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and though life was not extinct for nine hours thereafter, he gave, thenceforth to his death in a neighboring house, at 7: 22 next morning, no sign of intelligence; and it is probable that he never on earth knew that he had been shot, or was conscious even of suffering, much less of malice and murder.
A merciful heaven, that knew his work was done, now flung open its doors to receive the Savior of the
Union, and the Deliverer of the African race.
From no lips could the eulogy of
Abraham Lincoln fall so gracefully, as from
Charles Sumner's:
In the universe of God there are no accidents.
From the fall of a sparrow to the fall of an empire, or the sweep of a planet, all is according to Divine Providence, whose laws are everlasting.
It was no accident which gave to his country the patriot whom we now honor.
It was no accident which snatched this patriot so suddenly and so cruelly from his sublime duties.
The Lord giveth and the Lord taketh away; blessed be the name of the Lord.