The Indianapolis sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis, Ind.) 1880-1904, 1885-03-03
Then and Now-IS6f-'s5.

Twenty-four years ago this morning, Mr..
Buchanan, last of the Democratic Presi-
dents, sat in the White House, grave and
carevorn. Only three days of Democratic
rule remained. Already Mr.. Lincoln, in
mis- rooms at Willard, awaited. with q sense
of conservation, the coming OF the eyentful
csy that would usher in the Republican
regime.
at this time the flag OF the United States
was flying at but three points in tue seven
seeded States. Two months before Robert
Toombs had said in the Senate: I'VE are as
ready 10 hight now as we ever will be. / will
have equality in war" Mr.. Jefferson DaYis
had been President OF the Confederscy
for two weeks and the "bonuie blue
flag was to be unfolded tdree days later.
Ooe hundred thousand soldiers were under
arms IN the Confederscy TO be compacted
into any army that very week. The South
was atiame with excitement and the senti-
ment of the North was rapidly hardening
II to resol utior. The Anglo-Saxon blood was
up in the veins of Puritan and Cavalier,
snd war was inevitable. II was amidst this
gathering storm, soon % burst with IN
equallt fury, that the strong HANDS OF Lin
coin to the reins Of government from the
honest cut uncertain grasp of Buchanan.
The state man gave place to the hero-the
diplom-t to the martyr. The Democratic
party lde long farewell to power, and the
Reput leans entered upon csreer OF splen-
dor and corruption.
A quarter of a century has passed since
that day. a war without parallel in scope
ard energy has swept the land. The graves
Of 500, 600 heroes testify to the val0r o. the
survivors. From the wreck OF battle the
Union has been saved. Five millions OF
slaves have been freed and enfranchissd.
The right OF secession. submitted to the YER
6iot of the sword, has been cat down for
ever. An indissoluble Republic of equal
L ,ot 0f A. he.
and tenderer and stronger and better
people rise up to cali IL blessed.
President Lincoln, kiadhest I'D greatest
of Republicans, met thu death thRt shadow
ed his lofty life II the hands Of an assassin.
His party, sine~y AID heroic IN bis strong
hands AID strenuous times, was corrupted
aud inhamed under weak leadership and
circumstance. II LETT the strsislf and siu.
pie path, with charity for all and malice
| toward none" be bad pointed out and filed
the devious ways OF passion and partisan
| ship The high pulsing emotions that under
his ringin invocation inspired his soldiers for
battle, we're prostituted to the doubtful uses
| of the politician, aud strife and bitterness
| divided his people, long after the South bad
| surrendered in perfect good faith and the
| North had with frank respect accepted her
| shtathed sword.
at lsst-after long wanderings and more
| Stubborn ACKNOWLEDGEMENT than We should
| rave had If be bad been spared, but, In the
| patient wisdom of God, at last-all this has
| pasSed, and the era of restored amity and
! confidence has opened before us. Poor as
| the South is and has been-impoverished as
| she ia by the loss of four hundred million
| collars worth of slaves and the subversi0n
| Of her 81 cial and industrial system-desolate
/ as the ravsges of war left her smiling valleys
| sDd bare her red old hills-pitiful as was the
| resource out of which she has bravely and
| hopefully builded her new pros perity ten
thousand times more does she value the
| Democratic restoration for the assurances II
| gives of full peace and reconciliation be-
tween the sections, than for all the spoils OF
| tower ten such restorations might bring.
| Ii is fit, then, that We should SCI
in appostion the two great chapter:
! of our later history-to-day the going
out of the old Democratic dynasty-nex
| week the coming of the new. Let Us take
| to our hearts. in the moment of our triumph
the noble words uttered by Mr.. Lincoln in
his hour of trial-let us maze the shibboletl
OF the new era of peace and good the solemn
sentences with which, in his inaugural, be
met the era OF strife and war-glorious word:
| that, stretching as bow of promise across
the gulf OF twenty-five dark and troublous
years, prefgure the cloudless sunshine aud
prosperity to come:
| We are not enemies. but friends. We must no
| be enemies. Though passion may have strained
| il must not break. our bonds of affection. The
| mystic cords of memory, stretching from every
battlefield and patriot grave 10 every living heart
| yet swell the chorus OF the Union, when AGAR
touched. as surely they viii be, by the bette
| angels of our nature.