Twice-a-week plain dealer. (Cresco, Howard County, Iowa) 1895-1913, 1900-09-11
Editorial from the Plain Dealer Of
April Fl, 1865.
THE pREs1pENrIAL AssAss,N.r1o.

CONSEQUENTIAL ASSASSINATION
The land is in mourning! A grea,
man has fallen!l The hand of an as
sasslan has stricken down in the prime
OF life the chosen ruler of the peopley,
a pail overshadows the land in whose
darkness dwell a chilled and awe
struck people. 1t is not alone in the
hags tapping at half mast, or the
gloomy appearance of draped facades
that we see the evidences of bro Their
hood OF sorrow, but in the thoughtful
LOOKS, the downcast eyes and deeply
suodued tones, of all classes, ages and
conditions, that we discern the i'm
pressive tokens of popular sorrow.
Neverin our history have we had such
cause for lamentation. Had our Chief
magistrate been removed from the
scene OF his usefulness by dise2se or
accident, instead of having been
struck down by the brutal rage of a
wild and Infatuated assassin, the shock
would have been less severe to the
moral sensibilities and refinement of
of the age.
1t is an assault upon the charact r
ana representation of the people in
our form of government; it is an in
suit to the sovereigns, to the people.
by striking out of existence the chos-
en- representative of their sovereipnty
Ihls too, when at the very gat way of
peace, which he was about to enter
with the American people, makes it
calamity embodying all that is dark
calamitious and horrible, at this crisis
OF The Republic. The grave misfor-
tunes to result to our torn and bleed
ing country from Mr.. Lincoln,s death
cannot be estimated. Should his sue
cessor reject the conciliatory policy
which Mr.. Lincoln had decided to
adopt for the restrora ton of the,bonds
OF fraternal peace, then indeed will
his loss prove irreparable.
He had prepared and was about TO
promulgate general proclamation of
amnesty to his misguided and deluded
countrymen, SO honorable in all its
provisions as to have restored peace
and federal union upon the basis of.mu-
tual good will, with the constitutional
restrictions and limitations set for the |
administration of the government by
the Fathers.
Thus it would seem all our calami-
Ties are concentrated in the fatal mo-
ment to overwhelm the people with
untold Affections and calamities.
His voice will be heard no more in |
the cabinet echoing the words of peace
and forgivness, that he so strongly |
uttered short time before passing
into eternity. The living always hon
or the dead in completing their I'M
labor of love. No filter
or better tribute can be giyenl
to the memory of the deceased by
those In power, than the fulfillment
of his wishes. No filter requiem to
the memory of Abraham Lincoln,
than the song of peace swelling up
from the gleatful hearts of his coun-
trymen. Abraham Lincoln needs no
hecatombs -let his grave forever re-
@gat4 Q 4npQluted BY the blood OF his
rigor, deal with the murderer; but the
work of the statesman and mission of
the hour, is peace. Let not the hor-
rid deeds of a single individual promp-
ted by his own wicked and unnatural
impulses shape the policy of strong
government, and blight forever the
hopes that SO recently electrified the |
whole continent. Let not the legiti-
mate sorrow Of the people for their
chosen ruler, degenerate into an I'M
relenting, vindictive hatred toward a
people wholly unconscious of the ter
rible crime that has been committed.
Rather let it be said that the germ of |
of peace was planted by the hand of
the honorable dead, and that his sue
cessor will nourish and cherish it, I'M
til it shall flourish as tree planted
by living waters, and become monu.
ment to his fame.
------..-z-----2--------
nj