The daily Gate City. [volume] (Keokuk, Iowa) 1855-1916, 1865-05-06
THE BURIAL OF PRESIDENT LIN.
COLIN.

Des Moines, May l. 1865. Chairman
THE BURIAL OF PRESIDENT LIN.
COLN.
The sad pageant is ended. Abraham
Lincoln is gathered to the fathers. He
sleeps in 'the tombs of the Kings'-,y |!
of the immortals. Springfield. his home,
the beautiful. tree,embowered capital city
Of the Prairie State, has his grave; the
nition has his glorious life and deeds; the
world his memory and his death, which
last shall be the germinal of Gods con-
sunmatiug purpose of universal freedom
to the whole human race.
The close of the wondrous, sorrowful
drama. was touchingly grand and sppro-
priately correspondent to the whole course
of this unprecedented funeral. triumphal
procession Of him who, conqueror and
savior in his life, is IN ore than conqueror
and savior in his death.
"Wednesday opened bright and beauti-
full The funeral ccrtege was to arrive at
eight o'clock in the morning at Spring
field Long before that hour thousands
were gathered about the depot of the
Alton il Chicago Railroad, and the crowd
constantly increased. The roofs Of build.
ings and the sides of the rail track were
thropged. 1t was nearly nine O'Clock
when the "Plot Engine draped in black,
hove in sight. Ten minutes later the
train of nine cars, including the msgni6.
cent fuueral car (recently constructed at
Alexandra, Virginia, and to have been
presented to Mr.. Lincoln for lis use.
living, but now for the FIRST time en-
ployed to bear him to his grave) came
slowly up to the depot amid the sad, sad,
breathless silence of the crowd, who With
heads uncovered and fearful eyes re-
ceived, thus, fallen and powerless, to his
home, the erst living. strong, brave. no.
bic, honest, loving and loved citizen and
cherished President. A large military
and civic escort under Brigadier General
Cook received the cortege. The deep
booming of the minute guns alone broke
the silence that had fallen upon the city.
Mr.. Lincoln's remains were transferred
to the elegant hearse, drawn by six splen-
did black horses, sent by the citizens of
81. Louis for this purpose. The process
sion was formed and marched to the State
House. The cefia was placed ON the
catafalque. resting on the dais, under
meath the canopy in the Hall of Repre-
sentatives. and the lid removed. The
crowd looked upon our slain ruler. They
had wept when they had but looked upon
the external trappipgs of death. Here
was himself marred, as they saw, BY
traitors. 'Twere enough to make even
hate weep piteous drops. But for the
dsrkened brow and shrunken features, be
might have been thought to have just
fallen asleep.
The guard of honor took possession OF
the hall, under the supervision Of Brig.
Gen. Townsend. The crowd vas admit.
ted at the north entrance to the hall and
was passed out at the south eide. The
rush Of people, availing. themselves Of
this last chance of looking upon the face
Of the honored dead. VA. .incessant. Dur
ing the remainder Of the day and oil the
hours of the night the hall echoed 10 the
tread o. persons. That night scene; the
darkness relieved BY suspended chsnde.
labras in the hall; the black drapery; the
almost grim silence Of the guards; the
light cleaning upon their bsyonets: the
easy and noiseless motions of the watchers
and the palIor of that dead face, palsr BY
the night light, and the hue and drapery
Of black everywhere about it, made :
weird. strange. deep impression upon the
mind Of the beholder that The fight ol
years can hardly make fainter nor eveI
eff,ce.
The decorations inside the capitol vers
] Of great elegance, richneas and beauty
The Hall Of Representatives, Wherein
Mr.. Lincols Icy, vas gorgeous ia il
sombsr adornment.