The Albany register. [volume] (Albany, Or.) 1868-18??, 1880-07-23
GARFIELD AND LINCOLN.
A Triumph Of Eloquenee---The Words
that Controlled n Mob.


est crisis the country ever passed through
has been furnished us by distinguish
ed gentleman who was present, and
shows the intellectual and moral power
of the Republican nominee for the Pres
idency over surging and maddened
crowd /: 81 shall never forget the first
time 1 saw Gereral Garfield. Il was
the morning after President Lincoln's
assassination. The country was excit-
ell to its utmost tension, and New York
City seemed ready tor the scenes of the
French revolution. The intelligence
OF Linooln'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 i'll q
few hours the news came on that Sew
ards throat was cut, and that attempts
had been made upon the lives OF others
OF the government officers. Posters
were stuck up everywhere, in
GREAT BLACK LETTERS,
calling upon the loyal citizens of New
York, Brooklyn, jersey City, and neigh-
boring 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 work
ingmen was simply uncontrollable, ard
reyolvers and knives were in the hands
of thousands CT Lincoln's friends, ready,
at the first opportunity, to take the law
into their own hands, and avenge the
death OF the martyIed President upon
auy and all who dared TO utter word
against him. IL o'clock a. m. was the
hour set tor the rendezvous. Fifty
thousand people crowded around the
Exchange building, cTammlng and jam
ming the streets, and wedged in tight
as men could stand together. With a
few to whom a special favor was ex-
tended | went over from BrooklYn at 9
a. M, and, even then, with the utmost
difficulty, found way to the reception
room tor the speakers in the front of
the Exchange building, and looking ou:
onto the high aud 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
Washington and was either already in
the city or expected every moment.
Nearly a hundred generals, judges.
statesmen, lawyers, editors, clergymen,
and others were in that room
WAITING BUTLER's ARRIVAL.
We stepped out to the balcony to watch
the teartu!Iy solemn and swaying mass
of people. Not a hurrah was heard
but for the most part dead silence, or
deep, ominons muttering ran like ris-
ing wave up the street towards Broad
way, and again down towards the river
on the right. A: length the batons of
the police were seen swinging in the all {,
far up on the lett, parting the crowd
and pressing 1t back to make way tor a
carriage that moved slowly, and with
difficult jogs, through the compact null
titude. Suddenly the silence was bro
ken, and the cry of Butler! 2 Butler ?
sButler!' rang out with tremendous
and thrilling effect, and was taken up
by the people. Bu: not 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 like streams
down our faces. How 1t was done
forget, but Butler was pulled through,
and pulled up, and entered the room,
where we had just walked back to
meet him. A broad Grape, a yard long.
hung from his Ieft> srm-terrible con-
trast with the countless flags that were
waving the nations victory in the breeze.
We first realized thep the truth of the
sad news that Lincofs was dead.
When Butler entered the room we
shook hands. Some spoke, some
couldn't. AL were in tears. The only
word Butler had for rs all, 1t the first
break Of the silence, was Gentle
men, ne died isa the .fstllsaess Of his
fame ? and IS he spoke it his lips quiy.