Saturday press. [volume] (Honolulu, H.I.) 1880-1885, 1881-10-15


dashed to the ground. 1t was hardly pos
siblc but that the idea would be circulated
that he had consented to the murder Of
Abner.
But that which he felt to be a moment of
weakness and the collapse of all his hopes,
proved TO BIO the hour of his strength and
the fulfillment Of oil that he desired.
For when it was seen that he attended
in person the funeral of Abner, and com
posed dirge for the OCCASION
Died Abner as n fool dieth
Thy hands were not tied,
Nor thy feet pat into letters;
As man falleth before wicked men,
So fellest thou
and when it was further observed that the
King abstained from all refreshment on the
day of the funeral until the sun had gone
down, he won the hearts of the people from
Dan to Beersheba; and the representa- lives
of all the tribes Of Israel came to David to
Hebron, and said, =" Behold, we are thy
bone and thy flesh" And they anointed
David King over Israel. And SO out of
weakness he was made strong. The con-
solidation of his kingdom, the extipguish.
ing of the animosities and jealousies which
for seven years had kept Israel and Judah
apart and the establishment of David's
throne from Dan to Bcersheba, were the
results that issued from the assassination of
Abner.
And if it be yet too early to predict the
results of Garfed's assassination, there are
indications that they will not be dssimiar
to those that followed on the death of
Abncr. The same sense of weakness and
prostration at the loss of the Ruler of the
Nation spread through the American people,
as David acknowledged at the death of
Abner. But out of that weakness there
has shot forth an element of strength. And
to-day, the strength Of the American people,
is seen in the burying in the Presidents|
grave of political feuds and animosities, and|
the jealousies of rival parties, and all that
could hinder that union which is the|
strength of nation. To-day, America isl
strong, not only in herself, in the union of
heart with heart from the Atlantic to theI
Pacific, but strong also in the sympathy of
the civilized world, and notably in theI
sympathy of the elder branches Of the!
Anglo-Saxon race.
Whatever asperities of feeling, or jeal-
ousies, or animosties have existed, or haves
been supposed to exist between England
and America, are to-day forgotten. TheE
message of England's Queen expresses tho
sympathy of the English people. In the
deep feeling of their common brotherhood,1
the English speaking races, on either shore
of the Atlantic are, to-day, united in heart
as closely as were Israel and Judah in they
reign of David.
From the contemplation of these happy
results, let US next inquire what lessons ourH
Heavenly Father would have us learn froml
the dreadful crime that has been committed
1.-The fallen prince has left to the
world noble example of duty performed
in singleness of mind without any regards
to Interior consequences.
By the Constitution of the United States
the President is made tho official head of the.
nation, and in appointing to the various
Offices of State, is vested with an authority
more absolute than that of the Queen of
England. With that authority comes thel
weight of corresponding responsibility. Thel
question that the President has to decide isl
this !: Shall he exercise that authority With
out fear and without favor, yielding to noi
pressure, either of friends, or factions,
doing nothing by Partially; not distribu.
ting offices as rewards to the leaders of al
political campaign, but appointing to each
Office OF state the man most fitted to dis.
charge it's duties for the country's veal.
"Woe unto thee, Oh land, when thy Kings
is child" says the wise Monarch, and
President Garfield recognized that it wouldS
be woe to the great nation, whose Chief
Magistrate lie was called to be, if no did noti
exercise his executive authority with single!
eye to his country's good; but should allow
himself, as n child, to be the tool of polit.I
ical faction, or the obedient servant of self
appointed Tutors, who claimed to have theI
direction of his appointments.
But now whilst the nation weeps for itsI
loss, it may well be proud of the man Who'll
has upheld the dignity and independence of
the Presidential Throne and exposed him.
self to the assassin's bullet in his steadfastI
resolve to be no party to the corrupt admin.
istration of public affairs.
1t is grand and noble example that heI
has left behind him, an example not onlyI
to those who shall follow him as the Chief
Rulers of a mighty people; but an example,
which all may set before themselves who!
are called to exercise any office Of govern!
ment over their fellowmen, from the hight
est position to the lowest. How hard it is!
to fulfill it's duties with strict impartiality Il
What temptations there are to show favorsi
to one man because of his wealth, and dist
regard another because Of his poverty InI
the administration Of justice, how often the
law is enforced upon the poor, whilo the,
wealthy law.breaker escapes The mourn.|
ing for President Garfield will not bel
without its results, it everywhere tho,
prayer goes forth from no feigned lips forI
grace to follow his good example OF dis-|
charging whatever responsibility may rest
on each without fear of consequences, and
with the only anxiety to do what is good
and right and best.
1.-THE tragic death Of President Gar.
field appears to me to be a call to the civil
ICED world to examine tho foundations of