The Laurens advertiser. (Laurens, S.C.) 1885-1973, 1901-09-18
THE MARTYR PRESIDENTS
Three in a GGueration Have Been
Shot Down-How Lincoln and
Garfield Fell.

No. the night Of April IA, 1865, and Iii
- at 1922 on the morning Of April
1865. President Garfield was sho, ,
the morning of July 2, 1881, and after
IL lingering illness died ON September 2
'c iSSl The shooting of President NJ
u l>'Llcy has occurred just six montl
|: and two days after his Sc ond acce
C SION to the presidency.
/" From the moment presid, mt Lincol
received the bullet of Wilkes Boo,
mere was no prospect cf his recover,
. Ills devoted wife and members of h
cabinet remained with HIM throur
= That memorable night, when all Wasl
: ingl0n was in fever of excitemcr
i, over the attempts on the life of Lit,
coin and Of Seward. As dayliyh
drew near the pulse of the sufferer be
cane more feeble. A bulletin a. 6 -
said Sinking SLOWLY" Anothe
bulletin at Z said that the end wa
near. Deaih came at 1922, with th
stricken widow and Secretaries Stan
ton, Wells and Usher and Privat,
Secretary John Hay-now a mcmbe
OF the Mckinley misunderstanding a
the bedside. There was prayer, ant
then the solemn voice of Stanton broke
inc silence with "Now he belongs tC
the ages"
AT III O'Clock Oh the morning of the
10th Chief Justice Chase administered
the oath of Office TO Andrew Johnson.
The latter remained at the modest tav-
crn on pennsylvania avenue where he
mad been quartcred, until the catafal-
que containing the remains OF the
| marIyred President was borne from The
| Whlle House to its final resting Olacc
at Springfield III.
President Garfield was shot at the
Pennsylvania railroad depot IN Wash
inglon as he and Secretary Blame were
ABOUT TO depart Tor Long Branch. AS
the two distinguished men were pass
ing through the ladies' waiting room.
two pistol shots rang out upon the air.
Mr. Blaine saw a man running and
started toward him, but immedlatel,
turned and saw the President lurch
forward and fall. a moment after
ward the assassin, Charles j. Guiteau,
was discovered, and was rescued with
difficulty from the infuriated mob. a
pistol a very heavy calibre was wrench
ed out of his hand, and it became clear
that large ball had entered the Prcsi-
dents body. The bullet had entered
the right side of the Presidents back,
near tle spinal column and Immediate
ly over the hipbone. The sufferer
moancd at intervals; he was conscious
AT all time, except when un'lcr the in
lluence of opiates. When, in answer
to his eager questions, his physicians
informed him that he had cone chance
in hundred" of living, he said calmly
and bravely; Then, doctor, we will
take that chance"
The wounded President was borne
TO the White House, and then followed
those days and weeks of prayerful
anxiety among the watchers at the
bedside and the people of the whole
country. General Corbln, then as
sistant adjutant general, Immediately
provided special train to bring Mrs.
Garfield to Washington where she
joined those at the Presidents bedside.
Messages of, coincidence came from
Queen Victoria and from the crowned
heads throughout the world. The public
watched the fluctuations of the suf-
fercr's condition with fevcrish anxiety.
From day to day the bulletins, usually
hopeful IN tone, encouraged thc belief
that recovery would occur. Arrange
ments were even made for sea voy.
age on the government ship Tala-
pOOsn.
While President Garfield thus linger-
cd between life and death an imp 1rt.
ant question arose as to the constitu-
tional provision relating to the dis
ability" of the President. On the part
of the Vice President, General Arthur,
there were no move toward assuming
the responsibilities of the executive
office. TO the vice president the situa-
tion was exceedingly trying, but he so
demeaned himself as to win universal
respect. HIS whole bearing from the
day OF the crisis TO the close
of hthe scene was such as to indie
ale the profoundcst sorrow and
anxiety. But in other quarters the
Presidents "disability" was carger-
ly discussed. The question arose,
was President Garfield disabled
in the sense contemplated by the fra.
mers of the constitution? Does that
kind of prostration of the bodily pow
clo III WHICH Incle IL SIill IL prospect or
recovery, which leaves the will free to
act, and the mental powers unimpaired
really involve disability? White these
questions were much discussed it was
the universal public judgment that
President Garfield was not in fact "dis-
abled" in the sense of the constitu-
ton. He continued to be the chief ex-
ecutlve of the nation in fact as we'll as
in name; his cabinet met from time to
time; and not until the fatal turn of
affairs on September 20, when the
President breathed his last at Elberon.
was there an actual change in the ad.
ministratiOn.
| General Arthur was at New York
when the news reached him late at
night that the President had passed
away. Among those who joined Gen
eral Arthur at that solemn momen
were Elihu Root, now a member O
the Mckinley cabinet. Mr.. Blaine
and his associates of the Garfield cabl
net had telegraphed General Arthur t,
take the oath of office. Long afte
midnight-at Q O'Clock on the mornin,
of September 21-General Arthur too
tho oath of ofTino xyh;,l, uoo l.-;-