Memorial Address on the Life and Character of Abraham Lincoln: Delivered at the request of both Houses of Congress of AmericaBancroft, George
History
Memorial Address on the Life and Character of Abraham Lincoln: Delivered at the request of both Houses of Congress of America
Bancroft, George
Lincoln, Abraham, 1809-1865
The members of the Senate and House of Representatives now assembled in
Washington, humbly confessing their dependence upon Almighty God who
rules all that is done for human good, make haste, at this informal
meeting, to express the emotions with which they have been filled by
the appalling tragedy which has deprived the Nation of its head and
covered the land with mourning; and in further declaration of their
sentiments unanimously resolve:
1. That in testimony of their veneration and affection for the
illustrious dead, who has been permitted under Providence to do so much
for his country and for liberty, they will unite in the funeral
services, and by an appropriate Committee will accompany his remains to
their place of burial in the State from which he was taken for the
national service.
2. That in the life of Abraham Lincoln, who, by the benignant favor of
Republican institutions, rose from humble beginnings to the heights of
power and fame, they recognize an example of purity, simplicity and
virtue, which should be a lesson, to mankind; while in his death they
recognize a martyr, whose memory will become more precious as men learn
to prize those principles of constitutional order and those rights,
civil, political, and human, for which he was made a sacrifice.
3. That they invite the President of the United States, by solemn
proclamation, to recommend to the people of the United States to
assemble on a day to be appointed by him, publicly to testify their
grief, and to dwell on the good which has been done on earth by him
whom we now mourn.
4. That a copy of these resolutions be communicated to the President of
the United States; and also, that a copy be communicated to the
afflicted widow of the late President, as an expression of sympathy in
her great bereavement.
The meeting then adjourned.
* * *
The funeral ceremonies took place in the East room of the Executive
Mansion, at noon, on the 19th of April, and the remains were then
escorted to the Capitol, where they lay in state in the rotundo.
On the morning of April 21, the remains were taken from the Capitol and
placed in a funeral car, in which they were taken to Springfield,
Illinois, accompanied by the Congressional Committee. Halting at the
principal cities along the route, that appropriate honors might be paid
to the deceased, the funeral cortege arrived on the 3d of May at
Springfield, Illinois, and the next day the remains were deposited in
Oak Ridge cemetery near that city.
President JOHNSON, in his annual message to Congress at the
commencement of the session of 1865-'66, thus announced the death of
his predecessor:
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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