New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1881-09-28
EUROPE'S SORROW AND .SYlfp iTHy

Dwelling upon the National grief, Americans
may have failed to appreciate fully the won
derful EXPIRE ssion of sympathy and sorrow in
other lands. 1t goes without saying that nei-
ther Emperor, King nor President was ever
buried with such universal manifestations of
feeling. Never before have the Courts of
Great Britain, Germany, France, Spain and
Italy joined in honors to the dcau of another
nation. But this might be attributed to the
electric telegraph, which fuses all nations into
one. When we look more closely, however
different explanation appears
Much is due to the rare and beautiful charac-
ter of the man whose death enkIndled this
sympathy. The whole world came to know
him while he lay upon his bed of suffering
The singular union of gentcness and strength
impressed sensitive men elsewhere, IA it did
here. 1t is undoubtedly true that, if President
Garfield had died Immediately when shot on
the I'd of July, the sympathy OF the world
would have been far less active He lived
long enough to become widely known, and
therefore, long enough to become widely
loved.
But the tokens of grief in other lands have
deeper significance. The best expression OF
the prevailing feeling, among the people of Eng
land, is found in the striking admission of
The London Spectator that President would
one day rule in England. Here was n man
chosen to rule by popular suffrage. To him
came terrible trial, such as rarely comes TO
klng or President; trial to test to the utmost
the quality of the man, and therefore the wis
uoih OF those who selected him. Under
TINS strange and awful trial, the President
elected by free people bore himself so
grandly, so nobly, so royalty, that men every
where were moved to think more deeply and
seriously of the virtues of sclf-covernment
mat such man was selected by popular suf-
frage, and still more that such n man ,yos
produced by free institutions from bumhle
origin and frowning circumstances, has power-
fully affected the thoughts of mankind. not in
England only, but throughout The civilized
world.
The close tie of blood with the Mother land
we gladly recognize, and yet this lesson WAS
not Tor Englisl-s speaking nations only Wher-
ever there is lofty aspiration for self-goy-
efhmeht, wherever there is hope that
e'ecteu rulers may prove as wise and great as
hcrculIlry or other monarchs, there the Pres
ident's life, long trial, heroic endurance and
christian death, will have an extraordinary
power There may hereafter be a Pres
ident III England, but perhaps that form of
government is nearer at hand in other conn
kussia, Italy, Germany Spain, all have listened
TO every word from the deatl-bed of the late
President with tho same question, What sort
OF man does self-governmcnt give n nation for
its ruler :" The effect will be felt in wears
yet to come.
How lovingly the people of distant nations
have expressed their sympathy. Mourning
robes at the Courts of st. James and Madrid
are touching proofs of kindly feeling, but thew
do not mean more after all, than the bits Of
Grape on the whips of drivers of trucks and
omnibuses, the closed shutters of shops and
the suspension of traffic in the exchanges
The people spoke on Monday This was one
or the rare occasions on which their keen svm
pathy for ruler chosen by the people
could be freely and fifty expressed. Europe
we may well believe, said and showed less
than it felt. The divine right of Kings to
rule was not directly in question. But when
a man chosen from those who begin lfe with
labor OF the hands, and who lift themselves bv
Their own efforts only to fitness for high du-
ties, draws to himself the love and admira-
ton OF the highest and lowest in every civil
Hed iand, who can measure the consequences
twenty years from now we shall know better
than we do at this time what the life and
death of President Garfield are worth to man.
kind