PART EIGHTH. ANECDOTES OF THE REBELLION-FINAL SCENES AND EVENTS IN THE GREAT DRAMA: ASSASSINATION OF PRESIDENT LINCOLN; IGNOMINIOUS DOOM OF JEFFERSON DAVIS; ETC. THE MOST STRIKING OCCURRENCES RELATING TO THE GREAT ASSASSINATION CONSPIRACY, -THE TRAGEDY, THE ACTORS, AND THEIR DOOM; REMARKABLE PASSAGES AND CONVERSATIONS IN MR. LINCOLN'S PRESIDENTIAL LIFE,-MEMORIAL INCIDENTS OF HIS DEATH, AND OF A NATION'S MOURNING; CAPTURE AND CUSTODY OF JEFFERSON DAVIS, -HIS SAYINGS AND DOINGS, PERSONAL BEARING AMONG HIS CAPTORS, IGNOMINIOUS FATE; INTERESTING REMINISCENCES IN THE CAREER OF ANDREW JOHNSON, &c., &c. IF THIS COUNTRY CAN NOT BE SAVED WITHOUT GIVING UP that PRINCIPLE, I WAS ABOUT TO SAY I WOULD RATHER BE ASSASSINATED ON THIS SPOT THAN SURRENDER IT.-Speech of MR. LINCOLN, at Independence Hall, Philadelphia, defending the principle of Liberty contained in the Declaration of Independence; Feb., 1861. "After life's fitful fever, he sleeps well; Treason has done his worst; nor steel, nor poison, Can touch him further."-" MACBETH," read twice by MR. LINCOLN to some friends, I never willingly planted a thorn in any human bosom.-Speech of MR. LINCOLN, in Washington, on the announcement of his re-election; Nov., 1864. "Judge not, that ye be not judged."-PRESIDENT LINCOLN's reply, twice repeated, on being urged to hang JEFFERSON DAVIS, in case of his capture. If it were to be done at all, it were better that it were well done!-JEFFERSON DAVIS to GENERAL BRECKINRIDGE on hearing of PRESIDENT LINCOLN'S Assassination. He was the best man I ever knew.-SECRETARY SEWARD to REV. DR. BELLOWS, on ABRAHAM LINCOLN. Last Day's Incidents in the President's Life. him immediately in the reception room. He conversed with him nearly an hour, on his future policy as to the rebellion, which he was about to submit to the cabi the morning of the fatal Friday net. Afterwards he had an interview which closed the with Mr. Hale, minister to Spain, and earthly days of the several senators and representatives. honored President, At eleven o'clock, the Cabinet and Genhis son, Captain Rob-eral Grant met with him, and in one of ert Lincoln, who had the most satisfactory and important cabijust returned from the net sessions held since his first inauguracapitulation of Gen. tion, the future policy of the administration Lee, breakfasted with his father, and the was harmoniously and unanimously agreed President passed a happy hour listening to on, Secretary Stanton remarking that he all the details. While thus at breakfast, felt that the Government was stronger he heard that Speaker Colfax was in the then than at any previous period since the house, and sent word that he wished to see rebellion commenced. Turning to General Grant, Mr. Lincoln asked him if he had he did not feel any danger whatever. heard from General Sherman? General Conversing on a matter of business with Grant replied that he had not, but was in Mr. Ashmun, he made a remark that he hourly expectation of receiving dispatches saw Mr. Ashmun was surprised at, and from him, announcing the surrender of though not very important, he immediately Johnston. In response to this remark the said, with his well known kindness of President repliedheart, "You did not understand me, Ashmun. I did not mean what you inferred, and I take it all back and apologise for it." Mr. Ashmun desiring to see him again, and there being no time to attend to it then, the President took out a card, and placing it on his knee, wrote as follows: "Because," said Mr. Lincoln, "I had a dream last night, and ever since the war began I have invariably had the same dream before any very important military "Allow Mr. Ashmun and friend to come event has occurred." He then instanced to me at nine A. M. to-morrow. Bull Run, Antietam, Gettysburg, &c., and April 14, '65. A. LINCOLN." said that before each of those events he These were the last words that he penhad had the same dream, and, turning to ned. It was the last time that he signed Secretary Welles, continued, "It is in your his name to any order, document or mesline, too, Mr. Welles. The dream is that sage. The last words written by him I saw a ship sailing very rapidly, and I were thus making an engagement for the am sure that it portends some important morrow-an engagement which he was national event." In the afternoon, the President had a long and pleasant interview with General Oglesby, Senator Yates, and other leading citizens of Illinois. not allowed to meet. Before the hour had arrived he was no more. After signing the card, he said, humorously, to Mr. Colfax, "Mr. Sumner has the gavel of the Confederate Congress, which he got at Richmond, to hand to the Secretary of War; but I insisted then that he must give it to you, and you tell him for me to hand it over." At about half-past seven o'clock, in the evening, Hon. George Ashmun, of Massachusetts, who presided over the Chicago Convention in 1860, called at the White