Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1879-04-19
Walt wHITMAx As Il LECTURER.


Walt v hitman, the "gOOd gray poet" made
his beginning as lecturer, in New York, Mon
day night. His subject was the death of Abra-
ham Lincoln He reads from notes, setting in
q chair, as he is still much disabled from paral-
ysis. The following Is from the Tribune re-
port of the lecturer:
1 shall not easily forget the first time ever
saw Abraham Lincoln. IL must have been about
the 18th or 10Th OF February, 1861. 1t was
rather a pleasant afternoon in New York CITY,
as he arrived here from the west, to remain a
few hours and then pass on to Washington to
prepare for his inauguration. 1 saw him in
Broadway, near the site OF the present post
ofnce. He came down, I think, from Canal
street, to stop at the Astor house. The broad
spaces, sidewalks and streets In the ne1ghbor-
hood and for some distance, were crowded with
Omnibuses and other vehicles had all been
turned off, leaving an unusual hush In that busy
part OF the city. Presently two or three shah
by hack barOucheS made their way with some
difficulty through the crowd and drew up
at the Astor house entrance. A tall figure
stepped out OF the center OF these barouches,
the dark granite walls and looming archttec
ture of the grand old hOtel-then, after a re-
liev1ng stretch Of arms and legs. turned round
for over a minute to scan slowly and good-hu-
mOreGly the appearance OF the vast and silent
crowd. Thele were no speeches-no compli-
ments-no welcome-as far as could he IT, not
word said. Still much anxiety was concealed
in that quiet. Cautious persons had feared
some marked insult or tndignity to the Pres
ident elect--fOr he assessed no pers lnal % 40
ularity at all in New York city, and very little
political. But 1t was evidently tacitly agreed
that If the few political supporters OF Mr. LIN
coin present would entirely abstain from any
demonstration On their side, the Immense ma
abstain on their side also The result was a
sulky, unbroken silence. such as certainly never
before characterized so great a New York GRO ytl
Almost In the same neighbOrhood distinctly
remembered seeing Lafayette, on his visit to
America In 1926 had also personally seen and
heard how Andrew Jackson, Clay, Webster
Hungarian Kossuth. Filiouster Walker, the
Prince OF Wales on his visit, and other ctl6pres,
native and foreign, had been welcomed there.
at various times-all that indescribaole human
roar and magnetism unlike any other sound In
the universe, the glad exulJing thunder shouts
or countless Embossed Threats of men. But on
this occasion, not a vOice-nOt sound
From the top OF an omnibus, driven up one
SIDE, close oy. and blocked by the curbStone and
the crowdS) had. say, a capital view of it all.
and especially OF Mr.. Lincoln. his look and gait
his perfect compos,lre and coolness-his unu-
sual and uncOuth height, his dress Of complete
black, stovepipe hat pushed back On the head,
It's dark brown complexion, scanned and wrink-
led yet campaigning face, his black, Du5hy
head OF hair. Extraordinarily long neck, and
his hands held behind as he stood observing the
people. He looked with curiosity upon that I'M
mense sea OF faces, and the sea OF faces return
ed the look with similar curiosity In both there
was a dash or comedy, almost farce. such as
Shakespeare puts In his blacklist tragedies. The
crowd that hemmed around consisted, should
think, OF thirty to forty thousand men, not a
single one his personal friend-while I have no
doubt $50 frenzed were the fer:nents of the
tfme) many an assassln's knife and pistol lurked
In hip or breast pocket there, ready, soon as
break and riot came.
But no break or riot came. The tall fl cure
and legs; then with moderate pace, and accom-
panied by few unknown looking persons, as
cended the portico steps of the Aston House,
disappeared through its broad entrance and
the dumb show ended
saw Abraham Lincoln often the four years
following that date. He changed rapidly and
him in it, are lndelibly stamped upon my recol-
lection. AS sat on the top OF my omnibus and
had a good view OF him, the thought, dim and
lnchoate then, has since come out clear enough
primal hands, will be needed to the complete
thinning OF this mans future portratt-the eyes
ana brains and nnger-tOuch OF Plutarch and
1Eschy lus and Michael Angelo, assisted by Ra-
belais.
