Daily national Republican., 1865-04-25
NARRATIvE OF THE PHEsI-
.. SH'n nDENT.ss MURDER, " nI

: Commissioner FREscn, who was IN At.
tendance upon the President and his houss.
hold during the trying scenes Of the great
national calamity, has kindly furnished us
With the following connected narrative Of
the terrible sventg'HE 'aa .Ia ran.ErmE ~,
~ 'ntI wAsHiSoros, April %, 1885
On Friday morning last, a ~ o'clock, all
hat was mortal Of Abraham Lincoln, the
sixteenth President Of these United States,
Sas borne from the Capitol, taking their de.
paFturs for His homs in Illinois, vherO they
are 10 rest until the Anal resurrection, rr.,,
Tho past week has been sad one 10 the
yhols nAtion. It has been particularly sad
for Washington; for bers the unparalleled
atroeity that deprived people Of PrsSi.
dent whom they dearly loved and almost
Vorshippsd, aud came near bnAtching from
sifbm Secretary Of State, particularly emi-
mont for head and heart that gave him an
exalted place In the affections Of all who
know him, was eommittodI and As the awful
ssus spread abroad on the wings OF the light.
ning it carried with it-sAdness to every heart
that beat responsive TO the great principles Of
humanity which were 40 strongly implanted
In the bosom Of our beloved Chief Magistrate.
Al half-past ten o'clock on Friday even
ing, tho Nth instant, the bullet Of the assAa.
sin sped through the brain VI his illustrioua
victim, ani from that instant he was a. II he
were dead, although he eontriyed 70 breathe
until the next morning al ~ minutes past 7.
That Friday night was an awful one for
Washington. The theatre, vhare the horrid
event occurred, was filed with people, and
tho appalling news spread, o. II were, In \
nonsnt TO all parts.of tho city, There was
no sleep that aight. The long roll---thAt
startling call 70 all military men, and TO all
civilians who understand it---NRs beat In tho
various camps within and about the city, aud
the troops were speedily rnnder arms. me D.,
.'Ahi shsn sni there was .hurryinS 20 and fro,
And And ss,hsrlnS tear, and ,EssASnnss q Slstrss'
Bls,hed at ne praise q rheir own losslinsss
',And tbsre wat moantlaS 6 In hot has1s, thos,ead.
wsHt peuEinE forward with lmpetuops sPead,
And swif'ly forming In tho ranks ~ war ~ Z,
Many knew not, for q time, what II sIl
meant, but every ono knew that some terri
bic calamity was upon Us; and Gro long the
dread reality thai our President had been a.
sassinAtsd, and Our Secretary Of State stricken
down by the dagger Of some hsnd in human
shape, came 10 DO known, and a Gordon Of
troops was soon posted all ground the city 10
prevent, N possibls, any sgreas from II, and
be prepared for AnyAmergeney thai an en-
tended conspiracy might render necessary, \
There was general rush Of our citizens 70
Tenth Strsath, where, in q dwelling opposite
the theatre, lay the dying form Of Abraham
Lincoln, surroundad By his almost distracted
wife. his weeping son, his Cabinet Ministers,
generals, sminspt. physieiNns, and many 9th
ora. whose positions gainAd them reAdy ad.
mittancs 10 the side o. the dying President,
. e. sN..I - Ii. k.Aatda In. Nka a. a knun. "a
Tia morning, and there Witnessed such scene
. Of solsmnity and grief ~ ! nsyer saw before,
and hope never 10 see again. M -. \, ~,
fai''Thsra was silence deep a. death, .
1.F And the bOldsst held his breath, !"
q n 10 wore almost SaeTilage 10 Interrupt the
solsmn stiffness sbont that dying couch.
The stern Secretary Of War sat with hli
hsAd bowed down IN griefi the good aud kind
seoretaEy Of ths Navy stood aa II tTAnsaxsd
with sorrow the aysr mild and sunny ooun'
tsRanesS Of the Secretary OF the Treasury.
| the Secretary Of the Interior. tho Postmaster
General and Attorney General were nov over,
spraAdi with the clouds ot distress and pouTn-
lag, Major 0snsral Hallsck, who had natu.
rally assumed the direction Of Affairs, was
quietly moving about, fixing his large and
most expressive eyes on everything that
seemed 70 roqulro attention, and directing, In
Whiopered tones OF sadness, What should b
done. The nobls form Of Summer, seated
neArths head Of the bed, was bowed low, and
tsars Ssre apving from many, many eyes pp'
used 10 weep aat y nl II satsii 30 .,.,,...
Not long after. snnrise, should think,
time could not we'll y oeanted, and ths
heavens sers aEesplpg " = gentle raip,l a
ne request Of some a the Persopal friends d
Mrn. Lincoln, Wept, In tha Pfesident'a car.
Eiags, after Ms. Secretary Wellss, and ere ]
could return the noble martyr had ceased
BREATHING witnessad the hearfDR OF tho