Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1876-01-12

corruption ever stained his record; ard
it was ths pride of his life, the boast OF
his friends. that even his enc.
mics have borne willing testimo-
nv TO the purity of his
private and the honesty of bis public
life. II is yet toO soon to write impair
TALLY the history OF this remarkable
man, His combats are too recent; TOO
MANY OF the foemen with whom he con-
tended are still living; the flows he dealt
are vet too keenIy felt. The SHOWS OF
single winter have not yet fallen upon
his new-made gave In the village
church-yard. In il let him rest until q
future generation, unbiased by the
friendship or enmity OF the present,
shall sit in judgment upon his actions
and accord him that place In history
to which he shall be entitled. Ihe
thoughts, feelings and asp'rttions which
have occupied great minds in llfe nave
sometiu eJ been the burden OF their last
whisper, as they were being forever en-
veloped in the gathering shadows OF
death. When the great Nspoieon lay
diving in exile, long alter his splendid
career had closed, his mind wandered
back to the days OF his glory, when he
mica whose marches over Europe were
lighted with the constant blaze OF VIC
tory, be whispered, with falling breath,
the same martial words which had rung
over 81 many fields OF battle. When
the great English admiral, the heroic
Nelson, had fought his last fight, hsd
won his last great victory, and was be-
ing borne bleeding, dying, from the
bloody deck, he uttered those words
which have gone into history and been
inscribed beside his name high up upon
the roll of naval heroes. Andrew john
son when about to step across the narrow
stream which divides US from the broad
ocean of eternity which spreads out be-
yond, when the sound Of its rushing
wate rs was falling upon his ear, unmind-
full of the terrOr5 of the grim specter
whose shadOwy outline was drawing
near, said to those around him: "Let my
body be shrouded in the flag OF the ma
ton and my hesd be pillowed upon the
constitution cf my country" What
grander thought, what higher aspiration,
could fill the mind of an American pa
triot and statesman in the hour OF death?
No wonder, then, that those antagon-
isms growing out OF party differences
and bitter political strifes should have
been softened or forever obliterated from
the minds of his most relentless enc
mics, aud that all over the civilized
world men should feel that greSt
spirit had fallen when the Hghtning's
flash. f1yipp over valleys, along noun
tains, and under the pillows OF the ocean,
| brought the silent message: "Andrew
Johnson is dead!n The sphorism that
"republics are ungrateful can no longer
| hold place in truthful history. What
king or potentete ever received higher
honors from slaves and coUrLiers than
| the American people have conferred
upon this untitled republican leader,
making him the chief Tultr OF their ma
ton while living, and now that be is
dead the repre- II ntatives Of fifty millions
| OF freemen pause in the busint 30 of legis-
lstion to do honor TO his memery.
Every people, since the day the Romans
planted their great empire upon the
| banks of the Tiber, and the Greeks
spread their civilization along the shores
Of the Mediterranean, have done honor
TO the fame and achievements OF tie
great and illustrious of their cOuntrymen
! after they were Cead, whatever judg-
! mept they awarded them when living,
and they have filled their galleries with
paintings and studded their cities thick
/ with monuments in cOmmemoration OF
their deeds and in honor OF their memo
nv. NCr have we been less generous
to our illustrious dead than other
and older nations Of the world
The canvas upon which their fea'
lures have been portrayed herg from
the pillars and decorate the walls OF the
capitol, while the foIIas, cast in bronze
or sculptured in marble, stand In the al:
coves OF the rOtunda like silent sentlnel'
guarding the citadel OF free institutions
and American liberty. And though tho
glowing canvas may fade, the brass cor
rode, and the beautiful marble crumbs
into dust, yet their memory will live IL
story and song ss long as tradition shal
dwell in the human mind, and until tht
stream of human history shall be lost il
: the WaVeles3 sea If oblivion, Death ha
3 of verify been hurting its shafts q
shining marks, and taking its victim
! from the circle Of the nations grea
r men. Massachusetts has just burie'
Henry Wilson, her own great common
i er, who, like his distinguished compeeI
Z rose from the bumblest origin. 10 tn
8 ! highest stations and most distinguishes
= honors, and the emblems OF nnournin
9 that festoon this hall, and droop wit
? the half-mast flag of our country attes
1 the nations sympathy with the snclen
( commonwealth OF the east. In the pei
2 formsnee Of these ceremonies, It woui
e bs vel il we would foreyer forget the d.
y fsrences, growing as we'll out of the pIo'
: idence OF God as the folly Of men, whie
g have so long and Unhappily divide
J., those whoa the interest OF clyilj9atlo
|. and the destiny Of their race require
v be brothers not only in political relation
1 but in soc;a al fesling. 1t were better
y we could Consecfats this hour to th
It service of the liviCg as well es to th
i honor OF the dead by buryiDg in tt
e graves Of Andrew Johnson and Hem
q Wilson the bitterness and hatrads ~ 80 80,
l. have so long burned in the hearts of oil
f. people. Let Massachusetts and Tenne
u see Join hRpds over the tomta of the
It araat statesmen, and renew that bond
3 political union and fraternal atfectio
3 which once bound them 90 nearly t
:. gether. Though they have entered II
n valley of the shadow OF death, let
b emerge from the shadow OF our pa
8. misfortunes into the full brightness
1t that day the coming dawn Of which Q
'. ready begins to gild with golden azure Il
a. heavy clouds which have go long hui
h upon our own political horizon: No'
e, in the opening Of the Centennial year
G. our national life, before the comiI
i. spring shall ppread its vernal robe ov
at the graves Of our illustrious dead,
Of the yawning chasm rent by the thro
" of horlid civil war be forever close
Il. aud the blessings Of prosperity, go,
of government and perpetual peace
lg Vouchsafed to people who have ma
le Themselves worthy to receive them.
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