Lincoln Assassination
We give the following from the Detroit Tribune, touching the dreadful event of the President's death:
"A most fearful calamity has fallen upon the nation! On Good Friday night, just after pious hearts all over the land, in solemn litany, had prayed for deliverance from "all privy conspiracy and rebellion, from battle and murder and sudden death," the president of the United States was shot by a bold assassin, while witnessing the performance, at Ford's Theatre in Washington. In all aspects the tragedy is appalling. But it does not stand alone. Horror is heaped on horror. In another part of the same city, the distinguished Secretary of State, confined to his bed from a painful and dangerous accident, was attacked by an other assassin, and stabbed three times in the neck. The President died to-day, April 15th, at 22 minutes past 7 o'clock. And the Secretary of State also expired this morning, at 9 o'clock and 45 minutes. Thus, almost simultaneously, the nation loses two of its greatest and purest men.
"What shall we say of such an event as this, which has plunged the whole people into sincere sorrow? Never did a nation have a more manly, pure and magnanimous ruler, than Abraham Lincoln. A child of the people, simple in his tastes, void of selfish ambition, not of great intellect, but possessing strong understanding and sagacious perception, with a kind word and a smile for everybody, patient under irritation and disaster, conspicuously faithful to principle, and incorruptible as St. Paul, bending in modest service to hear and obey the real voice of the people, he will live in their affections as long as our history shall stand. No wonder the tears came into the eyes of strong men, and their voices quivered, as they met on the street, and spoke of the murder of these men in cold blood. In the very hour of proudest triumph, just when he had returned from the conquered capital of the insurgents, where one might have thought his real peril lay-just on the threshold of a second term of the Chief Magistracy, which his countrymen by an overwhelming majority had given him-just when the grim clouds of war were breaking away, and the glorious sunlight of Peace was cheering every household in the land-just when a stricken race, lifted by his mandate into Liberty, was pouring benedictions upon his name, the brutal assassin took his life! With Abraham Lincoln, falls the great central figure of this most remarkable era in our National history. Others are more eminent than he, in particular walks: but as the Chief Magistrate, by virtue of his important public acts, and the many peculiarities of personal character and administration, he stood out to the view of the world more than any other. All men now mourn him as a sincere, good man. His frailties were amiable, and will be even dear to his countrymen, who will venerate him next only to Washington among our public men.
"If Wilkes Booth be indeed the assassin, as seems most probable, we have in him concentrated the hellish spirit of the slaveholders' rebellion-the spirit that made trinkets of the bones of our dead heroes, and drinking cups of their skulls-that left torpedoes in deserted fortifications-that butchered our negro soldiers captured in battle-that starved our prisoners at Andersonville-that sought to lay our Northern cities in ashes. We have no doubt that this most foul and unnatural murder will be traced to the arch-fiends who have just fled from the rebel capital. Those men are equal to any crime in the bloodiest calendar of human wickedness. They began in perjury and robbery-have waded deep in patriotic blood shed by their treason, and they will close their career in a mere revengeful tragedy of poison and assassination. Did the nation in its ecstasy of victory, forgetful of the true character of these men, and threatening to fall on their necks in unconditional forgiveness, require this dread tragedy to arouse it to just efforts for its future safety? God forbid! But it is not for us to fathom the arcana of Divine Judgment.
"Mr. Lincoln and Mr. Seward, thus fearfully murdered by the assassins of Rebellion, would have been in all probability more kindly disposed to repenant insurgents, perhaps even to contumacious rebels, than any other two men in high public positions. Mild and affable in disposition, generous and highminded, we cannot recall a harsh expression ever uttered by them as to future pains and penalties. Rebellion has assassinated its most kindly and lenient judges. It may now look for the lightning and the whirlwind-the faggot and the scourge. It will by its own act have brought upon itself a retribution that the people in love and hope of fraternity in the future might have put to rest.
"This dreadful affair seems to have been planned for execution last March, but miscarried from some cause. There is, however, great significance in the occurrence of the assassinations at this time. As we know, negotiations of an important character are pending at Richmond, in which the President and Secretary Seward were to bear the principal part, and which might have borne important results for the Union cause. In view of this event, may not the calamity to the country have been precipitated in order to secure the advantage of time to the rebel leaders?"
Another daily paper has the following:
"The assassination of President Lincoln and Secretary Seward last evening has thrown an impenetrable gloom over the nation. Had the first-born of every household been struck down in death, the grief and sorrow could scarcely have been more universal. Every one feels that it is no ordinary calamity which has overtaken the nation; every one in vain tries to penetrate the future, and divine, if possible, whether this is but the opening scene of horrors which will appal the world."
April 18, 1865 UrSe, ARSH 156
