Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1868-04-15


"Novemb,r O. 1884" "a LINCOLN
OF course, the Commissioner did choose, a al
the holiday was given.
The autographs Of the beloved President are
eagely sought for. and highly valued; and as an
evidence Of this, may say that have seen a
simple card, similar to the one above alluded
to, on which some request was written by Mr..
Lincoln, elegantly framed and suspended in
the library of gentleman in Massachusetts,
and considered so precious a memorial that no
money can purchase it! And the last manu-
script he ever wrote with pen, on the even
ing of his assassination, Is sacredly preserved.
in like manner, in this city, by the gentleman
for whom il was written. do otknow how
can more appropriately close this, perhaps
already too long address, than by reading an
article prepared by myself for one of the city
newspapers, on the 23d Cf April 1865. Ii is as
follows:
'.On Friday morning last, at O'Clock, all
that was mortal of Abraham Lincoln, the SIX
teenth President Of these United States, was
borne from the Capitol, taking their departure
until the final resurrection.
"The past week has been q sad one to the
whole nation. 1t has been particularly sad for
Washington for here the unparalleled atrocity
that deprived a people of a President whom
they dearly loved and almost worshipped, and
came near snatching from them a Secretary of
State, particularly eminent for a head and a
heart that gave him an eIa Ialted place in the al
fections of all who knew him, was committed;
and as the awful news spread abroad on the
wings Of the lightning, it carried with il sad
great principles of humanity which were so
strongly implanted in the bosom OF our beloved
Chief Magistrate.
cat half-past ten o'clock on Friday evening.
the 14th instant, the bullet of the assassin sped
through the brain Of his illustrious victim,
and from that instant he was as IL he were
dead, although he continued TO breathe until
the next morning at % minutes past7
s'That Friday night was an awful one for
Washington. The theatre, where the horrid
event occurred, was filed with people, and the
appalling news spread. as ii were, IN a momen:
to all parts OF the city. There was no sleep that
night. The long roll-that startling call to all
military men. and 10 all civilians who under.
stand twas beat in the various camps within
and about the city, and the troops were speedily
under arms.
'sAh! then and there was hurrying to and fro,
And gathering tears, ana tremblings of dis
tress,
Blushed at the praise of their own loveliness.
.And there was mounting IN hot haste; the
The mastering squadron, and the Gathering
Went pouring forward with impetuous speed,
And swiftly forming in the ranks of war
"Many knew not, for a time, what ii all
meant, but every one knew that some terrible
calamity was upon US; and ere long the dread
reality that our President had been assa sluated
and our Secretary Of State stricken down by
the dagger of some fiend In human shane ca me
to be known, and Gordon of troops was soon
posted all around the city, 10 prevent, If pos
sible, any egress from 1t, and be prepared for
any emergency that an extended conspiracy
might render necessary.
There was general rush of our citizens to
Tenth street, where, in a dwelling opposite the
theatre, lay the dying form of Abraham Lin
coin, surrounded by his almost distracted Wife
his weeping SON, his Cabinet ministers, gener-
ais, eminent ply sicians, and many others whose
positions gained them ready admittance to the
SIDE of the dying President.
al hi hQd do in fba lx-
the morning. and there witnessed such a scene
OF solemnity and grief as / never saw before,
and hope never to see again.
"There was silence deep as death,
And the boldest held his BREATH
as II 1t were almost sacrIlege to interrupt the
solemn stiffness about that dying couch.
"The stern Secretary of War sat with his head
bowed down in grief; the good and kind Secre-
tary of the Navy stood as if transfxed with
sorrow; the ever mild and sunny countenan ces
OF the Secretary of the Treasury, the Secretary
OF the Interior, the Postmaster General, and
Attorney General, were row oyerspread with
the clouds OF distress and mourning; Major
General Halleck, who had naturally assumed
tbe direction OF affairs, was quietly moving
about, liking his large and most expressive
eyes on everything that seemed to require atten-
ton, and directing, in whispering tones Of sad
ness, what should be done. The noble form OF
Sumner, seated near the head OF the bed, was
bowed low, and tears were flowing from MANY
many eyes unused to weep.
"Not long after sunrise, 1 should think
tuNic COulu moi W ell De counted, ana the 0edN-
ems were weeping In gentle raln,) at the re-
quest OF some Of the personal friends of Mrs.
Lincoln, / went, in the Presidents carriage.
after MIS-. Secretary Welles, and ere l could
return the noble martyr had ceased breathing
/ witnessed the bearing Of the remains to the
Presidential Mansion; saw them removed from
the temporary comm in " hich they were borne
there, and from that time until they were placed
in the car al the railroad depot for trans porta-
tion to Illinois, / was much OF the time with
them. My official duties made me almost one
of the Presidents household, and, on all public
occasions, stood at his side or near i'm, and
telt as If, even had duty not demanded nv
presence. could not leave the Inanimate form
OF him Of whom had seen so much, and whom
loved so well in life.
The Gays of preparation passed by: the lying
IN state in the East Room, where thousands
stood al the side Of their beloved and martyred
chief and paid TO his memory the tribute Of
respect, with streaming eyes the funeral ser.
VICES, attended by the noble assemblage of all
whs aided the the Executive in the perform
ance of his arduous duties in Washington
hundreds of the most respectable civilians of
the country; the full diplomatic sorps, whose
rich dresses We're in marked contrast TO their
sad, sad countenances, for they all loved
Abraham lincOln-the mourners, not only of
the family, but from his native and his adopted
States: the reverend clergy in tull numbers.
Witnessed ii all.
81 listened with a most melancholy but
proud satisfaction to the religious services, full
OF submissive piety, but also full of exalted
patriotism. l saw the immense concourse OF
people, civil and military. who crowded Penn
sylvania avenue from Georgetown to the Cap
itol, as the funeral cortege passed along mark.
ing by their bowed forms, and their signs and
tears, their deep grief at the loss of one whom
they had looked upon as their father I saw
the sacred remains deposited on the catafalq ue
In the centre of the rotunda of the Capitol
with the semblagee Of grief all around il. and
heard the pious and eloquent Iii vine, who had
been from the first at the side of the departed
and his mourning family, DIR Gurley,) repeat
with great impressiveness. earnestness, and
devotion, SO much Of the burial service as was
appropriate, ending with prayer.
The crowd then departed. The guard of
honor, which had been ever present since the
sad catastrophe, consisting at least of one Ma.
ior General and his stan, and often of two, were
left in charge of the body.
" At eight O'Clock on Thursday morning the
coffin was opened and the crowd admitted, and
between that time and ten o'clock in the eve.
ming, nearly forty thousand persons looked in
sorrow and in tears upon that beloved face.
AT six o'clock q. m. on Friday, there were
ssembled in the rotunda all the Cabinet min.
listers, the committee who were to accompany
the remains, Rev. DR.. Gurley, Lieut. General
Grant, and many other high officers OF the
army, the police OF the Capitol, and few prom
inent citizens. DIR. Gurley addressed with
deep feryor and great impressiveness the
Throne Of Grace, and his prayer found a sol
emn response, doubt not, in every bosom.
"The cofin was then closed, and was borne
by twelve sergeants to the hearse, and being
escorted by a battslion of the Veteran Re.
serve Corps, was followed by Lieut. General
Grant and Brig. Gen Hardee. arm IN arm md