a rv \Jt ' ' ' *T**p%/ 1 <"" wl j'ry i 
 
 LINCOLN ROOM 1 
 
 UNIVERSITY OF ILLINOIS 
 LIBRARY 
 
 k.b.Ktz.
 
 LIBRARY 
 UNIVERSITY OF ILLINOIS 
 
 URBANA
 
 ABRAHAM LINCOLN 
 
 HIS 
 
 LIFE, PUBLIC 
 
 AND GREAT FUNERAL CORTEGE, 
 
 WITH A HISTORY AND DESCRIPTION OF THE 
 
 ATIONAL LINCOLN 
 
 WITH AN APPENDIX. 
 
 By JOHN CARROLL POWER. 
 
 THIRD EDITION. 
 
 SPRINGFIELD, ILIi. : 
 
 H. W. KOKKEK, PRINTER AND BINDEB. 
 
 1882.
 
 Entered according to Act of Congress, May 8, 1872, 
 
 By JOHN CARROLL POWFR, 
 In the Office of the Librarian of Congress at Washington. 
 
 Entered according to Act of Congress, Oct. 16, 1874, 
 
 By JOHN CARROLL POWER, 
 In the office of the Librarian of Congress at Washington. 
 
 Entered according to Act of Congress, Nov. 4, 1874, 
 
 By JOHN CARROLL POWER, 
 In the office of the Librarian of Congress at Washington. 
 
 Entered according to Act of Congress, June 5, 1882, 
 
 By JOHN CABKOLL POWER, 
 In the office of the Librarian of Congress at Washington.
 
 TO THE 
 
 YOUNG MEN AND WOMEN 
 
 IN THE 
 
 UNITED STATES OF AMERICA, 
 Of all stations in life, this volume is most respectfully 
 
 B1BICATEB ; 
 
 With the earnest hope that they will adopt 
 ABRAHAM LINCOLN 
 
 As their* MODEL, and strive 
 
 M 
 49 
 
 0} to conform their lives to his standard of 
 
 s 
 
 (4 
 
 Truthfulness, Honesty and exalted Patriotism. 
 
 THE AUTHOR 
 
 I 162405
 
 EDITION, 
 
 OF THE 
 
 LIFE OF LINCOLN.
 
 PREFACE. 
 
 In presenting to the reading public a new volume 
 on the life of Abraham Lincoln, I do not^claim to 
 have discovered any new mines of truth, but my aim 
 has been to present old truths in a new and attractive 
 dress, to divest the subject of all irrelevant and re- 
 dundant matter, and give a concise and connected ac- 
 count of the life, public services and tragic death of 
 the wonderful man whose character seems to enlarge 
 and expand the more it is studied. 
 
 I have drawn extensively upon other biographers 
 and historians, especially the writings of Hon. I. N. 
 Arnold, Dr. J. G. Holland, J. H. Barrett, Ward H. 
 Lamon, and others. In addition to the published 
 works on the subject, I have derived very great ad- 
 vantage from more than four years residence among 
 the people where Mr. Lincoln spent nearly thirty years 
 of his life, and from a personal acquaintance with 
 every member of the National Lincoln Monument 
 Association. 
 
 I have not felt called upon to defend Mr. Lincoln's 
 character against unfavorable criticisms of his relig- 
 ious views. His own words will answer them more 
 thoroughly than anything I could say, and I must con- 
 fess my astonishment at finding in his writings so
 
 VI PEEFACE. 
 
 many places where he unqualifiedly gives expression 
 to his belief in the overruling power of divine provi- 
 dence, and of his reliance on God for support and 
 guidance. This feeling evidently strengthened, as he 
 advanced in life. I am one of those who believe that 
 God can and does convert men from the error of their 
 ways, to be living epistles of the truths contained in 
 His word; and that He did touch and turn the heart 
 of Abraham Lincoln, his own words abundantly tes- 
 tify. 
 
 That wonderful funeral journey, which has no par- 
 allel in human history, except that of the Israelites 
 carrying the body of the patriarch Jacob up out of 
 Egypt, is delineated in detail. 
 
 The characteristics which distinguish this book from 
 all others, touching the life of Abraham Lincoln, are: 
 the Map, showing the course of his life and funeral ; 
 and the full and minute account of the building and 
 dedication of the National Lincoln Monument, erect- 
 ed by a grateful people as a visible symbol of their 
 desire to commemorate his virtues. 
 
 J. C. P. 
 SPRINGFIELD, ILL., Dec. 1874.
 
 TABLE OF CONTENTS. 
 
 PAGE 
 
 CHAPTER I 17 
 
 Origin of the Lincoln family ; Probably New England 
 Quakers ; Removal to Pennsylvania, thence to Virgin- 
 ia, and from Virginia to Kentucky ; Abraham Lincoln, 
 grandfather of the President, assassinated by an In- 
 dian ; Thomas Lincoln ; Birth of Abraham Lincoln ; 
 His educational advantages ; Removal of the family to 
 Indiana, and death of his mother. 
 
 CHAPTER II 25 
 
 Abraham Lincoln as a flatboatman ; Removal of the fam- 
 ily to Illinois ; The "deep snow ;" Abraham builds a 
 flatboat in Sangamon county and runs it to market; 
 His studious habits ; Volunteers to fight the Indians, 
 and is elected Captain of a company; Is appointed 
 Postmaster ; Learns and practices surveying ; Is elec- 
 ted to the Legislature ; Studies law, and removes to 
 Springfield; Personal description of himself; His 
 marriage ; Elected to Congress ; His debates with Ste- 
 phen A. Douglas, and speeches in different parts of 
 the country, east and west. 
 
 CHAPTER III 37 
 
 Mr. Lincoln's speeches in the New England States ; They 
 make deep impressions, North and South ; He is nom- 
 inated by the Republican National Convention as a 
 candidate for President of the United States, and is 
 elected in November, 1860; His farewell address to
 
 TABLE OF CONTENTS. 
 
 PAGE 
 
 his old friends in Springfield, on starting for Wash- 
 ington City; Incidents of the journey, at Indianapolis, 
 Cincinnati, Columbus, Pittsburg, Cleveland, Buffalo, 
 Albany, Troy, New York City and Philadelphia. 
 
 CHAPTER IV 51 
 
 Conspiracy to assassinate Mr. Lincoln ; It is discovered, 
 thwarted, and he arrives safely at the Capital ; He is 
 inaugurated President of the United States ; The re- 
 bellion bursts upon the country; Fort Sumter surren- 
 ders ; First blood spilled in the streets of Baltimore ; 
 The great uprising of the people in the North ; Pre- 
 liminary Proclamation of Emancipation. 
 
 CHAPTER V 62 
 
 Proclamation issued, emancipating three millions of 
 slaves; Is followed by signal success to the Union 
 arms; Re-consecration of the Fourth of July ; Mr. Lin- 
 coln's Gettysburg speech ; Thanksgiving ; Mr. Lincoln 
 re-nominated and elected for a second term. 
 
 OHAPTER VI 72 
 
 Mr. Lincoln very broadly hints that he would resign 
 rather than return any of the freed people to slavery ; 
 Constitutional amendment abolishing slavery; Spir- 
 ited speeches on the subject; Ratified by three-fourths 
 of the States; Proclamation declaring the end of 
 Slavery in the United States. 
 
 CHAPTER VII 82 
 
 Second inauguration of Abraham Lincoln as President 
 of the United States; His remarkable inaugural ad- 
 dress ; Surrender of the rebel armies ; Raising the old 
 flag on Fort Sumter ; Oration by Rev. Henry Ward 
 Beecher.
 
 TABLE OF CONTENTS. rz 
 
 PAGE 
 
 CHAPTER VIII 88 
 
 Belief of Abraham Lincoln that God had a special work 
 for him to do, and his willingness to accept the trust; 
 Feeling that he would not outlast the rebellion; The 
 last words he ever wrote; His assassination; Thrill- 
 ing scene in the theatre. 
 
 CHAPTER IX 103 
 
 Surrender of the rebel army under General Lee, and de- 
 monstrations of rejoicing throughout the loyal States; 
 Assassination of Abraham Lincoln, and demonstrations 
 of mourning throughout the Union ; A striking con- 
 trast between April 10 and April 15, 1865 ; Preparations 
 for the funeral of President Lincoln. 
 
 CHAPTER X 113 
 
 Commencement of funeral services at the Executive Man- 
 sion, and in the Rotunda of the Capitol of the nation, 
 on the nineteenth of April also at towns and cities all 
 over the Union, and in the Dominion of Canada. 
 
 CHAPTER XI 120 
 
 Multitudes view the remains at the Capitol ; Preparations 
 for the Funeral Cortege; Selection of the Guard of 
 Honor ; Congressional Delegation ; Illinois Delegation 
 and others. 
 
 CHAPTER XII 137 
 
 Closing scenes at Washington, and departure of the Fu- 
 neral Cortege ; Arrival at Baltimore, and demonstra- 
 tions of respect and mourning in that city ; Journey to 
 Harrisburg, and manifestations of reverence and sorrow 
 at that place; From Harrisburg to Philadelphia, and 
 incidents connected therewith.'
 
 TABLE OF CONTENTS. 
 
 PAGE 
 
 CHAPTER XIII 132 
 
 Reception at Philadelphia by an immense procession ; 
 The remains conveyed to Independence Hall, where 
 they lay in state thirty-two hours, passing the Sabbath 
 in this sanctuary of the Republic ; The dead President 
 and the broken Bell ; the tide of people pouring through 
 the hall to view the remains ; Funeral services in the 
 Philadelphia churches; Departure of the Funeral Cor- 
 tege, and incidents of the journey through New Jer- 
 sey. 
 
 CHAPTER XIV 140 
 
 The funeral train arrives in New York ; Magnificent re- 
 ception and gorgeous procession ; Ceaseless living tide 
 through the City Hall, for more than twenty-four hours, 
 night and day, to see the face of the dead President; 
 Another grand procession escorts the remains through 
 the streets; Jewish, Catholic and Protestant divines 
 vie with each other in demonstrations of respect to the 
 memory of Abraham Lincoln ; Oration of George Ban- 
 croft, Prayer by a Jewis Rabbi, and ode by William 
 Cullen Bryant, all in Union Square ; General Scott at 
 the depot. 
 
 CHAPTER XV 153 
 
 Departure of the train from New York ; Demonstrations 
 opposite West Point, at Poughkeepsie and other places ; 
 torchlight procession across the Hudson river ; Arri- 
 val at Albany ; The remains lying in state at the Capi- 
 tol; Immense number of people visit the remains; 
 Capture and death of Booth, the assassin; Gigantic 
 procession escort the remains to the depot ; Departure 
 of the Funeral Cortege. 
 
 CHAPTER XVI 159 
 
 Incidents of the journey from Albany to Buffalo; A 
 panorama of torch lights, musical societies and bands,
 
 TABLE OF CONTENTS. xl 
 
 military and citizens, through the entire night; arrival 
 at Buffalo, and reception there ; Throngs of people 
 view the remains; Canadians come over and take part 
 in the demonstrations. 
 
 CHAPTER XVII 166 . 
 
 Departure of the Funeral Cortege; Incidents of the 
 journey, and demonstrations of sorrow along the line; 
 Arrival at Cleveland, and magnificent reception ; Tem- 
 ple erected for the purpose of exhibiting the remains ; 
 gorgeous procession ; Religious services ; Throngs of 
 people. 
 
 CHAPTER XVIII 172 
 
 The Funeral Cortege takes its leave of Cleveland at mid- 
 night in a heavy rain storm ; Manifestations of sorrow 
 at all the stations and towns on the road ; Arrival at 
 Columbus; Demonstrations of sorrow by the invalid 
 soldiers ; Great procession ; Oration by Hon. Job E. 
 Stevenson ; Departure from Columbus. 
 
 CHAPTER XIX 179 
 
 Incidents of the journey, and manifestations of sorrow 
 along the road ; Richmond and Dublin, and the Qua- 
 kers of Wayne county, Indiana ; Arrival at Indinapo- 
 lis; The rain storm; Vast concourse of people view 
 the remains throughout a rainy Sabbath ; Rules and 
 regulations for running the train ; Departure at mid- 
 night. 
 
 CHAPTER XX 186 
 
 The people assemble in great numbers at all the towns 
 and stations ; Lafayette ; Michigan City ; Arrival at Chi- 
 cago ; Magnificent funeral arch ; Signal guns and toll- 
 ing of bella ; Grand procession ; Former rebel soldiers
 
 xn TABLE OF CONTENTS. 
 
 PAGE 
 
 in the procession ; Mottoes and inscriptions ; Splendid 
 decorations; Demonstrations of respect to deceased 
 kings of England and to President Lincoln contrasted ; 
 Closing the coffin, and a torchlight procession to the 
 the depot; The departure. 
 
 CHAPTEE XXI 200 
 
 Journey from Chicago ; Demonstrations at stations and 
 towns along the route ; Joliet ; Bloornington ; Arrival 
 at Springfield; The procession; The remains "at the 
 State House. 
 
 CHAPTER XXII 207 
 
 Descriptions of the decorations at the State House ; Gov- 
 ernor's Mansion and the Lincoln residence ; Mottoes 
 and inscriptions; Money expended by the city of 
 Springfield ; Entertaining the vast multitude ; Chicago 
 Committee of One Hundred have their photographs 
 taken in front of the Lincoln residence ; People march 
 past the remains the entire night ; No cessation of vis- 
 itors for twenty-four hours ; Singing at the State House 
 by two hundred and fifty voices ; Funeral procession 
 from the State House to Oak Ridge Cemetery ; Relig- 
 ious services at the tomb ; Funeral oration by Bishop 
 Simpson ; Closing scenes at Oak Ridge ; Table of dis- 
 tances traveled by the Funeral Cortege. 
 
 CHAPTER XXIII 224 
 
 National Lincoln Monument Association ; Construction 
 of a temporary vault on the new State House grounds ; 
 Newly erected vault not used ; Remains deposited in 
 the public vault at Oak Ridge ; Entry in the register ; 
 National Lincoln Monument Association organized 
 under the laws of Illinois ; Personnel of its members ; 
 Elects officers and adopts by-laws ; Decides to build the
 
 TABLE OF CONTENTS. xin 
 
 PAGE 
 
 monument at Oak Rigde, and builds a temporary vault 
 there ; Advertise for designs for a monument ; Adopt 
 that ottered by Larkin G, Mead ; Entered into contract 
 with Mr. Mead for the statuary ; Order statue of Lin- 
 coln and United States Coat of Arms to be made ; Con- 
 tract with W. D. Richardson to build the architectural 
 part of the monument. 
 
 CHAPTER XXIV 235 
 
 Ground broken and work commenced on the monument 
 Statement of the assets of the Association ; Executive, 
 or Building Committee ; Description of the monument ; 
 Engraving of ground plan, with explanation ; Engra- 
 ving of terrace, with explanation ; Engraving of eleva- 
 tion of the crypts, with explanation ; Engraving of sec- 
 tional view of the monument, with explanation ; Ash- 
 lars, containing the names of the States ; Engraving of 
 round pedestal, with explanation ; Engraving of U. S. 
 Coat of Arms, with explanation ; Engraving of the 
 monument as it will appear when completed, with ex- 
 planations. 
 
 CHAPTER XXV 250 
 
 History and description of the stone from the wall of 
 Servius Tullius. 
 
 CHAPTER XXVI 257 
 
 Hsstory of the design and progress of the work ; criti- 
 cisms on the statue of Lincoln ; It is pronounced a sig- 
 nal success ; Death of Thomas (Tad) Lincoln, and de- 
 positing his remains in the monument; Governor 
 Palmer becomes a member of the Association; Re- 
 mains of President Lincoln removed from the tempo- 
 rary vault into the crypt designed for it in the monu- 
 ment.
 
 xiv TABLE OF CONTENTS. 
 
 CHAPTER XXVII 262 
 
 Raising the money to build the monument ; Contribu- 
 tions by the Sunday School children ; Colored people ; 
 Churches ; Free Masons ; Odd Fellows ; Indians ; Sol- 
 diers ; Missionary sends money from Hong Kong, Chi- 
 na; Sunday School in Alaska; Citizens of New York; 
 of Boston ; The only three States contributing to the 
 funds ; Work all paid for as far as completed ; Tributes 
 of the Nations, or Expressions of Condolence and Sym- 
 pathy ; Present membership of the Association ; Exec- 
 utive Committee. 
 
 CHAPTER XXVIII 277 
 
 Appropriation of ten thousand dollars by the State of 
 New York ; Special Committee visit Chicago, and un- 
 expectedly receive proposals to furnish the means to 
 pay for the Infantry Group ; Visit New York City and 
 receive pledges for the Naval Group ; They visit Chic- 
 opee, Mass., and pronounce the Statue of Lincoln a 
 success ; Great fire in Chicago ; Gentlemen voluntarily 
 stand to their pledges made before the fire ; Infantry 
 Group ordered ; Money raised for the Naval Group, and 
 order given for the work to proceed ; Both Groups 
 modeled ; Progress of the casting and finishing ; Bos- 
 ton pledges the money for the Cavalry Group ; Phila- 
 delphia pledges the money for the Artillery Group ; 
 Gov. Oglesby's visit to Hon. Wm. M. Seward. 
 
 CHAPTER XXIX 289 
 
 Time fixed for dedicating the National Lincoln Monu- 
 ment ; Reunion of the Society of the Army of the Ten- 
 nessee ; Preparations for doing honor to both events ; 
 Triumphal arches ; The selection of an Orator by the 
 Monument Association; President Grant, Gov. John 
 A. Dix, Hon. Gideon Wells, Hon. O. P. Morton, and 
 Hon. R. J. Oglesby ; Committee on Invitations and re- 
 sponses to the same ; The Army Reunion ; Decorations
 
 TABLE OF CONTENTS. xv 
 
 PAGE 
 
 in the city; the Procession; Arrival at Oak Ridge 
 Cemetery ; Historical address by Hon. J. K. Dubois, 
 including financial statement of the Association ; Ora- 
 tion by Hon. R. J. Oglesby; Dedication of the Na- 
 tional Lincoln Monument; Unveiling the Statute; 
 Dedication Poem, by J. J. Lord ; Addresses by Presi- 
 dent Grant, Vice President Wilson, Hon. U. F. Linder, 
 Gen. W. T. Sherman, and Hon. Schuyler Colfax ; Lar- 
 kin G. Mead ; Bedediction by Rev. Albert Hale. 
 
 CHAPTER XXX 339 
 
 Explanations of the symbolic meaning of the Monument 
 . and Statuary ; Vice President Dubois, Sec'y Hatch and 
 Treasurer Beveridge ; Hon. John T. Stuart and Abra- 
 ham Lincoln: Appointing a Custodian; Success of 
 the Association. 
 
 CHAPTER XXXI...'. 346 
 
 History and description of Oak Ridge Cemetery. 
 
 APPENDIX. 
 
 CHAPTER XXXII 353 
 
 History of the Monument continued; Letter of Mr. Lincoln to 
 Eliza P. Gurney; To Mrs. Bixby; Death of Vice-Presi- 
 clent Dubois, O. H. Miner and D. L. Phillips; Election of S. 
 M. Cullom. C. S. Zane and Milton Hay, members of the Asso- 
 ciation ; Weight of the Groups ; Extent of Monument 
 Grounds; Original and Present Membership of the Associa- 
 tion; Attempt to steal the remains of Mr. Lincoln. 
 
 CHAPTER XXXIII 372 
 
 Guides and Custodians versus Visitors; Lincoln Monument a 
 School of Patriotism; The Lady visitor who had traveled in 
 Europe; Eavesdropping visitors; Merchant and Ladies; 
 The Methodists; The Doctor of Divinity; The Lady who did 
 not want the Custodian to talk, and then asked him ques- 
 tions: Theatrical people; The Infldel; Newspaper reporters; 
 The Interior and the Custodian's reply, etc, etc. 
 
 CHAPTER XXXIV 390 
 
 Sale and burning of the Emancipation Proclamation; Height 
 of Mr. Lincoln; How he came to grow Whiskers; Hand ball 
 and the news of his Nomination: Lincoln Guard of Honor; 
 
 Presbyterian General Assembly and the Lincoln Monument.
 
 LIFE OF LINCOLN. 
 
 MONUMENTAL EDITION
 
 CHAPTER 1. 
 
 About the year 1752, a family of Lincolns removed 
 from Berks county, Pennsylvania, to Rockingham 
 county, Virginia. In his "Life of Abraham Lincoln," 
 Dr. J. G. Holland speculates, with much plausibility, 
 of the probability that some of the Lincolns among 
 the Massachusetts Friends, usually called Quakers, 
 emigrated, with other New England Puritans, to Penn- 
 sylvania, and that in time they, or their descendents, 
 removed' to Virginia. From a paper written in De- 
 cember, 1859, by Abraham Lincoln, at the request of 
 Hon. Jesse W. Fell, of Bloomington, 111., I find that 
 he gives expression to similar views with reference to 
 the Quaker origin of the family, but without anything 
 more definite than the conjectures of Dr. Holland. A 
 fac simile of the paper referred to above may be found 
 covering three pages in Lamon's Life of Lincoln. I 
 have good reason to believe that it was unknown to 
 Dr. Holland at the time he wrote. 
 
 Daniel Boone, at the head of a small party of ad- 
 venturers, left his home on the river Yadkin, in South 
 Carolina, in the year 1769, to explore that part of Vir- 
 ginia, then known as the ''Country of Kentucky." 
 After suffering great hardships for about two years, 
 the party returned with glowing accounts of the result 
 of their expedition. In 1775, Boone, with others who 
 were charmed with the reports brought back by the 
 first party, organized another, and with their families 
 went into Kentucky for the purpose of becoming per- 
 manent residents. 
 2
 
 18 L.IFE OF ABRAHAM 
 
 The Revolutionary struggle came on, and the weary 
 years of war and bloodshed wore away, and still those 
 hardy frontiersmen held their ground among the sav- 
 ages. As the war drew to a close, and Independence 
 was achieved, reports went back from the wilderness 
 to the colonies, then become States, of the fertility of 
 the soil, abundance of game and mildness of climate, 
 in what came to be called the " Dark and Bloody 
 Ground." 
 
 Among those for whom the new country had 
 charms, was a man in Rockingham county, Virginia, 
 by the name of Abraham Lincoln. I shall, not at- 
 tempt to exhibit the Lincoln family tree, but will con- 
 tent myself with following this one branch. He re- 
 moved to Kentucky about the year 1781 or 1782, 
 taking with him a young family. As near as can be 
 ascertained, he settled in what is now Bullitt, but 
 others say Mercer, county. In the year 1784, while 
 Abraham Lincoln was at work in his field, uncon- 
 scious of danger, he was stealthily approached by an 
 Indian and assassinated, being shot dead. He left a 
 widow with five children. The widow subsequently 
 removed to a place now in the limits of Washington 
 county, and there brought up her family as best she 
 could. Three of these children were sons, who were 
 named in the order of their births: Mordecia, Josiah 
 and Thomas. The two daughters were named Mary 
 and Nancy. Both married in Kentucky and remained 
 there. Mordecia lived in Kentucky until late in life, 
 when he removed to Hancock county, Illinois, where 
 he left a number of descendants. Josiah, when young, 
 removed to Harrison county, Indiana. Thomas, the 
 third son, who was born in Virginia in 1778, in con- 
 sequence of the early death of his father and the pov- 
 erty of the family, was suffered to grow up in ignor- 
 ance, and wandered about, laboring whenever and 
 for whatever wages he could command. He never re- 
 ceived any education from books, but mechanically
 
 LJFE OF ABRAHAM LINCOLN. 19 
 
 learned to write his name. He remained a bachelor 
 until he was twenty-eight years of age. In 180G 
 Thomas Lincoln was married to Miss Nancy Hanks, a 
 young lady who came from Virginia to Kentucky with 
 some of the early settlers. Previous to his marriage, 
 Mr. Lincoln had prepared a cabin for his future home 
 in Hardin county. Into this humble dwelling he took 
 his young bride, and remained there until three chil- 
 dren were born : Sarah, Abraham and Thomas. The 
 latter died in infancy, leaving only Sarah and Abra- 
 ham. Abraham, of whose life I am writing, was born 
 February 12, 1809. 
 
 Thomas Lincoln, the father, was a strong, healthy 
 man, about five feet ten and a-half inches high. From 
 his circumstances and surroundings he was compelled 
 to dress plainly, but he was a man who was respected 
 by all who knew him. Mrs. Lincoln was quite tall, 
 being five feet five inches high, and was a "slender, 
 pale, sad and sensitive woman, with much in her na- 
 ture that was truly heroic, and much that shrank from 
 the rude life around her." 
 
 Poverty was the lot of all in this humble home, but 
 the father and mother were both pious, and sought at an 
 early age to impress the minds of their children with 
 religious' truth, but religious institutions were exceed- 
 ingly rude and irregular. For many years young 
 Abraham Lincoln never saw a church, but he occa- 
 sionally heard Parson Elkin preach. He was a Bap- 
 tist, and Thomas and Nancy Lincoln being members 
 of that denomination, he was frequently attracted to 
 their cabin. The first ideas of public speaking Abra- 
 ham ever received was from the sermons of Mr. El- 
 kin. 
 
 Schools were scarce and very inferior. To supply 
 the deficiency, Mrs. Lincoln, having received more 
 education than her husband, would read aloud to her 
 son and daughter from the few books that could be 
 obtained in the neighborhood.
 
 20 LIFE OF ABRAHAM LINCOLN. 
 
 Young men and women who have enjoyed the ad- 
 vantages of schools as they are now systematized in 
 all the northern and some of the southern States, can 
 not realize the almost entire destitution of the means 
 for developing and improving the mind. Such estab- 
 lishments as the large publishing houses, with their 
 classified series of text books, in almost every branch 
 of learning, were then unknown. The schools were 
 usually kept in houses that would be thought unfit for 
 the protection of horses or cattle at the the present 
 time. 
 
