The Potter journal. [volume] (Coudersport, Pa.) 1857-1872, 1867-01-15
Elihu Burritt on Abraham Lincoln.

Elihu Burritt now in England, has Just
published a characteristic treatise on "The
Mission Of Great Sufferings" which is rep
resented in English papers as work of
singular interest. One saws: at discourses
of suffering, its mission and its power, with
wonderful profundity, Intelligence and pa
thos." In the last chapter, Mr.. Burritt
comes naturally 10 the tragic events of the
present day, among which an appropriate
/ place is given to
THE LIFE AND DEATH OF LINCOLN,
~We now come 10 another eyAnt vrb;ot,
moved powerfully the whole OF Clfriatepdom
and produced an effect upon the foremost
nations which no occurrence of that or any
other order had ever accomplished. Itwas
an event that came in a moment with M
premonltlon. 1t was the sudden extinction
Of one human life except its Trbt. Th.rs
was an honest-hearted man who came No
ont OF the commonest walks Of the peopIe,
and was raised to the Presidential chair ri
the American republic to represent and ex-
ecute Its will. The lifting up Of that man
to tlI this high place split the nation in
snnder The chasm was dark and wide,
Ihe struggle to close it on one side and
widen it on the other was long and terrible,
Halt million Of precious lives were thrown
INTO the breach, and 1t ran red and deem
with the best blood of the severed nation.
The tall, gaunt man of furroRej face AMI
/ PIaintlye eyes, who stood In his place with
steady faith and purpose. being in the stat
( ure OF his elevation what Saul was :, tie
lsraeItes from bis shoulders upwards wa.
from beginning to end the but, Of ,af;r.
ana denunclauon, much at home arl mora
abroad. In a certain sense the p4,Dla 81
the North might have said. He bore H..
lnIqultles OF US all. For all VIII, haiti ina
northern cause hit him anG bru,.d b..
spirit with their hard and cruel s.yigr>.
/ In addition to all this burden Of r..
Proach piled upon bis shoulders. Is.arss
they were higher than the peanIe's wb,.a
be was and whom he served. bi, ,,.~s. .,,a,
antecedents and associations uars ,',,.s.,,
IN MS face IN all the epithets that r,di.,l4
could invent. Foreign satirists lslDn,opaI
MIN with their criticisms aud carjcaruraI
MIN with their pencils. Friends fell aw.y
and foes fell on him, as the saucuipary con,
hict went on from Year TO wear. The f,r.
rows OF his face deepened: the saIlow ridTls
OF his brow showed the mole walks Of care
were Ploughing night and day hi, inner
soul. but as those sad, deep and solemn
eyes withdrew farther inward h -
Oe9med with the old steady light Of faith
and hope. And according to his faith vas
1t gwen to see that for which his sn;-;t
prayed with longing most Intense, He
sa" the long gand bloody struggle concluded,
he i1t. saw the vide rent in the nation c!osinr
" Ith foot On either side, he slre,hei ont
ms long, gaunt arms and essqved to press
the two sections, like estrangsl sisters. To
his broad and tender breast.
His was a great life, but his death was
greater stlIl-the greatest perhans, that
nad moved the word for a thousand wear.
"hen ne stood with his tender arms
around the North and South boJJ;ng then,
to his heart that both might soften theirs
at It's spirit, his life's work was dom, IT,,
began the sublime mission Of b1e daq,b.
W bile those sunken ewes were sliDiDg with
lhe g.adness OF his soul at the glimpse civ
en him, as TO Moses on Pigah's TOP, of the
Canaan side Of his countrv's future. in =
moment their light was quenched for ever
on earth. An assassin pierced bIs brain a
with bolt Of lightning; aud he fell. and
great was the tai Of that single man. With
nun feH million enemies Of bis cause and
country at home and abroad If the last
act OF his life was 10 close .ge riff in 9 con-
tlnent, the first act Of his death vas to clos.
the chasm between the two barnisnh4f-z
Never before was England brought 50 near
10 his country. In the great overflow of
her sympathy the mother country was
n 'oded and tided towards her first-bo-p
daughter weeping at the bier Of the great
departed; and she bent over the monrpar
Win words of tender coincidence. blood
Is thicker than water; and the latent in
stncts OF nature came forth in generous
speech and sentiment towards 2 sorgowinor
nation In that overflow Of fellow-feeling,
the sympathy with the South and Its IN
righteous cause was drowned. or barHt ur,
oy spirit Of Indignation at the taking of.
winch seemed to consume at breath the
animus that had sided with secession
There was light as well as heat in that fire:
and IN that light thousands Of southern
sympathlzers saw in different aspect the
cause they had upheld"
Russia is again announced ~ r,sLiro,