The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1868-05-23

~Sos W W PitCH vi IdudtiCicui, IL Wh'Sh
they really believed they would be patriots
and martyrs in taking his life. even at the
cost OF their own ; that they had bound them
selves by oaths to assassinate him; that
vast excited crowd would meet him at the
depot of the Northern Central Railroad,
fight would be got up in the crowd, and this
would be the signal for the attack on his per-
son. and in the melee dozen desperate men,
armed with revolvers and dirks, each sworn
to take his life, would be upon his path, and
that he, Mr.. Pinkerton, felt moral convic-
ton that he could not pass from the Calvert
Street depot to the Washington depot, mile
and half, in an open carriage, alive. Both
Judd and PinkerIon pressed these and other
corroborating facts upon him with all the
power which they possessed. He remained
silent lew moments, and it was suggested
that he should change the programme and
take the night train for WASHINGTON that yery
night. MIR. Judd said to him: ."These proofs
cannot be now made public, as the pubfcs-
ton OF the facts would involve the lives of
several of Mr.. Pinkerton's force, and. among
others, the life of Webster, serving in a rebel
company under drill, at Perryman's, in Mary
land.D Some other conversation was held
between him and Mr.. Judd, in regard to the
construction that would be placed upon his
conduct ii he changed the programme and
went directly to Washing on. Mr.. Judd
then asked, will you, upon any statement
Which can be made, consent to leave for
Washington on to-nisht's train? Mr.. Lin
coin promptly replied, "No, cannot consent
to do this. l shall hoist the flag on Indepen-
dence Hail tomorrow morning (Washing-
tons birthday, and 60 to Harrisburg to-mor-
row, and meet the Legislature of Pennsyva-
mia; then | shall have fulfilled all nv engage
ments. After this, it you Judd, and you,
Allan tPinkerton), think there is positive
danDpr in N atfa.nntinr 10 I, ,rI,D Dol
timore openly, according to the published
programme-if you can arrange any way to
carry out your purposes. l will place myself
in your hands," ''Mr. Lincoln saws Pinker-
ton, "said this with tone and manner so de-
cislve, we saw that no more was to be said"
1t was finally arranged between, Judd,
Pinkerton, and the officers of the Pennsyl-
vania Railroad that special train should
leave Harrisburg at 6 P. M, the next evening,
and bring Mr. Lincoln to Philadelphia in
time to take the IL O'clock train going
through Baltimore to Washington, on the
night of the 22nd, This train was to be de
tanned until MIR. Lincoln arrived; every con-
tingency, in regard to the connection of the
trains and possible delays, was most skill
Iully planned, so as to secure connec-
lions and the certainty of going through ON
time.
Meanwhile to prevent this change being
or information of this change of route being
known, and leaking out in any way, the Su-
perintendent OF the Telegraph Company, at
the instance Of Mr.. Pinkerton, sent a practi-
cal telegraph climber to isolate Harrisburg
from telegraphic communication with all the
world until Mr.. Lincoln should reach Wash
ingtOn.
On the morning of the 22d February Mr.,
Lincoln visited old independence Hail." and
until atC hn,. ro.1 n
His speech on this occasion was the most
impressive and characteristic of any which
he made on his journey to the Capital He
gave most eloquent expression to the emo
tons and associations suggested by the day
and place. He declared that all his politi-
cal sentiments were drawn from those
which had been expressed in that Hall He
alluded most feelinSly to the dangers, and
tolls, and sufferings of those who had adopt
ed and made good the Declaration of indie
pendence: that declaration which gave prom
Use that lin due time the weight would be
lifted from the shoulders of all men," Con-
scious OF the dangers which threaten his
country, and that those dangers originated
in opposition to the principles of the Decla-
ration OF Independence, and knowing that
his own lite was even now threatened tor his
devotion to liberty, al d that his wav to the
National Capital was beset by assassins, yet
hC uiO uOO uCoildIc W u6cldl6 L0aG he would
rather be assassinated on the spot than sur
render those principles"
During the same night on which Pinker-
toms disclosures were made to Mr.. Lincoln,
+. W. Seward, Esq, arrived &C Philadelphia
having been sent by his father to warn him
CT the danger which was awaiting him at
Baltimore. Facts had come to the knowl-
edge OF Secretary Seward and General Scott.
coroborating the evidence which had been
tod n...lx-
ence OF the conspiracy. This circumstance
rendered Mr.. Lincoln less reluctant than he
had been to consent to the arrap gements for
his passage through Baltimore on the night
of the 22d.
Mr.. Lincoln on the same day, the 22d of
February went to Harrisburg, was cordially
received by Governor Curtin and the LegisIa-
ture, and vast crowd of citizens. At six
O'clock an engine and one passenger-car were
standing on the track leading to Philadelphia.
Soon after, eXcusng himself on the ground
of fatigue he left the dinner-table, went to
his room, changed his dress for travelling
suit, and, with broad bIimmed felt hat
(which had been presented to him in New
York;, he went quietly to side-door, got in
to carriage in waiting, and was driven,
with enc companion Ward FL. Lamon,. rap
idly to the car which awaited him, and was
soon speeding on toward Philadelphia. The
secret OF MS departure was known to but
very few, and by them disclosed to no one.
On his arrival at Philadelphia Mr.. Lincoln
was met by Mr.. Plnkerton, taken into
carriage and driven to the depot OF the Phil
adelphia, Wilmington, and Baltimore Rail
road, Mr.. Pinkerton timing their arrival so as
to reach the train just at the moment of de-
parture.
The officers of the road, to prevent the pos
sibllity OF the departure of the train before
Mr.. Lincoln was aboard, had instructed the
conductor not to leave until he received
package or important Government dispatch
es, (which must go through to Washington
that night" Mr.. Pinkerton had caused the
three sections of the sleeping-car, which was
On the end of the train, to be taken, and his
agent stood at the door, which was locked,
awaiting the arrival of the party. When the
party appeared the door was opened, Mr.. Lin
coin stepped in, went to his berth an officer
OF the road handed the package of Govern
ment ispatches-consisting OF some numbers
OF the New York Herald, carefully sealed up
and addressed to the Secretary OF State
and instantly the whistle sounded and the
train was whiring on toward Washington
bearing in security not Caesar and his for
tunes" but Lincoln and the destinies of the
republic.
So skillfully had the matter been arranged
that no one in Philadelphia had seen Mr..