Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1881-07-07
GARFIELD on THE AsSAssTNA
TION OF LINCOLN.
How he QuelIed an Angry Crowd
OF People who were Ripe for AnV
Act of Violence.


The following reminiscence Of the pas
| possesses peculiar interest at this date:
II shall never forget the first time
saw General Garfield Il was the morn
ing after President Linc0ln's assassina
ton. The country wss excited to lis
utmost tension, and New York city
seemed ready for the scenes 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
high crime was on every ones tongue.
| Fear took possession Of mems minds
as to the fate Of the government
| for in few hours the news
came 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
everywhere, in great black letters. cali.
ing upon the loyal citizens of New York.
Brooklyn, Jersey City, and neighboring
places TO meet around the Wall Street
Exchange and give expression 10 their
sentiments. II was q 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, ard reyOlyers
and knives were in the hands OF thOus-
ands of Lincoln's friends ready, at the
first opportunity. to take the law into
their own hands and avenge the
death Of the martyTed President,
upon any and all who dared
utter a word against him. Eleven
csC s. .
rendezvous Fifty thousand people
crowded around the Exchange building.
crammiug and iamming the streets, and
wedged in tight as men could stand to-
gether. With q few 10 whom a special
favor was extended. l went over from
Brooklyn at Q a. M, ard. even then,
with the utmost difficulty, found way to
the reception room for the speakers in
the front of the Exchange building. and
looking out on to 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
Washington, and was either already in
the city, or expected every moment.
Nearly a hundred Generals, Judges,
statesmen, lawyers, editors, clergymen,
were in that room waiting Buffers ar
rival We stepped out TO the balcony
TO watch the fearfuliy solemn and sway
ing mass of people. Not a hurTah was
heard. but for the most part dead silence
or a deep. OminOus mutteriDg 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 10 make way for
carriages that moved slowly, and with
difficult iogs, through the compact null
titude Suddenly the silence was brok-
en-, and the cry Of 'BnleIr 'ButIerr
'ButierF ran out with tremendous
and thrilling effect, and was
taken up by the people. But
not hurrah Not Oncei It 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 it was
done, l 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 countless flags that
we're waving the nations victory to the
breeze. We first realized then the truth
1f the sad news that Lincoln was dead.
When Butler entered the room he shook
hands. Some spoke, some couldn't. All
we're in tears. The only word Butler had
Tor US all at the first break of the ST.
ence was: Gentlemen, he died
n the fullness of his fame
and as he spoke it his lips quivered. and
he tears ran down his cheeks. Then.
after few moments, came the speaking.
And you can imagine the effect. as the
rape 1uttered in the wind, while his
ITm was uplified. Dickinson, Of New
fork State, vas fairly wild The old
nan leaned over the iron railing of the
)alc0Dy and stood upon the very edge,
'verhanging the crowd, gesticulatiDg in
-. {. ---''Ss ,9iIg5Hent ggngnnet.;7y4nd Text
1000 Ssi seIu' ~ Ioot and branch. while me
in from - flS. Uu 20 his coat tails tn -
ave of por.,ing ,a,iing over. By this time 9Ipp
its croL. ~ popuIsF indignation had Ie swenI me
q of ~ Two men lay bleedincc cieu
: ~ o,ba sne sIde streets, the one 5 On
vsment % lex IeAt 10 dying; oneN~ensy Icy
j said .ne otner in tbPsuat Lincoln
gbt to balnaeH 2 nlOnaeH' shot long agor They
re ..0t allowed TO say it agaiDi Soon,
} long pieces of scsntling stood ont
we the heads Of the crowd, crossed az
top like the letter Y, and loop pen
Il from the top at the junction.
.en men following its slow motion
ough the masses, while 'FeugeanceP
} the cry. On the right, suddenly.
shout rose, The Worldr the
'rldr the Office of the WorldP
orldp 'WorldP and a movement Of
haps 5000 or 10000, turning their
Is 10 the direction Of that building,
an to be executed. Tt was 8 critical
ment. What might come no
could tell, did that crowd
in front of that Office.
ice or military would have ayailed
e. or been too late A telegram had
been real from Washington. Sew
is dying Just then, at that iunc-
:, a man stepped forward with a
II flag in his hand, and beckoned to
crowd. Another telegram from
ihvilIe' And then, in the awful
ness of the crisis, taking advantage
he hesitation of the crowd, ws
's had been arrested q -, ana
It arm was lifted, loud and dis
q, clear SF'ellow citizens: Clouds
1, sgriess are round about Him. His
lion is dark waters and thick clouds
be skies Justice and judgment are
establishment Of His thronet
.cy and truth ssoll 90 before His
- Fellow citizens. Cod reigns,
the Egovernment at Wishing
still lives. The effect was trernen
Is. The crowd stood rlveted to tne
und in awe. gazing at the mOtioniess
tor and thinking of God and Ine
urity of the government IN that hour.
sLa hoiIipg Wave subsidies and settles
the sea when come strong wind beats
iown. so the tumult of The people
X and became still. All fook il as
rine omen. Ii was triumph Of elo-
ence. inspired by the moment. such
falls to but one mans lot. and that
I once in a century. The genius OF
ebster, Choate, Everett, Seward, never
.ched IL; Demosthenes never eqnalled
What might have happened had the
rging and maddened mob been let
1se. none can tell. The man for the
isis was On the spot, more potent than
sDOleon's guns al Paris. inquired
LAT was his name. The answer came
q low whisper. 1t. is Gen. Garfield,
Ohio.
Yaktna 2nmdfr.