 The studies were confined to spelling, reading, writ- 
 ing and arithmetic. Grammar and geography were 
 unknown. Such a thing as a dictionary was seldom 
 or never seen by any person connected with the schools. 
 The books in use were, Dilworth's spelling book, and 
 for reading, any book, on any subject, that happened 
 to fall into the hands of the different families. A 
 country school is remembered by the writer about fif- 
 teen years later than the time Abraham Lincoln com- 
 menced his studies, and in a better part of Kentucky, 
 when Dilworth's spelling book had given place to 
 Webster's. The following is a partial list of the books 
 used, as the best that could be obtained, by a large 
 number of boys and girls about equally advanced in 
 their knowledge of reading. Almost any Kentuckian, 
 unless his lot was cast in some of the larger towns or 
 cities of the State, has seen its counterpart. There 
 being no possibility of classification, they would be 
 called up to recite in something like the following or- 
 der: The Bible, .ZEsop's Fables, Life of Washington, 
 Robinson Crusoe, New Testament, Revised Statutes 
 of Kentucky, Life of Marion by Horry, a book of 
 Western Adventures, English Reader, Charlotte Tem- 
 ple, Columbian Orator, Thaddeus of Warsaw, De- 
 bates on Baptism, between Campbell and McCalla, 
 and others about as well selected.
 
 LIFE OF ABRAHAM LINCOLN. 21 
 
 At about seven years of age, Abraham Lincoln was 
 sent to a school, of which the above is, no doubt, a fair 
 description. The only aid in his studies was an old 
 copy of Dil worth's spelling book. He went two or 
 three months to that teacher, and within that year 
 went about three months to another teacher. With 
 the instruction he received from these two teachers, 
 Zachariah Riney and Jacob Hazel, and the aid of his 
 mother, he learned to read and write legibly. The 
 instruction the boy received from his mother was, 
 no doubt more valuable to him than the schools. 
 Later in life, Lincoln, speaking of his education, said : 
 "If a straggler, supposed to understand Latin, hap- 
 pened to sojourn in the neighborhood, he was looked 
 upon as a wizzard." 
 
 That part of the country in which Abraham Lin- 
 coln was born has since been separated from Hardin 
 and erected into a new county, called Larue, with 
 Hodginsville as the county seat. Hodginsville is 
 about fifty miles south by east of Louisville, thirty- 
 live miles northeast of the Mammoth Cave, and 
 eight or ten miles east of the Louisville and Nash- 
 vifle railroad, either from Glendale or Nolensville 
 stations. The nearest point from Hodginsville to the 
 Ohio river is thirty-five miles northwest, through 
 Elizabethtown, the county seat of Hardin county, to 
 West Point, at the mouth of Salt River. 
 
 The cabin in which he was born was situated about 
 one and a-half miles from Hodginsville, on Noleu's 
 Creek. The family remained there a year or two after 
 his birth, and then removed to a cabin on Knob 
 Creek, on the road from Bardstown, Kentucky, to 
 Nashville, Tennessee, at a point three and a-half miles 
 south or southwest of Athertoii's Ferry, on the Roll- 
 ing Fork of ISalt river, and six miles east or northeast 
 of Hodginsville. As the family of Thomas Lincoln 
 increased, he became dissatisfied with his situation. 
 The laud where he lived was much of it broken, poor
 
 22 LJFE OF ABRAHAM LINCOLN. 
 
 and stony, and besides these disadvantages, Kentucky 
 was exceedingly unfortunate in its early settlement on 
 account of the insecurity of its land titles. From 
 this combination of causes, he determined to sell his 
 small estate and emigrate west of the Ohio river. The 
 price he asked for his home was $300. In the year 
 1816 he found a purchaser, by taking his pay princi- 
 pally in whisky and a small amount of money. As 
 soon as his sale was effected he built a small flat boat, 
 launched it on the waters of the Rolling Fork, loaded 
 it with his whisky and heavier household goods and 
 farming utensils, and commenced his journey alone. 
 He floated safely down the Rolling Fork into Salt 
 river and entered the Ohio. Here he met with the 
 misfortune of having his boat upset, by which he lost 
 about two-thirds of his load. Obtaining assistance, 
 his boat was righted and he continued his voyage until 
 he landed at Thompson's Ferry, .now the town of 
 Rockport, Spencer county, Indiana. He at once pro- 
 cured conveyance for his goods and took them about 
 eighteen miles north, to a point near the present town 
 of Gentryville, in the same county. He left his goods 
 in the care of a settler, and returned to the river, and 
 after crossing it, proceeded on foot to his Kentucky 
 home, taking as near a straight course as possible. He 
 at once commenced preparations for removal. The 
 bedding and clothing for the family was packed upon 
 three horses, and all set out overland for their new 
 home. They occupied seven days in making the 
 journey, and at the end of that time met with 
 neighborly assistance in erecting a dwelling, and were 
 soon ready to begin life in the wilderness. 
 
 The first journey, including the river voyage and 
 land travel, must have been at least two hundred 
 miles ; although, on a straight line, the points of de- 
 parture and destination were less than one hundred 
 miles apart. He had moved about seventy-five miles 
 west and fifty north and exchanged a slave for a free
 
 LJFE OF ABRAHAM LINCOLN. 23 
 
 State. The removal took place in the autumn of 1816 
 when Abraham Lincoln was in the eigth year of his 
 age. About two years after their settlement in Indi- 
 ana his mother sickened and died, in the fall of 1818, 
 leaving: her husband, son and daughter to mourn her 
 loss. The ability of Abraham to write was now for 
 the first time found to be an acquisition of real utility. 
 Tn their affliction, both father and son thought of 
 their old friend Parson Elkin, and it was finally de- 
 cided that Abraham should write to him imforming 
 him of the death of Mrs. Lincoln, and ask the parson 
 to come and preach the funeral. The preacher wrote 
 them in reply, that he would be there on a certain 
 Sunday and comply with their wishes. Notice was 
 given of the time set for the funeral, and about two 
 hundred persons were collected from an area of nearly 
 twenty miles in diameter. The minister was there at 
 the appointed time, and taking his stand at the foot of 
 the grave, with his congregation seated on logs and 
 stumps, preached a sermon suitable to the occasion. 
 The memory of his mother was always held sacred by 
 Abraham Lincoln. After he had acquired great fame, 
 while in conversation with a friend he said, with tears 
 in his eyes, "All that I am, or hope to be, I owe to 
 my angel mother." It has been said that the forego- 
 ing remark was made concerning his step-mother, but 
 that is not very probable, as she was living at the 
 time the remark was made. That he was strongly 
 attached to her there can be no doubt. 
 
 A gentleman who resided at Charleston, Coles Co., 
 111., was present when Abraham Lincoln visited his 
 step-mother soon after he was elected President, in the 
 fall of 1860, and gave to the writer a description of 
 the parting scene, which, if truly portrayed, would se- 
 cure fame to the artist who should execute it. He said 
 that when Mr. Lincoln was about to take leave of the 
 aged, white-haired matron who had so faithfully sup- 
 plied the place of a mother, she approached him with
 
 24 LIFE OF ABRAHAM LINCOLN. 
 
 tottering: steps, surrounded by her humble neighbors, 
 and leaning upon his breast, in faltering tones sobbed 
 out the words, "Abram, I feel that I shall never see 
 you again." As Mr. Lincoln stood, his tall form tow- 
 ering above hers, his left arm around her neck, his 
 right hand raised and pointed towards Heaven, he ut- 
 tered the single word, " Mother." He could say no 
 more, and after standing a few moments in silence, 
 with his head slightly inclined forward, they slowly 
 separated to meet no more on earth.
 
 CHAPTER II. 
 
 When he was about twelve years of age, one of 
 the neighbors, named Andrew Crawford, commenced 
 teaching a school in his own cabin, and Abraham 
 made diligent use of this opportunity to improve his 
 mind. The same obstacle presented itself here that 
 existed in Kentucky, with reference to books, but 
 such as found their way into the new settlement, were 
 secured for the boy to read. Some of the books read 
 about that time, made a lasting impression on his 
 mind. Among them were the Pilgrim's Progress, by 
 John Bunyan ; the life of Washington, both by 
 Weems and Ramsey ; the life of Henry Clay ; .ZEsop's 
 Fables, and other books of like value. 
 
 In the latter part of 1819, a little more than a year 
 after the death of his wife, Thomas Lincoln returned 
 to Kentucky, and married Mrs. Sally Johnston, of 
 Elizabethtown, a widow lady with three children. 
 She proved to be a kind step-mother, and the two 
 families grew up in harmony. 
 
 In 1822, Sarah Lincoln was married to a young 
 man named Aaron Grigsby. She died about a year 
 after her marriage, and thus Abraham was motherless 
 and without a brother or sister. 
 
 In the year 1828, when Abraham was nineteen 
 years of age, a neighbor applied to him to take charge 
 of a flatboat and its cargo, and, in company with his 
 own son, run it down the Mississippi river and sell it 
 at the sugar plantations near New Orleans. The 
 business was placed entirely in his hands. They 
 started from the town of Rockport, Spencer county,
 
 26 LIFE OF ABRAHAM LINCOLN. 
 
 and made a successful trip, giving satisfaction to all 
 parties. On their return, they walked the greater 
 portion of the distance. 
 
 Abraham Lincoln had, long before his flatboat trip, 
 ceased to attend any school. Summing up all the 
 time spent under his five teachers, it did not amount 
 to more than about one year, and the most that could 
 be said of his attainments, was that he could "read, 
 write and cipher," but he was always reading or 
 studying at every leisure moment. 
 
 After living thirteen or fourteen years in Indiana, 
 and the children of both families grew to be men and 
 women, all became dissatisfied with their location. 
 The country continued to be unhealthy, and to extend 
 farming required a great amount of labor to remove 
 the timber. They had heard of the prairies of Illinois, 
 and decided to send Dennis Hanks, a relative of Mrs. 
 Lincoln, to examine the new country. He returned and 
 reported very favorable. Mr. Lincoln disposed of his 
 interests in Indiana, and on the first of March, 1830, 
 started in search of a home. They entered the State of 
 Illinois by crossing the Wabash river at Vincennes, and 
 continued their course to the northwest through Law- 
 renceville, near the site of the present town of New- 
 ton, in Jasper county, and through Charleston, Coles 
 county. The roads, or rather the country, was very 
 muddy, and it took them fifteen days to travel about 
 two hundred miles. Abraham drove one of the ox 
 teams, and was afterwards remembered by some of 
 the citizens along the route on account of his being so 
 tall. 
 
 Thomas Lincoln selected a spot on the north side 
 of Sangamon river, where timber and prairie were 
 convenient to each other. It was in Macon county, 
 about ten miles west of Decatur. Abraham assisted 
 his father in building a log cabin, and in splitting 
 rails and fencing ten acres of land. After this, he 
 worked for hire among the neighbors. A part of his
 
 LIFE OF ABRAHAM LINCOLN. 27 
 
 work at that time was breaking fifty acres of prairie 
 with four yoke of oxen. The expectation that their 
 new home would be a more healthy location, proved 
 to be a sad disappointment. In the autumn of the 
 first year, nearly all of the new emigrants were afflicted 
 with fever and ague. The winter of 183031 is re- 
 membered as the winter of the "deep snow." I quote 
 from an address by President Sturtevant, before the 
 old settlers association at Jacksonville : "In the inter- 
 val between Christmas, 1830, and January, 1831, snow 
 fell over all central Illinois to a depth of fully three 
 feet on a level. Then came a rain, with weather so 
 cold that it froze as it fell, forming a crust of ice over 
 this three feet of snow, nearly if not quite strong 
 enough to bear a man, and finally, over this crust of 
 ice there was a few inches of very light snow. The 
 clouds passed away, and the wind came down upon 
 us from the northwest with extraordinary ferocity. 
 For weeks, certainly for not less than two weeks, the 
 mercury in the thermometer tube was not, on any one 
 morning, higher than twelve degrees below zero. 
 This snow fail produced constant sleighing for nine 
 weeks." 
 
 In the spring of 1831, the Lincoln family retraced 
 their steps in part, leaving Macon for a better locality 
 in Coles county, not far from Charleston. That con- 
 tinued to be the home of Thomas Lincoln until his 
 death, which occurred January 17, 1851, in the 
 seventy-third year of his age. 
 
 After the removal of the family to Coles county, 
 Abraham never made his home in his father's house. 
 During the winter of the deep snow, he made an en- 
 gagement for himself, his step-brother, John D. John- 
 ston, and John Hanks, a relative of his own mother, 
 to take a flatboat to iS'ew Orleans. They were to 
 meet their employer at Springfield, which they did 
 about the first of March, to learn that the enterprise
 
 28 LIFE OF ABRAHAM IJNCOI.N. 
 
 was a failure, in consequence of the inability of their 
 employer to obtain a boat. 
 
 An arrangement was then made for the three to 
 build a boat at Sangamo, on the south bank of the 
 Sangamon river, about seven miles northwest from 
 Springfield. After the boat was finished, it was floated 
 down below New Salem, now in Menard, then a part 
 of Sangamon county, where the boat was loaded for 
 the trip, a part of the cargo being live hogs. The 
 voyage was a success, the running of the boat and 
 selling the cargo being under the direction of Mr. 
 Lincoln. On his return, he became a clerk in the 
 store of Mr. Oifutt, who had fitted out the boat. The 
 store was at New Salem, a town now extinct. 
 
 In connection with all the hard labor he had per- 
 formed, Mr. Lincoln was a constant reader, making 
 the best choice he could from the scanty materials to 
 be obtained. While clerking in the store at New 
 Salem, he borrowed a copy of Kirkham's grammar, 
 and mastered its intricacies. It was while he was 
 clerking in this store that the people began to call 
 him " Honest Abe." After spending about one year 
 in the store, his employer failed, and he was thrown 
 out of business. 
 
 In 1832, the Indian war, headed by the chief Black 
 Hawk, broke out, and young Lincoln, now twenty- 
 three years of age, enlisted for the fight. When the 
 time came for the election of a captain for his com- 
 pany, a Mr. Kirkpatrick was candidate. Mr. Lincoln 
 had previously worked for Kirkpatrick, and found 
 him so tyranical that he refused longer to remain in 
 his employ. Lincoln was put forward as a candidate 
 for the same office, by a party of young men, without 
 any aspirations for the office on his part. The candi- 
 dates took positions some distance from the men, and 
 at a given signal they fell to the rear of their favorite. 
 Lincoln received about three-fourths of the votes. In 
 after life he often referred to this incident, and con-
 
 LIFE OF ABRAHAM LINCOLN. 29 
 
 fessed that no subsequent success gave him half the 
 satisfaction that this election did. Captain Lincoln's 
 company did a great amount of marching, but was 
 not in any battle. The time for which the men en- 
 listed expired before the closing of the war, and many 
 of them went home, but Captain Lincoln and some 
 of the men re-enlisted, and served until Black Hawk 
 was taken prisoner and his followers dispersed. 
 
 The rendezvous of the soldiers before starting for the 
 enemy was at Beardstown. While in camp, Captain 
 Lincoln became acquainted with Captain John T. 
 Stuart, who was soon after elected Major of a spy 
 battalion. Thus commenced the acquaintance between 
 these two men which ripened into the closest friend- 
 ship and continued until the death of Mr. Lincoln. 
 
 After his return from the war, Lincoln became a 
 candidate for the legislature, but failed to be elected, 
 not for want of personal popularity, but because he 
 espoused the weakest side in politics, being a Whig. 
 The official poll-books for New Salem precinct, where 
 he lived, show that Lincoln received 277 votes, when 
 at the same time the combined vote of the Whig and 
 Democratic candidates for congress was only 276. 
 
 Being out of business, Lincoln was about to com- 
 mence learning the trade of a blacksmith, but soon 
 abandoned the idea, and took an interest in a store. 
 That proved to be unprofitable, and he abandoned it 
 in about one year, because he was unable to pay his 
 debts. He was postmaster at New Salem during the 
 time he kept that store, which gave him access to all 
 the newspapers he could read. The postoffice at New 
 Salem was abolished while he was postmaster, and the 
 business removed to Petersburg. The village of New 
 Salem in a short time ceased to exist. 
 
 Soon alter his failure in business, a chance for remu- 
 nerative employment presented itself. John Calhouu, 
 who many years later took part in the Kansas trou- 
 bles, was, at the time we speak of, surveyor of Sanga-
 
 30 LIFE OF ABRAHAM LINCOLN. 
 
 mon county. He was anxious to have an assistant 
 whom he could trust. Having observed Lincoln's 
 studious habits, and knowing him to be honest, he told 
 him that if he would study surveying, he could have 
 all the work he desired, and be well paid for it. Cal- 
 houn offered the use of the necessary books. Lincoln 
 accepted them, and in a few weeks was ready for the 
 business, and followed it more or less for two or three 
 years. During that time he did the surveying in lay- 
 ing out the town of Petersburg, the county seat of 
 Menard county. He also surveyed much of the sur- 
 rounding country. 
 
 In 1834, Abraham Lincoln was again a candidate 
 for a seat in the legislature, and was elected, receiv- 
 the highest vote cast for any candidate. When the 
 time arrived for the assembling of the legislature, 
 Lincoln laid aside his compass, and with a package 
 of clothing, went on foot to Vandalia, the capital of 
 the State, about one hundred miles distant. Hon. 
 Jesse K. Dubois then a Representative from Law- 
 rence county, but now of Springfield and Lincoln 
 were the two youngest members of the House. That 
 session commenced in December, 1834. During the 
 whole time, Lincoln said little but observed all that 
 was done by others. He was constantly in his place, 
 and faithfully discharged every duty assigned him on 
 the various committees. Major John T. Stuart was 
 one of Lincoln's colleagues from Sangamon county, 
 and they roomed together at Vandalia. As they were 
 taking a walk one morning after breakfast, Lincoln 
 asked Stuart's advice with reference to the study of 
 law, and Stuart advised him to begin at once. Lincoln 
 said he was poor and unable to buy books. Mr. 
 Stuart was already in a successful practice at Spring- 
 field, and ottered to loan him all the books he would 
 require. The offer was gratefully accepted, and when 
 the session closed, Lincoln returned home as he went 
 on foot. When he was ready to begin his studies,
 
 LIFE OF ABRAHAM LINCOLN. 31 
 
 he walked to Springfield, a distance of about twenty- 
 five miles, borrowed enough books to make a com- 
 mencement, and returned with them to New Salem. 
 He would study as long as his money lasted, and as 
 the opportunity to do more surveying presented itself, 
 he would earn all the money he could and return to 
 his studies. 
 
 In the autumn of 1836, Mr. Lincoln was admitted 
 to the bar in Springfield, and about the same time re- 
 elected to the State Legislature. Sangamon county 
 was entitled to two Senators and seven Kepresenta- 
 tives. At that term the entire delegation were so tall 
 that they were then and have always since been called 
 the " Long Nine." Some of them were a little less 
 and some a little more than six feet, but their com- 
 bined height was exactly fifty-four feet. None were 
 taller than Abraham Lincoln. The statement written 
 by himself, in December, 1859, at the request of Hon. 
 Jesse W. Fell, of Bloomington, contains this para- 
 gragh: "If any personal description of me is thought 
 desirable, it may be said I am in height six feet, four 
 inches nearly; lean in flesh; weigh, on an average, 
 one hundred and sixty pounds; dark complexion, 
 with coarse, black hair, and gray eyes no other 
 marks or brands recollected." It was at the session 
 of 1836-7 that the capital was removed from Vanda- 
 lia to Springfield. At the close of that session, Mr. 
 Lincoln walked home as before. His Springfield 
 friend, Major Stuart, at this time made him an oifer 
 to become his partner in the practice of law, which 
 he accepted, and from April 27, 1837, Springfield was 
 his home. Here he was warmly welcomed on account 
 of his efficient aid in securing the removal of the capital 
 to Springfield. The people were still anxious to keep 
 him in the Legislature, and he was elected in 1838 
 and again in 1840, but after that declined to be a 
 candidate.
 
 32 LIFE OP ABRAHAM LINCOLN. 
 
 The firm of Stuart & Lincoln continued to practice 
 until April 14, 1841, when Mr. Stuart was elected to 
 a seat in the U. S. House of Representatives, which 
 made it necessary to dissolve the law firm. Mr. Lin- 
 coln at once formed a partnership with Judge S. T. 
 Logan, then and now a citizen of Springfield. They 
 were partners until 1845. He then formed a partner- 
 ship with William H. Herndon, as Lincoln & Hern- 
 don, which continued to the end of his life. 
 
 Mr. Lincoln was married in Springfield to Miss 
 Mary Todd, November 4, 1842. In 1846 he was 
 elected to the U. S. House of Representatives, and 
 when he took his seat in that body was the only 
 Whig from Illinois, all the others being Democrats. 
 
 After serving out his two years congressional term, 
 he was for nearly ten years diligently engaged in the 
 practice of his profession, without being a candidate 
 before the people for any office whatever. But he was 
 by no means an idle spectator of the political acts 
 passing in review before him. He was gradually 
 preparing, perhaps unconscious to himself, for the 
 great events in which he was to act so conspicuous a 
 part. By his occasional speeches, he was gaining a 
 national reputation. 
 
 In the first Republican National Convention, which 
 assembled in Philadelphia June 17, 1856, he received 
 110 votes as the candidate for Vice President, to 259 
 for Dayton. This of course decided the matter against 
 him, but it was complimentary, and was a formal in- 
 troduction of Mr. Lincoln to the Nation. 
 
 His name headed the Republican electorial ticket 
 for Illinois, and he took an active part in the cam- 
 paign for Fremont and Dayton. From the time of 
 this campaign to the end of his life, Mr. Lincoln was 
 almost entirely absorbed in politics. 
 
 Although United States Senators are not elected by 
 the popular vote, events brought the subject as prom- 
 inently before the people of Illinois in 1858 as if they
 
 LIFE OF ABRAHAM TJNOOLN. 33 
 
 had been expected to vote upon it. It was known 
 that it would be a part of the business of the General 
 Assembly to be elected that year to choose a United 
 States Senator to succeed Stephen A. Douglas, and 
 that he was a canidate for re-election. The Demo- 
 cratic State Convention of Illinois assembled in 
 Springfield, April 21. of that year, and endorsed the 
 course of Mr. Douglas in Congress on the slavery 
 question. This endorsement was understood by all 
 parties to be equivalent to a nomination for re-elec- 
 tion. 
 
 The Republican State Convention also assembled 
 in Springfield, on the 16th of June following. There 
 were about six hundred dejegates to this convention, 
 and enough of their alternates were present to make 
 about one thousand earnest men from all parts of the 
 State. A banner was borne into the convention from 
 Chicago bearing the words, "Cook county for Abra- 
 ham Lincoln." The whole convention rose to its feet 
 and gave three cheers. After adopting a platform and 
 transacting all other business, a resolution was brought 
 forward and unanimously adopted on the 17th, "that 
 Hon. Abraham Lincoln is our first and only choice 
 for United States Senator, to fill the vacancy about to 
 be created by the expiration of Mr. Douglas' term of 
 office." Frequent calls were made for a speech from 
 Mr. Lincoln. It was at length announced that he 
 would address the convention at the State House in 
 the evening. In that speech he defined in the clearest 
 language the issue between the friends and enemies 
 of slavery, and gave as his opinion that "a house 
 divided against itself cannot stand," and that the 
 United States would either become all slave or all 
 free ; and pointed out so clearly the duty of the friends 
 of freedom that the convention adjourned in the high- 
 est state of enthusiasm. 
 
 The work now for the two candidates was, to each 
 exert his influence in the choice of members of the
 
 34 LIFE OF ABEAHAM LINCOLN. 
 
 Legislature, the slavery question being the only point 
 at issue. At first their appointments were made in- 
 dependent of each other. Mr. Douglas spoke at Chica- 
 go on the 9th and Mr. Lincoln on the 10th of July. 
 On the 16th, Mr. Douglas spoke at Bloomington, Mr. 
 Lincoln being present. On the 17th, both spoke at 
 Springfield to different audiences, neither one hearing 
 the other. 
 
 Mr. Lincoln, wishing to come to close work on the 
 subject, addressed the following note to Mr. Douglas : 
 
 CHICAGO, ILL., July 24, 1858. 
 Hon. 8. A. Douglas : 
 
 MY DEAR SIB : Will it be agreeable to you to make an ar- 
 rangement for you and myself to divide time and address the 
 same audiences the present canvass ? Mr. Judd, who will hand 
 you this, is authorized to receive your answer; and, if agreeable 
 to you, to enter into the terms of such arrangement. 
 
 Your obedient servant, 
 
 A. LINCOLN. 
 
 Mr. Douglas replied the same day at some length. 
 Mr. Lincoln addressed Mr. Douglas again on the 29th, 
 and Mr. ' Douglas replied on the 30th of the same 
 month, accepting the proposition for discussion, and 
 naming the following seven places and times for hold- 
 ing the meetings : 
 
 Ottawa, LaSalle county Aug. 21, 1858 
 
 Freeport, Stephenson county " 27, " 
 
 Jonesboro, Union " Sept. 15, " 
 
 Charleston, Coles " " 18, " 
 
 Galesburg, Knox " Oct. 7, " 
 
 Quincy, Adams " " 13, " 
 
 Alton, Madison " 15, " 
 
 Mr. Lincoln addressed Mr. Douglas on the 31st, 
 acquiescing in the arrangement, and the debates were 
 held at the times and places designated.
 
 LIFE OF ABRAHAM LINCOLN. 35 
 
 The principles of each party were thoroughly dis- 
 cussed, and the weak points of both fully exposed. 
 The discussion was fair, open and manly, the warmest 
 friendship being sustained between the disputants 
 throughout the campaign. 
 
 A small majority of the members of the Legislature 
 elected as the result of this canvass were in favor of 
 Mr. Douglas. Mr. Douglas was accordingly returned 
 to the U. S. Senate. Notwithstanding Mr. Lincoln 
 was defeated in the immediate object of the canvass, 
 there is little doubt that it was the means of placing 
 him in the Presidential chair. The principles upon 
 which the Republican party asked the confidence of 
 the American people are not so clearly set forth in 
 any other form as in his speeches in this discussion. 
 These speeches took the whole range of the extension 
 and restriction of slavery in the territories, and the 
 manner in which Mr. Lincoln presented the subject 
 was so clear and logical that it commanded the atten- 
 tion of the people, east, west, north and south. Dur- 
 ing the year 1859, he visited Kansas, Ohio and New 
 York, and made several speeches of great ability. 
 Albert D. Richardson, who accompanied him to Kan- 
 sas, referring to his speech delivered in a rickety old 
 court house in Troy, Doniphan county, on a cold, 
 windy November night, says that a Democratic speaker 
 present attempted to reply, but did little more than 
 compliment Mr. Lincoln by saying that it was the 
 finest speech he had ever listened to on the Republi- 
 can side of the question. 
 
