New-York tribune., 1881-09-08
A DAY OF PRAYER.

The love of a free nation is worth more than
the crown of any monarch. What despotism
could have done more for man than the will
ing, hearty, and eager affection of the people
has done for the President? Nothing that
science could propose for his comfort or safety.
nothing that the ingenuity of most inventive
nation could devise. nothing that affection could
suggest, was wanting when his time of need
and trial came. At a word, powerful corpora
tons put their best brains and most skilled
machinists and engineers at work for him. At
word night was turned into day, where hun
dreds of men created new railroad for his use
and perfect hospital on noiseless paper wheels
was made i'll seven hours out of an ordinary
frame. AT word, all the traffic of great com
panies was arrested, that no hoarse shrek of
passing trains should disturb the rest of the
sufferer Without word, the finest palaces of
comfort were placed at the Presidents disposal.
Stranger still, great throngs of eager and low
ing people, who gathered at stations all along
that memorable journey, kept back the cheer
of natural enthusiasm, and stood in silence with
uncovered heads as the peoples President was
whirled along to a new chance for life.
1t is a grand nation, after all. It's faults are
many, but we have right to be proud of it
when any great emergency comes. Then the
true manhood of fifty millions of freemen is
shown, and that love which no emperor living
or dead could buy or win. We may be proud
of the nation, and of the President whose per-
sonal worth has kinded the nations love. 1t
is something that the nation can do wonderful
things, but much more that it does them when
they are richly deserved. Marvellous inventive
genius, wonderful power of organization,
glorious discipline and self-restIa aint, are all
well but it is better that the nation has been
wise enough to choose a true statesman and a
Christian hero as the object of its warm love and
unfaltering trust. The people are worthy of
such President and the President is worthy
of such a people.
The President has borne the journey well.
The inevitable reaction and prostration, after a
day of great excitement ard fatigue seem to
have passed away, leaving the patient stronger
than he was before the trip began. Yet it must
have been singularly exhaustng. Think how
many strong and hearty men went home on
Tuesday night fairly worn out with excitement,
from watching the haf-hourly dispatches which
told the story of that great ride for life Then
think how much greater the excitement must
have been to worn and weakened man. after
nine weeks of suffering, taken for the first time
from his quiet ick-room, knowing taat it was
life or death to him, seeing at hundreds of sta
tions the anxious throngs standing with I'M
covered heads, and realizing that millions were
bowng in prayer to the Omnipotent, at that
very hour, that his life might be spared Such
anxiety and such excitement, with the physical
fatigue of a long journey by rail on one of the
hottest days of the year. might easily have pro-
duced fatal reaction. That the President has
endured 1t ALL and seems at this time better and
stronger, proves that the resisting power of his
good constitution has not yet been wholly ex-
hausted, and gives reason to hope that more
healthy surroundings and conditions may re-
store him to life.
Human skill and human love have done their
best. The issue rests with the Infinite Ruler,
before whom the people of Newly will bow
to-day In obedience to the proclamation of