Lexington weekly intelligencer. (Lexington, Mo.) 1871-1887, 1881-09-24
DEAD.

: 1u0 PlOS4ooub 10 0Ooos
o'clock last Monday night his spiri
winged its way to another. and may w
not hope a better world. There was nc
struggle at the supreme moment OF dis
solution. Major Swain his intimate
and personal friend was alone watching
al his bedside ut a few minutes before
ten when the president awoke and said
-"Oh, Swain, this terrible pain,'
placing his right hand on his breas
over toe heart. A glass OF water wa
given him, when he repeated, "Oh
Swain, this terrible pain! Press you
hand on it," lie then threw both hand!
up to the side and about on q line will
his head. and exclaimed, .'Oh, Swain,
can't you stop this ?" And again, "Oh
Swami"
Then his friend saw that he was dying
and the physicians and MIS-. Garfield
we're called in. At the first glance Dr.
Bliss said, Eyes; he is DYING" and his
faithful wife with a rare -iortitude took
his hand in hers, and bravely waited tol
the worst. But one exclamation es-
capped her, "Oh, why am I made to sui
ter this cruel wrongP" And why indeed,
good mother and tender wifeP Alas
so It is decreed, and bitter though the
cup may be it cannot be put aside. As
the sands Of lie run low the poor
sufferers mind wanders. As his rapid
y chilling fingers lie in the warm palms
OF his poor vile so soon to be q widow,
he is once more back at Mentor, and he
babbles OF those scenes where the hap
piest hours ofhls life were spent. He is
liz the dear old homestead again with
bis loved mes around him, his darling
children, his dear wife and his loving
old mother. The grim destroyer is
there; but his victim is unconscious Of
his coming. In the very article of death
he dallies amid the most sacred pleas
ures of his life. IT'S but for q moment.
but vino can tell how long. the dying
man lived in that moment? What
glimpses of time; and maybe of eternity ?
He dies. Within are broken hearts.
Without the wild waves Of the Atlantic
begin with their sad moaning the requi-
em which the morning shall find a ma
ion taking up. Everywhere patriot
hearts nus grieve that such things can
ue. Here IN America where the will oil
the people is the law OF the land; where
the laborer as citizen is the peer OF the
most oppnlent; here where an Almighty
and beneticsnt Providence has vouch-
safed such an abundance to man that
waste everywhere runs riot, . c~reature|
is found ''cruel as death and hungry as|
the grave" so lost to honor, SO devoid
OF shame, so reckless of consequence. as|
TO strike down in cold blood the ma
lions recently chosen chief. Noegreat|
political convulsion has caused an ex-|
citement which might palliate such al
wrong. With GOODNESS and calculation.
tor the most sordid of motives, the, as
sassin Stays his victim. o, shame; o.
sorrow!
But he is dead; and a nation mourns.|
No sects, no sections, no parties DIVIDE
US now. All are American citizens, with
heir dead to put sadly away forever out
of their sight. Like Nicanor of old bel
lies dead in his harness. But yesterday
|lnaugurated; the next day he isl
stricken down. What is our loss may
be his gain, for who can iorbear the
hope that as he has patiently laid upon
his couch of suffering his mortal faults
have been forgiven and buried in his
master, Christ Whatever these faults
have been they. are now covered with
the mantle of charity, and his virtues
live most wildly in u remembrance.
We recall that as a boy he was a loving,
honest and Industrious son; that he
mastered learning by the hard road Of
toll; that as teacher he was able and
kind that as husband he was faithful,
and as father was a~ffectionate and low
ing. We remember the patriotic i'm
pulse which made him a soldier in his
country's peril; the eloquence and talent
which won TOR him q foremost position
among statesmen. All j%ealousies are
hushed; all carping pat aside in the
presence OF death. Shot down while in
the discharge Of his duties, no doubt his
sick-bed thoughts were frequently filed
with anxiety for his loved ones 1t
should be the nations care that they
never come to want. While praying
The God of the widow and the orphan
to care for and protect them, each one
should feel it to be his duty to do some
thing toward that end. In public pro
test and in private deed every citizen
who loves his country should record his
abhorrence OF assassination as q m cans
to accomplish political ends. In Gods
name, and ior u country's honor, may
this crime be the last one OF its kind.
The Globe-D Democrat has this to say
in an editorial article. 1.-THE chairman OF
the demoorat,c state comm,ttae of Ohio