 A speech delivered by him in Cincinnati, early in 
 1860, to an audience in which he assumed there were 
 some Kentuckians, discussed the question with the 
 the border slave States in his own peculiar style. It 
 is yet remembered in that city lor its extraordinary 
 power. 
 
 An elaborate article, prepared by Senator Douglas, 
 appeared in Harper's Magazine, in the latter part of
 
 36 LIFE OF ABRAHAM LINCOLN. 
 
 1859. Tt had an immense circulation all over the 
 Union. Mr. Lincoln soon had an opportunity to be 
 heard on a more extended scale before the people of 
 the Nation. An invitation was extended to him to 
 speak in Brooklyn at Mr. Beecher's church, but it 
 was thought best by the Republicans of the two cities 
 the speech should be delivered at Cooper Institute, 
 New York. It was delivered in the latter part of 
 February, 1860. He had expended an extraordinary 
 amount of historical research in its preparation, and 
 it was one of the clearest exhibitions of the policy of 
 the Republican party ever delivered in one speech. 
 It was copied in the newspapers east and west, and 
 printed in pamphlet form and used as a text book in 
 the succeeding Presidential campaign.
 
 CHAPTER III. 
 
 Invitations to speak were received by Mr. Lincoln 
 from many places in New England. On the fifth of 
 March he spoke at Hartford, and was escorted to the 
 City Hall by the first company of "Wide Awakes" 
 ever organized. He had an immense audience and 
 produced a powerful impression. On the sixth of 
 March he spoke at New Haven, on the seventh at 
 Meriden, on the eighth at Woonsocket, Rhode Island, 
 on the ninth at Norwich, Connecticut, on the tenth 
 at Bridgeport. All of these speeches were to immense 
 audiences. The educated and highly cultivated classes 
 of the Eastern States seemed as much charmed with 
 the man and his style of oratory as the people of the 
 west. During this trip he visited his son, Robert, at 
 Harvard College, and spent two Sabbaths in New York 
 City, both times attending Mr. Beecher's church. 
 
 All these speeches were read and re-read, from 
 Maine to California, and from the frozen regions of 
 the North to the border slave States on the South, 
 and to a considerable extent even among the orange 
 groves of the extreme South. 
 
 Mr. Lincoln had scarcely returned home from his 
 eastern tour before the Democratic National Conven- 
 tion assembled at Charleston, which occurred on the 
 23d of April. After wrangling among themselves 
 for several days, that body was rent in twain, one 
 part to assemble in Baltimore on the eighteenth day 
 of June, and the other to meet in Richmond on the 
 second Monday in June.
 
 38 LIFE OF ABRAHAM LINCOLN. 
 
 On the ninth of May the National Constitutional 
 Union Convention assembled in Baltimore. This 
 Convention was made up of old Whigs and native 
 Americans. It nominated John Bell, of Tennessee, 
 for President, and Edward Everett, of Massachusetts, 
 for Vice-President. The Richmond Convention met 
 and adjourned to await the doings of the Baltimore 
 Convention, which nominated Stephen A. Douglas 
 for President, and Benjamin Fitzpatrick, of Alabama, 
 afterwards changed to Herschel V. Johnson, of Geor- 
 gia, for Vice-President. This was done on the 23d 
 of June. 
 
 The members of the Richmond Convention, after 
 adjourning, went in a body to Baltimore and re-or- 
 ganized. They then nominated John C. Breckenridge, 
 of Kentucky, for President, and Joseph Lane, of 
 Oregon, for Vice-President. This body completed its 
 work on the 22d of June, one day before the conven- 
 tion that nominated Douglas. 
 
 The Republican National Convention assembled in 
 Chicago, May 16th, 1860, for the purpose of selecting 
 candidates for the offices of President and Vice-Pres- 
 ident of the United States. At first the choice seemed 
 nearly equally divided between Mr. Seward, of New 
 York, and Mr. Lincoln. On the 18th Mr. Lincoln 
 was nominated on the third ballot by 345 out of 465 
 votes. His nomination was thus secured, but Mr. 
 Evarts, of New York, after expressing his regret that 
 the gentleman from his own State had not been the 
 choice of the convention, moved that the nomination 
 of Mr. Lincoln be made unanimous. Hannibal 
 Hamlin, of Maine, was nominated for Vice-President. 
 
 On Saturday, May 19th, the Hon. George Ashmun, 
 of Massachusetts, President of the Convention, at the 
 head of a committee appointed for the purpose, arrived 
 in Springfield and delivered to Mr. Lincoln a letter 
 informing him of his nomination, and a copy of the 
 platform of the principles adopted by the Conven- 
 tion.
 
 LIFE OF ABRAHAM LINCOLN. 39 
 
 On the 23d of May Mr. Lincoln accepted the nom- 
 ination in a graceful letter addressed to Mr. Ashmun. 
 The election took place on the 6th of November. 
 The electoral vote of all the States combined was 303. 
 Of this number Lincoln and Hamlin received 180; 
 Breckenridge and Lane, the candidates of the pro- 
 slavery democrats, 72 ; Bell and Everett 39, and 
 Douglas and Johnson, progressive democrats, 12: 
 making a majority of 37, over all competitors, for 
 Lincoln and Hamlin. 
 
 Notwithstanding Mr. Lincoln was elected in strict 
 conformity to the constitutional provisions governing 
 the case, the fact thnt he was elected was made the 
 occasion for the conspiracy, which had long been 
 smouldering in the Southern States, to burst forth in 
 full flame. From the time of his election to the day 
 of his inaugeration, wanted but two days of four 
 months. During that time seven States passed ordi- 
 nances of secession, and appointed delegates to attend 
 a convention at Montgomery, Alabama, on the 4th of 
 February, 1861. These were South Carolina, Georgia, 
 Mississippi, Alabama, Florida, Louisiana and Texas. 
 
 This convention assembled at the appointed time 
 and adopted a provisional constitution for what they 
 called the Confederate States of America. They 
 selected Jefferson Davis, of Mississippi, for President, 
 and Alexander H. Stevens, of Georgia, to be Vice- 
 President of the new Government. 
 
 All this was done before Mr. Lincoln left his home 
 in Illinois, and nearly a month before he took the 
 oath of office at the capital of the nation. It was 
 not in consequence of anything he had done, for the 
 time had not yet arrived for him to perform any of- 
 ficial act ; nor was it in consequence of anything 
 which the leaders saw he had the power to do, for 
 they well knew his views of the sanctity of an oath, 
 and that he would swear to maintain the constitution 
 inviolate Secession was a foregone conclusion, to
 
 40 LIFE OF ABRAHAM LINCOLN. 
 
 be carried out at this time if it could be made prac- 
 ticable. 
 
 At eight o'clock Monday morning, February llth, 
 1861, Abraham Lincoln left his home in Springfield 
 to repair to the capital of the nation for the purpose 
 of entering upon his duties as President of the United 
 States. Almost the entire population of the city, 
 without distinction of party, assembled at the depot 
 of the Toledo, Wabash and Western Railroad, then 
 at the crossing of Monroe and Tenth streets, to see 
 him take his departure. He seemed to feel to its full 
 extent the solemnity of the occasion, and before enter- 
 ing the cars took an affectionate leave of his old 
 friends and neighbors by a general hand-shaking and 
 the delivery of the following brief 
 
 FAREWELL ADDRESS. 
 
 " My Friends: No one, not in my position, can appreciate 
 the sadness I feel at this parting. To this people I owe all that 
 I am. Here I have lived more than a quarter of a century ; here 
 my children were born, and here one of them lies buried. I 
 know not how soon I shall see you again. A duty devolves upon 
 me which is, perhaps, greater than that which has devolved upon 
 any other man since the days of Washington. He never would 
 have succeeded except by the aid of Divine Providence, upon 
 which he at all times relied. I feel that I can not succeed with- 
 out the same Divine aid which sustained him, and on the same 
 Almighty Being I place my reliance for support ; and I hope 
 you, my friends, will all pray that I may receive that Divine as- 
 sistance, without which I can not succeed, but with which suc- 
 cess is certain. Again I bid you an affectionate farewell." 
 
 It was raining at the time but every hat was lifted 
 when he began to speak, and every head bent forward 
 to catch what proved to be his last words to Spring- 
 field auditors. When he uttered the sentiment that 
 with God's help he was sure to succeed, there was an un- 
 controllable burst of applause.
 
 LIFE OF ABRAHAM IJNCOL.N. 41 
 
 The train arrived at Decatur at half past nine. Mr. 
 Lincoln was almost as well known there as at Spring- 
 field. An immense multitude assembled at the depot, 
 broke out with enthusiastic cheers as the car bearing 
 the President elect came alongside. 
 
 Mr. Lincoln left his car and moved through the 
 crowd of old friends, shaking hands to the right and 
 left. But a few moments stoppage only was allowed 
 and he was borne away, followed by the prayers and 
 good wishes of thousands of loyal hearts. The train 
 passed the junction south of Lafayette. At that and 
 nearly all towns and stations crowds of people waited 
 to catch a glimpse of the man in whom the hopes of 
 the nation were centred. He reached Indianapolis at 
 five oclock, p. m., to find at least twenty thousand 
 people assembled about the depot, and to be welcomed 
 by a speech from Governor Morton amid the firing 
 of thirty-four guns. A procession in which both 
 houses of the Indiana Legislature participated, escort- 
 ed the Presidential party to the Bates House, from 
 the balcony of which Mr. Lincoln delivered a brief 
 address. On the twelfth Mr. Lincoln and his party 
 proceeded on a special train. Mr. Lincoln showed 
 himself on the platform and spoke a few words to the 
 people at Shelbyville, Greensburg, Lawrenceburg and 
 other places. A family group were assembled near 
 the old home of President Harrison, to whom Mr. 
 Lincoln bowed his respects as the train passed. This 
 was the fifty-second anniversary of Mr. Lincoln's 
 birth day. 
 
 At Cincinnati he was greeted by a throng of peo- 
 ple estimated at one hundred thousand, and was con- 
 ducted to a splendid carriage drawn by six white 
 horses, and escorted to the Burnet House, arriving 
 there at five o'clock, p. m. On the balcony of the 
 Burnet House Mayor John M. Bishop delivered an 
 address of welcome, which was responded to at some 
 length by Mr. Lincoln. He was afterwards waited
 
 42 I/TFE OF ABRAHAM LINCOLN. 
 
 on bv a delegation of two thousand Germans. A large 
 number of Kentuckians were among the assembled 
 multitude. 
 
 On the morning of the thirteenth, at nine o'clock, 
 the Presidential party started from the Little Miami 
 depot. At all the stations from Cincinnati to Colum- 
 bus large crowds were collected with banners, bands 
 of music and artillery, but stoppages were made at 
 but few places. A brief stav was made each at Mil- 
 ford, Loveland, Morrow, Xenia and London. At 
 Xenia an immense multitude awaited the arrival of 
 the train, and after a few words from the President a 
 scramble was made to take him by the hand, but, 
 much as he desired to gratify them, he felt compelled 
 to retreat into the car. At London the demonstration 
 was fully equal to that at Xenia ; the whole population 
 was out. About three o'clock, p. m., the President 
 elect was received at the capital of Ohio by about 
 twenty thousand people amid the firing of thirty-four 
 guns, corresponding to the number of States of which 
 the Union was then composed. A correspondent on 
 the train says the population seemed to be doubled 
 and all in the streets. 
 
 Mr. Lincoln was escorted to the State House and 
 introduced by Governor Dennison to the two legis- 
 lative bodies assembled in the hall of the House of 
 Representatives. He was then conducted to the 
 western steps of the Capital, where he spoke a few 
 words to the vast multitude, after which he was con- 
 ducted to the mansion of Governor Dennison. In 
 the evening he held a reception at the Capital, where 
 a general hand-shaking was indulged in for a short 
 time. 
 
 The electorial vote was counted at Washington 
 that day, and the result made known to Mr. Lincoln 
 by special telegram that afternoon. 
 
 On Thursday morning the fourteenth, notwith- 
 standing the heavy rain, a large number of people
 
 LIFE OF ABRAHAM LINCOLN. 43 
 
 were at the depot to witness the departure of the 
 train at eight o'clock. Large crowds of people were 
 standing in the rain at Newark. Frazeysburg, Dresden, 
 Coshocton, Newcomerstown and many other stations 
 to catch a passing view of their chosen ruler. At 
 Cadiz Junction a sumptuous dinner was in waiting 
 and was eargerly relished by all. At Steubenville 
 about five thousand people were in waiting, to whom 
 Mr. Lincoln delivered a brief address. 
 
 It was night when the party arrived at Alleganey 
 City, and passed over into Pittsburg. The continued 
 falling rain interfered with the demonstration it was 
 intended to make. At the Monongahela House Mr. 
 Lincoln addressed a large concourse of people from 
 the balcony that evening and again the next morning. 
 The speaking was done to gratify the intense desire of 
 the people to see and hear him. Personally Mr. Lin- 
 coln would have preferred to say nothing until he 
 spoke to the people in his inaugural address. 
 
 Friday morning, the fifteenth, rain was still pour- 
 ing down when the train left Pittsburg, but there 
 was a dense mass of human beings extending several 
 blocks on every side of the depot, who cheered the 
 departing guests with enthusiasm. 
 
 As on the previous days, crowds were collected at 
 every station. They were very large and imposing at 
 Rochester, Beaver, Industry, Liverpool, Wellsville, 
 Yellow Creek, Irondale, Franklin, Hanover, Bayard, 
 and nearly all the intervening stations on the line. 
 At many of these the train did not stop, and tired as 
 the President was, he bowed his respects to them from 
 the platform of the cars. 
 
 At Alliance another sumptuous dinner was in wait- 
 ing. As the train moved up a salute was fired, a band 
 played national airs and a company of Zuaves stood 
 guard while the party dined. The train stopped at 
 Ravenna, Hudson, Newburg and other stations where 
 large crowds were assembled, arriving at Cleveland,
 
 44 LIFE OF ABRAHAM LINCOLN. 
 
 amid the roar of artillery, at twenty minutes past four 
 o'clock, p. m. Military and fire companies were out, 
 and made a fine display. The President was con- 
 ducted to a splendid carriage drawn by four white 
 horses, and escorted through snow and mud to the 
 Weddell House, where a speech of welcome was made 
 by the Mayor and responded to by Mr. Lincoln. 
 Boquets and floral wreaths were showered upon him, 
 and hand-shaking followed, until the President elect 
 could endure it no longer, and he was permitted to 
 retire. 
 
 Saturday morning, February sixteenth, was bright 
 and beautiful. At nine o'clock the Presidential par- 
 ty left Cleveland, Mr. Lincoln bowing his farewell 
 from the platform of the rear car to the immense 
 multitude of people. Crowds were collected at about 
 forty stations on the line to Buffalo. Stoppages were 
 made at Painesville, Geneva, Ashtabula, Girard,Erie, 
 Westfield, Dunkirk, Silver Creek and a few other 
 points. At Geneva one of the crowd addressed Mr. 
 Lincoln, exhorting him to stand by the constitution 
 and liberty, and assuring him that he would have the 
 support of the people. After dinner at Erie the 
 President spoke a few words to the immense crowd 
 assembled to see him. At Dunkirk, while addressing 
 the citizens, Mr. Lincoln grasped the staff of the 
 American flag and expressed his intention to uphold 
 it, and asked the people to stand by him. The hearty 
 response assured him that he could rely on them for 
 support. On arriving at Buffalo there were twenty 
 thousand people anxiously awaiting to do honor to 
 their chosen Chief Magistrate. A deputation of citi- 
 zens with Ex-President Fillmore at their head, between 
 whom and Mr. Lincoln a hearty greeting took place, a 
 military company and the police escorted the party to 
 the American Hotel, but the crowd was so dense that 
 Major Hunter, of the U. S. A., had his shoulder dislo- 
 cated. The buildings along the line of march were
 
 LIFE OP ABRAHAM LINCOLN. 45 
 
 nearly all decked with flags. At the hotel Mayor 
 Bemis made a welcoming speech, to which Mr. Lincoln 
 replied, apologizing for not speaking at greater length, 
 and promising to do better when he should arrive at 
 the capital of the nation. A single quotation will 
 illustrate the spirit he manifested in all his speeches. 
 He said: "lam unwilling, on any occasion, that T 
 should be so meanly thought of as to have it supposed 
 fora moment that these demonstrations are tendered to 
 me personally; they should be tendered to no individ- 
 ual, but to the inhabitants of the country and to the 
 perpetuation of the liberties of the country. Your 
 worthy Mayor has thought fit to express the hope that 
 T may be able to relieve the country from the present, 
 or I should say the threatened difficulties. I am sure 
 T bring a heart true to the work. For the ability to 
 perform it I must trust through the instrumentality 
 of this great and intelligent people in that Supreme 
 Being who has never forsaken this favored land. 
 Without that assistance I shall surely fail ; with it I 
 cannot ! " 
 
 The rooms of the Young Men's Christian Associa- 
 tion were opposite the American Hotel. From these 
 were displayed a large banner bearing the inscription, 
 "We will pray for you." 
 
 The Presidential party spent the Sabbath in Buf- 
 falo, and on Monday morning, February 18th, were 
 escorted to the depot by a company of the 74th N. Y. 
 militia. The train departed a quarter before six 
 o'clock, amid the cheers of a large concourse of people. 
 
 From Buffalo to Albany there are nearly a hundred 
 stations, where crowds were assembled to catch a pass- 
 ing view of the nation's chosen ruler, but we can only 
 give room to a small number of them at which stop- 
 pages were made. 
 
 At Batavia the train stopped but a few moments, 
 and Mr. Lincoln bowed his acknowledgments to the 
 hearty greeting of the large crowds assembled at the 
 depot.
 
 46 LIFE OF ABRAHAM IJNCOT.N. 
 
 The train arrived at Rochester at eight o'clock to 
 find a large number of people anxious to see the 
 President elect. The few minutes stay were occupied 
 by a brief speech of welcome by Mayor Scranton and 
 an equally brief reply by Mr. Lincoln. 
 
 At Clyde a large crowd greeted the Presidential 
 party with enthusiastic cheers. 
 
 At Syracuse ten thousand people greeted the Presi- 
 dent elect with cheers. A platform had been erected 
 and a live eagle placed upon it. Mr. Lincoln declined 
 to mount the platform for want of time, but spoke a 
 few words of apology. 
 
 At Utica thousands of people were standing in a 
 snow storm, and, as the train come up, cheered the 
 President elect, accompanied with the firing of a 
 salute. Here Mr. Lincoln was induced to ascend a 
 platform, where he was introduced by the Mayor. 
 He excused himself from speaking, saying that he 
 simply appeared to thank them for the reception to 
 see them and give them an opportunity to see him 
 and humorously expressing the opinion that so far as 
 the ladies were concerned he had the best of the 
 sight. 
 
 At Little Falls, as the train stopped, the church 
 bells rang out merry peals, and the crowd clamored 
 for a speech, but had to content themselves by Mr. 
 Lincoln bowing his acknowledgments. 
 
 At Fonda, Amsterdam and Schenectady the people 
 seemed to have turned out en masse to welcome the 
 President elect. 
 
 At twenty minutes past two o'clock, p. m., the 
 train reached Albany, amid the firing of cannon and 
 the cheers of an immense multitude of people. The 
 President elect was received by Mayor Thatcher in a 
 neat welcoming speech. Mr. Lincoln replied, excus- 
 ing himself from extended remarks, as he expected 
 to appear before the Legislative bodies. The Presi- 
 dential party were then taken in carriages and, escorted
 
 LIFE OF ABRAHAM T,INCOT,N. 47 
 
 bvthe military, were driven to the State Capital, where 
 Mr. Lincoln was taken to the Executive Chamber and 
 introduced to Governor Morgan. The two then pro- 
 ceeded to the front of the Capital to find the Park 
 filled with an immense multitude, even loading the 
 trees and covering every available standing place, all 
 anxious to see the President elect and hear him speak. 
 Governor Morgan made a brief welcoming speech, to 
 which Mr. Lincoln replied. The crowd was so vast 
 that he could not be heard and only bowed his re- 
 sponse to their enthusiastic welcome. Mr. Lincoln 
 was conducted from here into the Assembly Chamber, 
 where he was introduced to the two Houses of the 
 Legislature of New York, assembled together to wel- 
 come him. Mr. Lincoln replied in a brief speech, 
 acknowledging the courtesies received, but declining 
 to go into a detailed statement of the policy he should 
 pursue, preferring to do that in his inaugural address. 
 At the close of these ceremonies the General Assem- 
 bly took a recess for the exchange of friendly greet- 
 ings, after which the distinguished guest was conducted 
 to his carriage and escorted to the Delavan House. 
 
 When Mr. Lincoln entered the city and was escorted 
 along Broadway, he was greeted by a. large canvass 
 extended across the street bearing the inscription, 
 " Welcome to the Capital of the Empire State. No 
 more compromises." 
 
 The Presidential party left Albany Tuesday morn- 
 ing, the 19th, at eight o'clock. The train ran up the 
 west side of the Hudson river, crossing at Troy, where 
 a raised platform had been prepared to afford the vast 
 crowd an opportunity to see the President elect. On 
 ascending the platform Mr. Lincoln was welcomed by 
 Mayor McConike, who said : " Mr. Lincoln I have 
 the honor to welcome you on behalf of the citizens 
 of Troy, not as a politician, not as a partisan, but as 
 the chosen Chief Magistrate of thirty millions of 
 people, and to assure you of our respect for you as a
 
 48 LIFE OF ABRAHAM LINCOLN. 
 
 citizen, and for the high office you are so soon to fill." 
 Mr. Lincoln replied in brief but appropriate terms. 
 At least fifteen thousand persons were assembled at 
 the depot. 
 
 The stations on the Hudson river railroad each had 
 their crowds of people anxious to see, if it was but a 
 passing view of the President elect on his way down 
 to the commercial metropolis of the nation. Few 
 stoppages were made, but at Poughkeepsie it halted 
 long enough for the Mayor of that city to make a 
 formal address of welcome, which was happily re- 
 sponded to by Mr. Lincoln. 
 
 The train reached the city of New York about ten 
 o'clock. The reception was grand and imposing. 
 Places of business were closed and flags displayed along 
 the line of the procession. The family of the Presi- 
 dent was driven in carriages directly to the Astor 
 House, but Mr. Lincoln was escorted to the City Hall, 
 where he was received by an address of welcome from 
 Mayor Wood, which was responded to in fitting terms 
 by Mr. Lincoln, both expressing the warmest patriotic 
 sentiments. After the speeches a general hand-shak- 
 ing ensued, amid the crashing of hats and tearing of 
 broadcloth. The millionaire and the bummers and 
 roughs, who have rendered New York so famous, 
 were mingled in delightful confusion. The bare 
 thought of shaking hands with all who came was a 
 terror to Mr. Lincoln, and about one o'clock he made 
 his way to the balcony and spoke a few words to the 
 people. He told them that he came to see them and 
 to put himself where they could see him, but gave 
 it as his opinion that, so far as sight seeing was con- 
 cerned, he had the best of the show. It was estimated 
 that a quarter of a million of people were in the 
 streets trying to obtain a passing view of the chosen 
 ruler of the nation. By unusual efforts on the part 
 of the police, Mr. Lincoln was escorted to the Astor 
 House.
 
 LIFE OP ABRAHAM LINCOLN. 49 
 
 The Presidential party left New York on the 
 morning of the twentieth, at eight o'clock, crossing 
 the Hudson river and taking the cars at Jersey City. 
 An immense concourse of people were in waiting at 
 the depot to catch a passing view of Mr. Lincoln. 
 The train reached Newark at half past nine in a snow 
 storm. Mayor Bigelow welcomed Mr. Lincoln in a 
 brief address, who made an equally brief reply. The 
 party were then taken from the cars at the Morris and 
 Essex depot and escorted by a party of about one 
 hundred on horseback to the Chesnut street depot. 
 They passed along Broad street, which was lined with 
 patriotic devices. As the train moved off Mr. Lin- 
 coln bowed his thanks to the vast throng for their 
 reception. 
 
 At twelve o'clock, noon, the train reached Trenton, 
 amid the cheers of a vast multitude of people. An 
 address of welcome to the chosen Chief Magistrate 
 was extended by Mayor Mills, who introduced him to 
 the members of the city government. The party was 
 then taken in carriages and escorted to the State 
 House by a body of one hundred horsemen. At the 
 Capital Mr. Lincoln was received in a welcoming 
 speech by the President of the Senate. In his reply 
 Mr. Lincoln made a happy allusion to some incidents 
 of the historic struggle for Independence, of which 
 Trenton was the scene of action. He was then con- 
 ducted to the House of Representatives and was wel- 
 comed by its Speaker. In Mr. Lincoln's reply his 
 patriotic utterances with reference to the threatened 
 troubles elicited rounds of applause. He was then 
 escorted to the Trenton House, where he spoke brief- 
 ly to the crowd outside, estimated at twenty thousand 
 persons. After partaking of a collation the train 
 moved across the Dele ware river and proceeded to 
 Philadelphia in charge of a committee from that city. 
 At four o'clock, p. m., February 20th, the train ar- 
 rived at the Kensington depot, Philadelphia. The 
 4
 
 50 LIFE OP ABRAHAM LINCOLN. 
 
 Presidential party were escorted in carriages to the 
 Continental" Hotel. One hundred thousand persons 
 were in the procession or lined the streets along which 
 the party passed. The Mayor of the city delivered 
 an address of welcome on the balcony of the hotel, to 
 which Mr. Lincoln replied, declining, however, to go 
 into any exposition of his policy, and barely hinting 
 at the possibility that he might never be inducted in- 
 to office. He said : " It were useless for me to 
 speak of details or plans now ; I shall speak officially 
 next Monday week, if ever. If I were not to speak 
 then, it were useless for me to speak now."
 
