Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1870-07-30
Forney, and, with him in company

FOrney, and, with him in company
call upon Lincoln.
Mclean was unusually intimat'
! with Lincoln, and had more influence
with him than any other Western
Democrat. And he was cheek by
iowl with Forney. Mclean was t
vOuch for Booth, with Hale and For
ney to Join in asking executive elem
ency for Beall.
IT was past midnight when the
carriage containing Hale, Booth and
Mclean left the hotel where the lattel
was stopping, and was driven tC
FOrney's residence. FOrney was in
bed under the influence of liquor.
After some little talk and explana.
tions he arose, bathed his head in ice
water, made a hasty toilet, and took 8
seat in the carriage.
The party were then driven to the
White House, reaching there about
two O'Clock in the morning. They
were admitted past the guard, and
found President Lincoln in his room,
not yet retired.
Then came an explanation of the
object of the visit.
President Lincoln sat by the sid e O
Senator Hale and listened to the par
ticulars. Booth then and there told
that once he was in a scheme to alb
duct the President, not to injure him,
but to aid in the release of certain
friends who could not be exchanged
He told that all that was Of the past,
50 far as he was concerned.
And then he asked for the reprieve
of Beall, promising on his honor as a
man to ever after be as good a friend
Co Mr.. Lincoln as man could be to one
| who had rendered such a favor-tO
warn the President if it come to his
| knowledge that his life was in danger,
and to hold himself personally reSpOn-
sible for the good behavior of Beall,
ever after.
1t was question of life or death.
Beall was doomed. No power save
the Executive could save him. Booth
pleaded with all the impassiOned elo-
| quence of his nature, and thousands
upon thousands know what that was.
Senator Hale asked the pardon OF
Beall as favor to himself and family.
FOrney asked for it for reasons then
and there given, as did Mclean, and
the reasons we can give at the proper
time.
Booth told the President of their
long established friendship of his
love for the brave adventurous spirit
of his love for the young man who was
doing for his people in the South just
what a patriot in the North would
| have done for the cause and the people
| dear to him.
President Lincoln was greatly
moved, even to tears, and gave to
Booth his word of honor as a man
that he should be pardoned.
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
Magistrate of the nation, who had
promised, and whose promise was by
Booth relied upon.
But alas for human prOmisesi Beall
was hung. The President did not
keep his word-did not pardon him.
seward, whose tinkling bell sent his
betters to bastiles, said it would not
dO-that Lincoln's duty to the Repub-
lican party demanded the execution
of Beall to keep tinted the sentiment
of the North for such blood.
Lincoln said Beall must be par
doned, for he had promised it.
Seward said he must not be par
dOned, or there would be strange re-
vealmentSi
And so the President weakened,
withheld his pardon, and poor Beall
suffered for patriotic devotion with his
life.
When Booth learned that Lincoln
had lied TO him, and not kept his sa-
cred promise, his face turned to the
pallOr of death, his lips became white,
his eyes seemed ready TO burst from
their sockets, and he swOre by the
Eternal God that he would kill the
man who had lied 10 him, and that
his own right land, then raised to
/ heaven, should avenge the death of
his cOmrade. and IL did!
Booth called To his counsel but a
few friends, some of whom were in
Washington, two Of whom were not.
de 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 ayenge 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.
Inflamed by revenge-going like
bolt of wrath to the President, he
fred the shot which sent echo after
echo down the long lane reaching to
the future.
lie kept his WOrd-he avenged the
death of his friend, and a WondFous
Providence dealt then with him as the
world knows of.
But Seward lived. There was not
that " lightning" in the hearts of
those who were deputed to aid Booth
in his avenging that oiled the soul
with the one who settled so terrible
In full with the President.
And so died Abraham Lincoln, not
by the hand of one who struck in be-
half of a nation, but by the hand of
fiery, impetuous stage-walking tene-
ment of chivalry. Had he kept his
word, he would not then and there
have died, no matter what his fate
afterWard.