The Corvallis gazette. [volume] (Corvallis, Or.) 1862-1899, 1880-07-23
Garfield's Magnetic Power.

The following "reminiscences of General
Garfeld's power during the greatest
crisis the country ever passed through
has been furnished us by distinguished
gentleman who was present, and
shows the intellectual and moral
power of the Republican nominee for
the Presidency over surging and mad
dened crowd: 81 shall never forget the
first time@1 saw General Garfield. It
was fLe morning after President Lin
coins assassination. The country was
excited to its utmost tension and New
York city seemed ready for the scene of
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
Fear took possessi0 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 at
tempts had been made upon the lives of
other Government officers. Posters were
stuck up everywhere, in great black let
ters, 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. It 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 uncontroll-
able, and revolvers and knives were in
the hands of thousands of Lincoln's 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 and all who dared to utter
a word against him. Eleven o'clock A. NJ.
was the hour set for the rendezvous.
Fifty thousand people crowded around
the Exchange Building, cramming and
and jamming the streets, and wedged in
tight as men could stand together. With
a few to whom special favor was ex-
tended, I went over to Brooklyn at 8 A. M.
and even then, with the utmost difficulty
found way to the reception room for the
speakers in front of the Exchange Build
ing, and looking into the high aid
massive balcony, whose front was pro-
tected by heavy iron railing. We sat
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 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 a
deep, ominous muttering ran like a
rising wave up the street toward Broad.
way, and 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 back to make way for carri-
age that moved slowly and with difficult
jogs through the compact multitude.
Suddenly the silence was broken, and
the cry of 'Butlerr 'Butlerp 'Butler!'
rang out with tremendous and thrilling
effect, and was taken up by the people.
But not hurrah-not once! It was the
cry of 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 it
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 yard long
hung from his left arm-terrible con-
trast with the countless flags that were
waving the nations victory in the breeze.
We first realized then the truth Of the
sad II nth that Lincoln was dead. When
Butler entered 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: sGentLenae,s, he died in
the ta1lIsaess oflis fanae!' and as he spoke
it, his lips quiyered, and the tears ran
fast down his cheeks. Then, after few
moments came the speaking. And you
can imagine the effect, as the Grape fut-
tered in the wind, while his arm was up
lifted. Dickinson, of New York
State, was fairly wild. The old man
leaped oyer the iron railing of
the balcony and stood on the very
edge, overhanging the crowd, gesticu-
lating in the most vehement manner, and
next thing to bidding the crowd burn
up the rebel seed, root and branch,
while bystander held on to his coat
tails to keep him from falling over. By
this time the wave of popular indigna-
ton 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 pavemen. 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 the
letter x, and looped halter pendent
from the junction, a dozen men follows
it's slow motion through the masses,
while Vengeance T was the cry. On the
right suddenly, the shout rose, THE
Woaldp The World! The office OF the
Worldv sWwldr WorldH and move
ment of perhaps 5000 or 10, 900 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 and military
would have availed little or been too late.
A telegram had just been read from
Washington, Seward is dying. just
then, at that juncture, a man stepped
forward with q small flag in his
hand. and beckoned to the
crowd. Another telegram from Wash
ington.' And then, in the awful still
ness of the crisis, taking advantage of
the hesitation of the crowd, whose steps
had been arrested a-moment, right arm
was lifted skyward, and q voice clear and
loud and distinct, spoke out,
Fellow citizensl clouds and darkness
are round about Him! His pavilion is