Daily Ohio statesman. [volume] (Columbus, Ohio) 1855-1870, 1865-05-01

THE battle of Lake Erie, which had beer
placed in new and more favorable posi-
ltion the large catafalco in the centel
with its black covered dais and banks o
flowers, and softened and subdued ligh
falling upon the whole scene, impressed th'
Ibeholder with the idea that here was thu
most appropriate place that could be select
led for the solemn ceremony about to taxi
aplace.
THE COFFIN IN THE RoTUNDA.
AT about nine o'clock, the advanc'
1of the procession with the funeral car O.
lhearse arrived at the west gate of tn,
Capitol Square. Here the coffin was re
moved from the hearseby soldiers, by whom
lit was carried past the guards ranged along
THE avenue, to the west front entrance Il
ithe Capitol, followed by the pall-bearer
land Others in the procession. AS the coflil
Twas carried in, over the outer entrance tt
lthe, Capitol were seen the words-"GoI
Moves IN A MYSTERIOUS WAY"-and in al
aarch over the entrance at the West gate
these words in large letters =" "OHIC
gMOURNS." The coffin was silently de-
sposited on the dais prepared for its recep
ition, and elegant wreaths of flowers were
placed at each end and upon its upper sur
face. The Rev. Mr.. FELTON,, standing by the
coffin, in the presence of few military ant
civil dignitaries, offered up brief, but ap-
spropriate and solemn prayer.
VIEW OF THE DECEASED PRESIDENT.
At a quarter past nine o'clock, the face
lof the deceased President was exposed tc
public view. The people came in at the
West entrance, and passing up the platform
steps, filed off on each side of the coffin
The arrangement was such, that every per-
son in passing had close and full view OF
the face. After this view, the visitors, as
they happened to be on the one side or the
other of the coffin, passed down the plat
form steps, and so out of the exit doors on
the north and south fronts of the Capitol.
Across the rotunda to the entrance and exit
doors, strips of thick carpet were laid down
to prevent the loud sounds that would other
wise be made by walking on the marble
floor and up and down the stone steps,
Every thing was arranged in the most COM
plete, and we may add, in the best possible
to enable all who desired it, to pay
their last respects to him who was so lately
our Chief Mag istrate.
There was no mistaking the features OF
that face presented to view in the coffin.
They were evidently those of Abraham Lin
coin, and yet oh how changed from the
features of the man by that name whom
we saw in our same Capitol little over
four years ago. Though the face was easily
by every one who had seem
the living President, yet it was pale, sallow,|
sunken and haggard. There was the un-
seal of death upon it, which the|
art had been powerless to con-
ceal. The old features seen all these weary
days of the nations anguish in the win!
1ows and upon the streets all over the city B
the old features representing the focus of
all this nations love and gratitude since|
peace dawned upon restored Union, and|
4 firmly established nation-the old homelyl
benign features stood out, and were still rel
,ognizable, but it was not the genial face,
Of the living man, Abraham Lincoln; and
hose who saw it on Saturday for the first
lime, can gain but poor idea of the kindly
md intelligent countenance as it was whenI
by vitality. Theeyes are sunken,I
,he face sallow and somewhat discolored,I
,he lips so tightly compressed that theyI
ieem to be but a straight, sharp line. There
was no evidence visible of the method on
his death. The beard, which commenced
1t the lower part of the chin, is about twoI
inches in length, and the hair is brushed
back from the forehead. The body isl
;lothed in full suit of black; black silk
,ravat encircles the neck, over which turnsI
! narrow collar.
THE REMAINS ON VIEW.
Those who had the first view of the latel
Presidents body, were mostly of the mill
tary.. These passed in, with quick, yeti
olemn step, at the rate Of lao per minute,
,r of about 5000 per hour. Then came upi
he various orders, associations, societies.
ind citizens, who had helped form the grand
procession. Civilians passed by the coffin
1t the rate of 100 per minute, or of about
1000 In the course of an hour. The personsI
Who participated in the procession wereI
nearly or quite an hour in passing through
he Rotunda. r
Then came forward all classes of society,"
among whom were the ladies. !
Many were blooming youths and littlel
The young, the old, the middle
,ged, the rich and poor, the influential andI
obscure, all joined in this last tribuGe of re-
;pect to the memory an6virtues Of the de-
leased. AS they came up the stairs to theI
their eyes took in the catafalco \
IS they stepped upon heplatform they saw|
,he flowers that covered the body OF theI
,oflin; then, suddenly, as the one before
passed on, the face OF the dead Presldent|
,ame full and close in view, startling from|
is sallowness to those SO accustomed to see|
he life-like portraits prevalent throughout
he city; they took one long eager gaze,|
till moving, for no time could be allowed
o any to stop, and then passed down the|
itairs. There was no time for the exhibition
If emotion, yet there was noticed in EACH
Iome peculiar evidence of 1t; insome asud- \
len start, in some women a sudden biting
If the lip; but there was grief upon every
lace, and many women when they went