 CHAPTER IV. 
 
 On the day Mr. Lincoln left Springfield, obstruc- 
 tions were placed on the railroad track at a point in 
 the road near the line between the States of Illinois 
 and Indiana, but it was discovered in time to avert 
 the danger. At Cincinnati a deadly missle was found 
 concealed in one of the cars of the train on which he 
 traveled, but was removed before any damage was , 
 done. From these circumstances he knew that his life 
 was in danger at every step, but the first allusion to 
 it was in reply to the Mayor of Philadelphia, and that 
 was hinted at so obscurely that it would not have been 
 noticed were it not for subsequent events. It had 
 been whispered, before Mr. Lincoln left home that he 
 would never be permitted to pass through Baltimore 
 alive, and without his knowledge an experienced de- 
 tective was employed to ferret out the conspiracy. He 
 employed both men and women to assist him. He 
 found out beyond a doubt that a plot was formed for 
 a party of conspirators to crowd around him in the 
 guise of friends, and at a given signal Mr. Lincoln 
 was to be shot or stabbed. A "vessel was to be kept in 
 waiting upon which the assassins were to make their 
 escape. 
 
 The detective and Mr. Lincoln arrived in Philadel- 
 phia nearly at the same time. Some of the President's 
 personal friends were advised of the information he 
 had secured. An interview was at once held between 
 Mr. Lincoln and the detective, in the room of the lat- 
 ter at the Continental Hotel. This was on the 21st. 
 It had been arranged that Mr. Lincoln was to raise
 
 52 LIFE OF ABRAHAM LINCOLN. 
 
 the American flag; on Independence Hall the follow- 
 ing morning, it being the anniversary of Washington's 
 birthday. He had also accepted an invitation to a re- 
 ception by the Pennsylvania Legislature in the after- 
 noon of the same day. Mr. Lincoln said, "Both of 
 these engagements I will keep, if it costs me my life." 
 Beyond that he left the arrangements for his safe con- 
 duct to Washington, to the detective and his friends. 
 
 Gen. Scott and Senator Seward, both of whom were 
 in Washington, had learned from separate sources that 
 Mr. Lincoln was in danger of being slain. The two 
 concurred in sending Mr. Frederick W. Seward to 
 Philadelphia to inform him of his danger. Mr. F. 
 W. Seward arrived late on the night of the 21st, after 
 Mr. Lincoln had retired. Being first satisfied that the 
 messenger was indeed the son of Mr. Seward, he ad- 
 mitted him to an interview. Mr. Lincoln was in- 
 formed of the plan already arranged by the detective 
 for the President to proceed in advance of his family 
 and party so as to pass through Baltimore in the night 
 and arrive at Washington early Saturday morning. 
 On Mr. Seward's return to Washington it was ar- 
 ranged that Mr. Washburn, of Illinois, should meet 
 Mr. Lincoln at the depot on his arrival. 
 
 The details of his passage through Baltimore being 
 settled, the next Morning Mr. Lincoln visited Inde- 
 pendence Hall, and was formally welcomed to the city. 
 In response he delivered a brief address, in which he 
 discussed the principles embodied in the Declaration 
 of Independence, which had been prepared and pro- 
 mulgated from that Hall. He then said : " Now, my 
 friends, can this country be saved upon this basis? If 
 it can, I will consider myself one of the happiest men 
 in the world,if Icanhelpto save it. If it can not be 
 saved upon that principle, it will be truly awful. But 
 if this country cannot be saved without giving up that 
 principle, I was about to say I would rather be assas- 
 sinated oil this spot than surrender it."
 
 LIFE OF ABRAHAM LINCOLN. 53 
 
 At the close of the speech, he was conducted to a 
 platform outside, and publicly invited to raise the new 
 flag. Tn responding to the invitation, he addressed a 
 few words to the people, and then ran the flag to the 
 top of the staff, amid the cheers of a vast concourse 
 of people. 
 
 These ceremonies being concluded, Mr. Lincoln and 
 his party left the city for Harrisburg, the capital of 
 the State, where he visited both branches of the Penn- 
 sylvania Legislature, in response to the address of wel- 
 come, he recounted the scenes and incidents of the 
 morning, coupled with the fact that it was the anni- 
 versary of the birth of Washington. 
 
 Mr. Lincoln was wearied with the fatigue connect- 
 ed with the exercises of the day, and was permitted 
 to retire to his appartments at the Jones House. It 
 was understood by the public that he was to start for 
 Washington the next morning. He remained in his 
 rooms until nearly six o'clock, when he went into the 
 street unobserved, and, with Colonel Lamon, was*driv- 
 en to a special train on the Pennsylvania Central rail- 
 road. To prevent the intelligence of his departure 
 from being communicated, if it should be discovered, 
 the telegraph wires were all cut the moment the train 
 left Harrisburg. This train ran back to Philadelphia, 
 arriving at half past ten o'clock. The detective had 
 a carriage in waiting, in which the party were driven 
 to the depot of the Philadelphia, Wilmington and 
 Baltimore railroad. They arrived at the depot at a 
 quarter past eleven o'clock, and found the regular train 
 which should have left at eleven, delayed. The party 
 took berths in the sleeping car, and without change 
 passed directly through Baltimore, arriving in Wash- 
 ington at half past six o'clock on the morning of Sat- 
 urday, February 23d, and found Mr. Wash burn anx- 
 iously awaiting him. He was taken into a carriage, 
 and in a few minutes was talking over his adventures 
 with Senator Seward, at Willard's Hotel.
 
 54 LIFE OF ABRAHAM LINCOLN. 
 
 Mr. Lincoln's family left Harrisburg on the train 
 that had been intended for him, and as his arrival in 
 Washington had been telegraphed all over the coun- 
 try, they went through Baltimore without meeting 
 with any disturbance. The number of conspirators 
 was about twenty, all of whose names were known. 
 The plot was a bold one, but the ingenuity of the de- 
 tective was too much for them. His life was not 
 thought to be safe in Washington, and he was sent 
 away in a day or two. The story that Mr. Lincoln 
 wore the disguise of a "long military cloak and a 
 Scotch cap," was a falsehood, written by a man who 
 knew nothing of the event, and hated Mr. Lincoln, 
 who did not adopt any disguise. The enemies of Mr. 
 Lincoln ridiculed his fears, and his friends were 
 ashamed, and even vexed, that the chosen chief of the 
 nation should consent to sneak into his capital. It 
 was a shameful thing that he should be obliged to do 
 so, but the responsibility was on the other side. None 
 doubt now that if false pride had prevented his act- 
 ing upon the advise of his friends, the tragedy would 
 have been enacted at the beginning which proved to 
 be the denoument of the rebellion, and the nation and 
 the world would have been deprived of the four years' 
 faithful services of Abraham Lincoln, which termin- 
 ated in the emancipation of a race, and establishing 
 upon a basis of justice the most powerful nation upon 
 the earth powerful because it is just. 
 
 The ten or eleven days from the time Mr. Lincoln 
 entered Washington, to the day of his inauguration, 
 were full of nervous anxiety to the loyal people of the 
 nation. It would not have been a surprise to them 
 if the papers on any morning had announced his as- 
 sassination. He knew himself to be surrounded by 
 at least five enemies to one friend, but he went for- 
 ward quietly and calmly, preparing for the duties be- 
 fore him, supported by the firm conviction that he 
 was a chosen agent in the hands of God, and that He
 
 LIFE OP ABRAHAM LINCOLN. 55 
 
 would give him all the support necessary to the ac- 
 complishment of His purposes. 
 
 The morning of March 4, 1861, opened beautiful 
 and clear. Gen. Scott and the Washington police 
 were in readiness for the day. The friends of Mr. 
 Lincoln had gathered from all parts of the loyal north, 
 determined that he should be inaugurated. In the 
 hearts of all was great anxiety, but outwardly all 
 looked as usual on such occasions, with the exception 
 of an extraordinary display of soldiers. The stars 
 and stripes floated from every flag-staff, the public 
 buildings, schools, and many of the places of business 
 were closed during the day. 
 
 At five minutes before twelve o'clock, Vice Presi- 
 dent Breckenridge and Senator Foote escorted Mr. 
 Hamlin, the Vice President elect, into the Senate 
 Chamber, and gave him a seat at the left of the chair. 
 At twelve Mr. Breckenridge announced the Senate ad- 
 journed, and then conducted Mr. Hamlin to the seat 
 he had vacated. The foreign diplomats, of which 
 there was a very large and brilliant representation, 
 then entered the chamber and took the seats assigned 
 them. At a quarter before one o'clock the Judges of 
 the Supreme Court entered, with the aged Chief Jus- 
 tice Taney at their head. At a quarter past one o'clock 
 an unusual stir announced the coming of the Presi- 
 dent elect, accompanied by the outgoing President. 
 They proceeded to the temporary platform erected for 
 the occasion, ou Pennsylvania Avenue, at the east 
 front of the capitol, accompanied by the Marshal of 
 the District of Columbia, Judges of the Supreme 
 Court Sergeant-at-Arms and others holding offi- 
 cial positions, which required them to be present on 
 such occasions. On arriving at the platform, Senator 
 E. D. Baker, of Oregon, who had been a long and in- 
 timate friend and neighbor of Mr. Lincoln, introduced 
 him to the assembly. Mr. Lincoln then stepped for- 
 ward and read his inaugural address. He was listened
 
 56 LIFE OF ABRAHAM LINCOLN. 
 
 to with profound attention, and by none more careful- 
 ly that President Buchanan and Chief Justice Taney, 
 The latter gentleman, with much agitation, adminis- 
 tered the oath of office to Mr. Lincoln, when his ad- 
 dress was concluded. 
 
 It deserves to be particularly mentioned that Ste- 
 phen A. Douglas, without a particle of jealousy appa- 
 rent, and knowing the danger to which he was ex- 
 posed in the event of an attempt on the life of the 
 President, stood patriotically by his side, and as he 
 removed his hat before commencing to read, and find- 
 ing no place to put it in consequence of the proximity 
 of the crowd, Mr. Douglas politely extended his hand, 
 took the hat and held it until the close of the address. 
 And after Mr. Lincoln had taken the oath, Mr. Doug- 
 las was the first to grasp his hand and extend his con- 
 gratulations. 
 
 The Inaugural Address was a plain, straightforward 
 talk with the people of the nation. The President 
 exhorted them to stand by the constitution and the 
 laws, and declared that he took the oath to do so, 
 without mental reservation. To those threatening the 
 destruction of the government, he said, in closing : 
 
 " If it were admitted that you who are dissatisfied, hold the 
 right side in this dispute, there is still no single reason for pre- 
 cipitate action. Intelligence, patriotism, Christianity, and a firm 
 reliance on Him who has never yet forsaken this favored land, 
 are still competent to adjust, in the best way, all our present dif- 
 ficulties. 
 
 " In your hands, my dissatisfied fellow countrymen, and not in 
 mine, is the momentous issue of civil war. The government 
 will not assail you. You can have no conflict without being 
 yourselves the aggressors. You have no oath registered in Hea- 
 ven to destroy the government, while I shall have the most sol. 
 emn one to preserve, protect and defend it. 
 
 " I am loth to close. We are not enemies, but friends 
 We must not be enemies. Though passion may have, 
 strained, it must not break our bonds of affection. The
 
 LIFE OF ABRAHAM LINCOLN. 57 
 
 mystic chords of memory, stretching from every battle-field and 
 patriot grave, to every living heart and hearthstone, all over this 
 broad land, will yet swell the chorus of the Union, when again 
 touched, as surely they will be, by the better angels of our na- 
 ture." 
 
 Tn this tender strain did he plead with them as a 
 fond father with his wayward offspring, but it was all 
 in vain. Tn entering upon the duties of his office, 
 President Lincoln found the treasury empty, the cred- 
 it of the government impaired by the uncertainty of 
 the future, and its navy scattered, leaving less than a 
 dozen ships in servicable condition to guard our 
 costs. The principal part of the small arms and can- 
 non belonging to the government were in the hands 
 of the authorities of the States which had already se- 
 ceded. Forts, arsenals, mints and vessels were seized 
 by the insurrectionists. The troops of our regular 
 army who would not yield to the seductive influences 
 of traitors, were deprived of their arms and sent home 
 as paroled prisoners of war, by slow and devious 
 routes. The garrison of Fort Sumter, in the harbor 
 of Charleston, South Carolina, was drawing nigh to 
 a point of starvation, and no supplies could be sent to 
 it except by running the gauntlet of rebel batteries. 
 The government, two months before the close of Pres- 
 ident Buchanan's term of office, made an attempt to 
 send troops and provisions to Major Anderson, by the 
 steamer Star of the West, a merchant vessel, but she 
 was fired upon and compelled to return. 
 
 Notwithstanding the provisions in the fort were so 
 near exhausted, the assailants could not wait its sur- 
 render for want of supplies, but acting as if they were 
 thirsting for blood, Gen. Beauregard, under directions 
 from the rebel Secretary of War, demanded the sur- 
 render of the fort on the twelfth day of April, 1861. 
 Major Anderson declined to surrender. He was then 
 called upon to say when he would evacuate the fort.
 
 58 LIFE OF ABRAHAM LINCOLN. 
 
 He replied that, should he not .receive controlling in- 
 structions or additional supplies, he would evacuate 
 on the fifteenth of the month. He was then notified 
 that in one hour from the date of the message, which 
 was "April 12, 1864, 3:30 A. M.," the confederate bat- 
 teries, which he had seen erected without authority to 
 interfere with them, would open on Fort Sumter. At 
 half past four the batteries did open, and after a siege 
 of thirty-three hours, the garrison surrendered on the 
 14th of April. 
 
 Major Robert Anderson, and about seventy men, 
 marched out with their side arms and colors. War 
 was thus forced upon the nation. The overt act had 
 been committed by the traitors, and there was no al- 
 ternative but to accept the situation. On the follow- 
 ing day, April 15th, President Lincoln issued a call 
 for 75,000 volunteers, and an extra session of Con- 
 gress to assemble at Washington on the Fourth of 
 July. 
 
 The north needed just the shock it had received. 
 The fall of Sumter was the resurrection of patriot- 
 ism. The call for men was responded to cordially and 
 promptly from all the northern States, but the five 
 border States hung back. Virginia soon went over 
 to the Secessionists, and the Governor of Missouri at- 
 tempted to take that State over and was foiled by the 
 great number of Union-loving Germans within its 
 borders. Governor Jackson then fled to the rebels 
 alone, and died among them. Maryland, Delaware 
 and Kentucky halted long between loyalty and trea- 
 son, trying to find neutral ground, but finally espoused 
 the Union cause. None of the five border States 
 gave any assistance on the first call. Some of them 
 answered with insolent threats and defiance. 
 
 On the 19th of April, 1861, being . the 86th 
 anniversary of the battle of Lexington, Massachusetts, 
 which was the beginning of the American Revolution, 
 the first blood of the war was shed in the streets of
 
 LJFE OF ABRAHAM LINCOLN. 59 
 
 the city of Baltimore, Maryland. The Sixth Regi- 
 ment of Massachusetts and the Seventh Regiment of 
 Pennsylvania volunteers were passing through Balti- 
 more, on their way to Washington, and they were at- 
 tacked by a mob in the streets, with stones, brickbats and 
 other missies, from which several were wounded. Shots 
 were fired by the mob and four soldiers were killed : 
 two of the Massachusetts regiment, Ladd and Whit- 
 ney, from Lowell, and two of the Pennsylvanians, 
 Needham and Taylor. After the killing of their own 
 men, the soldiers fired upon the mob, killing eleven 
 and wounding many more. Communications were cut 
 off through Baltimore until the 10th of May, when 
 Gen. B. F. Butler took possession with a strong force. 
 
 After actual hostilities commenced, President Lin- 
 coln still cherished the hope that the conflict would be 
 of short duration, but the battle of Bull Run, on the 
 21st of July, in which the Union forces were defeated, 
 dispelled all hope of an early settlement of the na- 
 tional troubles. The cares of the President were now 
 almost crushing The raising and maintaining of great 
 armies, settling the difficulties with England arising 
 from the arrest of Mason and Slidell on the British 
 steamer Trent, by Captain Wilkes, of the U. S. frigate 
 San Jacinto, adjusting the serious and delicate ques- 
 tions connected with slavery, which were constantly 
 presenting themselves, under the movements of Gen- 
 erals, Hunter, Butler, Fremont, and other army com- 
 manders. 
 
 The beginning of 1862 was a time of gloom and 
 despondency for the Union cause. As the year wore 
 away, the necessity, as a war measure, for the eman- 
 cipation of the slaves, was constantly pressed by army 
 officers and others who were in advance of the mass 
 of the people. Gen. McClellan, however, between 
 his calls for more men, more horses, more shoes, more 
 everything, when he had all that could be sent, found 
 time to protest against the emancipation of the slaves.
 
 60 LIFF, OF ABRAHAM LTNCOT.X. 
 
 On the 7th of July, 1862, he wrote a long letter of 
 advice to President Lincoln, in which he told him 
 that he thought the war should not look to the subju- 
 gation of the people of any State, in any event. That 
 there should be no confiscation, no forcible abolition 
 of slavery. 
 
 In the middle of 1862, the events of the war hav- 
 ing gone from bad to worse, Mr. Lincoln began to 
 think that he must "change his tactics, or lose his 
 game." Under these circumstances he prepared his 
 original proclamation of emancipation, without con- 
 sulting his cabinet or giving them any intimation of 
 what he was doing. In the latter part of July, or 
 early in August, he called a cabinet meeting, and all 
 were present except Mr. Blair, who arrived in time 
 for business, but none of them knew the object of the 
 meeting. After all were ready for business, there was 
 a delay. Mr. Lincoln was about to inaugurate the 
 crowning act of his life, and he took his own way of 
 doing it. The pressure upon his mind had wrought 
 it up to a high key. He took from a shelf a copy of 
 "Artemus Ward His Book," and read an entire chap- 
 ter of its drollery, laughing so heartily at its contents 
 that some of his dignified advisers were more pained 
 than amused. On closing the trifling volume, the 
 whole manner of the President changed instantly, and 
 rising to a grandeur of demeanor that inspired all 
 with profound respect akih to awe, he announced to 
 his cabinet the object of the meeting. He had writ- 
 ten a Proclamation of Emancipation, and had deter- 
 mined to issue it ; therefore, he had not called them 
 together to ask their advice upon the main question, 
 as he had determined that for himself. He wished to 
 inform them of his purpose, and receive such sugges- 
 tions upon minor points as they might be moved to 
 make. Mr. Chase wished the language stronger with 
 regard to arming the negroes; Mr. Blair thought it 
 would cost the administration the fall elections, but he
 
 LIFE OF ABRAHAM LINCOLN. 61 
 
 saw no occasion to make any change until Mr. Seward 
 said: "Mr. President, I approve of the Proclama- 
 tion, but I question the expediency of its issue at this 
 juncture. The depression of the public mind, conse- 
 quent upon our repeated reverses, is so great that I 
 fear the effect of so important a step. It may be 
 viewed as the last measure of an exhausted govern- 
 ment; a cry for help; the government stretching forth 
 its hajids to Ethiopia, instead of Ethiopia stretching 
 forth her hands to the government ; our last shriek in 
 the retreat." Mr. Seward thought it would be best to 
 postpone it until it could be given to the country after 
 a military success, rather than after the general dis- 
 asters then prevalent. 
 
 Mr. Lincoln admitted the force of the objections, 
 and permitted the matter to be suspended for a brief 
 period. The retreat of the army of the Potomac, un- 
 der General Pope, on Washington, and the invasion 
 of Maryland soon followed, making the situation still 
 more gloomy, and the proclamation waited, being oc- 
 casionally taken out and retouched. At last the bat- 
 tle of Antietam came, with victory to the Union arms. 
 The battle of Antietam was fought on Wednesday, 
 the 17th of September, but it was not until Saturday 
 that it was certainly known to be a victory, and it 
 was too late to issue the proclamation that week, but 
 Mr. Lincoln held a cabinet meeting that day, at which 
 he declared that the time for promulgating the eman- 
 cipation policy had arrived. Public sentiment, he 
 thought, would sustain it ; many of his warmest 
 friends and supporters demanded it, and in a low and 
 reverent tone he said: " I have promised my God that 
 I will do it." Mr. Chase said, '* Do I understand you 
 correctly, Mr. President." Mr. Lincoln replied; "I 
 made a solemn vow before God that if General Lee 
 should be driven back from Pennsylvania, 1 would 
 crown the result by the declaration of freedom to the 
 slaves."
 
 62 LJFR OF ABRAHAM LTNCOLX. 
 
 On Sunday Mr. Lincoln retouched it a little, and 
 on Monday, September 22, 1 862, the proclamation was 
 issued, declaring that, at the end of one hundred days, 
 or on the first day of January, 1863, he would issue 
 another proclamation, declaring that, "All persons 
 held as slaves within any State, or designated part of 
 a State, the people whereof shall then be in rebellion 
 against the United States, shall be thenceforward and 
 forever free."
 
 CHAPTER V. 
 
 There was not the slightest attention given to the" 
 proclamation, neither was it expected that there would 
 be. The one hundred days expired on the first day 
 of January, 1863, and OH that day President Lincoln 
 issued the proclamation of which he had given pre- 
 vious notice. Tn the proclamation the President point- 
 ed out the States and parts of States in which it should 
 take effect. By that proclamation about three mill- 
 ions of slaves were made free. Simultaneous with its 
 publication came the victory to the Union arms at 
 Stone's River, and a general advance on the rebels east 
 and west. From that time forward the Union forces 
 were victorious in almost every engagement. As 
 midsummer approached, the military operations in the 
 west were chiefly concentrated on Vicksburg as the 
 key to the navigation of the Mississippi river. The 
 rebel forces in Virginia, under General Lee, com- 
 menced the invasion of Maryland and Pennsylvania 
 in June. They were opposed by the army of the Po- 
 tomac, under General Hooker. While the two armies 
 were running a race across the State of Maryland, 
 Gen. Hooker was relieved and Gen. Meade placed in 
 command. The two armies came into collision at 
 Gettysburg, Pennsylvania, on the first of July. The 
 battle raged with teriffic f\iry for three days. On the 
 night of the third it was evident that the rebels were 
 defeated. President Lincoln announced the fact on 
 the Fourth by a dispatch sent over the whole coun- 
 try under control of the government. He alluded to 
 the fact that it was the aniversary of the Declaration
 
 64 LIFE OF ABRAHAM LINCOLN. 
 
 of Independence, and closed by the invocation, that : 
 " He whose will, not ours, should ever be done, be 
 everywhere remembered and renewed with profound- 
 est gratitude." This was only half the work for the 
 glorious day. On that day the entire rebel force at 
 Vicksburg, amounting to about thirty thousand men, 
 200 cannon, and 70,000 stand of small arms, under 
 Gen. Pemberton, surrendered to Gen. Grant. The recon- 
 secration of the Fourth of July to freedom was most 
 grand, and inspired the loyal people of the nation with 
 new courage to press forward to the task of crushing 
 the rebellion. 
 
 The State of Pennsylvania purchased a piece of land 
 adjoining the cemetery of the town, where much of 
 the fighting had been done, among broken monuments 
 and tombs, and over the graves of those who had died 
 and been buried in peaceful times, and set it apart as 
 a burying ground for the loyal soldiers who had there 
 yielded up their lives a willing sacrifice on the altar 
 of freedom. The ground was dedicated on the 19th 
 of November, 1863, by an oration from the Hon. Ed- 
 ward Everett, in the presence of Mr. Lincoln and his 
 cabinet, and a large concourse of people assembled to 
 take part in the exercises. After the oration by Mr. 
 Everett, the President delivered a brief address from 
 which I take an extract : 
 
 "Fourscore and seven years ago our fathers brought forth upon 
 this continent a new nation, conceived in liberty, and dedicated 
 to the proposition that all men are created equal. Now we are 
 engaged in a great civil war, testing whether that nation, or any 
 nation so conceived and so dedicated, can long endure. We are 
 met on a great battle-field of that war. We have come to dedi- 
 cate a portion of that field as a final resting place for those who 
 here gave their lives that that nation might live. It is altogether 
 fitting and proper that we should do this. But in a larger sense 
 we cannot dedicate, we cannot consecrate, we cannot hallow this 
 ground. The brave men, living and dead, who struggled here, 
 have consecrated it far above our power to add or detract. The
 
 LIFE OF ABRAHAM LINCOLN. 65 
 
 world will little note, nor long remember, what we say here, but 
 it can never forget what they did here. It is for us, the living, 
 rather to be dedicated here to the unfinished work which they, 
 who fought here, have thus far so nobly advanced. It is rather 
 for us to be here dedicated to the great task remaining before us, 
 that, from these honored dead, we take increased devotion to 
 that cause for which they gave the last full measure of devotion ; 
 that we here highly resolve that these dead shall not have died in 
 vain; that this nation, under God, shall have a new birth of free- 
 dom, and that the government of the people, by the people and 
 for the people, shall not perish from the earth." 
 
 During the latter part of 1863, the success of the 
 Union arras almost everywhere was so grand that the 
 President issued one proclamation after another, call- 
 ing on the people to assemble in their places of wor- 
 ship and offer up thanks to Almighty God. He called 
 upon the people to honor and reverence God for the 
 success at Gettysburg, himself publicly thanked Al- 
 mighty God for the fall of Vicksburg, and on the fif- 
 teenth of July issued a proclamation setting apart the 
 sixth of August to be observed as a day for national 
 thanksgiving, praise and prayer, inviting the people 
 to render the homage due to the Divine Majesty for 
 the wonderful things he had done in the nation's be- 
 half, and to invoke the influences of His Holy Spirit 
 to subdue the anger which had produced and so long 
 sustained a needless and cruel rebellion ; to change 
 the hearts of the insurgents ; to guide the counsels of 
 the government with wisdom adequate to so great a 
 national emergency, and to visit with tender care and 
 consolation, through the length and breadth of our 
 land, all those who, through the vicissitudes of 
 marches, voyages, battles and seiges, had been brought 
 to suffer in mind, body or estate ; and, finally, to lead 
 the whole nation through paths of repentance and 
 submission to the Divine Will, back to the perfect en- 
 joyment of union and fraternal peace. 
 5
 
 66 LIFE OP ABRAHAM LINCOLN. 
 
 On the third of October he issued another procla- 
 mation of thanksgiving, setting apart the last Thurs- 
 day of November as the day to be observed. This 
 latter was more in the nature of an annual thanksgiv- 
 ing. But having heard of the retreat of the rebel 
 forces from East Tennessee, he issued a dispatch on 
 the seventh of December recommending all loyal peo- 
 ple, on the receipt of the information, to assemble at 
 their places of Worship and render special homage and 
 gratitude to Almighty God for this great advance- 
 ment of the national cause. 
 
