The Potter journal. [volume] (Coudersport, Pa.) 1857-1872, 1866-11-06

secrated to freedom by one oil the grandeSt
events in our national history, | felt that
the scene had other witnesses than We
than those armed watchers-than that pass
ing muIttude-the immortal shades of
heroes and patriots-the great, tried souls
of the young Republic, in whose ways he
had fearlessly walked, into whose fellow
ship he had been received.
Out of our city, in the gray morning,
they bore the great President to other
cities, to receive, in his still benignity, with
folded hands and silent lips,and sealed eyes,
ether weeping thousands; and everywhere
they bore him he called forth the tenderest
sympathies and grandest passions OF men
| pity, sorrow, penitence, reverence, patriotism,
devotion, holy love of freedom, justice,
and humanity. Those folded hands told
of the mightiest work Of centuries accom-
plshed Those silent lips preached as never
living lips preached to the heart of the peo-
pie; so that wherever he passed, he left
men better than he found them.
| The howefy wreaths and crosses that lit
the funeral shadows about him were all
emblems of martyrdom august and mo-
mentous. The hearSe that bore him thro'
crowded streets had an awful sacredness
and dearness, like the ark of the Lord. He
was paIled in somber glory. Love, and
Honor, and tender Sorrow bore him con-
slant company.
Yet he was not dead over whom we
wept with bitter grief AMI passionate fe-
solves: the memory of his fathfulness, en-
durance, courage, and sublime honesty; the
vitality of his strong,simple character, made
great life about him still; strength and
virtue went forth from his broken body,
the light of Heavens acceptance rayed
from the still face, and "death was swal-
lowed up in victory"
That was not funeral procession. 1t
was liberator's sublime ovation; it was a
royal progress of freedom, through the
valley of the shadow of death, but august
and triumphant.
Yet of late We have seen real funeral
procession, starting from the Capital of the
Republic, and passing over the track sane
titled by the last march of our martyred
leader. Through the cities of the North and
West a real dead President has passed.
Poe tells ghastIy story of man pow
erfully mesmerized when IN GrticUto mortiS,
who remained seemingly alive, and even
responded to questions, long after the prin-
ciple of life had fled and the work of de-
composition had commenced, Thus,
though he whom crowds hailed as Presi-
dent had marvellous appearance Of vital
ity, and responded to every appeal,yet was
he dead and touched with corruption.
Everywhere that he paused, this ghastly
semblance of true live man, he called
forth the meanest prejudices and cruelest
passions of the people who sought to do
him honor, with false, violent words he
nurtured hate, injustice, selfish greed, low
ribaldry, and impiety; and, as far as the
evil power was given him to reach the
hearts of men, he left them worse than he
found them
He was canopied with diShonor; anger
falsehood and treason bore him constant
company. Disaster and mortal agony
waited on his triumphal car, and innocent
blood marked bis track. And so he passed
on, daily stretching forth his traitorous
hand to SOW the wind-the whirlwind- -har-
vest Of which ripens apace.
Everywhere on this festive funeral pro-
gress there went with this mesmerized dead
President, echoing his hollow utLerances
and Joining in his Dance of DEATH" the
pale, gray semblance of great statesman,
whose lips once uttered grand oracies and
|imperishable watchwords of freedom. Only
the Sen1bLance, the unsubstantial, watery
wrath Of him we so loved and honored;
the man himself is dead, past all possible
resuscitation-sunk in the Dead Sea of
taith'essness and apostasy,
r'A thousand tzttoms do,con'
Wofully out of place, "down among the,
dead men" were our live heroes, the great
soldier and the great sailor. In their
places should have been the martial shade
Of the hero of the Chiekahominy-"armed
at point exactly cap-a-pie" the phan-
tom pirate Of the alabama"
10 give SolemnlCy ana reSpectaOlllty to
that disastrous Dead March, there should
have been priestly presence and ghostly
consolation. Here surely was fit place and
! illustrouS company for the venerable shade
Of the great, brave preacher of righteousness
and freedom, who, in his Iatter-day mad
ness, surpassed the madness of the Prophet
Balaam, ,inasmuch as this our prophet cursed
the Israel he was sent to 6less,and so died
but who (''aIas, poor ghost!''), all nucon,
scious of the momentous change, still
walks abroad in his spectral double" and,
/ Ghaino dna1 vat cpaaEa;b -