Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1865-06-21

man attar snrTender, and who were command. |
ed by ofHcers who had violated their ostns 70
the JInited States; an army that believed any
means iustifiable that helped the cause OF
Southern Independence; and finally an army
that held the person and Cabinet OF the Preei.
dent Of the United States in holy execratlon.
This is the horrible Generalization OF civil
war, and on these responsible for this war
should rest the responsibility Of the acts OF this
plastic boy who came into the world in the
year of the annexation Of Texas; has lived but
four administrations, and Is younger than the
last compromise with slavery. He is the moral
produc tot the war and belongs to those who first
How does he differ from the other rebel sol.
ders The best rebel soldiers have fired at
Mr. Lincoln and Mr.. Seward; have approached
the city by stealth from Baltimore and aimed
to destroy the Government by sudden blow.
So did he. The best rebel soldiers have picked
off high officers of the Government Kearney,
So did he. What then has he done that every
rebel soldier has not tried to do! Only this,
he has yentur red more, he has shown higher
courage and better hate, more ready sacri.
fee. He has aimed at the head Of a Department
instead of the head Of Corps.
To us the President appeared as the savior
of nation from civil war, and MIR. Seward as
the great pacificator, the Savior from foreign
war; but to this boy and Ave millions Of his
fellow countrymen, the one appeared as an
usurper invader, and violater Of laws and
destroyer Of life, liberty. and property; the
other as an adviser in oppre ssion, and slip
perry advocate OF an irrepressible conflict He
y,
cause he surpassed 1t In courage; and he dlf-
fered from patriot and martyr, simply be.
cause he was mistaken in his duty.
But there is q third school before him. From
Gettysburg he was sent to West Buildings
Hospital, Pratt street, Baltimore, and remained
until October, 1863, when seeing no hope OF
exchange he deserted for his regiment ana
cavalry at Fauquier. Not being able to get
through our lines, he was Joined to this arm
OF the service, and remained In that service
by the narrative OF Mrs. Grant, he saved the
life Of two Union soldiers. About the same
began to despair Of the Confederacy, came to
Alexandria, sold his horse, gave his name as
Payne, took the oath Of allegiance as a refugee
from Fauquier, and went to Baltimore and took
a room at the house Of Mrs. Branson the lady
he had met at Gettysburg, and resolved to
wait for the return of peace.
In this third school-the rebel cavalry SER
yice-he received further damaging training
and amongst the people OF Loudon and
Fauquier who had suffered most from the war,
gained an added acrimony and hate for those
deemed their oppressors
But there is fourth school before bim-the
school Of necessity.
He was in Baltimore without trade or pro-
fession. He was unused to manual labor In
perplexity about his future-for the little
money he got for his horse was fast going-he
whiied away the 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,
IL, r.
dered north Of Philadelphia. Everywhere the
sky is dark to him. He is prescribed amongst
northern men as rebel; despised amongst
southern men in Baltimore as recreant south
erner, and by.word among southern men at
home as deserter. Penhiless and friendles
the earth seems to reject him and God and
man to be against him: This is the work of
civil war. His education is now completed.
Slavery has taught him to wink at murder; the
southern army has taught him to practice and
Justify murder; guerrilla warfare has taught
n mn hos 70 nnhf h,vvn
resolution to commit murder. He needs no
further education; his four terms are complete,
and he graduates an assassin! And of this
college we, the reunited people of the United
States, b ave been the stern tutors, guiaes and
professors!
1t needs now only that some one should en-
AT the 1ss a H Powell night
first play that Powell ever saw, and he was
spell-bound with the magical influence Of the
stage, but was chiefly attracted by the voice
and manner of one Of the actors, ]. Wilkes
Powell considered himself the equal of
any man, and after the play was
over sought and gained an Introduction
10 the actor. Never were two natures thrown
together so different, yet SO well calculated to
rule the other az d be ruled. The soldier was
tall. awkward, rough, frank, generous and H.
lterate., The actor was OF delicate mould,
polished, graceful, subtle, with a brilliant
fancy and an abundant stock Of reading. They
enough 81 anonar to sof e eere
Booth over the prisoner, and parted not to meet
for nearly four years. In the twilight of that
memorable day in March just depicted, Pow
ell was dragging himself slowly along the
street past Barnum's Hotel, a poor creature
overcome by destiny. Suddenly familiar
voice hailed hum: Looking up the steps he saw
the face Of the Richmond actor. The actor on
his side expressed astonishmentt to find Powell
lin such plight Powell answered him in
few words, "Booth, want food, I am starv-
ing" Under other circumstances Booth might
have given him bread, but he was filled with
a mighty scheme, for he had just come from
Canada ana was lying in wait tor agents. He
to wind about him his tolls, saying 81 will
give You as much money as you want, but you
must swear to stick by me 1t is In the oil
captious OF oaths, and Powell then
swore that fatal cath binding his soul
as firmly to Booth as Faust to Mephistophiles,
and went in and feasted. Next morning Booth
gave him money enough to buy a change of
clothing and keep him for week. Powell
now grew anxious to know what plan 1t was
that was to make him rich. but Booth an
swered evasively that it was the oil business.
He knew well enough that he had to do with
desperate man, but he knew also that any
proposition OF guilty character might as yet
Mr.. Doster proceeded to describe and narrate
in, animated language the manner in which
his victim, depicting to the prisoner the wrongs
Of the South and the guilt Of her oppre4sors,
and wrought him up to pitch OF phrenzied
passion 10 dvenRe the wrongs or dis COUNTRY
and set himself right with his countrymen, who
despsed him as recreant.
Booth saw his victim was ready, and has.
tened to impart his mysterious plans The
plan was to 60 to Washington, take a ride
with confederates on horseback to the Sol
diers' Home, capture the President, and de.
liver him to the rebel authorities On the
evening Of the 14th OF April, at s o'clock,
Booth told him the hour had struck, placed in
his hands the knife, the revolver, and the boz
gus package OF medicine. and told him to do
his duty, and gave him a horse, with direc-
tons to meet him at the Anacostia Bridge, and
ne went and did the deed. H. said MI. Dos
ter, shave asked him why he did it," HisonIy
answer is, 4" Because believed 1t my duty
Mr.. Doster proceeded to argue that Payne at
the time he committed this deed, had no will OF
his Own, but had surrendered his will com.
pletely to Booth, under that influence, that
complete supremacy OF one mind over another,
that has gone by various names amongst
various nations, and which we call mesmerism
Booth was person peculiarly gifted with this
unacconntable influence; and the prisoner was
further held to Booth by the ties Of gratitude,
by his oath, by ties Of interest, and BY ties of
q Urn m fhu in