The daily Gate City. [volume] (Keokuk, Iowa) 1855-1916, 1866-02-17

Mr.. Bancroft's splendid Grafton upon Abra
ham Lincoln:
.ee ENAScIPArloS.
When this proclamation which struck the
letters from three millions of slaves, reached
Europe, Lord RUSSELL countrymsn OF Mil
ton and Wilberforce-eagerly pat himself
forward to speak of it in the name Of man.
kind saying: Itis Of a very strange nature;
measure Of war Of very questionable
kind an act of vengeance on the slave own
er, that does no more snprofess to emanci-
pate slaves where the United States authori-
ties cannot make emancipation a reality"
Now, there was no part of the country EN-.
braeed in the proclamation where the United
States could not and did not make emaucipa-
ton q reality. Those who saw Lincoln most
frequently had never before heard him speak
with bitterness Of any human being, but he
did not conceal how keenly he felt that he had
been wronged by Lord Russell, and he wrote,
in reply to another caviller: 1.-THE emancipa-
ton policy and the use of colored troops we're
the Greatest blows yet dealt to the rebellion !;
the job was great national one, and let none
be slighted who bore an honorable part in it.
hope peace will come soon, and come to
stay then there wiif be some black men who
can remember that they have helped mankind
to this consummation."
RUSSIA AND CHINA.
The proclamation accomplished its end, for
during the war our armies came into military
possession of every state in rebellion. Then
too was called forth the new power that comes
from the Simultaneous diffusion of thought
and feeling among the nations Of mankind
The mysterious sympathy of millions through
out the world was given spontaneously. The
best writers of Europe walked the conscience
of the thoughtful till the intelligent moral
sentiment of the old world was drawn to the
side of the unettered statesman OF the West
Russia, whose ruler has just accomplished
one of the grandest acts in the course Of time
by raising twenty millions of bondmen INTO
freeholders, and thus assuring the growth and
culture of a Russian people, remained our
answering friend. From the oldest abode
of civilization, which gave the first example
CT an imperial government with equality
among the people, Prince kung, the Secreta
ry of State for Foreign Affairs, remembered
the saying of Confucius, that we should not
do to others what we would not that others
should do to US, and, in the name of the En-
peror OF China, closed its ports against the
war ships and privateers of the seditios.
cosrISuAScE OF THE WAR.
The war continued with all the people of
the world for anxious spectators. Its cares
may have laid heavily on Lincoln, and his
face was ploughed with the burroughs of
thought and sadness. With malice toward
none, free from the spirit of revenge, victory
made him importunate for, peace, and his
enemies never doubt his w6rd, or dispaired
of his abounding clemency. He longed to
utter pardon as the word for all, but not un-
less the freedom Of the negro should be as
sured. The grand battles of Mill Springs
which gave us Nashville, of Fort Donelson,
Malvern Hill, Antietam, Gettysburg, the
Wilderness. Winchester, Nashville the cap
ture of New Orleans, Vicksburg, Mobile,
Fort Fisher, the march from Atlanta, and
the capture of Savannah and Charleston, all
fofetoh the issue. Sill MOTE the self tegen-
Grafton Of Missouri, the heart Of the conti-
nent; of Maryland, whose sons never heard
the midnight bells chime so sweetly as when
they rang out 10 earth and heaven that by the
voice of her own people she took her place
among the free; of Tennessee, which passed
through fire and blood, through sorrows and
the shadow of death, to work out her own
deIiverance. and by the faithfulness Of her
own sons to renew her youth like the eagle,
proved that victory was deserved and would
be worth all that it cost. When the words o
merry uttered az they were By Lincoln on
the waters of Virginia we're defianty repelled
the armies of the country, moving with one
will, went as the arrow 70 its mark, and with
out feeling of revenge, struck death blow
at rebellion.
LINCoLN's ASSASSINATION.
Where in the history of nations had chie
magistrate possessed more sources of consola
ton and Joy than Lincoln2 His .countrymer
had shown their love by choosing him to q
second term of service. The raging war thai
i II l.. t..I-
yste grief vas hnshed by the grshdear of ii
results. The nation had its new wreath d
freedom, soon to be secured forever by ar
amendment to the Constitution. His persis
tent gentleness had conquered for him kind
lier feeling on the part of the South. Hi
scoffers among the grandees of Europe begar
to do him honor. The laboring classes every
where saw, in his advancement, their own
All people sent him their benedctions, an(
at the moment of the height of his fame, Il
which his humility and modesty added charms
lie I'll, by the hand oi tLe assasslns and th'
only triumph awarded him was the march Il
the grave.
tue GREATNESS OF MAN.
This is no time to say that human glory i
is but dust and ashes, that we mortals are nj
more than shadows in pursuit OF shadows
How mean thing were man if there wer
not that within him which is higher than him
self; if he could not master the illusions Q
sense, and discern the connections Of event
by superior light which comes from God
He SO shares the divine impulse that he ha
power to subject interested passions. to low
tf county, sud personal ambition to the emo
Element Of man. Not in vain has Lineol
lived, for he has helped to make this Repub
bic an example Of justice, with no caste bu
the caste of humanity The heroes who lie
our armies and ships into battle-Lyon, Mo
Pherson. Reynolds Sedgwick, WadsYSrtf
Foote and Ward, with other compeers, an
fell in the service, did not die in vain. NJ,
riads of nameless martyrs, and the chief ma
tyr, died willingly that the Government of til
people, by the people, aud for the peGpit
LhafI not perish from the earth. The ejnst die
for the unjust, The assassination of Lincol
who was SO free from malice, has by som
mysterious influence struck the country wit
solemn awe, and hushed instead Of excitin
the passion of revenge. 1t seems as if tt
just had died for the unjust. When | thin
of the friends have lost in this war, ian
every one who hears me, has, like fnysei
lost those whom he most loved, there is II
: such consolation to be derived from the VII
TINS on the scaffoid-or from anything bl
fhe established union Of the regenerated n
ton.
CHARACTER OF LINCOLN.
In his character, Lincoln was through AT
through an American. He is the first natl,
OF me region west OF the Alleghanies to alta
the high station, aud how happy Is that ii
man who was brought forward as the natur
outgrowth of the frst fruits of that regi,
should have been of unhlemished purity
private lite--a good sou, kind husband,
most afiectiouate father and, az a man