The Irish standard., 1901-05-11

The assassination of Lincoln, follow
ing so closely the surrender of Lee
and the downfall of the confederacy,
is the most dramatic event in the his
tory of the United States.
Few of the present generation re-
alize the thrilling interest that the
great tragedy had for every person in
the United States-the passion Of grief,
anger, even fear, that swept in one
great gust over the North; the honest
sorrow Of the South that it's cause had
been made an excuse for murder.
1t is story well worth telling over
and over again, but the account here
given is of especial historical impor-
tance, for there are facts in the fol-
lowing recital which have never be-
fore been published.
They were given to the New York
Sunday World by General James R.
O'Beirne, who was provost-marshal in
Washington at the time, and is one Of
the few men now living who were at
Lincolns deathbed, and by James N.
Mills Of Brooklyn, who was at the
theater when Lincoln was shot.
Washington was in gala dress on
Good Friday, April IA, 1865. The news
of the surrender Of Lee with the
army Of northern Virginia, the occu-
patton Of Richmond by Grant and the
certain breaking up Of the confederacy
had caused rejoicing throughout the
North, and particularly in the capital.
All Washington was blaze of red,
white and blue bunting. Every man,
woman and child was happy, for peace
was coming at last!
No man in all the land was happier
than Abraham Lincoln, the president,
whose great heart had been torn for
four long years by the civil war-"the
terrible war;" as he expressed it.
An illustration of his light-hearted-
ness may be found in this anecdote-
told to the writer by General O'Beirne,
who witnessed the incident, and which
is now for the first time recorded.
On the evening of April 13 a brass
band went to the White House to
serenade the president. By some mis-
take Of judgment the band began
/. playing "Dixie." Instantly the crowd
about the band protested, and there
were cries of "Stop thatv "Don't give
us rebel music" etc.
Lincoln was sitting on window sill
of his room listening to the music. He
raised his hand for silence and cried
in his most amiable voice, but in clear
and ringing tones: 'That's all right;
let the band play on! Dixie is ours
now"
1t had been arranged that President
and Mrs. Lincoln and General and
Mrs. Grant should attend the perform.
ance Of "Our American Cousin" by
Laura Keene, at Ford's theater on the
evening Of April IA, and box had
been ordered.
The partition between the two up
per proscenium boxes on the left side
of the stage had been removed, com.
Portable armchairs had been put in
and the front of the box draped with
flags.
The afternoon papers announced
that the president and, his lady" and
the "hero of Appomattox" would at.
tend the theater that night.
AS General Grants face was almost
unknown then to the Washington pub
lie, large audience filled the theater
in the evening.
But General Grant changed his mind
in the afternoon, and started with his
wife for Philadelphia. Years later he
said to John Russell Young that he re
GREETED bitterly that he had not gone
to the theater with Lincoln, for he be
lieved If he had he would have noted
the assassin's approach and prevented
his awful act.
Lincoln did not wish to 60 to the
theater when he heard that General
Grant would not be Of the party.
81 don't care to CO." he said to his
wife; "the people only wanted to sex
General Grant"
saThey will be doubly disappointed