Spirit of Jefferson. [volume] (Charles Town, Va. [W. Va.]) 1844-1948, 1879-04-29
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t~TRANsIENT 8
shall went one nigh, to dine wisb 3D.

shall went one -ulHht 70 suiut WIZ tt-t.|
Blair, out, at Silver Springs, and wheqk
returned bis deputy informed him tha,.tlr'
military Governor had taken possession ds
the Jail, and put there = enard composed, Of
a sergeant and about dozen men, LSnpu
consulted Mr. Carlisle his regular counsel.
aud sscertaining that this intrusion res us.
terly without warrant Of law. nnn0unced his
intention of retaking the place. which be
proceeded to do at once. Alone and with
his own hands he disarmed the entire. party,
took the keys from the sergeant. locked up
him aud his meu,s stacked their arms, and
then reported 10 Mr.. Lincoinsthe state OF
affairs He was sustained, as he always was.
by the President aud in due time ponder-
Gus opinion from Father Bates put an end 10
the military siege of the jail. which Lamon
meanwhile had put into posture of defense
and determined to hold al any cost. Abeut
the same time Mr.. Stanton had made up his
mind to seize house that Lamon had bopRht
and was fitting up for The reception of his
family. "If you do that" said Damon, at
the coDcIusion of an interview, in which the
Secretary had been very offensive, rs'I'll kin
you" Stanton went Immediately. TO the
President aud informed him that the Mar
shall had threatened TO murden him. "'weii.
Stanton" said Liucoln, "if he really said il.
L
Hills mau Of his word.- But I'll see him
aud try if can't get him to spare your life
on my account He's a great friend of mine,
you know" Blu, Mr.. Stanton did not take
the house.
Whatever history may say Of the alleged
conspiracy to murder Mr. Lincoln in Bslti-
more, on his way 20 be inaugurated, tho
danger was considered real aud imminent by
those who had him in charge. After tho
reception at Harrisburg it became necessary
to select single man to accompany him on
his perilous secret journey to Washington by
way of Philadelphia and Baltimore. Mr.. aud
Mrs. Lincoln both chose Lamou without
hesitation. They knew him of old, and Mrs.
Lincoln said she would not trust her husband
with nuy other companion. LsmOn has told
tho story Of that midnight ride IN his "l;fa
Of Lincoln" aud ridiculed the apprehensions
felt at the time. But Mr.. Lincoln, who was
as brave q man as ever lived, would not havo
submitted to the indignity of being clandes-
timely passed into tho Capital if he had not
believed that his life would pay the penalty
of non compliance,
Mr.. Linooln's warm personal attachment
TO his Marshal continued steady and uDdi>
minished to the end, notwithstanding the
persistent efforts OF many powerful RepubIi>
can leaders to shake it and Lamon repaid
him by as almost slcepless watch over his
safety. Like Lincoln himself, Lamon early
came to the conclusion that thetsuppOscd
conspiracy to murder Mr.. Lincoln in Balti-
more was a sham mainly gotten up by ambi.
tious and uuscrupulous detectives; hut he
thought also that in times like those through
which they were passing, nothing might be
more certsiuly expected than that some
abandoned knave or some wild fanatic would
IT -.
provided a system of protection which sur.
rounded Mr.. Lincoln with guards, unknown
to any one else, aud frequently unknown to
Mr.. Lincoln; and whenever there was any
special ground of apprehension the Marshal
slept in the White House. But after the
surrender, When Dir. Lincoln was an ohject
Of reverence to all, and apparently of haired
to nope-when il was plain that the South
saw in him the only friend who was both .
able and willing to save it from the worst
consequences of the war. the Marshal re-
laxed his vigilance for twenty -four hours,
and going to Richmond to take look at tho
conquered Capital. found that the event
which-he had So long dreaded had oecurred
at the very moment when IL was to have been
least expected. Many believe that had no
been in Washington on that fatal night
Booths shot would never have been fred.
could MI pages with anecuotes OF thIs
benevolent Hercules; of his equally incredi.
BILE deeds of strength and of kindness; Of the
multitudes Of beggars he has at one time aud
another put on horseback, only 10 suffer from
their mean ingrstitnde; of his professional
knight errantry in defence of tho poor and
unfortunate, and of his many narrow escspes
from high political preferment, which latter
were generally due 10 his own exaggerated
notions of tho sGnctity of personal friend
ships. Andy johnson, for instance, hsd re-
solved TO make him Postmaster @ eneraI, but
Lamou plead tho cause of the incumbent so
efectuaIly that johnson was compelled to
abandon the purpose. And SO this great
mountain of muscle, this mighty hogshead1
of the milk of human kindness, continually
stood in his own light. .