The Hawaiian gazette. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1865-1918, 1881-10-12

sible but that the idea would be circulated
that he had consented to the murder CT
Abner.
But that which he felt to be moment of
weakness and collapse of all his hopes,
proved to be the hour of his strength, and
the ful6llment of all 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 fool dieth
Thy hands were not tied,
Nor thy feet put into letters;
As a man falleth before wicked men,
So fellest thou;
and when it was further observed that the
King abstained from all Refreshments 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 representatives
of all the tribes of Israel came to David to-
Hebron, and said, 90 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-
solidatiou of his kingdom, the extinguish-
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 Garield's assassination, there are
indications that they will not be dissimilar
to those that followed on the death of
Abner. The same sense of weakness and
~ fba Lose &c fba D,lo 80 ~
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 President s
grave of political feuds and animosities, and
the jealousies of rival parties, and all that
could hinder that union which is the
strength of a nation. To-day, America is
strong, not only in herself, in the union of
heart with heart from the Atlantic to the
Pacific, but strong also in the sympathy Of
the civilized world, and notably in the
sympathy of the elder branches of the
Anglo-Saxon race.
Whatever asperities of feeling, or isal-
ousies, or animosities have existed, or have
been supposed to exist between England
and America, are to-day forgotten. The
message of England's Queen expresses the
sympathy of the English people, in the
deep feeling Of their common brotherhood,
the English speaking races, on either shore
of the Atlantic are, to-day, united in heart
as closely as were Israel and Judah in the
reign of David.
From the contemplation of these happy
results, let us next inquire what lessons our
Heavenly Father would have us learn from
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 regard
of Interior consequences.
By the Constitution of the United States
the President is made the 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 the
weight of corresponding responsibility. The
question that the President has to decide is
this Shall lie exercise that authority with
out fear and without favor, yielding to no
pressure, either of friends, or factions,
doing nothing by Partially; not distribu-
ting offices as rewards to the leaders of a.
political campaign, but appointing to each
Office of state the man most fitted to dis
charge its duties for the country's veal.
i" Woe INTO thee, Oh land, when thy King
is child" says the wise Monarch, and
President Garfield recognized that it would,
be woe to the great nation, whose Chief
Magistrate he was called to be, if he did mott
exercise his executive authority with single
eye to his country's good; but should allow
himself, as child, to be the tool of poit-
ical faction, or the obedient servant of, self
appointed t1tors, who claimed to have the
direction of his appointments.
But now whilst the nation weeps for its
loss, it may well be proud of the man who
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 a grand and noble example that be-
has left behind him, an example not only
to those who shall follow him as !he Chief
Rulers of mighty people; but an example
which all may set before themselves whol
are called to exercise any office of govern
ment over their fellowmen, from the high
est position to the lowest. How hard it isl
to fulfill its duties with strict impartiality d
What temptations there are to show favors
to one man because of his wealth. and dis
regard another because of his poverty! InI
the administration of justice, how often the
law is enforced upon the poor, while thel
wealthy breaker escapes The mourn
ing for President Garfield will not bel
without its results, if everywhere the
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 call to the civil
lied world to examine the foundations of
loyalty and reverence for Rulers IN thej
hearts of the present creation. When the
Young Amalekite eame to David With
Saul's crown and bracelets, and boosted of
having slain him, expecting to receive al
reward, he was met with the stern enquiry
how vast thou not afraid to stretchI
forth thine hand against the Lords snoint-
edP" The words imply that all right
minded men shrink with special abhorrencel
from taking the life of the Chief
Ruler of a nation. The Temple of
every mans body is sacred as thei
Lords handiwork, and of every,