The new Northwest. [volume] (Portland, Or.) 1871-1887, 1880-08-05
A RBNINIsoENOB OF 1865.

n its utmost tension, and New York
CITY seemed ready for the scenes Of the
French revolution. The intelligence OF
Iipcoln's murder had been flashed by
the wires over the whole land. The
newspaper headings Of the transaction
were set up in the largest type, and the
high crime was on everyone's tongue.
Fear took possession Of meuis minds as
10 the fate OF the Government, for in a
few hours news came on that Stewards
throat was cut, and that attempts had
been made on the lives OF others Of the
/ Governments officers. Posters were
stuck up everywhere in great black
letters, calling upon the loyal citizens
Of New York, Brooklyn, Jersey City
aud neighboring places to meet around
/ the Wall-street Exchange aud give ex-
preston 70 their sentiments. IL was
/ dark and terrible hour. What might
come next no one could tell. Men
spoke with abated breath. The wrath
Of the workingmen was simply uneon-
trollable, aud revolvers and knives were
in the hands Of thousands Of LlneOln's
friends, ready at the first opportunity to
take the law into their own hands and
avenge the death Of the martyred Presi-
dent upon any aud all who dared to
utter word against him. Eleven
o'clock A. n. was the hour set for the
rendezvous. Fifty thousand people
crowded around the Exchange building,
examining and jamming in the streets,
aud wedged IN tight as men could stand
together.
"With a few TO whom a special favor
was entended, went over from Brook
lyn at 9 a. NJ, and even then with the
utmost difficulty fou0d way to the re-
ception-roOm for the speakers in the
front Of the Exchange building aud
looking out on to the high aud massive
balcony, whose front was protected by
a heavy iron railing. We sat in s1l-
emnity and silence, waiting for General
Butler, who, it was announced, had
started from Washington, aud was
either already in the city or expected
every minute. Not a hurrsh was heard,
but fOr the most part dead silence, or a
deep and oniuous muttering ran like a
rising wave up the street toward Broad
way, aud again down toward the river
on the right. At length the batons Of
the police were seen swinging in the
air, far up on the left, parting the crowd
and pressing it hack to make way for a
carriage that moved slowly, and with
difficult joys, through the compact
multitude. Suddenly the silence was
broken, and the cry Of Butler! Butler p
rang out with tremendous and thrilling
effect, and was taken mp by the people.
But not a hurrah! Not one IL was
the cry Of a great people, asking to
know how their President died The
blood bounced in our veins, and the
tears ran like streams down our faces.
How IL 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 left
arm-terrible contrast with the count
less flags that were waving the nations
victory in the breeze. We first realized
then the truth Of the sad news that Lin
coin was dead. The only word Butler
had for US all at the first break Of the
silence was: 'Geutlemen, he died in the
fullness Of his fame = and as he spoke it
his lips quivered aud the tears ran fast
down his cheeks.
"Then, after few moments, came the
speaking. Aud you can imagine the
effect as the Grape fiuttered in the wind
while his arm was uplifted. Dickinson
Of New York was fairly wild. The old
man leaped over the iron railing Of the
balcony and stood on the very edge
overhauging the crowd, gestleulating in
the most vehement manner, and next
thing TO bidding the crowd burn up the
rebel seed, root aud branch, while by
stander held on to his coat-tails to keep
him from falling over.
"By this time the wave of popular in
diguation 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, minute
before, that Lincoln ought to have been
shot long ago. They were not allowed
to say it againl
"Soon two long pieces OF scautliug
stood out above the heads Of the crowd,
crossed at the top like the letter y, aud
a looped halter pendant from the june
tion, a dozen men following its slow
motion through the masses, while
Vengeance was the cry. On the right
suddenly arose the shout, The Worid|
The Worldg The Office of the World p
and movement Of perhaps $1,000 or 10000
turning their faces in the direction OF
that building began to be executed. It
was a critical moment. What might
come, no one could tell, did that crowd
get In front OF that Office. Police or
military would have availed little or
been too late. a telegram had just been
received from Washington, Seward is
dying
aust then, at that juncture, a man
stepped forward with a small flag in his
hand, and beckoned TO the crowd. AN
other telegram from Washington Aud