 The beginning of 1864 found the financial difficul- 
 ties of the country most formidable, as the national 
 currency had so far depreciated that it required $280 
 in currency to buy $100 in gold. Secretary Chase, of 
 the Treasury department, resigned the position, and 
 was followed by Mr. Fessenden, of Maine, as his suc- 
 cessor. In May, General Grant commenced his cam- 
 paign in Virginia, where each day's slaughter was al- 
 most equal to an army, and Sherman, at the same 
 time, moved against the rebels, from Chattanooga, 
 Tennessee, into Georgia. This was the commence- 
 ment of his march of a thousand miles to the sea, 
 making pauses only at Atlanta, reaching the sea at 
 Savannah, thence north to Goldsboro he swept as 
 with a besom of destruction through the rebel terri- 
 tory, and at last brought their forces to surrender af- 
 ter almost a year of continuous marching and fighting. 
 After General Sherman left Atlanta, General Thomas 
 skillfully planned his retreat on Nashville, and then 
 hurled his troops against the rebel forces under Hood, 
 at Franklin and Nashville, by which that part of the 
 rebel army was almost annihilated. 
 
 During this whole year the Union forces were vic- 
 torious on almost every battle-field. Notwithstanding 
 the rebel armies were shattered and broken, they still 
 hoped for a favorable turn to their cause by the de- 
 feat of Mr. Lincoln in the Presidential election then 
 pending.
 
 LIFE OF ABRAHAM LINCOLN. 67 
 
 The Republican National Convention assembled in 
 the city of Baltimore on the eighth of June, 1864. for 
 the purpose of nominating candidates for President 
 and Vice President of the United States. Mr. Lin- 
 coln was in the fourth year of his presidential term, 
 during which time call after call and draft after draft 
 had been made to keep up the strength of the army. 
 He had found it necessary to remove hundreds of 
 army officers high in command, he had given freedom 
 to more than three million of slaves who were re- 
 garded as property when he entered the Presidential 
 chair, and in all these transactions he had displeased 
 a large number of influential citizens, which it was 
 thought would make him many enemies. But when 
 the Convention assembled, and after adopting a plat- 
 form of principles, the next thing in order was to bal- 
 lot for a Presidential candidate. On the first ballot 
 every vote was given for Mr. Lincoln, except twenty- 
 two from Missouri, which, under instructions, were 
 given for General Grant. On motion of one of the 
 Missouri delegates the nomination was made unani- 
 mous. Andrew Johnson of Tennessee was nominated 
 for Vice President. Ex-Governor Dennison of Ohio 
 was the President of the Convention, and he, accom- 
 panied by a committee, waited upon Mr. Lincoln, in- 
 formed him of his nomination, and placed in his 
 hands a copy of the platform which had been adopted. 
 Mr. Lincoln replied : 
 
 "Having served four years in the depths of a great and yet un- 
 eiided national peril, I can view this call to a second term in no- 
 wise more nattering to myself than as an expression of the pub- 
 lic judgment that I may better finish a difficult work in which I 
 have labored from the first, than could any one less severely 
 schooled to the task. In this view, and with assured reliance on 
 that Almighty Ruler who has so graciously sustained us thus far, 
 and with increased gratitude to the generous people for their 
 continued confidence, I accept the renewed trust with its yet on- 
 erous and perplexing duties and responsibilities."
 
 68 LIFE OF ABRAHAM LINCOLN. 
 
 Gen. McOlellan was the Democratic candidate for 
 President, and George H. Pendleton for Vice Presi- 
 dent. 
 
 During the height of the canvass, President Lin- 
 coln, on the eighteenth of July, issued a call for five 
 hundred thousand men, naming the number required 
 from each State, and including a proviso that if the 
 number was not voluntarily made up, drafting should 
 commence on the fifth of September. His friends 
 feared that it would cost him his election, and urged 
 him to delay it. His uniform reply was that the men 
 were needed, and that it was his duty to call for them,' 
 and that he should do it whatever the effect might be 
 upon himself. 
 
 November came, and with it the day of election. 
 When the electoral vote was counted, at the time 
 fixed by law, it was found that, of 233 votes, Lincoln 
 and Johnson had received 212 as candidates for Pres- 
 ident and Vice President of the United States. Mc- 
 Clellan and Pendleton received the other 21 votes. 
 The total popular vote cast was 4,015,902, and the 
 majority in favor of Lincoln was 411,428. In a few 
 words, courteously spoken to some of his friends 
 who called upon him on the night of the election, he 
 said : "I do not impugn the motives of any one op- 
 posed to me. It is no pleasure to me to triumph over 
 any one ; but I give thanks to the Almighty for this 
 evidence of the people's resolution to stand by free 
 government and the rights of humanity." On another 
 occasion, soon after his election, he said: "It has 
 demonstrated that a people's government can sustain 
 a national election in the midst of a great civil war. 
 Until now, it has not been known to the world that 
 this was a possibility." This second election of Pres- 
 ident Lincoln destroyed the last hope of the rebellion. 
 From that time their armies never gained a substan- 
 tial victory.
 
 LIFE OF ABRAHAM LINCOLN. 69 
 
 The proclamation of President Lincoln, issued Jan- 
 uary 1, 1863, gave freedom to about three millions of 
 human beings who, until that time, had been slaves ; 
 and declared that they might be enlisted in the mili- 
 tary services of the United States. Much prejudice 
 existed among Union men, and even with Union sol- 
 diers, against enrolling colored troops. Governor 
 Andrew, of Massachusetts, made the initial move in 
 the northern States. He received an order from the 
 War Department, dated January 20, 1863, authoriz- 
 ing him to organize and equip regiments of colored 
 'men, to be called United States Colored Troops. As 
 soon as this became known, colored men flocked to 
 Massachusetts from many of the other States. The 
 example of Massachusetts was followed by Rhode 
 Island, Pennsylvania, New York, Ohio and Kansas. 
 In March, the Government sent Adjutant General 
 Thomas to the Southwest for the purpose of organiz- 
 ing colored troops. It was but a short time after en- 
 listment commenced until they were in the field. By 
 their bravery in battle, they, at the same time, assist- 
 ed in subduing the rebels and conquering the preju- 
 dices of the white soldiers. 
 
 Regarding slavery as the sole cause of the war, I 
 select the following quotations from the annual mes- 
 sage of President Lincoln to Congress, December 8, 
 1863. Speaking of our foreign relations, he says : 
 "The supplemental treaty between the United States 
 and Great Britain for the suppression of the African 
 slave trade, made on the 17th day of February last, 
 has been duly notified and carried into execution. It 
 is believed that, so far as American ports and Ameri- 
 can citizens are concerned, that inhuman and odious 
 traffic has been brought to an end." Referring to the 
 condition of the country at the time of their annual 
 meeting a year before, and contrasting it with the 
 present, he said :
 
 70 LIFE OP ABRAHAM LINCOLN. 
 
 "The preliminary emancipation proclamation, issued in Sep- 
 tember, was running its assigned period to the beginning of the 
 new year. A month later the final proclamation came, includ- 
 ing the announcement that colored men of suitable condition 
 would be received into the war service. The policy of emanci- 
 pation and of employing black soldiers, gave to the future a new 
 aspect, about which hope, and fear, and doubt, contended in un- 
 certain conflict. According to our political system, as a matter 
 of civil administration, the General Government had no lawful 
 power to effect emancipation in any State ; and for a long time 
 it had been hoped that the rebellion could be suppressed without 
 resorting to it as a military measure. It was all the while deemed 
 possible that the necessity for it might come, and that if it 
 should, the crisis of the contest would then be presented. It 
 came, and, as was anticipated, it was followed by dark and 
 doubtful days. Eleven months having now passed, we are per- 
 mitted to take another review. The rebel borders are pressed 
 still further back, and by the complete opening of the Missis- 
 sippi the country dominated by the rebellion is divided into dis- 
 tinct parts, with no practical communication between them. 
 Tennessee and Arkansas have been substantially cleared of in- 
 surgent control, and influential citizens in each, owners of slaves 
 and advocates of slavery at the beginning of the rebellion, now 
 declare openly for emancipation in their respective States. Of 
 those States not included in the emancipation proclamation 
 Maryland and Missouri neither of which, three years ago, 
 would have tolerated any restraint upon the extension of slavery 
 into new Territories, only dispute now as to the best mode of re- 
 moving it within their own limits. Of those who were slaves at 
 the beginning of the rebellion, full one hundred thousand are 
 now in the United States military service, about one half of 
 which number actually bear arms in the ranks." 
 
 In the same message, speaking of the mode of re- 
 constructing State governments where they had been 
 overthrown, he advocated the policy of requiring a 
 test oath to sustain the emancipation measures, in the 
 following language :
 
 LIFE OF ABRAHAM LINCOLN. 71 
 
 "But if it be proper to require, as a test of admission to the po- 
 litical body, an oath of allegiance to the United States and to the 
 Union under it, why not also to the laws and proclamations in 
 regard to slavery ? Those laws and proclamations were enacted 
 and put forth for the purpose of aiding in the suppression of the 
 rebellion. To give them their fullest eflect, there had to be a 
 pledge for their maintenance. In my judgment they have aided, 
 and will further aid, the cause for which they were intended. To 
 now abandon them would be, not only to relinquish a lever pow- 
 er, but would also be a cruel and an astounding breach of faith. 
 I may add at this point that, while I remain in my present posi- 
 tion, I shall not attempt to retract or modify the emancipation 
 proclamation ; nor shall I return to slavery any person who is 
 free by the terms of that proclamation, or by any of the acts of 
 Congress. For these and other reasons, it is thoug*ht best that 
 support of these measures shall be included in the oath. * * * 
 The movements, by State action for emancipation in several of 
 the States, not included in the emancipation proclamation, are 
 matters of profound gratulation. And while I do not repeat in 
 detail what I have so earnestly urged upon this subject, my gen- 
 eral views and feelings remain unchanged, and I trust that Con- 
 gress will omit no fair opportunity of aiding these important 
 steps to a great consummation." 
 
 An act to repeal all fugitive slave laws passed both 
 houses of Congress, and was approved by President 
 Lincoln, June 28, 1864. During the summer and 
 autumn of that year elections were held in nearly all 
 the loyal States for members of the 39th Congress, 
 and in November for the election of a President and 
 Vice President of the United States, which resulted, 
 as previously stated, in the second election of Abra- 
 ham Lincoln.
 
 CHAPTER VI. 
 
 At the assembling of the second session of the 
 Thirty-eighth Congress, December 6, 1864, President 
 Lincoln referred to the fact that at the previous session 
 a joint resolution passed the Senate to submit an 
 amendment to the constitution of the United States 
 abolishing slavery throughout the Union, to the Leg- 
 islatures of the several States, but it failed in the 
 House of Representatives for want of a two-thirds 
 majority. He reminded them of the advanced posi- 
 tion of the American people on the subject of abolish- 
 ing slavery ; and urged them to reconsider the ques- 
 tion, and submit it to the action of the State Legisla- 
 tures. He assured them that it must come to that, 
 and the sooner it was done the better. In closing 
 that message he says : 
 
 " I retract nothing heretofore said as to slavery. I repeat the 
 declaration made a year ago, that while I remain in my present 
 position, I shall not attempt to retract or modify the emancipa- 
 tion proclamation, nor shall I return to slavery any person who 
 is free by the terms of that proclamation, or by the acts of Con- 
 gress. If the people should, by whatever mode or means, make 
 it an executive duty to re-enslave such persons, another, and not 
 I, must be their instrument to perform it. 
 
 " In stating a single condition of peace, I mean simply to say 
 that the war will cease on the part of the Government whenever 
 it shall have ceased on the part of those who began it." 
 
 Aside from the three million slaves liberated by the 
 emancipation proclamation, there yet remained in 
 bondage more than one million of the African race.
 
 LIFE OE ABRAHAM LINCOLN. 73 
 
 But a small number of these were held by men who 
 were real friends to the Government in its efforts to 
 crush out the great rebellion. Being in that part of 
 the country bordering on the line between the original 
 free and slave States, which territory was under the 
 control of the civil authorities, and their owners nom- 
 inally loyal, the Government did not feel authorized 
 to declare them free as a war measure. The convic- 
 tion, however, steadily gained in the minds of the 
 people, that peace could never be firmly established 
 until slavery was totally and forever abolished. Va- 
 rious plans were proposed and discussed for compen- 
 sated emancipation, and in the meantime slave prop- 
 erty was becoming less secure. 
 
 On the llth of January, 1864, Mr. Henderson, of 
 Missouri, introduced a joint resolution into the Senate, 
 proposing amendments to the constitution of the Uni- 
 ted States, which was read and referred to the Judiciary 
 Committee. On the 10th of February, the committee 
 made a report through its chairman, the Hon. Lyman 
 Trumbull. The joint resolution was amended by the 
 committee so as to provide for submitting to the Leg- 
 islatures of the several States a proposition to amend 
 the constitution of the United States so that neither 
 slavery nor involuntary servitude, except as a punish- 
 ment for crime, shall exist in the United States, or 
 any place subject to their jurisdiction ; and also, that 
 Congress shall have power to enforce this article by 
 appropriate legislation. The report of this committee 
 was taken up and discussed as many as thirteen times 
 some of them occupying whole days until the 8th 
 of April, when it was adopted, 38 to 8. Its title was 
 amended so as to read 
 
 A joint resolution submitting to the Legislatures of the several 
 States a proposition to amend the Constitution of the United 
 States : 
 Resolved, by t/te Senate and House of Representatives of t!w United 
 
 States of America in Congress assembled two thirds of both House*
 
 74 LIFE OF ABRAHAM LINCOLN. 
 
 concurring, That the following article be proposed to the Legis- 
 latures of the several States as an amendment to the constitution 
 of the United States, which, when ratified by three-fourths of 
 said Legislatures, shall be valid, to all intents and purposes, as a 
 part of said constitution, namely : 
 
 AKTICLE XIII. 
 
 SECTION 1. Neither slavery nor involuntary servitude, except 
 as a punishment of crime, whereof the party shall have been duly 
 convicted, shall exist within the United States or any place sub- 
 ject to their jurisdiction. 
 
 SEC. 2. Congress shall have power to enforce this article with 
 appropriate legislation. 
 
 After having passed the Senate, it was sent to the 
 House, where it was defeated for want of a two-thirds 
 majority. A motion to reconsider, entered by Mr. 
 Ashley, of Ohio, was pending in the House when Con- 
 gress adjourned. The elections of 1864 demonstrated, 
 by largely increased Republican majorities, that the 
 sentiments of the people were in favor of the entire 
 abolition of slavery. Mr. Lincoln, in his last annual 
 message, December, 1864, referred to the result of the 
 elections as an indication of the popular will, and re- 
 commended that the subject be again taken up and 
 passed. 
 
 On the 6th of January, L865, Mr. Ashley called up 
 his former motion to reconsider, and made an able 
 speech in its favor. 
 
 The question was discussed at great length. Those 
 speaking in the affirmative were Ashley, of Ohio; 
 Orth, of Indiana; Kasson, of Iowa; Farns worth, of 
 Illinois; Jenckes, of Rhode Island; Woodbridge, of 
 Vermont; Thayer, of Pennsylvania; Rollins, of Mis- 
 souri; Garfield, of Ohio ; Thaddeus Stevens, of Penn- 
 sylvania, and others. Those speaking in the opposi- 
 tion were Townsend, of New York ; Holman, Cravens 
 and Vorhees, of Indiana; Mallory, of Kentucky; Fer-
 
 LIFE OF ABRAHAM LINCOLN. 75 
 
 nando Wood, of New York; Pendleton, of Ohio, 
 and others. 
 
 Very many eloquent passages might be culled from 
 the speeches delivered on that resolution, but I will 
 only give a few brief quotations from the Hon. Mr. 
 Rollins, of Missouri, and Thad. Stevens, of Pennsyl- 
 vania. Mr. Rollins had been a slaveholder, until a 
 few days before they were all liberated by an amend- 
 ment to the State constitution of Missouri. He said : 
 
 " I am a believer in the Declaration of Independence, wherein 
 it is asserted that 'all men are created equal.' I believe that 
 when it says 'all men? it means every man who was created in 
 the 'image of his Maker,' and walks on God's footstool, without 
 regard to race, color or any accidental circumstance by which he 
 may be surrounded. ' * * * ' * * * 
 
 "An anti-slavery man in sentiment, and yet heretofore a large 
 owner of slaves myself not now, however not exactly with my 
 consent. The convention which recently assembled in my State, 
 I learned from a telegram a morning or two ago, had adopted an 
 amendment to our present State constitution for the immediate 
 emancipation of all the slaves in the State. I am no longer the 
 owner of a sla/oe, and I thank God for it. If the giving up of my 
 slaves, without complaint, shall be a contribution upon my part 
 to promote the public good, to uphold the constitution of the 
 United States, to restore peace and preserve this Union, if I had 
 owned a thousand slcvoes, they would most cheerfully have been given 
 v/p. I say, with all my heart, let them go, but let them not go 
 without a sense of feeling and a proper regard on my part for the 
 future of themselves and their offspring !" * * * 
 
 Mr. Rollins concluded by saying 
 
 " Let ours be the 'bright particular star' next to the star that 
 led the shepherds to Bethlehem, which shall lead the downtrod- 
 den and oppressed of all the world into an harbor of peace, secu- 
 rity and happiness; and let us, kneeling around the altar, all 
 thank God that, although we have had our trials, we have saved
 
 76 LIFE OF ABRAHAM LINCOLN. 
 
 our country ; that, although we have been guilty of sins, we have 
 wiped them out, and that we at length stand up a great and 
 powerful people, honored by all the earth, 'redeemed, regenerated 
 and disenthralled by the genius of universal emancipation." 
 
 The venerable leader of the House arose to close 
 the debate on this great measure, and the members 
 gathered around him, filling the seats and aisles and 
 every available spot near the "old man eloquent." 
 Inteligence was sent to the Senate thatThad. Stevens 
 was speaking on the constitutional amendment. Many 
 of the Senators came in and the Judges of the Supreme 
 Court to hear him speak on a measure that was to 
 crown the labors of forty years with complete success. 
 As soon as the vast audience could get into their 
 places, all were' hushed into silence. 
 
 Mr. Stevens commenced by narrating the progress 
 of the anti-slavery cause from its feeble beginning. I 
 can only find room for a few extracts from a speech 
 which attracted the closest attention from the first to 
 the last sentence. He said 
 
 " From my earliest youth I was taught to read the Declaration 
 of Independence, and to receive its sublime principles. As I ad- 
 vanced in life, and became somewhat enabled to consult the 
 writings of the great men of antiquity, I found in all their works 
 which have survived the ravages of time, and come down to the 
 present generation, one unanimous denunciation of tyranny and 
 of slavery, and eulogy of liberty. 
 
 ******** 
 
 " In immortal language all denounced slavery as a thing which 
 took away half of the man and degraded human beings, and sang 
 praise in the noblest strains to the goddess of liberty ; and rny 
 hatred of this infernal institution, and my love for liberty, was 
 further inflamed as I saw the inspired teachings of Socrates and 
 the divine inspirations of Jesus. 
 
 " Being fixed in these principles immovably and immutably, I 
 took my stand among my fellow-citizens, and on all occasions, 
 whether in public or in private, in season, and if there could be
 
 LIFE OF ABRAHAM LINCOLN. 77 
 
 such a time, out of season, I never hesitated to express those 
 ideas and sentiments, and when I went first into public assem- 
 blies, forty years ago, I uttered this language. I have done it 
 amid the pelting and hooting of mobs, but I never quailed be- 
 fore the infernal spirit, and I hope I never shrank from the 
 responsibility of my language. * * * * 
 
 " When, fifteen years ago, I was honored with a seat in this 
 body, it was dangerous to talk against this institution a danger 
 which gentlemen now here will never be able to appreciate. 
 Some of us, however, have experienced it. * * * And 
 yet, sir, I did not hesitate, in -the midst of bowie-knives and re- 
 volvers, and howling demons upon the other side of the House, 
 to stand here and denounce this infamous institution in language 
 which possibly now, on looking at it, I might deem intemperate, 
 but which I then deemed necessary to rouse the public attention 
 and cast odium upon the worst institution on earth one which 
 is a disgrace to man and would be an annoyance to the infernal 
 spirits. 
 
 In the course of the debate, the Hon. George H. 
 Pendleton had made a pathetic appeal for the consti- 
 tution as it was, with all its guarantees for slavery. 
 Mr. Stevens referred to Mr. Pendleton's speech in his 
 closing sentences, in the following language : 
 
 " Perhaps I ought not to occupy so much time, and I will only 
 say one word further. So far as the appeals of the learned gentle- 
 man are concerned, his pathetic winding up, I will be willing to 
 take my chance when all moulder into the dust. He may have 
 his epitaph, if it be truly written, 'Here rests the ablest and most 
 pertinacious defender of slavery and opponent of liberty ;' and I 
 will be satisfied if my epitaph shall be written thus : 'Here, lies 
 one who never rose to any eminence, and who only courted the 
 low ambition to have it said that he had striven to ameliorate 
 the condition of the poor, the lowly, the down-trodden of every 
 race and language, and color.' I shall be content with such a 
 eulogy on his lofty tomb, and such an inscription on my humble 
 grave, to trust our memories to the judgment of other ages."
 
 78 LIFE OF ABRAHAM LTNCOT/N. 
 
 During the delivery of this speech, the circle set 
 apart for the representatives of all the other govern- 
 ments of the world was crowded ; the floor of the 
 House was filled, and the galleries were packed with 
 distinguished soldiers, civilians and citizens. The 
 vote on the final passge of the joint resolution was to 
 be taken at its close, and no one knew with certainty 
 what would be the result. It was known that the 
 Republicans alone could not pass it; there must be 
 accessions from the Democratic side of the House, 
 or the measure would fail. English, of Connecti- 
 cut, was the first Democrat who responded aye, which 
 drew fourth great applause from the House and gal- 
 leries. There were enough accessions to foot up the 
 vote, 119 ayes and 56 nays ; when the Speaker made 
 the formal announcement : "The constitutional ma- 
 jority of two-thirds having voted in the affirmative, 
 the joint resolution is passed." This was followed by 
 an uncontrolable outburst of enthusiasm. The cheer- 
 ing was commenced among the members and was 
 taken up in the galleries. Finally, Mr. Ingersoll, of 
 Illinois, who was the successor of Owen Lovejoy; in 
 honor of the sublime event, moved that the House ad- 
 journ. The motion was carried, amid the roar of artil- 
 lery, by which it was announced to the people of 
 Washington that the joint resolution submitting to 
 the State Legislatures for their action an amendment 
 to the constitution for the total abolition of slavery 
 in the United States had passed both Houses of Con- 
 gress. 
 
 Personal friends of President Lincoln hastened to 
 the White House and exchanged congratulations with 
 him on the result. His heart was tilled with joy, as 
 he saw in this action of Congress the complete con- 
 summation of his own great work. He had seen his 
 emancipation proclamation sustained by the victorious 
 Union armies in the field, by the people at the Presi- 
 dential election, and now the constitutional majority
 
 LIFE OF ABRAHAM LINCOLN. 79 
 
 of two-thirds in both Houses of Congress had voted 
 to submit to the people, through their Representatives 
 in the State Legislatures, the constitutional amend- 
 ment for the final abolition of slavery. 
 
 It is a settled principle in National legislation that 
 the approval of the Executive is not necessary to give 
 vital force to a joint resolution of the two Houses of 
 Congress; but during the excitement attending the 
 passage of the joint resolution submitting the amend- 
 ment for the abolition of slavery, it was presented to 
 and signed by President Lincoln. Although done in 
 a mistake, it seems to have been appropriate, as it was 
 the last act it was possible for him to do. It then 
 only remained for a majority of the State Legislatures 
 to approve of the resolution, and for the Secretary of 
 State for the United States to proclaim the fact and 
 declare the article so submitted to be a part of the 
 constitution of the United States. 
 
 Lest this action of President Lincoln should become 
 a troublesome precedent, Senator Trumbull introduced 
 a joint resolution in the Senate, reciting the facts in 
 the case, and declaring that such approval was un- 
 necessary to effect the action of Congress. 
 
 The joint resolution for the extinction of slavery 
 passed Congress, and received the signature of the 
 President, January 31, 1865. The Legislature of 
 Illinois being then in session, took up the question at 
 once, and in less than twenty -four hours after its pas- 
 sage by Congress, President Lincoln had the satisfac- 
 tion of receiving a telegram from his old home, 
 announcing the fact that the constitutional amend- 
 ment had been ratified by both Houses of the Legis- 
 lature of his own State, Feb. 1, 1865. Then came 
 the action of the Legislatures of other States in the 
 order named: Rhode Island and Michigan, Feb. 2; 
 Mary laud, Feb. 1 and 3; New York, Feb. 2 and 3; West 
 Virginia, Feb. 3 ; Maine and Kansas, Feb. 7 ; Massa- 
 chusetts and Pennsylvania, Feb. 8; Virginia, Feb.
 
 80 LTFK OF ABRAHAM LINCOLN. 
 
 9 ; Ohio and Missouri, Feb. 10; Nevada and Indiana, 
 Feb. 16; Louisiana, Feb. 17; Minnesota, Feb. 8 and 
 23; Wisconsin, March 1; Vermont, March 9; Ten- 
 nessee, April 5 and 7 ; Arkansas, April 20 ; Connec- 
 ticut, May 5 ; New Hampshire July 1 ; South Caro- 
 lina, Nov. 13; Alabama, Dec. 2: North Carolina, 
 Dec. 4; Georgia, Dec. 9; Oregon, Dec. 11. 
 
