowing fam
lily, but treasure of eloquent and inspiring
thoughts, an Indictment to manful deeds, and
monument OF our oountry's progress. Four
years ago they could not have been written.-
Compared with the utterances of that time they
are as noble organ music to the querulous tones
of weakness and decay. In these great terri
BILE years our country has progressed indeed.
Thank God for that. But she has not reached
the point yet where she can afford to pause.
On him who has been her standard-bearer in all
this progress she now lavishes the honor of her
high estimation. But what estimate of him will
the future make9 That will depend on her. If
she carry On his work to its glorious consum-
nation TO all coming time shall he stand, at
least the peer of Washington, high on the gold
en- record of immortal men. But if she suffer
lite pause, his name will be added TO the list of
those who lost noble opportunities of benefit
ing their race. For of him it will be said that,
having the power to save his country from dis
grace and crown her with lasting honor in max
ing her wholly free, he failed TO use it.
l. I.
has shown life enough to STAY the man who said
from his high place of power that surrender
and emancipation are the two conditions of re-
turn to the Union and peace. Has our new
President said that? He has said strong fire.
quent words about the crime of treason and
traitors punishment; but what has he said of
that without which treason had not been-tbe
greater crime Of slavery? He has said slavery
is deed. Slavery is not dead. Let not the
country yield to the dangerous delusion that it
is 1t lives yet in two so-called loyal States
Kentucky and Delaware. From either of
these roots the loathsome cancer NAV vet
run through all the land. Slavery still
ives. While it lives our country is not
safe. Remember, with the return of peace
comes back the old fallacy which secures
slavery under the cover of State protection
from national interference-and so far the ma
TONS power over it is gone. The Constitu-
tional Amendment has not yet received the
votes of three-fourths of the old States. Three
even of the sO-caled loyal States-New Jersey,
Delaware and Kentucky-have refused to ratify
it. And if it had, we are told that under its
terms slavery may be established as punish
ment for crime-and that no amendment abso
utely prohibiting slavery could secure the votes
necessary for its passage through Congress If
this be so, 1t is time the people knew it and
took measures 10 secure justice and liberty
Abraham Lincoln was emphaticaly of the
people. He was their representative; their
mouthpiece he was proud TO be. AS SUCH in
Lis last and no6lest days he planted himself
strongly on the platform of emancipation.-
There standing he became the pride and Joy of
the people, and of all good men. His name
became thewatchword of liberty. He believed,
and the American people encouraged him in
believing, that thus he spoke their will. In
him thus they were honored. His good name
is in their hands now. viii they endorse their
past acts and words by carrying on Freedoms
cause till there can nevermore be a slave in all
their land, they shall make him indeed immor
tai, and their country the JOY and desire of the
earth. To this end the power of the slavehod-
ing class must be broken, the roots of their
strength destroyed, and freedom made the in
terest as well as the right and dignity of all. |
The Samson of Liberty, whose eyes slavery es-
sayed to blind, shall thus pull down its hdeous
fabric, in whose ruin it shall be utterly destroy
ed, but all its victims, our country and the world
shall be blessed So shall our MARTYR Pres |
dent be nobly avenged and rest in peace hay
ing done an excellent work.