Shepherdstown register. [volume] (Shepherdstown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1849-1955, 1874-10-24
JEFFERSON COUNTY, WEST VIRGINIA. SATURDAY, OCT a. 1874
THE LINCOLN MONUMENT.

The Lincoln monument NJ Sp!IuSllCEt'
Ill. was unveiled Thursday OF last week
in the presence of the Society OF the
Army of the Tennessee and a large con
course of people, Gov Beveridge acting
as grand marshal President Grant,
with Secretary Belknap, occupied
carriage at the head of the procession.
Gen. Sherman marched on foot, at the
head of the Society of the Army of the
Tennessee, and following him was a
long line of army, military and civil So
cieties. After the usual ceremonies and
an oration by Gov. Oglesbey and the
recitation of a poem by James JudSon
Lord, President Grant stepped forward.
amid enthusiastic applause, and spoke
as follows:
Mr.. Chairman. Ladies and gentlemen:
On an occasion like the present 1t Is
duty on my part to bear testimony to
the great and good qualities OF the pa
triotic man whose earthly remains now
rest beneath the dedicated monument.
1t was not my fortune to make the
personal acquaintance of Mr.. Lincoln
till the beginning of the last year of the
great struggle for national existence.
During those years of doubt and de
spondency among the many patriotic
men of the country, Abraham Lincoln
never for moment doubted but the Ii
nal result would be in favor Of peace.
union and freedom to every race IN tins
broad land.
His faith in an all-wisc Providence
directing our arms to this joyful result
was the faith of the Christian that his
Redeemer liyeth Amidst obloquy, per
sonal abuse. and hate undlsgul>ed,
which was given vent to without re
strant through the press, upon the
stump, and in private circles. he re-
mained the same staunch, unyleldlnS
servant of the people; never exhibiting
revengetul feelings towards hlSseducerS.
lie rather pitied them, and hoped for
their own sake and the good name ot
their posterity it might desist. 1t did
not occur to him ion single moment
that the man Lincoln was beng aSSaSSl-
mated. bat that reasonable Splnt'
waiting to destroy the tie}St govern
mcnt the sun ever >houe upon WAS giv-
inc vent to itself on him rs chief cNecu-
tive of the nation only because he was
such executive. As n lawyer IN Your
midst he would he would have avoided
all that slander. for his life was a 9ure
and simple one. and he no Ionbt would
have been 4 much happier man.
But.who can tell what might have
been the fate of the nation but for the
pure, unselfsh and wise administration
Of Lincoln. From March, 1864, to the
day when the hand of an assassin open
cd the grave for Lincoln, then President
of the United States, my personal reIa-
tons with him were as close, aSlntlmatc
as the nature OF our respective duties
would permit.
To know him personally was to love
and respect him for his great qualities
Of head and heart, AND for his patience
and patriotism. With all his disap
pointments from failures on the part OF
those to whom he entrusted command,
and treachery on the part Of those who
had gained his confidence bat to betray
it. never heard him ntter a complaint
nol cast censure for bad conduct or bad
faith.
1t was his nature to find excuses for
his adversaries In his death the nation
lost its greatest head. In his death the
South lost its most just friend.
TX Vice President ColtaX paid trlb-
ute OF respect to the dead, and remarks
were also made by Gen. Sherman, Wee
President Wilson, and Gen. w. f. Lin
don.
Robert 7. Lincoln, the only surviving
son of the deceased President; Mrs. l..
l.. Smith, a sister OF Mrs. Lincoln, and
other relations, occupied carriages, in
the procession. Mrs Lincoln was una
BILE to be present, as she is quite III at
her residence IT. Chicago