 This made twenty-eight, one more than the requi- 
 site three-fourths of the thirty-six States. Having 
 ratified the amendment, there was nothing wanting to 
 make it a part of the constitution of the United States, 
 except the official announcement, which came in the 
 following : 
 
 "PROCLAMATION. 
 
 "WILLIAM H. SEWABD, Secretary of State of the United States; to 
 all whom these presents may come greeting : 
 
 "KNOW YE, THAT WHEREAS, The Congress of the United States, 
 on the 1st of February last, passed a resolution, which is in the 
 words following, namely : 
 
 " 'A resolution submitting to the Legislatures of the several 
 States a proposition to amend the constitution of the United 
 States : 
 
 " 'Resolved by the Senate and House of Representatives of the 
 United States of America in Congress assembled two-thirds of both 
 Houses concurring, That the following article be proposed to the 
 Legislatures of the several States as an amendment to the consti- 
 tution of the United States, which, when ratified by three-fourths 
 of said Legislatures, shall be valid, to all intents and purposes, 
 as a part of said constitution, namely : 
 
 " 'ARTICLE XIII. 
 
 " 'SECTION 1. Neither slavery nor involuntary servitude, ex- 
 cept as a punishment for crime, whereof the party shall have 
 been duly convicted, shall exist within the United States or any 
 place subject to their jurisdiction. 
 
 " 'SEC. 2. Congress shall have power to enforce this article by 
 appropriate legislation.'
 
 LIFE OF ABRAHAM LINCOLN. 81 
 
 "AND WHEREAS, It appears from official documents on file in 
 this department that the amendment to the constitution of the 
 United States proposed as aforesaid has been ratified by the Leg- 
 islatures of the States of Illinois, Rhode Island, Michigan, Mary, 
 land, New York, West Virginia, Kansas, Massachusetts, Pennsyl- 
 vania. Virginia, Ohio, Missouri, Nevada, Indiana, Louisiana, 
 Minnesota, Wisconsin, Vermont, Tennessee, Arkansas, Connecti- 
 cut, New Hampshire, South Carolina, Alabama, North Carolina 
 and Georgia in all, twenty-seven States ; 
 
 "AND WHEREAS, The whole number of States in the United 
 States is thirty-six ; 
 
 "AND WHEREAS, The before specially named States, whose 
 Legislatures have ratified the said proposed amendment, consti- 
 tute three-fourths of the whole number of States in the United 
 States ; 
 
 "Now, Therefore, be it Known, That I, WILLIAM H. SEWARD, 
 Secretary of State of the United States, by virtue and in pursuance 
 of the second section of the act of Congress, approved the 20th 
 of April, 1818, entitled 'An Act to provide for the publication of 
 the laws of the United States; and for other purposes,' do hereby 
 certify that the amendment aforesaid has become valid, to all in- 
 tents and purposes, as a part of the constitution of the United 
 States. 
 
 " IN TESTIMONY WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand and 
 caused the seal of the Department of State to be affixed. 
 
 " Done at the city of Washington, the 18th day of 
 December, in the year of our Lord, 1865, and of 
 [SEAII.] the Independence of the the United States of 
 
 America the 90th. 
 
 " WM. H. SEWARD, 
 
 "Secretary of State." 
 
 Although no more States were required, the amend- 
 ment was ratified by California, Dec. 20; Florida, 
 Dec. 28, 1865 ; New Jersey, Jan. 23, 1866, and Iowa, 
 Jan. 24, 1866. 
 6
 
 CHAPTER VII. 
 
 The election for President and Vice-President hav- 
 ing taken place in November 1864, both Houses of 
 Congress assembled in the Hall of the House of 
 Representatives, February 8th, 1865, for the purpose 
 of opening and counting the votes. As previously 
 stated in these pages, the whole number of electoral 
 votes cast was two hundred and thirty-three. Of these 
 Abraham Lincoln and Andrew Johnson, as candidates 
 for President and Vice-President, received two hun- 
 dred and twelve votes, and George B. McClellan and 
 George H. Pendleton, as candidates for the same of- 
 fices, received 21 votes. Lincoln and Johnson was, 
 of course, declared to be elected. 
 
 On the 4th of March, 1865, Abraham Lincoln was 
 inaugurated President of the United States for the 
 second term, amid the acclamations of an immense 
 throng of visitors from all parts of the United States. 
 His inaugural address on that occasion is justly con- 
 sidered one of the most remarkable State papers ever 
 written, and was the last public address he ever de- 
 livered. No extract from it could do it justice, and 
 for that reason I give it entire : 
 
 " FELLOW COUNTRYMEN : At this second appearing to take the 
 oath of the Presidential office there is less occasion for an ex- 
 tended address than there was at the first. Then a statement 
 somewhat in detail of a course to be pursued seemed fitting and 
 proper. Now, at the expiration of four years, during which 
 public declarations have been constantly called forth on every 
 point and phase of the great contest which still absorbs the at- 
 tention and engross the energies of the nation, little that is new
 
 LIFE OF ABRAHAM LINCOLN. 83 
 
 could be presented. The progress of our arms, upon which all 
 else chiefly depends, is as well known to the public as to myself, 
 and it is, I trust reasonably satisfactory and encouraging to all. 
 With high hope for the future, no prediction in regard to it is 
 ventured. 
 
 " On the occasion corresponding to this, four years ago, all 
 thoughts were anxiously directed to an impending civil war. 
 All dreaded it; all sought to avert it. While the inaugural 
 address was being delivered from this place, devoted altogether 
 to saving the Union without war, insurgent agents were in the 
 city seeking to destroy it without war seeking to dissolve the 
 Union and divide its effects by negotiation. Both parties depre- 
 cated war ; but one of them would make war rather than let the 
 nation survive, and the other would accept war rather than let 
 it perish. And the war come. 
 
 " One eighth of the whole population were colored slaves, not 
 distributed generally over the Union, but localized in the southern 
 part of it. These slaves constituted a peculiar and powerful in- 
 terest. All knew that this interest was, somehow, the cause of 
 the war. To strengthen, perpetuate and extend this interest was 
 the object for which the insurgents would rend the Union, even 
 by war, while the Government claimed no right to do more than 
 to restrict the territorial enlargement of it. Neither party ex- 
 pected for the war, the magnitude or duration which it has 
 already obtained. Neither anticipated that the cause of the con- 
 flict might cease with, or even before, the conflict itself should 
 cease. Each looked for an easier triumph, and a result less fund- 
 amental and astounding. Both read the same Bible, and pray to 
 the same God, and each invokes His aid against the other. It 
 may seem strange that any men should dare to ask a just God's 
 assistance in wringing their bread from the sweat of other men's 
 faces; but let us judge not, that we be not judged. The prayers 
 of both could not be answered those of neither have been an- 
 swered fully. The Almighty has His own purposes. Woe unto 
 the world because of offenses ! for it must needs be that offenses 
 come ; but woe to that man by whom the offense cometh. 
 
 " If we shall suppose that American slavery is one of those of- 
 fenses which, in the providence of God, must needs come, but 
 which, having continued through His appointed time, He now 
 wills to remove, and that He gives to North and South this
 
 84 LIFE OP ABRAHAM LINCOLN. 
 
 terrible war, as the woe due to those by whom the offense came, 
 shall we discern therein any departure from those Divine at- 
 tributes which the believers in a living God always ascribe to 
 Him ? Fondly do we hope, fervently do we pray, that this mighty 
 scourge of war may soon pass away. Yet, if God wills that it 
 continue until all the wealth piled by the bondsman's two hun- 
 dred and fifty years of unrequited toil shall be sunk, and until 
 eyery drop of blood drawn by the lash shall be paid by another 
 drawn with the sword, as was said three thousand years ago, so 
 still it must be said : ' The judgments of the Lord are true and 
 righteous altogether.' 
 
 " With malice toward none, with charity for all, with firmness 
 in the right, as God gives us to see the right, let us strive on to 
 finish the work we are in ; to bind up the nation's wounds ; to 
 care for him who shall have borne the battle, and for his widow 
 and for his orphan to do all which may achieve and cherish a 
 just and lasting peace among ourselves, and with all nations." 
 
 The closing scenes of the war were being enacted 
 in quick succession. The rebel Congress, driven to 
 desperation, enacted a law which was approved by 
 their President, Jeff. Davis, March 15th, 1865, giving 
 freedom to the slaves on condition of their entering 
 the military service of the confederacy. Orders were 
 at once issued from the rebel War Department for the 
 drilling to commence, but it was too late. All their 
 schemes failed, and the only good accomplished by it 
 was to exhibit to the world the complete failure of 
 the effort to establish a government, the chief corner- 
 stone of which should be human slavery. The con- 
 spiracy was in its death throes. Gen. Grant 
 " moved upon the rebel works " at Petersburg and 
 carried them ; the rebels retreating towards Richmond, 
 which in turn they evacuated, and on the third day of 
 April a corps of U. S. Colored Soldiers, under Gen- 
 eral Weitzel, took possession of the city which had 
 been for four long years the capital of the rebel gov- 
 ernment.
 
 LIFE OF ABRAHAM LINCOLN. 85 
 
 On the fourth day of April, just one month after 
 the second inauguration of President Lincoln, his 
 feet trod the pavements of the rebel capital, and he 
 held a levee in the mansion just evacuated by the 
 rebel President, who was then a fugitive, with $100,- 
 000 offered as a reward for his arrest. 
 
 On the ninth of April the whole rebel army, un- 
 der General Lee, styled the army of Northern Vir- 
 ginia, and now reduced to about twenty-five thousand 
 men, surrendered to General Grant at Appomattox 
 Court House. The news flashed on the wires to all 
 parts of the loyal States. Victory ! Victory ! ! Peace ! 
 Peace!! were the exclamations from the lips of all, 
 and the wildest demonstrations of delight were spon- 
 taneously indulged in by the loyal millions in every 
 part of the land. The surrender of the rebel Gener- 
 al Johnston, with all his forces was only a question 
 of a few days' time. 
 
 The tremendous burden of responsibility which for 
 four long, weary years rested upon the shoulders of 
 President Lincoln, was now about to be removed, 
 and he was looking forward in joyous anticipation to 
 the day when the clangor of arms should cease, and 
 with the smoke of battle cleared away, he should en- 
 ter upon the pacific work of restoring the nation from 
 the ravages of war to its proper condition in time 
 of peace. 
 
 As a fitting initial to the work of restoration, the 
 President instituted measures to have the old flag, 
 which had been lowered at Fort Sumter in the pres- 
 ence of the parricidal sons of the nation, on the four- 
 teenth of April, 1861, elevated to its place on the 
 fourth anniversary of that event. Orders were issued 
 by the Secretary of War to Capt. Gadsden to have the 
 fine ocean steamer, Arago, in readiness to convey a 
 select party to that historic spot, the mass of ruins 
 that was once called Fort Sumter. 
 
 Of the party who sailed on the Arago, to the num- 
 ber of two or three hundred, it is necessary to men-
 
 86 LIFE OP ABRAHAM LINCOLN. 
 
 tion the names of a few who were assigned to special 
 duties On that occasion. There was General Robert 
 Anderson, the hero of the expedition, and the Rev. 
 Henry Hard Beecher, who had been selected to de- 
 liver the oration. Then there was William Lloyd 
 Garrison, of our own country, and George Thompson, 
 of England, " life-long co-workers for the abolition 
 of slavery, each the champion of a great nation." 
 There was also General, now Governor, Dix, of New 
 York ; Hon Joseph Holt, of Kentucky ; Senator Wil- 
 son, of Massachusetts ; Justice Swayne, of the Supreme 
 Court of the United States, and a host of others, in- 
 cluding Lieutenant Governor Charles Anderson, a 
 brother to the General, and who soon after became 
 Governor of the State of Ohio, in consequence of the 
 death of Governor Brough. 
 
 Besides the Arago there were other vessels chartered 
 for the occasion, each bearing some of the distin- 
 guished personages of the land, so that the entire 
 party numbered about five thousand. A correspond- 
 ent of the New York Independent, describing the 
 approach to the battered walls of Fort Sumter, says : 
 " There was but one strain worthy of the moment ; it 
 was neither the Star Spangled Banner nor our own 
 grand America. We all broke forth into 
 
 1 " Praise God, from whom all blessings flow. " 
 
 The vessels had been so well timed that the party 
 landed about noon on the day they were celebrating, 
 April 14th. A prayer was offered by the Rev. Mat- 
 thias Harris who was Chaplain at the Fort four 
 years before and a portion of Scripture read, followed 
 by the reading of the dispatch sent by Major Ander- 
 son to the Government, announcing the evacuation 
 of Fort Sumter on the 14th of April, 1861. The 
 Major, now General, Anderson, and Sergeant Hart 
 then stepped forward and hoisted the well preserved
 
 LIFE OF ABRAHAM LINCOLN. 87 
 
 flag, amid unbounded euthusiasm, and salutes were fired 
 from the batteries and fleet. Sergeant Hart was the 
 same man who, when the staff of this flag had been 
 shot off four years before, rescued and restored it to 
 its place upon the fortifications. As soon as the flag 
 was thrown to the breeze, Gen. Anderson delivered 
 the following brief speech : 
 
 " My Friends and Fellow Citizens, and Brother Soldiers: By 
 the considerate appointment of the Hon. Secretary of War, I am 
 here to fulfill the cherished wish of my heart through four long 
 years of bloody war ; to restore to its proper place this dear flag, 
 which floated here during peace, before the first act of cruel re- 
 bellion. I thank God that I have lived to see this day, and to be 
 here to perform this duty to my country. My heart is filled with 
 gratitude to that God who has so signally blessed us ; who has 
 given us blessings beyond measure. May all the world proclaim , 
 ' Glory to God in the highest, on earth peace ; good will toward 
 men.' " 
 
 Rev. Henry Ward Beecher then delivered a most 
 thrilling and eloquent oration of about two hours 
 duration. A synopsis of that oration can not be 
 given here, but I must satisfy myself with one or two 
 quotations : 
 
 " When God would prepare Moses for emancipation, He over- 
 threw his first steps, and drove him for forty years to brood in 
 the wilderness. When our flag came down^ four years it lay 
 brooding in darkness. It cried to the Lord, ' Wherefore am I 
 deposed ?' Then arose before it a vision of sin. It had strength- 
 ened the strong and forgotten the weak. It proclaimed liberty, 
 but trod upon 'slaves. In that seclusion it dedicated itself to 
 liberty. Behold to-day it fulfills its vows ! When it went down 
 four million people had no flag. To-day it rises and [the same] 
 four million people cry out, ' Behold our Flag ! ' 
 
 ******** 
 
 "From this pulpit of broken stone we speak forth our earnest 
 greeting to all our land. We offer to the President of these
 
 88 LIFE OF ABRAHAM LINCOLN. 
 
 United States our solemn congratulations that God has sustained 
 his life and health under the unparalleled burdens and sufferings 
 of four bloody years, and permitted him to behold this auspi- 
 cious consummation of that national unity for which he has 
 labored with such disinterested wisdom." 
 
 The kindly words spoken of President Lincoln 
 were never known to him. Little did the orator 
 think that in less than ten hours the hand of an as- 
 sassin would put an end to that life, for the preserva- 
 tion of which he had been pouring out congratula- 
 tions. Rumors of threatened assassination had from 
 time to time reached the ear of the public, but so 
 many dark days had been passed in safety that little 
 or no danger was apprehended of such a calamity, 
 especially at this time, when the enemies of the nation 
 were melting away before our armies as mist before 
 the rising sun.
 
 CHAPTER VIII. 
 
 Mr. Lincoln saw the storm coming long before it 
 burst upon the nation, and from the time he became 
 satisfied that he was about to be the choice of the 
 people for President of the United States, he never 
 doubted that he was chosen by the Almighty to do 
 some special work. This feeling clung to him all 
 through his presidential career. Running parallel 
 with this was another feeling, that when his work was 
 done he would pass away. On these two points he 
 often conversed, and to his friends he sometimes ex- 
 pressed himself quite freely. 
 
 Among the earliest of his utterances on record with 
 reference to these matters, is a series of conversations 
 in the autumn of 1860, with the Hon. Newton Bate- 
 man, of Springfield, Superintendent of Public Instruc- 
 tion for Illinois, now President elect of Knox College. 
 After Mr. Lincoln was nominated by the Chicago con- 
 vention in May, 1860, he for a time received the pub- 
 lic at his own residence. This, however, interfered so 
 much with the privacy of the family that the Execu- 
 tive Chamber, a fine, large room in the State House, 
 was tendered to him. In this he received all who had 
 a mind to call on him, until after his election and de- 
 parture for Washington. The room of Mr. Bateman 
 was adjoining the Executive Chamber, and by a pri- 
 vate door the occupants of these rooms could commu- 
 nicate when they desired to do so. This door was 
 frequently open during the seven months the room 
 was occupied by Mr. Lincoln. When he was tired he 
 would often close the outer door against intrusion, and
 
 90 LIFE OF ABRAHAM LINCOLN. 
 
 call Mr. Bateman in for a quiet talk. On one of these 
 occasions, after a long conversation about the incon- 
 sistency of ministers of the Gospel, and other profes- 
 sing Christians with whom they were both acquaint- 
 ed in their political action, he said: "Mr. Bateman, 
 I am not a Christian God knows I would be one, but 
 I have carefully read the Bible, and I do not so un- 
 derstand this book," and he drew from his bosom a 
 copy of the New Testament, and continued: "These 
 men well know that I am for freedom in the territo- 
 ries, freedom everywhere, as far as the constitution 
 and laws will permit, and that my opponents are for 
 slavery. They know this, and yet, with this Book in 
 their hands, in the light of which human bondage can 
 not live a moment, they are going to vote against me. 
 I do not understand it at all." He then paused, his 
 features manifesting intense emotion; he arose and 
 walked the room, in the effort to regain his compo- 
 sure. He at length stopped, his cheeks wet with tears, 
 his voice trembling, and he said : 
 
 " I know there is a God, and that He hates injustice and slave- 
 ry. I see the storm coming, and I know that His hand is in it. 
 If he has a place and work for me and I think He has I be- 
 lieve I am ready. I know I am right, because I know that Lib- 
 erty is right, for Christ teaches it, and Christ is God. I have told 
 them that a house divided against itself cannot stand, and Christ 
 and reason say the same ; and they will find it so." 
 
 He then spoke of those who did not care whether 
 slavery was voted up or voted down, and then said : 
 
 "God cares, and humanity cares, and I care; and with God's 
 help I shall not fail. / may not see the end, but it will come, and 
 I shall be vindicated ; and these men will find that they have not 
 read their Bibles aright." 
 
 Much of this was spoken as if he was talking to 
 himself, and in a manner peculiarly sad, earnest and
 
 LIFE OF ABRAHAM LINCOLN. 91 
 
 solemn. Resuming the conversation after a short 
 pause, he said : 
 
 " Does it not appear strange that men can ignore the moral as- 
 pects of this contest ? A revelation could not make it plainer to 
 me, that slavery or the government must be destroyed. The fu- 
 ture would be something awful, as I look at it, but for this rock 
 on which I stand" (alluding to the Testament which he still 
 held in his hand) "especially with the knowledge of how these 
 ministers are going to vote. It seems as if God had borne with 
 this thing slavery until the very teachers of religion have come 
 to defend it from the Bible, and to claim for it a divine character 
 and sanction ; and now the cup of iniquity is full, and the vials 
 of wrath will be poured out.". 
 
 In the course of his conversation with Mr. Bate- 
 man he unreservedly expressed his conviction of the 
 necessity of faith in the Christian's God, as an element 
 of successful statesmanship, that it gave calmness 
 to the mind which made a man firm and immovable 
 amid the wildest excitements. After expressing his 
 belief in an overruling Providence, and the fact of 
 God in history, the subject of prayer was introduced. 
 " He freely stated his belief in the duty, privilege and 
 efficacy of prayer, and intimated, in unmistakable 
 terms, that he had sought in that way the divine guid- 
 ance and favor." When this interview was drawing 
 to a close, Mr. Bateman said : "I have not supposed 
 that you were accustomed to think so much upon this 
 class of subjects. Certainly your friends generally are 
 ignorant of the sentiments you have expressed to me." 
 He replied quickly : " I know they are. I am obliged 
 to appear different to them, but I think more on these 
 subjects than upon all others, and I have done so for 
 years, and I am willing you should know it." 
 
 Numerous instances might be cited of his conver- 
 sations before his election and between that and the 
 time of his inauguration, in which he expressed the
 
 92 LIFE OF ABRAHAM LINCOLN. 
 
 conviction that the day of the wrath of the Almighty 
 was at hand, and that he was to be an actor in the ter- 
 rible struggle, which would issue in the overthrow of 
 slavery, and that he did not believe that he would see 
 the end, or that he would pass away with that system 
 of abominations. 
 
 An incident well calculated to deepen this convic- 
 tion in his mind occurred soon after his first election. 
 He related it to some of his friends, but we believe it 
 was not made public until after his death. The fol- 
 lowing account of it, said to be almost in Mr. Lin- 
 coln's own words, is part of an article from the pen 
 of Major John Hay, in Har-per's Magazine for July, 
 1865. He says : 
 
 " It was just after my election in 1860, when the news had been 
 coming in thick and fast all day, and there had been a great ' hur- 
 rah, boys !' so that I was well tired out, and went home to rest, 
 throwing myself upon a lounge in my chamber. Opposite where 
 I lay was a bureau with a swinging glass upon it, and looking at 
 that glass I saw myself reflected nearly at full length ; but my 
 face, I noticed, had two separate and distinct images, the tip of 
 the nose being about three inches from the tip pf the other. I 
 was a little bothered, perhaps startled, and got up and looked in 
 the glass, but the illusion vanished. On laying down again, I 
 saw it a second time, plainer, if possible then before ; and then I 
 noticed that one of the faces was a little paler say five shades 
 than the other. I got up and the thing melted away, and I went 
 off, and, in the excitement of the hour, forgot all about it near- 
 ly, but not quite, for the thing would once in a while come up 
 and give me a little pang, as though something uncomfortable 
 had happened. When I went home I told my wife about it, and 
 a few days after I tried the experiment again, when, sure enough, 
 the thing came back again ; but I never succeeded in bringing 
 it back after that, though I once tried very industriously to show 
 it to my wife, who was worried about it somewhat. She thought 
 it was 'a sign' that I was to be elected to a second term of office, 
 and that the paleness of one of the faces was an omen that I 
 should not see life through the last term.
 
 LIFE OF ABRAHAM LINCOLN. 93 
 
 After the beginning of hostilities, Mr. Lincoln's 
 whole time was so occupied, and his mind so absorbed 
 with his official duties, that he appears to have forgot- 
 ten, for a time, the presentiments that in his more lei- 
 sure hours caused him some uneasiness. 
 
 When our men were dying by thousands in the 
 army hospitals at the south, many of them from no 
 other disease than general debility, the best remedy 
 for which would have been permission to breathe the 
 pure northern air, a lady who had spent much time in 
 those southern hospitals, called on President Lincoln 
 for the purpose of inducing him to establish hospitals 
 in some of the northern States. She knew before 
 starting that Mr. Lincoln, the Surgeon General and 
 chief surgeons in most of the departments were opposed 
 to the measure. Mr. Lincoln seemed determined from 
 the start not to grant her request. He was worn 
 down by constant application to business, which made 
 him fretful, and at times his answers to her entreaties 
 were quite severe. As a last argument, at one of her 
 visits, she said : " If you grant my petition you will 
 be glad as long as you live. The prayers of grateful 
 hearts will give you strength in the hour of trial, and 
 strong and willing arms will return to fight your bat- 
 tles." 
 
 She says that, at these words, the President seemed 
 to think that he had possibly done injustice to the sol- 
 diers, and all the severity left him. He bowed his 
 head, and with a look of sadness impossible for lan- 
 guage to describe, said : " J shall never be glad any 
 more" In reply to his mournful utterances, she said : 
 "Oh ! do not say so, Mr. Lincoln, for who will have 
 so much reason to rejoice as yourself when the gov- 
 ernment shall be restored, as it will be ?" Pressing a 
 hand on either side, he said : "I know, I know, but 
 the springs of life are wearing away, and I shall not 
 last." After six days' perseverance the lady accom-
 
 94 LTFF OF ABRAHAM LINCOLN. 
 
 plished her object the hospital was established, and 
 the President seemed to rejoice that he had been led 
 to another act for the relief of the brave soldiers who 
 were fighting the battles of the nation. 
 
 After Mr. Lincoln was nominated as a candidate 
 for President the second time, there were some dissen- 
 sions in the Republican party. Many of the promi- 
 nent men of the party found fault with him, and even 
 talked of an opposition convention to nominate 
 another candidate. The people of the North were 
 weary of the war, and demagogues were not wanting 
 in his own party to take advantage of this feeling to 
 increase the dissatisfaction. It was but natural that 
 Mr. Lincoln should scan every movement of this kind 
 closely, and that, added to his other anxieties, made 
 him look careworn and haggard. In the month of 
 July, 1864, one of the many newspaper correspond- 
 ents who called upon him, remarked that he was 
 wearing himself out with hard work. The President 
 replied, "I can't work less, but it isn't that; work 
 never troubled me ; things look badly, and I cannot 
 avoid anxiety. Personally I care nothing about a 
 re-election, but if our dissensions defeat us I fear for 
 the country." On being reminded that right must 
 eventually triumph, he admitted that, but expressed 
 the opinion that he should not live to see it, and 
 added : "I feel a presentment that I shall not outlast the 
 rebellion. When it is over, my work will be done." 
 
 On the evening of the anniversary of Sumter's hu- 
 miliation, and the very day of its restoration, a day 
 which is called Good Friday, and is observed by a 
 large portion of the Christian world as the anniver- 
 sary of the crucifixion of the Savior of mankind, 
 President Lincoln made up his mind to visit Ford's 
 Theatre as a means of relaxing the tension upon his 
 physical and mental energies. He entered his car- 
 riage at a quarter past eight o'clock, accompanied by 
 his wife, Miss Clara L. Harris, and Major Henry R.
 
