The true northerner. [volume] (Paw Paw, Mich.) 1855-1920, 1878-02-22
TIMES CHANGES.
Alexander III. stephens Euiogium Upon
Abraham Lincoln.

Alexander IL. stephens Euiogium UpoI
Abraham Lincoln.
Upon the occasion of the presentation
to Congress of Carpenters picture o.
Lincoln signing the emancipation proc
lamation, A. III. Stephens, ex-Vice Pres
ident of the Confederacy, delivered an
address, from which we make the fol.
lowing extract:
Every fountain of his Nincolns) heart wai
overlooking with the milk Of human kindness.
So much deeper, from my attachment to him,
was the pang in my own breast as we'll as in
those of millions at the manner Of his taking
OF. That was the climax Of our woe, of our
trouble, and the spring from which came after
ward ulnumbored woes AS to the great his
tOrical event which this picture commentaries,
and which wo are here TO commemorate this
IL subject, perhaps, as remarked my friend
from OHIO (Garfield), which the people Of this
day and generation are not exactly in q condi-
ton to weigh rightly and judge correctly. One
thing has been remarked. emancipation was
the chief object of Mr.. Lincoln. What was the
chief object? The idol with which his whole
soul was concerned was the preservation Of the
Union. IL the emancipation of the colored
race be a boon to that race, and Providence
has yet to determine that, it depends much on
themselves. IL it is, /, req resenting the South
ern States here, mSy claim in their behalf that
lIttuOU WAS never undIV
the Southern States sanctioned the Thirteenth
amendment, which they did every one OF them
and by their own constituencies.
L can say for myself. and for those Of my
immediate circle of acquaintances, and for the
whole Southern people, that there Is not one
who would charge the condition Of thing, re-
rui jngate the cOioIel man. or put him IN the
condition he was in before If there is one in
all the South who would desire such change
l am not aware of il.
Men of the North and of the South, of the
East and of the West, would to-day, on this
commemorating occasion, say: LET us one
and all within the sphere OF our duty, whether
in public or in private life, see TO 1t that We
do not violate that divine trust committed to
Us" Down South we are doing the best we
can for the colored people, hoping earnestly
that they will fit themselves for higher civil
izatior. The flag no longer floats over prov
inces, but States no longer over subjects, but
over citizens, white and black. Why can we
not look hopefully to the future? Let har-
mony and peace prevail let sectional strife
be done away with, and then there is higher
and grander future for Us. But If the embers
of the late most lamentable war are left, and
little additional frel comes 10 flame them up
again if the conflict of classes, the conflict Of
labor and capital, the conflict of race, that
profound chronological question which we have
all got to settle. and the most difficult one
ever committed 10 the consideration Of states
men and philanthropists, shall ever break out,
and these dangerous elements be again
aroused. greatly fear that the recent troubles
and disasters through which we have just
passed will prove to be but the shadow, the
penumbra OF deeper and more dreadful
eclipse which will come upon this continent,
blighting and blasting the best hopes OF man
kind. Should that be so, then some future
bard may sing:
The star of hope shone brightest in the West,
The star of liberty, the last, the best;
1t, too, has set upon her darkened shore,
And LIE home frnelnll lnhi earIn