Bellows Falls times. [volume] (Bellows Falls, Vt.) 1856-1965, 1868-07-17
washington Correspondent Of the Cincinnati Com
mercial.l
Colfax ut the Death of Mr.. Lincoln.

d
Iwashins.on Correspondent Of the Cincinnati Com
Colfax at the Death of Mr.. Lincoln.
The day that Mr.. Lincoln saw the last
of earth he asked Colfax, whom he warm
ly esteemed and relied upon, to accom-.
pany him to the theatre that night. 1t
was the day but one before Colfax was
to start on his Rocky Mountain trip.
Colfax replied! "It is impossible, sir
all my time is engaged.
"What kind of play is this 'Ameri-
can Cousin, Colfax? asked the President.
Mr.. Colfax said it was just the thing
to be amused with and made forgetful of
ones self.
"Then," said Lincoln, "here is a lit.
tie message l want you to carry to the
miners. Let me read it to you."
And, while they waited at the office
door, Lincoln read to Colfax his last
composition in this world, and then placed
it in his side coat pocket.
Good-by," said Lincoln. I'll tele-
graph you at San Francisco.
That night Colfax, going home from a
visit to the Postmaster General, who
lived I'believe, in the speakers present
residence, passed by the Metropolitan
Hotel. Seeing o crowd there, he hurried
by, as is his wont when there are indica-
tions of quarrel, but man cried:
"Colfax!" The Speaker stopped.
:" The President has been murderedi"
said the man.
The Speaker laughed in his face.
"Why, l left him" he said "not more
than an hour ago."
swell, sir, I was in the theatre my
self, and saw him shot,"
At the word theatre" Colfax saw it
all. He hailed cabman and was driv-
en- to the White House. There he dis
missed the carriage. Ringing the bell,
the porter said there was no doubt the
President was murdered, but his body
had not come home. The Speaker walk~
ed with Senator Conness down to the lit
tie brick house where Mr.. Lincoln lay
dying, and being admitted, stood by the
martyr till daylight. Soon after the life
of Lincoln expired.
This accident links Mr.. Colfax to Lin
coin as closely as Grant, and both
were probably nearest the Emancipator's
thoughts when he received the disap-
pointed actors bullet. Tom Taylor is a
pleasing but not extraordinary dramat-
ist the american Cousin" however by
reason of its association with Lincoln's
death, will probably keep the stage as
long as the mock drama in Hamlet"
| 1t belongs to history now, and not to
literature. a.N ta
When Colfax saw Lincoln so shortly
before his murder, he was accompanied
1 believe, by representative Howard.
The topic of conversation was Lincoln's
resembling of his permission for the
Legislature of Virginia to assemble. As
reconstruction is now being fully con-
sumated, / may refer to this.
The clement Of mercy in Lincoln's ma
ture fastened prematurely the business
of pacifcation. He gave permission, on
3 pressure, for Letcher and his entire legis-
lature to assemble at Richmond. When
he came back to Washington, Stanton as.
sailed him on this point, and demanded
that he revoke it. They talked together
until Stanton sweat through his shilt, and
moistened his handkerchief with the per-
spiration Of his face
Lincoln therefore said to Colfax:
"Stanton says l have been behaving
E wrong, Colfax. I guess he is right, and
here's the telegraph message wherein
r havesAet him have his way!"
Q The rebel legislature never assembled
and the principles of Stanton prevailed
that loyal men shall govern redeemed
Republic!