Helena weekly herald. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1867-1900, 1880-07-22
GARFIELD'S POWER.

[From the Cincinnati Gazette.

1he lOllOWlng TemlnlsCenCe OF General
Garfield's power during the greatest crisis
the country ever passed through, has been
furnished us by a distinguished gentleman
who was present, and shows the intellectual
and moral power of the Republican nominee
for the Presidency over a surging and mad
dened crowd:
Il shall never forget the first time | saw
General Garfield. 1t was the morning after
President LincOin's assassination. The cOun-
try was excited to its utmost tension, and
New York City seemed ready for the French
Revolution. The intelligence Of Lincoln s
murder had been flashed by the wires over
the whole land. The newspaper headlines
of the transaction were set up in the largest
type, and the high crime was on every ones
tongue. Fear took possession of mems minds
as to the fate of the Government, for in a
few hours the news came on that Stewards
throat was cut and that attempts had been
made upon the lives of others OF the Govern.
ment officers. Posters were stuck up every
where, in great black letters, calling upon
the loyal citizens of New York, Brooklyn,
Jersey City and neighboring places, to meet
around the Wall Street Exchange and give
expression to their sentiments. 1t was dark
and terrible hour. What might come next
no one could tell, and men spoke with bated
breath. The wrath of the workingmen was
simply uncomfortable, and revolvers and
knives were in the hands of thousands of
Lincolns friends, ready at the first opportun-
ity to take the law into their own hands and
avenge the death of the martyred President
upon any and all who dared to utter a word
against him.
ELEVEN o'clock a. m. was the hour set for
the rendezvous. Fifty thousand people
crowded around the Exchange Building,
cramming and jamming the streets, and
wedged in as tight as men could stand togeth-
or. With a few to whom special favor
was extended, went over from Brooklyn at
8 a. M, and, even then, with the utmost diff
Guilty, found way to the reception room for
the speakers in the front of the Exchange
Building, and looking out upon the high and
massive balcony, whose front was protected
by heavy iron railing We sat in solemnity
and silence, waiting for General Butler, who,
it was announced, had started from WASH
ington and was either already in the city, or
expected every moment. Nearly hundred
generals, judges, statesmen, lawyers, editors,
clergy men, and others, were in that room
waiting for Buffers arrival. We stepped out
to the balcony to watch the fearfully solemn
and swaying mass of people. Not hurrah
was heard, but for the most part dead silence
or deep, Ominous muttering ran like ris-
ing wave up the street toward Broadway,
and again down toward the river on the
right.
SAT length the batons of the police were
seen swinging in the air, far up on the left,
parting the crowd and pressing it back to
make way for a carriage that moved slowly
and with difficult jogs, through the compact
multitude. Suddenly the silence was broken,
and the cry of Butler! Butler! Butler!
rang out with tremendous and thrilling effect
and was taken up by the people. But not a
hurrah! Not once! 1t was the cry of
great people, asking to know how their Pres
ident died. The blood bounded in our veins,
and the tears ran in streams down our faces.
How it was done I forget, but Butler was
pulled through, and pulled up, and entered
the reception room, where we had just
walked back to meet him. A broad Grape,
ward long, hung from his left arm-terrible
contrast with the countless flags that were
waving the nations victory in the breeze.
We realized then the truth of the sad news
that Lincoln was dead. When Butler enter
eG the room we shook hands. Some spoke,
some couldn't. All were in tears. The only
word Butler had for US all at the first break
of the silence was Gentlemen, he died in
the fullness of his fame and as he spoke
his Iips ouivered, and the tears ran fast down
his cheeks.
Then, after few moments, came the
speaking. And you can't imagine the effect
as the Grape fluttered in the wind, while his
arm was uiplifted. Dickinson, of New York
State was fairly wild. The old man leaped
over the iron railing of the balcony and stood
on the very edge overhanging the CROWD,
gesticulating in the most vehement manner,
and next thing to bidding the crowd burn up
the rebel seed, root and branch, while by
stander held on to his coat-tails to keep him
from falling over. By this time the wave OF
popular indignation had swelled to its crest.
Two men lay bleeding on one OF the SIDE
streets. the one dead, the other next to dying;
one on the pavement, the other in the gutter.
They had said moment before that Lincoln
ought to have been shot long ago! They
were not allowed to say it again Soon two
long pieces of scantling stood out above the
heads of the crowd, crossed at the top like
letter X. and a looped halter pendent from
the junction, dozen men following its SLOW
motion through the masses. while ven
geance!' was the cry.
"On the right suddenly. the shout rose:
s11e World" 'The Worldr The office OF
T1e Worldr sWorldP World and
movement of perhaps 5000 or 10, 600 turning
their faces in the direction of that building
began to be executed. 1t was a critical mo-
ment What might come no one could tell,
did that crowd gel in front of that office.
Police and military would have availed little
or been too late. A telegram had just been
read from Washington. Seward is dying
lust then, at that junction, man stepped
forward with small flag in his hand, and