Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1865-06-30
PAYNE. THE ASSASSIN.

he began by admitting, beyond cavil or
dispute that Payne was the man who at
tempted TO murder Mr.. Seward that he was
not insane, and that he (Payne) believed that
he was right in making the assault. In the
course Of his argument he gave the following
sketch Of Payne's life. which unfolds in
teresting chapter in the history Of the con-
spiracy
Lewis Payne Powell is the son Of the Rev.
George G. Powell. a Baptist minister, at
present supposed to live At Live Oak station,
on the railroad between jacksonville and Tai
lahassee, in the state Of Florida, and was
born in Alabama in the year l845. Besides
himself, his father had six daughters and two
sons. He lived some time in Worth and
Stuart counties, Georgia, and in 1859 moved
to Florida. At the breaking out of the war,
but four years ago, the prisoner was lad of
sixteen, engaged in experimenting his fathers
plantation and a number Of slaves.
! We may safely presume that, occupied in
the innocent pursuits Of country life, he daily
heard the precepts of the gospel from his
father, and tha. in the society Of his sisters,
the hardy life of the planter was softened by
the charms Of a refined and religious circle
and that in the natural course OF events he
wonld be day, as he was then, farmer and
an honest man. But in 1851 war broke out
the scourge and pestilence Of the race
The sigLal, which spread like fire, was not
long in reaching Live Oak station. His two
brothers enlisted, and Lewis, though but six
teen enlisted in Captain Stuarts company in
the I'd Florida infantry, commanded by Col
WaId, and was ordered to Richmond. Mr..
Doster proceeded to consider what in the
eyes Of this Florida boy was the meaning OF
the war, and what the thoughts that drove
him from a pleasant home to the field of
arms
The counsel pictured in vivid language the
auspices under which young Powell was
trained in a slave community, where it was
the custom to defend the institution of slave
ry in meeting houses, at political gatherings,
and in family places where it was practice
to whip and burn men who preached against
the institution, and to hunt fugitives with
. bloodhounds. and also those who helped them
to freedom. In the eyes Of the lad the war
meant to abolish this custom, and up-heave
society from its foundations. His Inherit
ance was to be dissipated, his vassal equal,
his laws invaded, his religion confounded his
politics heresy. For this the lad was going
to fight in the defence of social system. He
was going to fight in behalf Of the tradition
al rrecept OF the stste--to defend state rights.
For third reason he was going to fight to
show that he was q better man than the
northerners. under the deep conviction pre-
vailiog in his section that their blood and
breading were better than that of the north
erners. The fourth reason was to repel in
vasion.
These we're his incentives but he had been
schooled and trained to war by the bowie-
knife and pistol code of honor prevalent there.
A. D,alx II .as.
OF Gen. Lee, and was joined to A. p. Hills
corps. With it he passed through the penin-
suls campaign and the battle of Chancellors-
vile and Antietam. Here he heard that his
two brothers had been killed at the battle of
Murfreesboro'. Finally. on the Sd of July.
1868, in the charge upon the Federal centre
at Gettysburg, he was wounded and taken
prisoner, and detailed as a nurse in Penn
sylvania hospital. But there is third school
before him.
From Gettysburg he was sent to West
Building hospital, Pratt street, Baltimore,
and remained till October, 1868, when, see
ing no hope of exchange, he deserted for his
regiment Of cavalry at Fauquier. He re-
mained in that service till January l, 1865.
On that day, as we see by the narrative Of
Mrs. Grant. he saved the lives Of two Union
soldiers. About the same time, he, like many
other southern so.d.eis, began TO dispair Of
the Coniederacy, came to Alexandria, sold
his horse, gave his name as Payne, took the
oath Of allegiance as refugee from Fauquier +,
and went TO Baltimore and took room at
the house OF Mrs. Bronson, the lady he had
met at Gettysburg, and resolved to wait for
the return of peace.
, In this third school--the rebel cavalry--he
received further damaging training, and among
the people Of London and Fauquier, who had
Suffered most from the war, gained an added
acrimony and hate from those deemed their
oppressors. But there is a fourth school be-
fore him---the school of necessity. He was
in Baltimore, without trade or profession he
was unused to manual labor in perplexity,
he whiled away his time in reading medical
works and brooding in his chamber. While
in this condition the fracAs occurred at his
boarding house, by which he was arrested,
brought before the Provost Marshal and Or
dered north of Philadelphia. Everywhere
the sky is dark to him.
He is prescribed among Northern men as
rebel; despised among Southern men in Bal
timore as recfeant Southerner, and a by
, word among Southern men at home--a deser-
ter. Penniless and friendless, the world
seems to reject him and God and man to be
against MIN. i his Is the work OF civil war.
: HIS education is now completed. Slavery
has taught him to wink at murder; the South
ern army has taught him to practice and to
justify murder guerilla warfare has taught
him to love murder; necessity has taught
him resolution to commit murder. He needs
no further education. His four terms are
complete. He graduates an ASSASSIN, and Of
this college the people of the United States
have been the stern tutors, guides, and prof
fessors. Il needs now only that come one
should employ him.
, At the beginning Of the war Powell one
night went to the theatre at Richmond. 1t
was the first play that Powell ever saw, and
|, he was spell-bound by the magic influence Of
, the stage. He was attracted by the voice and
manners Of ono Of the aotors, J.Wilkes Booth.
Although private soldier, Powell considered
himself the equal Of any man, and after the
, play was over sought and gained an intro
duclon to the actor. Never were two natures
, thrown together so different, yet one 80 well
, calculated to rule the other. The soldier was
tall. rough. frank generous. illiterAte. the