 LIFE OF ABRAHAM LINCOLN. 95 
 
 Rath bone. The two latter have since become man and 
 wife. Hon. George Ash mun, of Massachusetts, was in 
 conversation with Mr. Lincoln until he entered his 
 carriage, and it was agreed that Mr. Ashmun and a 
 friend, Judge C. P. Daly of New York, should have 
 an interview with the President the next morning. In 
 order to guard against any delay, he took a card, 
 and resting it upon his knee, wrote with a pencil : 
 
 "Allow Mr. Ashmun and friend to come to me at 9 o'clock A. 
 M., to-morrow, April 15, 1865. 
 
 A. LINCOLN." 
 
 Handing the card to Mr. Ashmun, he rode away. 
 Those were, without doubt, the last words he ever 
 wrote. 
 
 The box occupied by the Presidential party was 
 about twelve feet above the stage, looking directly 
 upon it. The play for the evening was called "Our 
 American Cousin." About half past nine o'clock, at 
 a part of the play when the stage was vacant, and all 
 eyes were intently fixed upon it, awaiting the en- 
 trance of the next actor, the report of a pistol startled 
 those in the vicinity of the box occupied by Mr. Lin- 
 coln. Major Rathbone turning around, saw through 
 the smoke a man standing in the rear of the Presi- 
 dent. The Major sprang up and grappled him, but 
 the man dropped his pistol, made a thrust at him with 
 a large knite, inflicting a severe wound in the left 
 arm, and wrested himself away. He rushed to the 
 front of the box, and brandishing the knife theatric- 
 ally, shouted, "'Sic semper tyrannis!" Such be ever 
 the fate of tyrants. He then put his hands on the 
 railing and leaped over on the corner of the stage. 
 Having provided himself with a spur to assist in his 
 flight, it caught in the folds of an American flag it 
 was necessary for him to pass over. As if conscious 
 of the great crime against freedom, the flag wrenched 
 the spur from his boot which caused him to fall
 
 96 LIFE OF ABRAHAM LINCOLN. 
 
 nearly prostrate, by which, it was afterwards ascer- 
 tained, a bone in one of his legs was broken. Not- 
 withstanding this severe injury he quickly recovered, 
 sprang to his feet, again brandished his dagger, and 
 exclaimed, "The South is avenged!" and rushed out of 
 the back door of the Theatre, which he shut after 
 him, mounted a horse which an accomplice was hold- 
 ing, and rode off' across the Anacosta bridge into 
 Maryland, where he expected to make his escape by 
 the aid of rebel sympathizers. 
 
 When the shot was fired, Mr. Lincoln's head fell 
 slightly forward, his eyes closed, but he uttered no 
 word or cry. Mrs. Lincoln screamed, and Miss Harris 
 called for water. Laura Keene, the actress, having 
 her own feelings under perfect control, entreated the 
 audience to be calm, and entered the box from the 
 stage, bearing water and cordials. Women in the au- 
 dience shrieked and fainted, men called for ven- 
 geance, and the most terrible uproar prevailed. The 
 President was at once conveyed out of the Theatre to 
 a neighboring residence where he lay unconscious for 
 nine hours, and breathed his last at twenty-two min- 
 utes past seven o'clock on Saturday morning, April 
 15, 1865. The house in which he died was JNo. 453 
 Tenth street, a plain three story brick building. It 
 was the residence of a family by the name of Peter- 
 son. 
 
 The ball entered the skull behind the left ear, 
 crashed upward through the brain, and lodged be- 
 hind the right eye. It is not believed that he ever 
 knew he was shot, or was conscious of suffering. As 
 before stated, he had many times been threatened 
 with assassination through anonymous letters, and 
 had often been entreated by his friends to take some 
 precautions for his own protection, but having "char- 
 ity for all, and feeling malice towards none," he went 
 along, seemingly unconscious of the malicious and 
 fiendish elements around him.
 
 LIFE OF ABRAHAM LINCOLN. 97 
 
 As soon as the horrid deed was accomplished, the 
 assassin was recognized, while on the stage, as John 
 Wilkes Booth, an actor who was familiar with the 
 Theatre. It was soon ascertained that an attempt 
 had been made, and came very near being successful, 
 to assassinate the Hon. W. H. Seward, the Secretary 
 of State, and his son Frederick Seward. The whole 
 detective force of the Government, and the police 
 force of the City of Washington, were at once called 
 into requisition to arrest the assassins and unravel the 
 intricacies of the plot. 
 
 The greatest efforts were made to arrest Booth, 
 large rewards being offered for himself and accom- 
 plices. After many false moves, the detectives, un- 
 der Col. L. C. Baker, got on the true scent. It was 
 found that Booth had penetrated about thirty miles 
 into Maryland, followed by Harold, who had held the 
 horse for him on the night of the assassination. They 
 learned that Booth's broken leg had been dressed by 
 Dr. Mudd, who had furnished him with a crutch. 
 Crippled as he was, he for ten days eluded his pur- 
 suers, hiding in the swamps by day, and at night 
 working his way further South. 
 
 About thirty miles south of Washington he crossed 
 over the Potomac river into Virginia, and in a few 
 hours more would have been under the protection of 
 Moseby's rebel guerrillas. By means of information 
 volunteered by the colored people, and in some in- 
 stances extorted from the whites, they traced him to 
 the point where he was ferried across the river. They 
 then found the ferryman, and by threats compelled 
 him to reveal the hiding place of Booth, which was in 
 a barn belonging to a man by the name of Garratt. It 
 was near the town of Bowling Green, between that 
 place and Port Royal. Bowling Green is the county 
 seat of Caroline county. The pursuing party, twen- 
 ty-eight in number, were a portion of the Sixteenth 
 New York Cavalry, under Colonel Conger. They
 
 98 LIFE OF ABRAHAM LINCOLN. 
 
 surrounded the barn about dusk, on Tuesday eve- 
 ning, and soon ascertained that Booth and Harold 
 were both in the barn. A long parley ensued. Har- 
 old finally surrendered, but Booth utterly refused to 
 give himself up, and expressed a determination never 
 to be taken alive. Col. Conger becoming convinced 
 that longer delay was useless, and wishing, if possi- 
 ble, to avoid snooting him dead, ordered fire to be 
 communicated to some loose straw in the barn, hop- 
 ing to drive him out where he could be captured. 
 
 Booth, seeing death or surrender was inevitable, 
 obstinately refused to come out, and leaning upon his 
 crutch, was in the act of taking aim at one of the pur- 
 suing party', who were stationed so as to command ev- 
 ery point of observation. Lieutenant Dougherty, 
 seeing his movements, ordered Sergeant Boston Cor- 
 bett to fire, which he did with a large cavalry pistol. 
 The ball entered just below the right ear, and came 
 out about an inch above the left ear. He died after 
 suffering about two and a half hours in great agony. 
 The barn was fired about three o'clock Wednesday 
 morning, April 26th ; Booth received the 'shot within 
 less than an hour, and died that morning. He was a 
 native of Baltimore, and was twenty-six years of age. 
 The body of Booth was taken back to Washington, 
 and after being fully identified, was disposed of by 
 government authority. 
 
 Nine of the more immediate conspirators, including 
 Booth, suffered speedy punishment. Harold, Payne 
 who attempted to take the life of Mr. Seward Atze- 
 rott and Mrs. Surratt, were hung ; Arnold, Mudd and 
 McLaughlin, were imprisoned for life, and Spangler 
 for six years. 
 
 John Wilkes Booth assassinated Abraham Lincoln 
 not because there was any personal animosity between 
 them, but as part of a plot to kill all the leading 
 members of the Government that had conquered the 
 slaveholders' conspiracy to destroy it. While the
 
 TJFE OF ABRAHAM JJNO<TLN. 99 
 
 events connected with the capture, death and burial 
 of the assassin, were transpiring, it was far different 
 with his victim. 
 
 The excitement caused by the intelligence of the 
 death of President Lincoln, not only in our own na- 
 tion but throughout the civilized world, has never 
 been equalled in human history. Cities, towns and 
 villages, were draped in mourning ; all classes and 
 conditions of people lamented him as a father, and 
 everywhere the insignia of sorrow was visible. 
 
 We left the party who had gone down to Fort 
 Sumter to restore the old flag to its rightful place, 
 at the close of Mr. Beecher's oration, still on that pile 
 of historic ruins. All unconscious of what was trans- 
 piring at the capitol of the nation there being no 
 telegraphic communication between it and the rebel 
 States the excursionists betook themselves to sight- 
 seeing, and thus spent the entire day of Saturday, the 
 fifteenth, visiting famous localities of the once 
 haughty, but now desolate and ruined city of Charles- 
 ton. The Sabbath, too, was appropriately spent in 
 religious services among the freed people of the city. 
 Mr. Beecher preached in Zion's Church to an audi- 
 dience of three thousand dusky-skinned but eager and 
 attentive auditors. Thus they spent Saturday and 
 Sabbath, intending to continue down the coast to 
 Florida before their return. As they were about to 
 resume their journey, the appalling news reached 
 them that President Lincoln had been assassinated on 
 the evening of the day they had just been celebrating. 
 All desire to extend their visit vanished, and the prow 
 of the Arago was at once turned homeward that they 
 might the more freely unite with their friends in ex- 
 pressions of sorrow at the loss of him who had piloted 
 our Ship of State safely through the most teriffic storm 
 of civil war ever experienced by any government on 
 the globe.
 
 100 LIFE OF ABRAHAM LINCOLN. 
 
 Two scenes are indelibly fixed in my mind, that 
 will illustrate the sudden plunge of the nation from 
 the highest delirium of joy to the lowest depth of sor- 
 row. I was in the beautiful little city of Richmond, 
 Indiana, during the closing scenes of the rebellion. 
 Monday morning, April 10, 1865, was as bright and 
 beautiful as any that has dawned upon the earth 
 since the creation. After an early breakfast I en- 
 tered my office and commenced work for the day. I 
 had been there but a short time until there appeared 
 to be some unusual commotion in the streets. I went 
 down, and after a little inquiry learned that a telegram 
 had just been received announcing that the whole 
 rebel army of northern Virginia, that had evacuated 
 the Confederate capitol but a few days before, under 
 General Lee, had surrendered to General Grant the 
 day before, at Appomattox Court House. 
 
 All understood that this was virtually an end of 
 the rebellion ; men shouted the news to each other. 
 Grant has captured the rebel army ! Lee has surren- 
 dered to Grant ! The rebels are defeated ! The war 
 will soon be over, and then Peace ! Peace ! ! Peace ! ! . 
 Such shouts as these were mingled with all other im- 
 aginable expressions of delight. Business houses 
 were closed ; in fact, some had not yet been opened 
 for the day. Men and boys snatched each other's hats 
 and coats ; some even turned their coats inside out, 
 and ran and shouted as if they had lost their reason. 
 Some laughed, and some shed tears of joy. 
 
 The principal street of the town is a beautiful wide 
 avenue, lined on either side for nearly a mile with 
 business houses. These houses nearly all had wooden 
 awnings in front. Some of them were old and delap- 
 idated, and even those that were comparatively new, 
 having been built without any effort at uniformity, 
 destroyed the beauty of the street. For several weeks 
 a formidable party had been trying to get an ordi- 
 nance passed to have them all removed, but they were
 
 LIFE OF ABRAHAM LINCOLN. 101 
 
 not successful. The City Hall was on a cross street, 
 a short distance from this main thoroughfare. On the 
 morning of which I am writing, and while the excite- 
 ment was at its highest point, one of these men, with 
 his coat turned inside out, ran from the direction of 
 
 the City Hall, and yelled at the top of his voice that 
 the City Council had just passed an ordinance that all 
 
 . those wooden awnings should be removed. Men never 
 stopped to think that it was not possible for the Coun- 
 cil to have assembled at such a time. But all rushed 
 for the awnings, and in less time than it has taken me 
 to write this, every house was stripped from one end 
 of the street to the other. All the materials, old and 
 new, were piled in the middle of the street. At night, 
 bonfires were made at every street-crossing, and all 
 the rubbish consumed. As soon as the work of de- 
 molition commenced, an enterprising photographer 
 placed a huge camera at one end of the street, and 
 produced one of the most comic historical pictures 011 
 record. 
 
 The other scene was enacted at the same place five 
 days later. I was in my office again, quite early on 
 Saturday morning, April loth. A genial, jovial 
 friend, who had stepped in to say good morning, left 
 the office laughing and talking, but very soon re- 
 turned with the tears coursing down his manly 
 cheeks, and with faltering voice said : ''President 
 Lincoln and Secretary Seward were assassinated last 
 night." After exchanging a few words with him, I 
 went out on the street. The day was as bright and 
 beautiful as the Monday before had been. Some 
 houses were open, and others were being opened, but 
 all thoughts of business vanished. Men gathered in 
 groups, and in subdued language communicated the 
 sad news. The telegraph office was besieged for more 
 news until it was known that the President was cer- 
 tainly dead, but that Mr. Seward was yet alive and 
 might possibly recover.
 
 102 LIFE OP ABRAHAM LINCOLN. 
 
 Men wandered about in silence, or stood in groups 
 and talked of the horrid crime and its probable effect 
 on the country. Many were the expressions of sorrow 
 for the martyred President, and from none were these 
 more heart-felt than the many Quakers who reside in 
 that city and vicinity. Some business houses and pri- 
 vate residences were draped in mourning. Thus the 
 day wore away, and from the beginning to its close 
 sadness and gloom were depicted on every counte- 
 nance.
 
 CHAPTER IX. 
 
 When the sad tidings of the assassination of Abra- 
 ham Lincoln were conveyed upon the wings of the tele- 
 graph to all parts of America on the morning of April 
 15, 1865, there was no place where it fell with such 
 crushing weight as in the city of Springfield, where his 
 trials and triumphs were personally known to all. This 
 was Saturday morning. Only five days before, Mon- 
 day morning, April tenth, the news had been received 
 that the largest part of the rebel army, under General 
 Lee, had surrendered to our own General Grant. On the 
 reception of the news of that surrender in Springfield, 
 flags leaped as if by magic from public buildings and 
 private residences all over the city. An hour later, all 
 business was suspended, and the people were assembled 
 in and around the State House square, to congratulate 
 each other on the glorious news. The excitement in- 
 creased with the crowd, and found expression in hur- 
 rahs, songs and grotesque processions, and the church 
 and fire bells all over the city rang out their merry 
 peals. This was continued for hours, and until all 
 classes, old and young, joined in the general jubilee. 
 Flags, large and small were attached to houses, horses, 
 vehicles, hats, coats, and every other place where a flag 
 could be displayed. Business houses and private resi- 
 dences vied with each other in their display of patriotic 
 emblems. A splendid flag was thrown to the breeze 
 from the old home of President Lincoln. 
 
 In the afternoon a procession, civic and military, 
 chiefly grotesque and ludicrous, paraded the streets. 
 The principal object of interest was the old dark bay
 
 104 THE GKEAT FUNERAL CORTEGE, 
 
 horse that Mr. Lincoln had ridden many hundred miles 
 on professional business and in his political campaigns. 
 " Old Bob," or " Robin," was decorated with a rich 
 blanket, red, white and blue, thickly studded with 
 flags, and bearing the inscription, " Old Abe's Horse." 
 He was soon robbed of his flags, they having been se- 
 cured by the people as mementoes. 
 
 About half past six o'clock p. m. a salute of twenty 
 guns was fired, followed by a fine display of fire-works. 
 Many of the public and private residences were then 
 illuminated. By eight o'clock an immense crowd of 
 citizens had assembled in the State House and grounds 
 surrounding it. Patriotic speeches were made by a 
 number of prominent men, interspersed with music by 
 a fine band. At a later hour the citizens dispersed to 
 their homes ; the noise died away, and the city was at 
 rest. It was but a day or two until an order was issued 
 by the Secretary of War for all recruiting and drafting 
 to cease. This assured the people that the government 
 regarded the war to be virtually at an end, and gave a 
 new impetus to the rejoicing all over the land. This 
 description of the way the people acted in Springfield 
 will apply to hundreds and thousands of towns and 
 cities all over our country. The people continued to 
 meet each other, everywhere, with broad smiles and 
 words of congratulation, up to Friday night, April 14. 
 
 We will return again to the citizens of Springfield, 
 and describe their actions as an illustration of the sud- 
 den change in the feelings of the people all over the 
 land, from almost a delirium of joy, to the lowest 
 depths of sorrow. 
 
 On the fatal Saturday morning, April 15, the citi- 
 zens of Springfield, half dressed, and, perhaps, yawn- 
 ing from the effects of a full night's sleep, as they 
 sauntered out to their front yards and took up the morn- 
 ing Journal, saw nothing unusual in the paper at first, 
 but on opening it and finding the rules reversed, dis- 
 playing heavy dark lines between the columns, they
 
 AND THE NATIONAL LINCOLN MONUMENT. 105 
 
 hastened to find the cause. It was the work of a mo- 
 ment to read, in substance : 
 
 " President Lincoln shot by an assassin, in Ford's Theatre, last 
 night ! Secretary Sewarcl, at the same time, stabbed, as he lay in 
 bed, from the effect of wounds received by being thrown from his 
 carriage a few days before ! ! Both thought to be in a dying con- 
 dition!!! Vice President Johnson, Secretary Stanton and Lieut. 
 General Grant were to have been assassinated also, but some of 
 the conspirators failed to perform the parts assigned them!!!! 
 General Grant saved by unexpectedly leaving the Capital ! ! ! ! ! 
 
 By a common impulse, the people assembled about 
 the State House square to talk of the awful tidings. 
 The telegraph office was besieged for more news. It 
 was ascertained at an early hour that the President was 
 DEAD, and later in the day, that Secretary Seward 
 would probably recover. After the first shock, all felt 
 a desire to give some public expression to their feelings. 
 Very soon the sad insignia of sorrow were displayed in 
 profusion from the houses of the wealthy, and by all in 
 proportion to their ability. The very poor in the out- 
 skirts of the city were equally anxious with their more 
 favored fellow citizens, to testify their sorrow for the 
 untimely death of him whom all loved. From the doors 
 of many such were displayed a piece of any black goods 
 they could obtain, if it was but a narrow strip and a 
 few inches in length. These demonstrations were made, 
 with very few exceptions, without any distinction, what- 
 ever, as to political preferences. 
 
 The crime was so diabolical, and so firmly had Abra- 
 ham Lincoln entrenched himself in the hearts of the 
 people, that many, for the time being were involunta- 
 rily disposed to question the wisdom and goodness of 
 God in permitting the awful deed to be consummated. 
 This was doubtless felt in many instances where it 
 failed to find utterance in words ; but, in some cases, 
 it was outspoken. A clergyman of Springfield had
 
 106 THE GREAT FUNERAL CORTEGE, 
 
 a niece residing in his family, who, as soon as she 
 heard the news, ran to him, and, with tears streaming 
 down her face, said, " O, uncle, it does seem to me that 
 I can never love God any more." With the more 
 thoughtful, however, it created a feeling of inquiry as to 
 why it was permitted, and with all such,as expressed by 
 the mayor of Springfield to the City Council that morn- 
 ing, the inquiry was, " Lord, what wilt Thou have us 
 to do." 
 
 A call was early issued by the Mayor, J. S: Vreden- 
 burg, for a meeting of the City Council at ten o'clock. 
 A notice was also circulated, that a meeting of the 
 citizens would be held in the State House yard at twelve 
 o'clock, noon. When the City Council assembled, it 
 passed resolutions to unite with the citizens in their 
 public demonstration, and after appointing a committee 
 to draft resolutions expressive of their feelings, ad- 
 journed until four o'clock p. m. 
 
 The meeting at the State House was called to order 
 at noon, and after organizing, several of those who 
 had long been intimately acquainted with the fallen 
 chieftain made interesting remarks, calling up many 
 reminiscences of his past life. Hon. John T. Stuart, 
 as chairman of a committee appointed for that purpose, 
 reported a series of .resolutions, which were adopted as 
 expressive of the feelings of the meeting. I find space 
 for a single one of those resolutions : 
 
 Resolved, That inasmuch as this city has, for a long time, been 
 the home of the President, in which he has graced with his kind- 
 ness of heart and honesty of purpose, all the relations of life, it 
 is appropriate that ils " City of the Dead " should be the final 
 resting place of all of him that is mortal, and to this end we 
 respectfully request the appointment of a committee on the part 
 of the City Council, to act in conjunction with the Governor of 
 the State, with a view of bringing hither his remains for inter- 
 ment.
 
 AND THE NATIONAL LINCOLN MONUMENT. 107 
 
 The City Council assembled, pursuant to adjourn- 
 ment, and adopted the resolution passed by the public 
 assembly relative to the removal of the remains, and 
 appointed the following committee,to proceed to Wash- 
 ington City, for the purpose of co-operating with Gov- 
 ernor Oglesby who was there at the time of the 
 assassination in bringing the remains of President 
 Lincoln to Springfield : Hon. Jesse K. Dubois, Hon. 
 Lyman Trumbull, Hon. John T. Stuart, Hon. Shelby 
 M. Cullom, Ex-Governor Richard Yates, Gen. I. N. 
 Haynie, Gen. John A. McClernand, Ex-Mayor J. S. 
 Vredenburg and Mayor elect Thomas J. Dennis. Gov- 
 ernor Oglesby was informed by telegraph of the action 
 of the City Council. A series of resolutions, reported 
 by Alderman Wohlgemuth, as chairman of the com- 
 mittee appointed for that purpose, were adopted as ex- 
 pressing the feelings of the members of the council. 
 Within a week after the assassination, almost every 
 society in Springfield, religious, political, benevolent 
 and social, passed resolutions expressive of their sorrow 
 for the death of Abraham Lincoln, and horror at the 
 crime of his assassination. 
 
 On Sunday, the sixteenth, the people nocked to the 
 churches, as though they were fleeing from some great 
 calamity. Men who had not been seen in the house of 
 God for months, were, on that day, among the earliest, 
 and seemingly the most attentive and devotional wor- 
 shippers. In some of the churches, the pulpits were 
 draped in mourning, and the services partook of sol- 
 emnities appropriate to a funeral occasion. 
 
 We will once more look upon the scenes being en- 
 acted at the capital of the nation. President Lincoln 
 breathed his last at twenty-two minutes past seven 
 o'clock, on the morning of April 15. At half past 
 nine o'clock, the body was removed to the Executive 
 Mansion, and on the afternoon of that day it was 
 embalmed and otherwise prepared for sepulture, by
 
 108 THE GREAT FUNERAL CORTEGE, 
 
 being placed in a wooden coffin, upon which was a 
 plate bearing the inscription : 
 
 ABRAHAM LINCOLN, 
 
 16'i'II PRESIDENT OP THE UNITED STATES. 
 
 BORN FEBRUARY 12, 1809. 
 
 DIED APRIL 15, 1865. 
 
 The coffin was then placed on a dais within a grand 
 catafalque, in the East Room, surrounded by the sad 
 emblems of woe and covered with the most rare and 
 costly floral tributes of affection. 
 
 On the same day, at eleven o'clock, Chief Justice 
 Chase administered to the Vice President, Andrew 
 Johnson, the oath of office as President of the United 
 States. By this prompt action, the interregnum in the 
 office of President was but a little more than three 
 hours in duration. President Johnson immediately 
 called a meeting of the Cabinet. At this meeting Wil- 
 liam Hunter was appointed Acting Secretary of State, 
 to serve during the disability of Secretary Seward. 
 On Monday morning the following proclamation was 
 issued and telegraphed to all parts of the nation : 
 
 " The undersigned is directed to announce that the funeral cere- 
 monies of the lamented Chief Magistrate will take place at the 
 Executive Mansion, in this city, at 12 o'clock noon, Wednesday, the 
 nineteenth inst. The various religious denominations throughout 
 the country are invited to meet in their respective places of wor- 
 ship at the time, for the purpose of solemnizing the occasion by 
 appropriate ceremonies. 
 
 W. HUNTER, 
 
 Acting Secretary of State. 
 Washington, April 17, 1865." 
 
 On the same day, the following order was issued, 
 preparatory to observing funeral rites suitable to the 
 occasion, at Washington :
 
 AND THE NATIONAL LINCOLN MONUMENT. 109 
 
 WAR DEPARTMENT, ADJUTANT GENERAL'S OFFICE,) 
 WASHINGTON, April 17, 1865. ) 
 
 The following order of arrangements is directed : 
 ORDER OF PROCESSION. 
 
 FUNERAL ESCORT IN COLUMN OF MARCH. 
 One Regiment of Cavalry. 
 Two Batteries of Artillery. 
 
 Battalion of Marines. 
 
 Two Regiments of Infantry. 
 
 Commander of Escort and Staff. 
 
 Dismounted Officers of Marine Corps, Navy and Army, in the 
 order named ; Mounted Officers of Marine Corps, Navy and Army, 
 in the order named ; all Military Officers to be in Uniform, with 
 Side-arms. 
 
 CIVIC PROCESSION. 
 
 The Surgeon General of the United States Army, and Physicians 
 
 to the Deceased. 
 Clergy in Attendance. 
 
 PALL BEARERS. PALL BEARERS. 
 
 On tlw part of the Senate. On the part of the Bouse. 
 
 Mr Foster, of Connecticut. 
 Mr. Morgan, of New York. 
 Mr. Johnson, of Maryland. 
 Mr. Yates, of Illinois. 
 Mr. Wade, of Ohio. 
 Mr. Conness, of California. 
 
 Mr. Dawes, of Massachusetts. 
 Mr. Coffroth, of Pennsylvania, 
 Mr. Smith, of Kentucky. 
 Mr. Colfax, of Indiana. 
 Mr. Worthington, of Nevada. 
 Mr. Washburn, of Illinois. 
 
 Army. Navy. 
 
 Lieut. Gen. U. S. Grant. 
 Major General H. W. Halleck. 
 Brev. Brig. Gen. W. A. Nichols. 
 
 Vice Admiral D. G. Farragut. 
 Rear Admiral W. B. Shubrick. 
 Col. Jacob Zeilen, Marine Corps. 
 
 Civilians. 
 
 O. H. Browning. Thomas Corwin, 
 
 George Ashmun. Simon Cameroa. 
 
 Family. 
 
