New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1876-04-23

S0U oooG OF C00 x0llOW0G000 t1ver, rom In
Big Horn range to the Black Hills, IL u1
tefiy WORTHLESS. A military post estat
lished Of the mouth of Tongue river woul
enable the soldiers to control the countr
from the Rosebud to the mouth of rh
Powder river, and would have Q good elfec
| upon the Indians of that region. A fore
| could attack the Indians in any direction
and - this 10 the last stronghold of th
hostile savsges, they could not long reeie
the active blows that the troops would IL
| fict upon them. Such post could be cur
piled BY river transportation ct less COS
than 10 now required for most inland posti
Why Jshn Wilkes Bosth Assassinate
Abraham Llncels.
Among the characters of the war tim
was . wild, dashing, bee-brained youn
man named John Wilkes Booth. From hi
father he inherited certain talent of frenz,
under excitement that was cousin german
to insanity. This Booth was . reckless
handsome fellow. whose delight was {,
dress we'll, feed upon female hearo, and il
mimicry mouth the utterances of men O
creative genius. His blood was hot and hi
passions quick to kindle. In his loves anl
friendships he was erratic and peculiar
He did not try to study himself, and grew
u wild and tumultuous.
Among the chosen friends of his boyhood
was . dashing, chivalrous young man
named John Y. Beal, whose home was in
the beautiful Shenandoah valley, not fal
from Winchester, as we know from ha wing
been there. Damon and Pythias were not
more attached to each other than were
Booth and Beal. They rode, walked, dined,
drank ana intrigued together. Beal was
Southern in his sympathies, and was to q
certain extent as much q martyr as was
erratic JOha Brown, who was taken in q
raid, hung in the Jail yard at Charlestown,
Virginia, by order of Governor Wise, and
whose scaffold, as We write this, is now in
our office. Beal planned raids ON North
ern cities, and at last was captured at or
near Buffalo, tried for piracy on Northern
lakes, and sentenced to be hung on Bedloo's
Island, in the harbor of New York. In
prison waiting his doom, we leave him for .
time.
One afternoon, in the city Of Washington,
while Beal was under sentence of death,
there slighted from Q carriage two men
who walked into the room occupied BY
Washington Mclean, of Cincinnati, who
was at that time in Washin gton in the in
terest Of his business. These men who
called were Senator Hale, from New Hamp-
through the Morgans, of Kentucky, Mclean
had become quite we'll acquainted.
Their errand was briefly told. Booth was
anxious to save the life of Beal, his chum
and confidential personal friend. He had
interested Mr.. Hale in bis behalf, who,
from his former Identification with the pol
itical movement that had grown into the
Of Lincoln to the presidency. had
come to ask of the executive the favor of
mercy for brave enemy, who had, in de-
tense of his friends in tbs South, done no
mora than MANILA in ho Mouth ar~1ov1oxl
their scouts and adventurers tor doing or
They importuned Mclean to 20 with
them to the President, as Q Democrat-as .
friend of Booths . man who had much
influence with Mr.. Lincoln, and to vouch
with Mr.. Hale for any promises Booth
might make in return for this great favor to
him. After q protracted interview, Nc
Lean accompanied Hale and Booth in car
rage to the residence of John W. Forney,
who was then in bed, the hour being late.
Forney was awakened from his sleep and
;old the object of the call. His sympathies
we're enlisted, - he was already to serve
his friends.
1t was an hour or more past midnight
when Hale, Forney, Mclean and Booth
we're driven to the White House. The
,uard, at the request of Forney, admitted
he carriage to the grounds. Mr.. Lincoln
vas called from his sleep, and there, in the
lead of night, he sat and listened to the
prayers of Booth and the indOrsemets of
hose who came with him to ask the favor
# executive clemency
That interview lasted till four O'Clock in
he morning. 1t was one of tears, prayer |
nd petition. There was not q dry eye in |
he room as Booth knelt at the feet of Lin
DIN, clasped his knees with his hands, and |
legged him to spare the life of one mana
friend who, in serving the ones he |
owed, had come to the door of death.
Booth told all. He told how, long before,
q fit of passion to do some bold deed, he |
resident and to hold him as q hostage for |
be release of certain military prisoners |
rho were Booths friends, and who, it was
bought, we're to be shot. He told of the |
leetings they had held at the house of Mrs. |
urrstt, and that all of that plan had fallen |
} the ground long before.
He offered his services at any time and
any place or capacity, free of cost or
.arless OF consequences. The eminent
entlemen who were there with him Joined
the request that the prayer of Booth be
At last, President Lincoln, with the tears
roaming down his face, took Booth by
10 hands, bade him rise and stand like q
an, and gave him his promise that Beal
lould be pard0ned He asked the party to
apart that he might gain rest for the work
the morrow, and said that the Official
they asked for should be for
arded at once to United States Marshal
ebert Murray, in New York, and through
m to the officers charged with the execu-
IN of Beal.
After breakfast, Lincoln informed Sc
ard, Secretary of State, what he had done
promised to do. Seward said it must
It be. That public sentiment in the
orth demanded that Beal should be hung.
. declared that to pardon Beal would dis
urage enlistments, lengthen the war and
suit the sentiment that called for blood.
. chided Lincoln for making such promises |
thout asking the advice of his Cabinet
advising with himself, Seward, on State |
Icy. As the argument grew contentious,
ward declared that if the conduct of the
II was to be trihed with by appeals for
manity, he should 60 out of the Cabinet
d use his influence against the President,
d should charge him with being in sym
thy with the South.
Lincoln yielded, and Beal was executed
the carrying out of the sentence of the .
lrt. The reaction to Lincoln's nervous
item was such that for days he was far {
m we'll.
The effect on Booth was terrible. He =
red like a mailman, and In his frenzy
ore that Lincoln and Seward should both I
? for the grief and agony he had been q
to. From the death of Beal Booth
'oded vengeance for that which he con- q
cred personal affrOnt. His rage took :
Seward, and he engaged Harold, Azterodt +
others to avenge Beal's death by kill
Seward, while he (Booth) wreaked /
nan vengeance on the President. =
1t last came the hour. Booth killed Lin I
n. His friends and the relatives or I
myers of Beal tried their best to kill .
yard, and when they left him stabbed, 3