Year: 1865




crowded It's utmost capacity long before the hour
for the commencement Of the services and one deep
all prevailing feeliog Of sOrrOw too deep for utter
snce. pervaded the whole vast audience The re-
marks by Rev. HOrato Stebbins, which were lis
tened TO in silence. only broken by the sobs Of many
weepers, were follows:


PaTishjoHsTS. FrieHiJ and CifiSens On the
last Sunday morning assembled here, according
70 consecrated habit yet with special Of grati
tude to Almighty God for the signal tokens OF His
providence IN the victories Of The rebel
capital and stronghold had fallen, and while we
yet mere IN places, though the fact had
reached Us. the Army Of Virginia with the Com
msndern-C Chief OF all the rebel forces had capitu-
lated 70 the Captain Of pursuing hosts. We
brought 10 our banner and hung it here. that
loving eyes might liuger its beauty and very
prayers nestle IN its folds. We raised our choral
song Of victory to Him who was. who is and is to
come; and when our service ended we went out
with reverent gladness and thanksgiving. But how
changed now the aspect Of our habitation : These
tokens Of public sorrow, these symbols Of grief are
indeed but feeble types Of the nations calamity.
Weep, o ye daughters Of the city. and bow your
selves ye strong men, for the agony Of the land
Ye choral company. sing no more exultaut hslleu
Jahs but mournful misereri


The President is dead And, although death it.
self, it comes in severe equality OF lot high and
low, Is not evil there are periods when the lives
Of men exceeding precious upon the earth, and
the wise and the good made the repositories Of
the trusts of mankind. There are times in which a
nation lean upon "a single man, and the life
Of n people Is vested in him. History has eras Of
great anxiety, and mankind personified in an
individual. The President such a man in such
period. Placed by free people. the expression
Of their principles IN times OF great public trial. he
won their respect their admiration and love. He
seemed Of US, and ours altogether; and we had en-
trusted all things to him As it is the habit of the
mind to live that which it loves, We felt that we
could not live without him. He so American
he human


But the death the President does not come to us
in the Deugnant order of that Providence which
ordans lot, and hath mercifully appointed unto
TO die. great crime has been committed
"A crime which, whether in the dark malignant
process Of its conception, or in the bold audacity of
Its execution, is without parallel in deeds OF dark
and blood The President Of the United s. ates
has been assassnated On Friday evening last ut
about ten o'clock ia Washington, that being about
half past six o'clock in this longitude, while sitting
with his family and friends in place of public
amusement and resort he received pistol shot, dis
charged by treacherOus ;, unknown hand, the per-
peSTGOr Of the deed making his escape in he midst
Of the general CONSERVATION. The President sur
vived, in state Of insensibility, until Saturday
morning, when, seven o'clock and twenty-five
minutes. surrounded by his family and the members
OF mis- Cabinet, he died; and while the morning sun
had glanced his beams the dwellings sf men
this shore Of the Republic, the President
no more


There are times when the mind itself refuses to
perform the offices of intelligence, and the heart,
eoageaed and dead, ceases 10 throb in sympathy
with the agony It feels The occasion oppresses me


equal 20 it and relieve myself by the con-
victiou that this Is not the time, were I able
to forth In adequate display OF hnman events the
nations calamity, your grief. the future of such
pOrtentoUs events. What We need present above
ali. preserve minds in squanimIty, sobriety
and resignation Our natural Indignation at the
dark deed struggles with grief, and the fires Of
sumberirg wrath fIsn against the troubled sky Of
oeTeaved Affections But let Us be calm. steady
determined aud tender OF heart. From present
Information, IL Is not known 20 what extent this last
and article OF the rebellion IS the result Of wide
aud deeply-laJ conspiracy whether IL be only the
insane rage Of the individual perpetrators. The
double asssssus;iOn mplies plot involving greater
or less number Of persons But whether those per-
officially IN league with the rebellion is not
yet known IL they stand Isolated IN this dark wick
etnes- and enterprise Of blood, summary Justice
msted out them. feeble that must be TO atone
for such a crime, i ali that 10. But IL it
shall appear that this plot laid the rebel Cap


al that IL had IN any way the moral support Of the
Jnsurgent leaders. then let the lightnngs wrath be
unsheathed hurl the last vestige of their habitn
ton from the earth. Let wait time and events
Let every man stand firmly IN his place and talk
calmly to his neighbor. II any man with low and
reckless nsoIeuce dares insult grief by asserting
his sympathy with this wickeiness let him be taken
by the delegated officers Of society and into
prison. But If any man, shocked by the dreadful
enormity Of this crime IS set free from his preudices
and springs with loyal love the he has hith
erO opposed, accept his confession, and receive him
brother beloved.


will not allow myself to think that even this
dreadful event can permanently disturb cause
That cause is bound to no man, however beloved and
honored but appeals again and again 10 the faithful
hearts Of the And il may yet appear that it
vas meet that the President should die By the hands
OF wicked men, and that, being lifted up, he might
draw all men unto him.


Let US indulge evil forebodings. Let US believe
N good, and act on our belief. There is much
anxiety concerning the man whom the PTesi'
dents mantle falls. He only retrieve himself by
noble efforts redress she wrong he has committed
against generous people Let us hope that he will
90 II, and let Us remember that many noble
have been enthraed by appetite, and have had their
chains struck off by the sudden blows of re-
sponsIbiiities. But is that fails let again
anu again to the rescue, remembering that our