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 him immediately in the reception room. He conversed with him nearly an hour, on his future policy as to the rebellion, ON the morning of which he was about to submit to the cabi 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 replied— heart, "Well, you will hear very soon now, and the news will be important." "Why do you think so?" inquired General Grant, somewhat in a curious mood. 66 "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: "Allow Mr. Ashmun and friend to come to me at nine A. M. to-morrow. April 14, '65. 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 event has occurred." He then instanced Bull Run, Antietam, Gettysburg, &c., and A. LINCOLN." Isaid 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." not allowed to meet. Before the hour In the afternoon, the President had a had arrived he was no more. long and pleasant interview with General After signing the card, he said, humorOglesby, Senator Yates, and other lead-ously, to Mr. Colfax,— ing citizens of Illinois. "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." Mr. Ashmun here pleasantly alluded to the gavel which he still had-the same one he had used when presiding over the Chicago Nominating Convention of 1860. 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, waiting for a short interview with the President on business which had a bearing upon his proposed overland trip. A 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 Presihimself 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 carriage had in a moment more disappeared from the ground in front of the White House. A few moments later the presidential party of four persons, 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 locality. He was placed upon the bed, an immense audience present, as was to be expected, in view of the announcement of the attendance of the President and Lieutenant-General Grant. summoned and their skill exhausted in efforts to restore him to consciousness. An examination of his wounds, however, showed that no hopes could be given that his life would be spared. 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 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. His 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 eyes protruded from their sockets and President's earthly days. were suffused with blood. In other respects his countenance was unchanged. 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- Abbott, Stone, Hatch, Neal, Hall, and slowly fell, and the teeth became exposed. Lieberman, and a few others. All were About a quarter of an hour before the bathed in tears; and Secretary Stanton, President died, his breathing became very when informed by Surgeon Gen. Barnes, difficult, and in many instances seemed to that the President could not live until have entirely ceased. He would again morning, exclaimed, "Oh, no, General; rally and breathe with so great difficulty no-no;" and with an 'impulse, natural as as to be heard in almost every part of the it was unaffected, immediately sat down house. Mrs. Lincoln took her last leave on a chair near his bedside, and wept like of him about twenty minutes before he a child. Senator Sumner was seated expired, and was sitting in the adjoining on the right of the President, near the room when it was announced to her that head, holding the right hand of the he was dead. When the announcement President in his own. He was sobbing was made, she exclaimed, "Oh! why did like a woman, with his head bowed down you not tell me that he was dying!" almost on the pillow of the bed on which The surgeons and the members of the his illustrious friend was dying. In an cabinet, Senator Sumner, Captain Robert adjoining room were Mrs. Lincoln, and her Lincoln, General Todd, Mr. Field, and son, Capt. Rob't Lincoln; Miss Harris, who Mr. Rufus Andrews, were standing at his was with Mrs. Lincoln at the time of the bedside when he breathed his last. Senaassassination, and several others. tor Sumner, General Todd, Robert Lincoln, and Mr. Andrews, stood leanne over the headboard of the bed, watching evу motion of the beating breast of the dyin President. Robert Lincoln was resting himself tenderly upon the arm of Senator Sumner, the mutual embrace of the two Mrs. Lincoln was under great excitement and agony, wringing her hands and exclaiming, "Why did he not shoot me instead of my husband? I have tried to be so careful of him, fearing something would happen, and his life seemed to be more precious now than ever. I must go with him," and other expressions of like character. She was constantly going back and forth to the bedside of the President; exclaiming in great agony, "How can it be so!" The scene was heart-rending. Captain Robert Lincoln bore himself with great firmness, and constantly endeavored to assuage the grief of his mother by telling her to put her trust in God and all would be well. Occasionally, however, being entirely overcome, he would retire by himself and give vent to most piteous lamentations. Then, recovering himself, he would return to his mother, and, with remarkable self-possession, try to cheer her broken spirits and lighten her load of sorrow. Charles Sumner. having all the affectionateness of father and son. The surgeons were sitting upon the side and foot of the bed, holding the President's hands, and with their watches observing the slow declension of the pulse, At four o'clock the symptoms of restlessness returned, and at six the premonitions of dissolution set in. His face which had been quite pale, began to as- and watching the ebbing out of the vital sume a waxen transparency, the jaw spirit. Such was the solemn stillnes for the space of five minutes that the ticking | chairs of simple construction, adapted for of the watches could be heard in the room. sleeping rooms, and the bed upon which At twenty-two minutes past seven o'- Mr. Lincoln lay when his spirit took its clock, in the morning, April fifteenth, flight. The bedstead was a low walnut, gradually and calmly, and without a sigh the headboard from two to three feet high. or a groan, all that bound the soul of The floor was covered with Brussels carAbraham Lincoln was loosened, and the peting, which had been considerably used. eventful career of one of the most re- Everything on the bed was stained with markable of men was closed on earth. the blood of the Chief Magistrate of the As he drew his last breath, the Rev. nation. A few locks of hair were reDr. Gurley, the President's pastor, offered moved from the President's head for the a fervent prayer of supplication and sym- family, previous to the remains being pathy. The countenance of the President placed in the coffin temporarily used for was beaming with that characteristic smile removing the remains to the executive which only those familiar with him in his mansion. happiest moments could appreciate; and except the blackness of his eyes, his face appeared perfectly natural. The morning Flight, Capture and Death of Booth. After eleven days had transpired since John Wilkes Booth, was discovered in a barn on Garrett's farm, near Port Royal, on the Rappahannock. Immediately after the murder, Colonel Baker, of the detective service, set out to find Booth's hidingplace. He soon succeeded in capturing was calm, and the rain was dropping the death of the President, his murderer, gently upon the roof of the humble apartment where they laid him down to die. The body servant of the President entered the room just before he died, and as the breath left the body of Mr. Lincoln, this loving and bereaved servant manifested the most indescribable sorrow. Mrs. Lin- Atzerodt, the would-be assassin of Vicecoln remained but a short time, when she was assisted into her carriage, and with her son Robert and other friends she was driven to the house which but the evening before she left for the last time with her honored husband, who never was again to enter that home alive. President Johnson, and Dr. Mudd. It was Dr. M. who attended to Booth's leg, crippled by his getting entangled with the flag that decorated the President's box, and a boot with Booth's name in it was found in his possession. A negro was then arrested, who said he had seen Booth The room, into which the most exalted and another man cross the Potomac in a of mortal rulers was taken to die, was in fishing-boat. Col. Baker sent to Gen. Hanthe rear part of the dwelling, and at the cock for twenty-five mounted men to aid end of the main hall, from which rises a him in the pursuit. These were sent unstairway. The dimensions of the room der Lieutenant Dougherty, and Baker are about ten by fifteen feet, the walls be- placed them under the control of Lieutening covered with a brownish paper, figur- ant-Colonel Conger, and of his cousin, ed with a white design. Some engravings Lieutenant L. B. Baker, and dispatched and a photograph hung upon the walls. them to Belle Plain, with orders to scour The engravings were copies of the "Vil- the country about Port Royal. lage Blacksmith," and "Stable and Barn- The detectives and cavalrymen left yard Scenes;" the photograph was one Washington at two P. M. on the 23d of taken from an engraved copy of Rosa April, and at ten o'clock disembarked at Bonheur's "Horse Fair." The furniture Belle Plain, near Fredericksburg. Here of the apartment consisted of a bureau they commenced their inquest, but without covered with crochet, a table, several any result. The next morning they came |