The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1881-07-21
A Thrilling and Dramatic Incident.

!
Lincoln's assassination. The country
| was excited to its utmost tonsion. and
New York city seemed ready for the
scenes of the French revolution. The
intelligence of Lincon's murder had
been flashed by the wires over tho whole
: land: Fear took possession of mems
minds as TO the fate of the government.
for in few hours the news came that
S1"nids . tilroat WAS cut aud that attempts
| had been made upon the lives of other
government officers. 1t was dark aud
terrible hour. What might come next
no one could tell, and men spoke with
bated breath. the wrath of the work.
ingmen was simply uncomfortable, and
revolvers and knives were in tho hands
OF Linccin's friends. ready Mt the first
opportunity 10 take tho law into their
own hands and avenge the death of the
nlaftyrec President upon any and all
WAC dared utter Il word against him.
rlity Thousand people crowded around
the Exchange building, examining and
!amming the streets, and wedged in as
ught as men could stand together. Gen
erai butler, it was announced had started
iEom Washington and was either already
III lne city or expected every moment.
Nearly hundred generals, judges states.
men, lawyers, editors aud clergymen
", were IN the room waiting Buffers arrival
Inc fcariuliy solemn and swaying mass
oi people that blOckadcd the street pre
served Tor the most part dead silence.
or deep, onlinous muttering ran like n
rising wave up the street toward Broad.
way, and sgain down toward the river ON
the right. AT length the batons of the
ponce were seen swinging in the air, far
up IN 'nc LETT, parting the crowd and
pressing 1t back to make way for car.
riage that moved slowly, and with diff.
Guilty logged through the compact multi
tude. Suddenly the silence was broken
and the cry of "Butler! Butler :" rnno
out with tremendous and thrilling effect.
But not hurran, not one. 1t was the
cry OF great people asking to know how
the President died. Butler was pulled
through the crowd and entered the room.
a broad Grape, 3 yard long, hung from
his lett arm-terrible contrast with the
countless flugs that were waving the ma.
TONS victory in the breeze. II was then
first realized that Lincoln was dend
All were in tears. The only word Butler
had was, Gentlemen, he died in the
iullness of his fame" and MS he spoke
his lip quivered and the tears ran fast
down his checks. Dickinson was fairly
wild. The old man leaned over the iron
railing Of the balcony and stood on the
very, edge, overhauging the crowd, ges
tlculating III the most vehement manner.
and next thug to bidding tho crowd
burn up the rebel seed. root and branch"
f5y this time the wave Of popular indip.
nation had ewelled to its crest. Two
men lag, bleeding on one of the side
streets, the o'o dead, the other next to
DYING one on the pavement, the other
III the gutter. They had said moment
before that ''Lincon ought to have been
shot long ago" They were not allowed
to say j. again.
A telegram had just been read from
Washington, Seward is dying" just
then man stepped forward with 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 stems
had been arrested n moment, q right arm
was lifted skyward, and a voice, clear
aud steady, loud and distinct, spoke out
Fellow citizens Clouds and dark.
ness are round abou. HIN {. His pavilion
is dark waters and thick clouds of the
skies! Justice and Judgment are the es.
tablishment Of His throne Mercy and
truth shall go before His face Fellow
citizens Gud reigns and the government
at Washington still lives p
The effect WAS tremendous. The
crowd stood riveted to the ground in awe,
gazing at The motionlcss orator and
thinking Of God aud the security of the
government in that hour. AS the boil
ing wave subsidies and settles to the sea
when sciEe strong wind beats it down, 80
the tumul. Of the people sank aud be.
came still. ALL took it as divine omen.
1t was triumph of elnquence inspired
by the moment, such as falls to but one
mans lot. and that but once in century.
might have happened had the surging
and maddened mob been let loose none
can tell. The man for the crisis was on
the spot, more potent than Napoleon's
guns at Paris. That orator was General
James A. Garfield, of Ohio.