The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1893-03-09

Senator CONFESS, of California. In
very short time Senator Sumner, of
Massachusetts, called, and we had been
in conversation about half an hour
when page came in and announced
that the secretary of state, William III.
Seward, had been assassinated. We all
three started Immediately for Fifteenth
street to the residence of the secretary
of state, which was recently purchased
and occupied by Secretary Blaine, and
when we arrived there we were met at
the door by Hugh McCulloch, the Sec
rotary of the treasury, who informed
us that Mr.. Seward was badly hurt and
the surgeon in charge would permit no
one to see him. We then walked over
to the white house and had barely
reached the door when Il messenger
came and announced that President
Lincoln had been shot at the theater.
Senator CONFESS turned to me and said:
Stewart, there is a tremendous plot
here to assassinate all the cabinet Off
GERS Then turning to two soldiers who
were on guard there he directed them
to go in hurry to the residence of
the secretary of war, Mr.. Stanton, and
they did so. When they arrived at Mr..
Stanton's house a large man ran away
rom the door where he had been ring
ing the bell, and | have no doubt that
the presence of those soldiers prevented
the assassination of Mr.. Stanton on that
night. We three senators left the
white house and walked down to Tenth
street to the little building across from
the theater into which Mr.. Lincoln had
been carried. Mr.. CONFESS and l were
informed that we might enter the
house, but that it was very warm and
that it would be better if fewer persons
were there; so we turned and went
away. Senator Sumner, who had been
unable to keep up with us, then arrived
and was admitted under protest. He
remained there until the president died.
II did not go to sleep that night,
but walked the streets, going from
crowd to crowd to hear the utteranccs
and ascertain the temper of the people.
The war was over and there were about
80, 900 ex-confcdcrate soldiers in the city
who had been surrendered, or were on
parole. 1t is singular thing, but it is
a fact that wherever talk of violence
originated, and there was a great deal
of angry demand that every rebel in
town should be killed, the quiet state
ment from some one in the crowd, my
self on several occasions, that if Mr..
Lincoln were alive he would counsel
peace, quoted the angry people. His
recent inaugural address containing the
memorable words: with malice towards
none. and charity for ALI had endeared
him to the people. They knew that
he was man of peace, and,
while dying at the hand of an
assassin, the influence of his name was
sufficient to maintain peace and order
at the national capital at the most crit
zeal hour OF its existence. | was stand
ing in front of Wizards hotel when
Senator Solomon Foote, of Vermont,
drove up in a common, cheap hack
which he had picked up on the street
He called me TO him, saying that
he was looking for some senator
to accompany him TO the resi-
dcnce Of Chief Justice Salmon i. Chase,
WHOH nc WIS gong 10 Rtl W ddlIIlnlS-
ter the oath 10 Vice President johnson.
got in with him and rode To the resi-
dence of Mr.. Chase on the corner Of
Sixth and T. streets. and he was speed
lily ready TO accompany US. We three
then drove TO the Kirltwood house, on
Twelfth street and Pennsylvania
avenue, and proceeded to the room of
Vice President johnson. | hammered
upon the door and awakened Mr.. John
son, who had but recently fallen into
slumber from exhaustion and nervous
strain. He came to the door but partly
clad and admitted us. In his little par
Tor, which was about twelve by four
teen feet in dimensions, adjoining the
bedroom which he had just left, Mr..
johnson took the oath of president OF
the United States, which was admins
tered to him by Chief Justice Chase, in
the presence of Senator Foote and my
self There were no other witnesses.
Some other people may have entered
the room, as has been stated in the
newspapers, but they were not noticed
by us and were not men of prominence
m public life" SMITH ID. FIX.