The Sun.
London, England, 1865-05-04 00:00:00

The Lying in State,

The New York Z imes describes the lying in State
of the late President as exciting the deepest interest.
It had been stated beforehand—" The corpse has
been laid out in the room known as the ' Guests'
Room,' north-west wing of the White House. It is
dressed in the suit of black clothes worn by him at
his late inauguration. A placid smile rests upon his
features, and the deceased seems to be in a calm
sleep. White flowers have been placed upon the
pillow and over the breast. The corps will be laid
out in State in the East Room, in order to give the
public an opportunity to see once more the features
of him they loved so well. The catafalque upon
which the body will rest is to be placed in the south
part of the East Room, and is somewhat similar in
style to that used on the occasion of the death of
President Harrison. Steps will be placed at the side
to enable the public to mount to a position to get a
perfect view of the face. The catafalque will be
lined with fluted white satin, and on the outside it
will be covered with black cloth and black velvet."
The scene of Tuesday, the 18th ult. , is thus described :
—" It was publicly known that the doors would not
be opened till 10 o'clock this morning, but the crowd
began to gather at the gates by 8.30, and by 9.30 the
line, four and six people deep, was nearly a quarter
of a mile long. The arrangements at the house for
entrance and exit were the same as usual on New
Year's reception days, viz.,—entrance at the main
door, thence to the Green Room, thence to the East
Room, and out at the window by the customary
steps. It is scarcely an exaggeration to say that
25,000 persons passed through the rooms, and that
half as many more, seeing the immense throng,
were without trying to get in. The approaches
were guarded by a battalion of veteran reserves.
The East Room, in which the remains were laid,
was tastefully decorated in mourning, the work
being done under the supervision of Mr. John
Alexander. The windows at either end of the room
were draped with black barege, the frames of the
mirrors between the windows, as well as those over
the marble mantles, being heavily draped with the
same materials. The heavy gildings of the frames
were thus entirely enshrowded, while the plates of
the mirrors were covered with white crape. The
chandeliers at the western and southern ends of
the room were also draped with mourning, the
central chandelier having been removed to make
room for the catafalque. This was a very handsome
affair, the dais or platform on which the coffin
rested being raised some three feet from the floor
and covered with evergreens and japonicas. The
in
garfvehom were General Hitch-
cockncoarpv of several army and
and General Eaton, and Lieutenant-Comman-
yseoffiwcearss,
der Stone, of the Monitor Montauk. But a limited
number of persons were admitted to the house at a
time, and these were required to pass through as
rapidly as was consistentwith decency and propriety.
The expression and appearance of the people, as
they looked for the last time on the face of the
honourable dead, were conclusive, if further proof
were needed, that the great majority regard the
President's death as a personal and individual loss,
as well as a national calamity. Hundreds addressed
words of farewell to the cold and inanimate body,
and thousands passed from the platform with weep-
ing eyes. Every class, race, and condition of society
was represented in the throng of mourners, and the
sad tears and farewells of whites and blacks were
mingled by the coffin of him to whom humanity was
everywhere the same. The most touching exhibi-
tions of sorrow were made by many whose dress
marked them as of the poorer classes of society.
He was the poor man's friend,' was a very common
remark. The vast throng outside, as well as
inside, was quiet, orderly, and reverent all day,
though two or three hours was the: average
period of waiting for admission, and many persons
waited even five and six hours. The clerks of each
of the public departments were marshaled at eleven
o'clock, under their respective heads of bureaus, and
marched in grand and solemn procession into the
White House and past the body in the East Room.
Such intense anxiety was manifested to see the loved
face once more, and so many persons were unable
to get an opportunity to do so, that it is proposed
now to let the body lie in State during Thursday in
the Rotunda of the Capitol, and not start westward
with it before Friday. The features of Mr. Lincoln
retain their sweet, placid, natural expression, and
the discolouration caused by the wound is so slight
as not to amount to a disfigurement."

ERRATUM.—In the paragraph which appeared in
Tuesday's impression of our paper in reference to Martin's
picturo of the Coronation of the Queen, " commotions"
was, by an error of the press, misprinted for the sufficiently
obvious word " Coronation."

THE TESTIMONIAL TO MR. MANNS.—Our report
of the above was inaccurate in saying the
_testimonial was
presented to Mr. Manna by the directors of the Crystal
Palace. It was entirely got up by the season ticket and
reserved-seat holders, and Mr. Scott Russell was invited
by the committee to present it.
THE CONDITION OF THE PEOPLE OF ENGLAND
AND WALES.—Yesterday a return, moved for by Mr.
Baines, was issued, giving some particulars as to the social
and political condition of the people of England and Wales.
From 1831 to 1861 the increase in population has been
44.4 per cent., and the increase in population of repre-
sented boroughs 65.9 per cent. From 1832 to 1864 the
number of registered parliamentary electors in boroughs
increased 72.3 per cent., and the total county and borough
electors 56.7 per cent. From 1831 to 1864 the imports into
the United Kingdom have increased 249.96 per cent., and
the exports 350.92 per cent. The consumption of tea has
increased 195.36 per cent., of coffee, 38.5, raw sugar
119.26, wine 86.48, and malt 82 per cent.