The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1870-08-18


Then there was Joy and happiness in that
room. Booth kissed the hand of the President,
and thanked him with fearful eyes and choked
voice. even after his friends had taken their
hats to leave the presence of the Chief Magis.
trate of the nation, who had promised, and
whose promise was by Booth relied upon.
But alas for human promises Beall was
hung The President did not keep his word
did not pardon him. Seward, the infamous ty-
rant and Secretary of State, whose tinkling
bell sent his betters to Bastiles, said it would
not do-that Lincoln's duty to the Republican
party demanded the execution of Beall to keep
tinted the sentiment of the North for such
blood.
Lincoln said Beall must be pardoned, for he
had promised it.
Seward said he must not be pardoned, or
there would be strange revealments
And so the President weakened, withheld the
pardon-and poor Beall suffered for his patri-
otto devotion with his life.
When Booth learned that Lincoln had lied to
him, and not kept his sacred promise, his face
turned to the pallor of death, his lips became
white, his eyes seemed ready to burst from r \
their sockets, and he swore by the Eternal God
that he would kill the man who had lied to
him, and that his own right hand, then raised
to Heaven, should avenge the death of his
comrade And he did,
Booth called to his counsel but few friends,
some of whom were in Washington, TWO OF
whom were not. He marked the President for
his own avenging, and to others was given in
charge to kill Seward at the same hour, for his
interference.
AS we believe, under the directing power of
another world, Booths hand did avenge the
death of Beall. He was the martyr to private
feelings, for he knew that almost certain death
awaited him, but he cared not for that
InAamed by revenge-going like bolt of
wrath to the President, he fired the shot which
sent echo after echo down the long lane reach
ing to the future.
He kept his word-he avenged the death of
his friend, and wondrous Providence dealt
then with him as the world knows of.
But Seward lived. There was not that eight
ming" in the hearts of those who were deputed
to aid Booth in his avenging that filled the soul
of the one who settled so terribly in full with
the President.
And so died Abraham Lincoln, not by the
hand of one who struck in behalf of a nation,
but bv the hand of u fiery, impetuous stage
walking tenement of chivalry. Had he kept
his word, he would not then and there have
died, no matter what his fate afterward.
1t be admitted that the statement tends most
essentially to modify the impression heretofore
entertained i'll regard to a mournful event
which may be justly said to have shocked the
world. If the narrative be true, the title OF
martyr President" so far as his death has been
esteemed a sacrifice to the cause of the country,
would seem altogether inappropriate. 1t will
be observed that the attempt on the life of Sc
ward, as the special adviser of Lincoln, on the
occasion, at the same time that Lincoln was
killed, is strongly con6rmatory of the relation
of the Democrat. But we are not leftto inference
alone in regard to a matter of such great pub
lie significance. The persons mentioned as the
companions of Booth, on the occasion of his
interccssion with the President for the life of
Beall, arc well known men in public and pri-
vatc life.
Mr.. Hale, at that time Republican Senator,
has just returned from his Spanish Mission /;
Washington Mclean has long been editor OF
the Cincinnati Enquirer the leading Demo-
cratic journal of the West; Mr. Forncy, at that
time, we think, Clerk of the Senate, and then
and still editor of 1.-TWO papers, both daily" on
the Republican side, has peculiar facilities
for presenting the public with any information
he may choose to communicate on the subject.
We shall soon see what course will be taken by
these gentlemen, thus imperatively appealed to
in matter of such importance to the future
history of the country.