Elko independent. [volume] (Elko, Nev.) 1915-current, 1915-04-16
ABRAHAM LINCOLN 9
THE BEMEFACTOR

vote for president Of the United Stat
es was announced to be 212 for Lin
coin and 81 for Mcclellan, comments
the Sparks Tribune. The oath Of Of
fee was administered by Chief Justice
Chase. 1t was Lincoln's second in
auguration, in March 4, 1865.
In his inaugural address, Lincoln
said: With malice towards none,
with charity for all, with frmness in
the right, as God gives us to see right,
let us finish the work we are in; to
bind up the nations wounds, to care
for him who shall have borne the bat
tie, and for his widow and his oprh-
ans; to do all which may achieve and
cherish a just and a lasting peace
among ourselves and with all nations.
Fifty years ago, April /, 1S65-on
Good Griday-Mr. Lincoln, in compli-
ance with the request of the proprie-
tor, visit Ford's Theater in Washing
ton. Preoccupied, as he was, with
public duties and questions of future
policy, he felt little inclination to go;
but as the announcement that he
would be present had been made pub
lie he determined to give an hour or
two to relaxation. In the midst of
the performance, while sitting in the
presidential box, which adjoined the
stage, in company with his wife and
two friends he was attacked by an
assassin, who. bursting suddenly up
OF him shot him in the back Of the
head with a pistol, and then leaping
upon the stage and brandishing a pis-
toll shouted: sic Semper Tyrannis-
the South is now avenged" and disap-
peared in the street.
There, mounting a fleet horse which
was in readiness, he effected his es-
cape almost before the astounded
audience were aware of the tragedy
that had happened. Between the
deed of blood and the escape of the
assassin there was not the lapse Of
a minute.
President Lincoln was carried to a
neighboring house, where he expired
the next morning, April Is. The
horror and alarm which this act filled
the community at that time cannot
be adequately described. Almost with
ono accord the people realized they
had lost a friend and a father, one
who, through good report and through
evil report, amidst the cares and en-
barassments such as have rested up
on n ruler, had borne himself with
a meekness and patience, a dignity
and rectitude, and had exhibited
withal an ability which challenged
the admiration of the world. Stricken
down by an assassin's hand at the
and answering trust in the result of
the war for the union were about to
meet their reward from a people
whose confidence he had already
largely received, he passed more deep
ly into the affections of his country
men han ever before.
A kindly, humble simple hearted,
and upright man, without learning,
with little training in craftsmanship,
he had succeeded in fulfilling a great
public trust, partly by the exercise of
natural sagacity, but chiefly by his
moral rectitude and abiding trust in
the providence of God.
There is probably nothing in all
English literature more beautiful than
the following speech of Lincoln at the
dedication of Gettysburg. 1t reflects
the SOU of a perfect man, and it will
live as long as the English Language
es is spoken:
"kourscore and seven years ago our
fathers brought forth on this CONT
nent a new nation conceived in liberty
and dedicated to the proposition tina,
all men are created equal. Now we
are engaged In a great civil war test
ing whether that nation or any ma
ton SO conceived and so dedicated
can long endure. We are met on a
great battlefield of that war. We
have come to dedicate a portion of
that field as u final resting place for
those who here gave their lives that
that nation might live. 1t Is slto.
gether fitting and proper that we
should do this. But, in a larger sense,
we cannot dedicate, we cannot conse.
crate, we cannot hallow this ground.
The brave men, living and dead, who
struggled here, have consecrated 1t far
above Il poor power to add or de-
tract. The world will little note nor
long remember what we say here, but
IT. can neve forget what they did here.
1t is for us the living rather to be
lRZAI.r.