Bedford inquirer. [volume] (Bedford, Pa.) 1857-1884, 1865-06-16

u am always glad to find an excuse for sa-
| wing man S life | feel better and sleep
easier when reflect how thankful he viii
be, and how glad his family viii be; and so
saying he wrote his name And how light
| ly his heart beat when he was able to an
nounce that the draft was suspended The
| drafting of men into the militory service Of
the United States was perhaps the most UNI
| pleasant duty he ever performed; it almost
crushed him to call men from their homes
and friends, and send them forth to hattie
and death.
But, after all, mans greatness depends
more on his actions than on any natural or
mental traits he may possess. Letus, then.
examine the actions of this man. What did
he do? He was called to assume the leader
ship of this nation under greater difficulties
than met any other man since the days Of
Washington. He left his home in Spring
1 field not knowing whether he would ever
reach the capital alive, for the murderer was
even then seeking has blood. Disguised, he
reached the city IN safety. He began at
once to stay the war which Threatened the
Republlc. Lis tlrst inaugural was a kind
and eoncihatory document, In it he deplor-
| ed war, and expressed the hope that the
| time was not far distant when the excite
ment which then ruled the hour would be
| allayed, and the mystic cords Of memory,
stretching from every battlefield, and from
| every patriotic grave, would yield sweeter
music, when touched by the angels of our
better nature. But he was disappointed
in his expectations. The Southern States
renOunced their allegiance to the Federal
Government, established Government of
! then own. within the limits of our Govern
lnent, and at the point Of the sword and
! bayonet demanded the acknowledgements
| and recognition of the Southern Confeder-
acy. War was inevitable. But when the
hour came Mr. Lincoln was the man for the
hour Like a hero he threw himself full
length into the work Of saving the Govern
ment, and nobly did he sustain himself
He looked around him for an army, but we
had lived IN peace so long that none was to
be found. He called, and the voice now ST
lent, was responded to- Able generals and
thousands of patriots rushed to the rescue.
Through four long bloody years he stood
firm as a rock He saw his country nailed
to the cross-he saw her hands and feet
pierced-he saw the steel enter her side
he saw foreign countries pass By moeking
and deriding but he faltered not With a
strong heart and an iron win he stood to his
work. until at last light began 10 break
across the darkened heavens. He looked
again, and 10, from the grave came forth
ms country, renovated, purged, and the foul
stains which had dishonored her brow wash
ed away, and she prepared for a higher
lite, nobler destiny. But just when the
hour of victory had come and from every
hilltop its accents were floating, he fell
His work was done. God had called him to
one work, now that work was completed.
A man is immortal till his work IS done.
The assassin sought his life before, but not
until the last act was added to the drama,
did Omnipotenee Permit him to fall Why?
! may not say. Perhaps he was too lenient
to reconstruct the State, and man of irmer
mould was needed.
But Abraham Lincoln did one thing
which immortalized his name He gave
freedom to race. Long after the marble
has erumbled away, and refused to mark
the spot where repose his honored bones, his
name shall be rcyered and cherished as the
saviour Of his country and hberator of the
dark-browed sons Of Africa. When he
went to Washington / suppose he did not
expect to perform this great act But the
yieBless hand of Goo was behind the clouds
shaping the tempest He put it into the
heart of this great man to do as he did
He told him when to strike-he struck, and
the mass Of political rottenness tumbled-
the shackles fell and race stood forth en-
franchised from the blistering curse of sla-
very.
The manner and time of the President S
death cast a still deeper shade over the sad
event Had he died at home. in his bed
from disease, he might ya had tine for re-
hection, and communication with MS family.
But not a moment was given him-no part
ing word was allowed. Shot suddenly and
unexpectedly-shot in the hour OF triumph,
Just when the ship of State was emerging
from the tempest and clearing the breakers
shot in hope that the vessel would strand
on "a sea of blood and go down The pilot
is indeed PROSTATE, but another stands at
the helm, and the ship holds on her way,
not q scar,on her deck, nor break in her
keel
Abraham Lincoln is dead but his name
will never die 1t viii be cherished by
Americans, as the Swiss cherish the nance of
Arnold Winklereid 1t will be revered by
us as that Of Washington His name will
live in the memory of the good in every
family circle that laid a son on Freedom
altar, in che love Of the sable sons of the
South, in the remembrance of all who hate
tyranny and oppression. Let US turn with
strong hearts from the man to the work he
left us to do.
There is still something to be done The
leaders Of the rebellion already in custody,
with those at large; if they can be had, must
be attended to. The win of the people is
that these men must suffer the extreme pen
atty Of the law, and the people are the pow
er. 'sThe people viii arise in their might,
and sweep compromises and compromisers
away Does this seem hard? God has
declared that the way Of the transgresser
is hard These men are the murderers Of
your sons, husbands and brothers. These
are they who hunted down your children
when they were trying to escape from loath-
some prisons, starvation and DEATH They
that take the sword shall perish with the
sword
And now as we turn from thy grave, no
bic martyr, we bid thee farewell. A nation
loved thee, nation mourns thee. Thy life
was beautiGed BY deeds recorded In heaven
with honor, Thy death, sudden and vio-
lent, we trust was safe, and thy immortality
glorious and blessed.
A WDow's TESTIMONIAL AL4-Noticing the