THE WAR AND THE MURDER,
Ard now (Mr. Lincoln passing on from this
scene to Washington. where ne was inauyu-
rated amid armed cavalry and sharpshooters
at every point-the first instance of the kind In
our history, and hope 1T Will be the last) now
Inc rapid succession OF well-known events, too
wen Known believe, these days, we almost
hate to hear them mentloned-the National nag
nred on at Sumter, the uprising of the North In
paroxysms OF establishment and rage, the chaos
OF divided councils the Call for troops, the irst
Bun Kun, the stunning cast-down, shock, aud
dismay OF the North; and 50 in fun flood the
secession war. -Four years OF luTtd, bleeding,
with all their scenes? the hard fought engage.
ments-the defeats, plans, failures-the gloomy
honrs; days, when our Nationality seemed hung
In pail or doubt, perhaps death-the Mephlsto-
phelean sneers OF foreign lands and attaches-
the dreaded ScylIa OF European Interference.
ana the Chary bdis OF the tremendously dam
throughout the Free States (far more numerous
than is supposedly the long marches in sum
mer-the hot sweat, and many sunstroke as
o" on, the rush 10 Gettysburg In 3-the night bat
lies In tie woods, as under Hooker at Cha 1cel-
.o1sVliie "a strange episode)-thec amps In Win
ier-the military priSoDS-the hoSptals-faias,
alas! the hOSpftalS)
The Secession war? Nay, let me- call It the
Union War. Though whatever called 1t is even
yet 100 near us-tOO vast AID too closely over
shadowlBg-iis branches uniformed yet Out
certaln), shooting too far into The future
the most indicative and mignt1est OF them yet
ungrOwn.
great literature will yet arise out OF the era
OF those four years, those scenes-era compress
Ing centuries OF native passion, first Glass pic.
tui es tempests OF life and de lth-an naXh lust
1oie mine for the histories, drama, romance and
even philosophy OF peoples to come-Indead.
character, toO) for all future AmerIca-far
more grand, In my opinion, to the hands capable
OF 1t, than Homers siege OF Troy, or the Ere lch
wars TO Shakespeare
But must leave these speculations AMI come
10 me Theme have assigned and limited my
self TO.
OF the actual murder OF President Lincoln,
though SO much has been written, prob ably the
facts are yet very indefinite in most persons
minds. l read from my memoranda, already
published, written at the time on the SPOT a1d
revised frequently and finally since:
TIE day, April IA, 1865, seems to have been a
pleasant one throughout the whole land-Lhe
moral atmosphere pleasant, too the long
storm, so dark, SO fratricidal, full OF blood and
doubt and gloom over and ended at last by the
sunrise OF such an absolute National victory
AID utter breakdown of secessiOn-we almost
doubted our own senscsi Early herbage early
flowers were out. Il remember wnere | was
stopping at the time, the season being al.
vahced, there were many lilacs in full bIo1m.
BY one OF those caprice5 that enter anu give
tIn9e to events without being at all a pare of
then, l find myself always re minded Of the
great tragedy OF that day by the sight and od)r
VI these BLOSSOMS. IJ never faiia)
But l must not dwell on accessories The
deed hasteIs The popular afternoon paper OK
Washington, the little EVENING STAR, had 5pat-
tefeo ali over It's third page, divided among the
advertisements In sensational manner in a
hundred different places, ''The President and
his Lady VIII be at the Theater this evening"
N-iDcoln was fond OF the theater | have nv
sell seen him there several times. | remember
Thinking how funny IL was that he, In some re-
sijectS, the leading actor IN the stormiest drama
kHo" Il 10 real hiStoryS stage, through centI-
RES. should sit there and be 50 completely in
'e:esied and absorbed In those human jack
suaHs. moving about with their silly little
II frnC pir opd H.t ovtN