House, and was ushered into the parlor, where Hon. Schuyler Colfax was seated, Mr. Ashmun here pleasantly alluded to waiting for a short interview with the the gavel which he still had-the same President on business which had a bear- one he had used when presiding over the ing upon his proposed overland trip. A Chicago Nominating Convention of 1860. few moments elapsed, when President Mr. Lincoln finally stated that he must Lincoln entered the room, and engaged in go to the theatre, and, saying "You are conversation upon various matters, appear-going with Mrs. Lincoln and me to the ing to be in a very happy and jovial frame theatre, I hope," warmly pressed Speaker of mind. He spoke of his visit to Rich- Colfax and Mr. Ashmun to accompany mond, and when they stated that there them, but they excused themselves on the was much uneasiness at the North while score of previous engagements. It was he was at the rebel capital, for fear that now half an hour after the time they had some traitor might shoot him, he replied intended to start, and they spoke about jocularly, that he would have been alarmed waiting half an hour longer,--the Presi himself if any other person had been Pres-dent going with reluctance, as General ident and gone there, but that personally Grant had that evening gone North, and he did not wish the people to be disap- as he had done at Richmond, and assuring pointed, it having been announced in the him of the earnest desire of all his counafternoon papers that the President, Mrs. trymen to close the war he had so successLincoln, and General Grant, would attend fully conducted. After acknowledging the the theatre that evening, to witness the receipt of the letter, the President replied, representation of the American Cousin. April 14th, the day of his assassination, At the door he stopped and said— and said: "Colfax, do not forget to tell the people in the mining regions, as you pass through them, what I told you this morning about the development when peace comes, and I will telegraph you at San Francisco." I intend to adopt the advice of my friends and use due precaution. I thank you for the assurance you give me that I shall be supported by conservative men like yourself in the efforts I may make to restore the Union, so as to make it, to use your language, a Union of hearts and hands as well as of States. Yours truly, A. LINCOLN." Starting for the carriage, Mrs. Lincoln took the arm of Mr. Ashmun, and the President and Mr. Colfax walked together. As soon as the President and Mrs. Lincoln were seated in the carriage, Mrs. L. gave orders to the coachman to drive Deathbed Scene of the Murdered President. around to Senator Harris's residence As soon as the discovery was made that for Miss Harris. As the carriage rolled the President was shot, the surgeon-genaway, they both said 'Good-by,-Good-by,' eral and other physicians were immediately to Messrs. Ashmun and Colfax, and the summoned and their skill exhausted in carriage had in a moment more disap- efforts to restore him to consciousness. peared from the ground in front of the An examination of his wounds, however, White House. A few moments later showed that no hopes could be given that the presidential party of four persons, his life would be spared. namely, the President and Mrs. Lincoln, Miss Harris and Major Rathbun, of Albany, step-son of Senator Harris, arrived at the theatre and entered the front and left hand upper private box. There was an immense audience present, as was to be expected, in view of the announcement of the attendance of the President and Lieutenant-General Grant. Only a short time elapsed, while President Lincoln occupied that box, before the leaden messenger was sped on its fatal errand, and "GOOD FRIDAY," of the 14th April, 1865, was the last of the beloved President's earthly days. Preparations were at once made to remove him, and he was conveyed to a house immediately opposite, occupied by Mr. Peterson, a respectable citizen of that locality. He was placed upon the bed, the only evidence of life being an occasional nervous twitching of the hand and heavy breathing. He was entirely unconscious, as he had been ever since the assassination. At about half past eleven the motion of the muscles of his face indicated as if he were trying to speak, but doubtless it was merely muscular. eyes protruded from their sockets and were suffused with blood. In other respects his countenance was unchanged. His At his bedside were the Secretary of War, Secretary of the Navy, Secretary Perhaps nothing can be more appropriately presented, in closing this mournful historic page-the last day's incidents of the President's life-than the following of the Interior, Postmaster General and lines, written by the President on that same fatal day. It appears that his friend, General Van Alen, had recently written to him not to expose his life unnecessarily, Attorney General; Senator Sumner, Gen- |