The Texas Republican. [volume] (Marshall, Tex.) 1849-1869, 1854-10-21

On Friday, the 3Oth Of January, the
President, with some o-n,b.,s Of his cahi
net, attended the funeral ceremonies 81
Warren u Davis, Esq. in the hall ol the
House OF Representatives, nj which body
NJ, DAVIS had been member from the
State ol South Carolina. The procession
had moved mt with the body. aud ITS front
had reached the tool OF the broad steps OF
the eastern po'ilco, when the President,
with Mr.. Wo,dbury, Secretary 81 the
l'reasnr,, and Mr.. Mahlon Dickerson, See
Rotary OF tie Navy, were issuing from the
door ol the .grea, rotundn which opens
urnn the poftko At TIM. instant per-
sou stepped FROM the crowd into the little
open space Ia front OF the President. level
ed pistol at him. nj n distance OF about
eight feet, r"d attempted to lire 1t was II
rercassion lock, aud the cap exploded with
out firing the powder in the barrel. The
explosion OF the cap was so loud tina, tRauy
thought the pistol had fired heard 1t Mt
the foe, OF the s,ere, far from the place,
and a great crowd between. Instantly the
person dropped the pistol which had miss
Ell Ere, took another which he had ready
cooked in the lei, hand concealed by "A
cloak, leveled II. and pulled The trigger II
was also percussion lock, aud the cap
exploded without fling the powder In the
barrel. The President instantly rushed
man .hrank back Mr.. Woodbury. atnee
5 blow at him; Lieu,enan. uedg.y. OF the
navy, knocked him dow. he WAS secured
nv the bystsndefs, who delivered him 10
the officers of Justice tor Judicial exams
nation.
The examination took place before the
Chief Justice of the District. Mr. tranch.
hy whom he WAS committed IN de'anii os
bail. His name was asee'iaiued to he
Richard Lawrence, an EugIisbman b,
birth, and house painter by trade, at pres
ent out OF employment, melancholy, and
rrsscible. The pistols were exsmi ed and
found to be we'll loaded aud fred. after
wards witbou, fail, carrying their bullets
trne, and driving them through inch boards
at thirty feet distance; nor could any rea>
son be found for the tHo failures At the
doors Of the rotunda. On his eSar,'na>
ton, the prisoner seemed to be at his ease.
ax IL unconscious of having done anything
wrong refusing to cross examine the wit
nesses who testified against him, or to give
any explanation Of his conduct The idea
Of an unsound mind strongly impressing
itself upon the public opinion, the Marshal
Of the District invited two of the most RS
pectahle ply .iclsns Of the city lDr. Csns
sin and Dr. Thomas Srwell) to visit him
aud examine into his mental condition.
They did So, ard the following is their re.
por, upon the case;
"jhe undersigned. having been request
ed b, the Marshall of the District OF Cos
Iumbia to vis, Richard lawrence, now
confined in the jail Of the county "f Wash
invtou for Al xtt.mpi 10 dssassinat" IN"
President of III. United States, with view
10 ascertain, rs fst rs practicable, The pres
en-, condition OF his bodily health aud stat
Of mind, and be'iesinr that a detail OF ~"
examination will he more satisfactory nan
an abstract opinion on the subject, we
therefore give the following statement
On entering his room. VIZ engaged 'n \ Tree
conversation with him. in which he psrt'c'.
rsicd, apparently, in the most "''less and
reserved manner. tn. frs, ln,errogatoty
propoundsd was 40 10 his sge, which que'
Ito" alone he rpcrtively declined answer
ing. We then inquired into the condition
Of his health for several years past. 10
which he replied tha, il had bee" uniform
" good, and that he had never lsbored nm
de-, any mental arrangement; nor did h.
admit the existence Of any 81 those symp
toms Of physiesl arrangement which us"'
| ally attend mental sl.uxt,on. lie said he
was born in England aud came to th''
country when twelve or thirteen years q
age, and that his father had died In this
District, about six or eight ysa's since
that his father WAS u Protestant and hi
mother Mt,hodist. and thai he was not
professor OF any religion, but sometimes
read tho bible. and occasionally attended
church. liz stated that he wss painte'
by trade. aud had followed that occupasio'
to the present time but. OF lats, ecsld no
aud steady smploy msns, velch hsd cassst
mach pecsnissy embara1UIh with him
that hs had becn generally temperate In hi
habits, using ardent spirits moderately rhc'