 Relatives. 
 The Delegations of States of Illinois and Kentucky, as Mourners. 
 
 The President. 
 The Cabinet Ministers. 
 The Diplomatic Corps. 
 
 Ex-Presidents. 
 
 The Chief Justice, 
 
 And Associate Justices of the Supreme Court.
 
 110 THE GREAT FUNERAL CORTEGE, 
 
 The Senate of the United States, preceded by their Officers. 
 
 Members of the House of Representatives of the United States. 
 
 Governors of the several States and Territories. 
 
 Legislatures of the several States and Territories. 
 
 The Federal Judiciary, 
 
 And the Judiciary of the several States and Territories. 
 
 The Assistant Secretaries of State, Treasury, War, Navy, Interior, 
 
 and the Assistant Postmaster General, and the 
 
 Assistant Attorney General 
 Officers of the Smithsonian Institute. 
 
 Members and Officers of the Sanitary and Christian Commissions. 
 Corporate Authorities of Washington, Georgetown 
 
 and other cities. 
 
 Delegations of the several States. 
 
 The Reverend the Clergy of the Various Denominations. 
 
 Clerks and employees of the several Departments and Bureaus, 
 
 Preceded by the heads of such Bureaus and their respective 
 
 Chief Clerks. 
 
 Such Societies as may wish to join the Procession. 
 Citizens and Strangers. 
 
 The troops designated to form the escort will assemble in the 
 Avenue north of the President's house, and form line precisely at 11 
 o'clock a. m., on Wednesday, the nineteenth inst. with the left 
 resting on Fifteenth street. The procession will move precisely at 
 2 o'clock p. m. on the conclusion of the religious services at the 
 Executive Mansion appointed to commence at 12 o'clock meri- 
 dian when minute guns will be fired by detachments of artillery, 
 stationed at St. John's Church, the City Hall, and at the Capitol. 
 At the same. hour, the bells of the several churches in Washing- 
 ton, Georgetown and Alexandria will be tolled. 
 
 At sunrise on Wednesday, the nineteenth inst. a federal salute will 
 be fired 1 from the Military Stations in the vicinity of Washington, 
 minute guns between the hours of 12 and 3 o'clock, and a national 
 salute at the setting of the sun. 
 
 The usual badge of mourning will be worn on the left arm, and 
 on the hilt of the sword. 
 
 By order of the Secretary of War : 
 
 W. A. NICHOLS, 
 Assistant Adjutant General.
 
 AND THE NATIONAL LINCOLN MONUMENT. Ill 
 
 The Governors of several of the loyal States, imme- 
 diately after the capture of the rebel army under Gen- 
 eral Lee, issued proclamations appointing days for 
 thanksgiving in their respective States. These were 
 all countermanded after the assassination of the Presi- 
 dent, and the proclamation of the Acting Secretary of 
 State adopted instead. That proclamation was incor- 
 porated into and made the principal part of the procla- 
 mations by Governors of States and Mayors of cities 
 throughout the United States, and also in the British 
 Provinces of North America. The proclamations of 
 some of the Mayors in the Dominion of Canada were 
 fully equal in their expressions of heartfelt sympathy 
 and condolence with those from similar officers in the 
 United States. 
 
 In the absence of Governor Oglesby from the State, 
 Lieutenant Governor William Bross issued a procla- 
 mation to the people of Illinois, recommending them 
 to assemble in their several places of worship, at as 
 early a day as possible, to " devoutly implore Almighty 
 God to have mercy on us ; that He will restrain the 
 wrath of man and cause the remainder of his wrath to 
 praise Him." 
 
 On the same day that Secretary Hunter issued his 
 proclamation, Governor Oglesby adopted it, and adds : 
 
 "Responding to the spirit of the announcement, I call upon the 
 people of the State of Illinois, the home of her martyred son, to 
 meet in their various churches and places of public worship on 
 that day, to observe it in such manner as this painful occasion 
 shall suggest at the solemn hour. 
 
 Done at Springfield, April 17, 1865. 
 
 R. J. OGLESBY." 
 
 Hon. T. J. Dennis having been installed Mayor on 
 the evening of the 17th, his first official act was to issue 
 a proclamation in harmony with that of the Acting
 
 112 THE GREAT FUNERAL CORTEGE, 
 
 Secretary of State at Washington, and the one by Gov- 
 ernor Oglesby, calling on the people of Springfield to 
 assemble at their several places of worship at the time 
 designated to engage in services appropriate to the oc- 
 casion.
 
 CHAPTER X. 
 
 On Wednesday morning, April 19, 1865, the sun 
 arose in splendor on the glittering domes of the nation's 
 Capital. The East Room of the Executive Mansion, 
 where a Harrison and a Taylor had lain in state, now 
 contained all that was mortal of one who was immeas- 
 urably greater than either of them, judging by the re- 
 sult of his labors and the grateful esteem in which he 
 was held by the people of the nation. The hour was 
 approaching for the services to commence. None could 
 be admitted without tickets, and there being only room 
 for six hundred persons, that number of cards were is- 
 sued, of which the following is an imitation : 
 
 SOUTH. 
 
 trie Jz&eaAet, fo trie 
 EXECUTIVE MAXTSIO2T, 
 
 On "WEDNESDAY, the 
 
 Near 11 o'clock a body of about sixty clergymen 
 entered the Mansion. Then came heads of Government 
 Bureaus, Governors of States, members of municipal
 
 114 THE GREAT FUNERAL, CORTEGE, 
 
 governments, prominent officers of the army and navy, 
 representatives of foreign governments, or what is 
 usually termed the Diplomatic Corps. At noon, Presi- 
 dent Johnson, in company with his cabinet, except 
 Secretary Seward, of the State Department, approached 
 the catafalque and took a last look at his illustrious 
 predecessor. The religious services were opened by 
 the Rev. Dr. Hall, of the Protestant Episcopal Church, 
 and Rector of the Epiphany, who read portions of 
 Scripture used in the impressive burial service of that 
 church, and prayer by Bishop Simpson, of the Metho- 
 dist Episcopal Church. 
 
 Rev. Dr. P. D. Gurley, of the New York Avenue 
 Presbyterian Church, and pastor of the President and 
 family, then delivered an impressive funeral sermon. 
 I can only give a single quotation, but that will enable 
 us to understand how President Lincoln labored with 
 such untiring patience in the discharge of his official 
 duties : 
 
 " I speak what I know, and testify what I have often heard him 
 say, when I affirm that the Divine goodness and mercy were the 
 props on which he leaned. Never shall I forget the emphatic and 
 deep emotion with which he said, in this very room, to a company 
 of clergymen and others, who called to pay him their respects, in 
 the darkest days of our civil conflict : ' Gentlemen, my hope of 
 success in this struggle rests on that immutable foundation, the 
 justness and goodness of God ; and when events are very threat- 
 ening, I still hope that, in some way, all will be well in the end, 
 because our cause is just, and God will be on our side.' Such was 
 his sublime and holy faith, and it was an anchor to his soul. It 
 made him firm and strong ; it emboldened him in the pathway of 
 duty, however rugged and perilous it might be ; it made him val- 
 iant for the right, for the cause of God and humanity, and it held 
 him in steady patience to a policy of administration which he 
 thought both God and humanity required him to adopt." 
 
 Rev. Dr. E. H. Gray, Pastor of the E Street Baptist 
 Church, who was at the time Chaplain of the United
 
 AND THK NATIONAL LINCOLN MONUMENT. 115 
 
 States Senate, closed the services at the Executive 
 Mansion by a fervent prayer. 
 
 The coffin was then conveyed to the hearse, and at 
 two o'clock the procession began to move. It took 
 the line of Pennsylvania Avenue, and was one hour 
 and a half in passing the Executive Mansion. The 
 rooms, porticos and buildings at all elevated points in 
 the city were occupied by spectators. As the proces- 
 sion moved, all the bells of Washington, Georgetown 
 and Alexandria tolled, and minute guns were fired at 
 the three points named in the order of April 17th. 
 
 First in order of procession was a detachment of 
 colored troops, then followed white regiments of 
 infantry, cavalry, batteries of artillery and the marine 
 corps ; army officers on foot, the pall bearers in car- 
 riages, and then came the HEARSE, drawn by six white 
 horses. The coffin was so elevated as to be seen from 
 all points. The floor of the hearse was covered with 
 evergreens and white flowers. Then followed Presi- 
 dent Johnson and his cabinet, the Diplomatic corps, 
 members of Congress, Governors of States, delegations 
 from the various States that from Illinois having the 
 post of honor as chief mourners then came clerks of 
 departments, military organizations, fire companies and 
 civic associations, public and private carriages, closing 
 with a large body of colored men and a great concourse 
 of citizens and strangers. 
 
 Arriving at the Capitol, the coffin was conveyed to 
 the rotunda, where it was again placed on a magnificent 
 catafalque. This was incomparably the largest and 
 most imposing funeral procession ever seen in the 
 Capital of the nation. 
 
 The nineteenth of April was observed with religious 
 services all over the loyal States and the reclaimed 
 rebel States and parts of States, and in the British Prov- 
 inces of North America. In addition to this, the people 
 of hundreds and thousands of towns and cities in the 
 Union turned out in solemn processions, bearing em-
 
 116 THE GREAT FUNERAL CORTEGE, 
 
 blems, mottoes and other devices expressive of their 
 love for the memory of Abraham Lincoln, and of their 
 sorrow for his death. Many of these processions are 
 mentioned in the newspapers of the day, as being com- 
 posed of from five to twenty thousand persons. 
 
 Aside from what was done in the city of Washing- 
 ton on that day, I shall only describe the public dem- 
 onstrations at the old home of Mr. Lincoln, Springfield, 
 Illinois. 
 
 Springfield, on the nineteenth, presented the appear- 
 ance of deep gloom and sadness. On the day of Mr. 
 Lincoln's death all goods in the stores that could be used 
 for draping the buildings in mourning were taken, and 
 more ordered at once by the merchants. Such addi- 
 tions were made that on this day the insignia of sorrow 
 were profusely displayed on the State House, Governor's 
 Mansion, Post Office, Arsenal, the military headquar- 
 ters of Gen. John Cook, all the State and county offices, 
 and nearly all the business houses and residences in the 
 city. The feelings of the people prompted them almost 
 universally to comply with proclamation of Mayor 
 Dennis, and close their houses of business. Flags on 
 the public buildings were draped with mourning and 
 hung at half mast. Stillness, more profound than that 
 of the Sabbath, reigned throughout the city. Before 
 the hour appointed for assembling, the people began to 
 wend their way to the churches. When the time 
 arrived for the services to commence at noon twenty 
 minute-guns were fired, at the Arsenal. The churches 
 were nearly all filled to overflowing, with sorrowing 
 and attentive audiences. The services partook partly 
 of religious condolence and partly of panegyric and 
 eulogium. Laymen, as well as ministers, took part in 
 the exercises. 
 
 In the First Presbyterian Church, of which Mrs. 
 Lincoln was a member, and which the family attended 
 while in Springfield, there were several brief but inter- 
 esting addresses delivered. Rev. Dr. Bergen, a former
 
 AND THE NATIONAL LINCOLN MONUMENT. 117 
 
 pastor of the Church, and the Hon. John T. Stuart, 
 the first law partner of Mr. Lincoln, were the principal 
 speakers. The address by Mr. Stuart is spoken of as 
 having been replete with interesting reminiscences of 
 their long and intimate acquaintance, and, as a whole, 
 was such a fitting eulogiura on the life and character of 
 the departed Chief Magistrate, as to do honor to the 
 head and heart of the speaker. 
 
 In the Second Presbyterian Church, there was a 
 number of speeches also. The Rev. Albert Hale, 
 Rev. Dr. Harkey and Hon. Lyman Trumbull, were 
 the principal speakers. Mr. Trumbull spoke for nearly 
 an hour, in the most eloquent and touching strain, of 
 the virtues, magnanimity and integrity of Abraham 
 Lincoln. His remarks elicted deep responses in every 
 heart. His address is remembered by those who heard 
 it as an elaborate, truthful and pathetic panegyric on 
 the life, character and public services of Abraham 
 Lincoln. 
 
 In the First Baptist Church, an address was deliv- 
 ered by the Hon. W. H. Herndon, who had been the 
 law partner of Abraham Lincoln for more than twenty 
 years. The partnership remained until the day of Mr. 
 Lincoln's death. Mr. Herndon spoke in feeling terms 
 of the public and private life of his departed friend 
 and co-laborer. Hon. J. C. Conkling, a long and inti- 
 mate friend of Mr. Lincoln, at the same church, deliv- 
 livered an equally interesting address, in which many 
 reminiscences of the late Cheif Magistrate were called 
 up. Judge Broadwell addressed the people at the same 
 church, also. 
 
 Appropriate services were held in the Third Presby- 
 terian Church. 
 
 At the First Methodist Church, the Rev. J. L. Crane, 
 the pastor, delivered an able and interesting discourse 
 on the life and public services of Abraham Lincoln. 
 
 Services suitable to the occasion were held in the 
 English Lutheran, North Baptist, German Catholic and
 
 118 THE GREAT FUNERAL CORTEGE, 
 
 many other churches throughout the city. It was a 
 day of quiet, subdued and heartfelt mourning for the 
 loss of one whom all could think of as a brother and 
 friend, and at the same time as a Chief Magistrate of 
 a great nation, unexcelled by any potentate of either 
 ancient or modern times. 
 
 Several days elapsed after the assassination before it 
 was certainly known that his remains would be brought 
 back to his old home for interment. 
 
 The City Council of Springfield assembled, on the 
 nineteenth of April, and passed an ordinance appropri- 
 ating twenty thousand dollars to be expended in defray- 
 ing the expenses connected with the funeral of Abraham 
 Lincoln, the sixteenth President of the United States. 
 The ordinance was approved on the twentieth by Mayor 
 Dennis. Artists were put to work to decorate the State 
 House, both on the exterior and interior, with mourn- 
 ing drapery. 
 
 A public meeting of the citizens was called, on 
 the twenty-fourth of the month, to make suitable 
 arrangements for the reception of the body, then on 
 its journey from the Capital of the nation to his 
 former prairie home. This public assembly, in order 
 to act more efficiently, appointed a committee of 
 arrangements, composed of men who had all enjoyed a 
 personal acquaintance with the now martyred Presi- 
 dent. After taking the initial steps for the construc- 
 tion of a temporary vault, to be ready by the time the 
 funeral train should arrive, the committee resolved 
 itself into a 
 
 "NATIONAL LINCOLN MONUMENT ASSOCIATION, 
 
 for the purpose of receiving funds and disbursing 
 the same, for obtaining grounds and erecting a monu- 
 ment thereon, in Springfield, Illinois, to the memory 
 of our lamented Chief Magistrate, Abraham Lincoln." 
 Hon. James H. Beveridge, then Treasurer of the State
 
 AND THE NATIONAL LINCOLN MONUMENT. 119 
 
 of Illinois, was named as the treasurer of the Associa- 
 tion, and " the officers, soldiers and sailors in the army 
 and navy, in camps, stations, forts and hospitals ; loyal 
 leagues, lodges of Masons and Odd Fellows, religious 
 and benevolent associations, churches of all denomina- 
 tions, and the colored population," were requested to 
 contribute for the purpose, the second week in May, or 
 as soon thereafter as possible, and remit to the treas- 
 urer named. National banks and postmasters were 
 requested to act as agents. The proceedings were 
 telegraphed to all parts of the country, and published 
 in the papers. Two days after the association was 
 organized, its Executive Committee published an ap- 
 peal to the nation that it would, " by one simultaneous 
 movement, testify its regard for his exalted character ; 
 its appreciation of his distinguished services, and its 
 sorrow for his death, by erecting to his memory a 
 monument that will forever prove that republics are 
 not ungrateful." 
 
 The Association at once contracted for a piece of 
 land, containing five or six acres, near the central part 
 of the city, upon which to erect the monument con- 
 templated, and proceeded to construct a temporary 
 vault at the expense of the city as a resting place 
 for the remains of the President until the monument 
 could be built. Men labored upon it night and day, 
 in order to have it ready by the time the funeral cor- 
 tege was expected to arrive.
 
 CHAPTER XI. 
 
 We will now return to the city of Washington. 
 Before the departure of the funeral cortege, arrange- 
 ments were all completed for transportation. The fol- 
 lowing order was issued : 
 
 WAR DEP'T, WASHINGTON CITY, April 18, 1865. 
 His Excellency Governor Brough, and John W. Garrett, Esq., 
 are Requested to act as a Committee of Arrangements of transpor- 
 tation of the remains of the late President, Abraham Lincoln, 
 from Washington to their final resting place. They are author- 
 ized to arrange the time tables with the respective railroad com- 
 panies, and do and regulate all things for safe and appropriate 
 transportation. They will cause notice of this appointment, and 
 their acceptance, to be published for the public information. 
 
 EDWIN M. STANTON, 
 Secretary of War. 
 
 Messrs. Brough and Garrett promptly accepted their 
 appointments, and entered upon the discharge of their 
 duties. When they had prepared their report, the fol- 
 lowing was issued as a special order : 
 
 WAR DEP'T, WASHINGTON CITY, April 18, 1865, 
 
 Ordered: 
 
 First, That the following report, and the arrangements therein 
 specified, be approved and confirmed, and that the transportation 
 of the remains of the late President, Abraham Lincoln, from 
 
 Washington to his former home, at Springfield, the Capital of Illi- 
 nois, be conducted in accordance with the said report and the 
 arrangements therein specified.
 
 THE NATIONAL LINCOLN MONUMENT. 121 
 
 Second, That for the purpose of said transportation, the rail- 
 roads over which said transportation is made be declared military 
 roads, subject to the orders of the War Department, and that the 
 railroads and the locomotives, cars and engines engaged in trans- 
 portation be subject to the military control of Brigadier General 
 McCallum, superinteudant of military railroad transportation ; and 
 all persons are required to conform to the rules, regulations, orders 
 and directions he may give or prescribe for the transportation 
 aforesaid ; and all persons disobeying the orders shall be deemed 
 to have violated the military orders of the War Department, and 
 shall be dealt with accordingly. 
 
 Third, That no person 'shall be allowed to be transferred upon 
 the cars constituting the funeral train save those who are specially 
 authorized by the order of the War Department. The funeral 
 train will not exceed nine cars, including baggage car, and the 
 hearse car, which will proceed over the whole route from Wash- 
 ington to Springfield, Illinois. 
 
 Fourth, At the various points on the route, where the remains 
 are to be taken from the hearse car by State or municipal authori- 
 ties, to receive public honors, according to the aforesaid pro- 
 gramme, the said authorities will make such arrangements as may 
 be fitting and appropriate to the occasion, under the direction of 
 the miltary commander of the division, department, or district, 
 but the remains will continue always under the special charge of 
 the officers and escort assigned by this Department. 
 
 By order of the Secretary of War. 
 
 E. D. TOWNSEND, 
 Assistant Adjutant General. 
 
 REPORT OF MESSRS. BROUGH AND GARRETT. 
 
 WASHINGTON CITY, D. C., April 18, 1865. 
 Hon. E. M. Stanton, Secretary of War : 
 
 SIR Under your commission of this date, we have the honor 
 to report 
 
 1. A committee of the citizens of the State of Illinois, appoint- 
 ed for the purpose of attending to the removal of the remains of 
 the late President to their State, has furnished us with the follow- 
 ing route for the remains and escort, being, with the exception of
 
 122 THE GREAT FUNERAL CORTEGE, 
 
 two points, the route traversed by Mr. Lincoln from Springfield 
 to Washington : 
 
 Washington to Baltimore, thence to Harrisburg, Philadelphia, 
 New York, Albany, Buffalo, Cleveland, Columbus, Indianapolis, 
 Chicago to Springfield. 
 
 2. Over this route, under the counsels of the committee, we 
 have prepared the following time card, in all cases for special 
 trains : 
 
 TIME CARD. 
 
 Leave Washington Friday morning, April 21, at 8 o'clock, and 
 arrive at Baltimore at 10 o'clock a. m. 
 
 Leave Baltimore at 3 o'clock p. m., and reach Harrisburg at 8 :20 
 p. m., same day. 
 
 Leave Harrisburg at 12 o'clock noon, Saturday, 22, and arrive 
 in Philadelphia at 5 :30 p. m. 
 
 Leave Philadelphia at 4 a. m. Monday, 24, and arrive in New 
 York at 10 a. m., the same day. 
 
 Leave New York at 4 p. m. Tuesday, 25, and arrive in Albany 
 at 11 p. m., same day. 
 
 Leave Albany at 4 p. m, Wednesday, 26, and arrive at Buffalo 
 at 7 a. m. Thursday, 27. 
 
 Leave Buffalo at 10 :10 p. m., the same day, and arrive in Cleve- 
 land at 7 a. m. on Friday, 28. 
 
 Leave Cleveland at midnight, same day, and arrive in Columbus 
 at 7 :30 a. m. Saturday, 29. 
 
 Leave Columbus at 8 o'clock p. m. Saturday, 29, and arrive in 
 Indianapolis at 7 a. m. Sunday, 30. 
 
 Leave Indianapolis at 12 midnight, Sunday, and arrive in Chi- 
 cago at 11 a. m. Monday, May 1. 
 
 Leave Chicago at 9 :30 p. m. Tuesday, May 2, and arrive in 
 Springfield at 8 o'clock a. m. Wednesday, May 3. 
 
 The route from Columbus to Indianapolis is via the Columbus 
 & Indianapolis Central railway, and from Indianapolis to Chicago 
 via Lafayette & Michigan City. 
 
 3. As to the running of these special trains, which, in order to 
 guard, as far as practicable, against accidents and detentions, we
 
 AND THE NATIONAL LINCOLN MONUMENT. 123 
 
 have reduced to about twenty miles per hour, we suggest the fol- 
 lowing regulations : 
 
 1. That the time of the departure and arrival be observed as 
 closely as possible. 
 
 2. That material detentions at way points be guarded against 
 as much as practicable, so as not to increase the speed of trains. 
 
 8. That a pilot engine be kept ten minutes in advance of the 
 train. 
 
 4. That the special train, in all cases, have the right of road, 
 and that all other trains be kept out of its way. 
 
 5. That the several railroad companies provide a sufficient 
 number of coaches for the comfortable accommodation of the 
 escort, and a special car for the remains ; and that all these, to- 
 gether with the engines, be appropriately draped in mourning. 
 
 6. That where the running time of any train extends beyond 
 or commences at midnight, not less than two sleeping-cars be add- 
 ed, and a greater number if the road can command them, sufficient 
 for the accommodation of the escort. 
 
 7. That two officers of the United States Military Railway Ser- 
 vice be detailed by you, and despatched at once over the route to 
 confer with the several railway officers, and make all necessary 
 preparations for carrying out these arrangements promptly and 
 satisfactorily. 
 
 8. That this programme and these regulations, if approved, be 
 confirmed by an order of the War Department. 
 
 Respectfully submitted, 
 
 JOHN BROUGH, ) /*.-. 
 JOHN W. GARRETT, \ Gommvttee - 
 
 The following with reference to the 
 GUARD OP HONOR, 
 Was next issued : 
 
 1WAR DEPARTMENT, 
 ADJUTANT GENERAL'S OFFICE, 
 WASHINGTON, April 20, 1865. 
 
 The following general officers and Guard of Honor will accom- 
 pany the remains of the President from the city of Washington 
 to the city of Springfield, the Capital of Illinois, and continue 
 with them until they arc consigned to their final resting place :
 
 124 THE GREAT FUNERAL CORTEGE, 
 
 Brevet Brigadier General E. D. Townsend, Assistant Adjutant 
 General, to represent the Secretary of War. 
 
 Brevet Brigadier General James A. Ekin, Deputy Quarter- 
 master General. 
 
 Brigadier General A. B. Eaton, Commissary General of Sub- 
 sistence. 
 
 Brevet Major General J. G. Barnard, Lieutenant Colonel of 
 Engineers. 
 
 Brigadier General G. D. Ramsey, Ordnance Department. 
 
 Brigadier General A. P. Howe, Chief of Artillery. 
 
 Brevet Brigadier General D. C. McCallum, Superintendent of 
 Military Roads. 
 
 Major General D. Hunter, U. S. Volunteers. 
 
 Brigadier General J. C. Caldwell, U. S. Volunteers. 
 
 Twenty-five picked men, under a Captain. 
 
 By order of the Secretary of War : 
 
 Official. E. D. TOWNSEND, 
 
 Assistant Adjutant General. 
 
 The following officers acted with the Guard of 
 Honor, although I have been unable to find the order 
 assigning them to that duty : 
 
 Rear Admiral C. H. Davis, U. S. Navy. 
 
 Captain W. R. Taylor, U. S. Navy. 
 
 Major T. H. Field, U. S. Marine Corps. 
 
 Including them, the Guard of Honor consisted of 
 twelve general officers. 
 
 The picked men were all members of the Veteran 
 Reserve corps, and were selected from the following 
 regiments : 
 
 Ninth Captain J. M. McCamley, J. R. Edwards, J. 
 F. Nelson, L. E. Bulock, P. Callaghan, A. K. Mar- 
 shall. 
 
 Seventh First Lieutenant J. R. Durkee, First Ser- 
 geant C. Swinehart, S. Carpenter, A. C. Cromwell. 
 
 Tenth Second Lieutenant E. Murphy, W. T. Daly, 
 J. Collins, W. H. Durgin, Frank Smith.
 
 AND THE NATIONAL LINCOLN MONUMENT. 125 
 
 Twelfth Second Lieutenant E. Hoppy, G. E. Good- 
 rich, A. E. Carr, F. Carley, W. H. Noble. 
 
 Fourteenth J. Karr, J. P. Smith, J. Hanna, 
 
 Eighteenth F. D. Forehard, J. M. Sedgwick, R. W. 
 Lewis. 
 
 Twenty-fourth J. P. Berry, W. H. Wiseman and 
 J. M. Pardun. 
 
 The three gentlemen whose names are annexed 
 accompanied the escort, each acting in the capacity des- 
 ignated below. 
 
 Captain Charles Penrose, Quartermaster and Com- 
 missary of Subsistence to the entire party. 
 
 Dr. Charles R. Brown, Embalmer. 
 
 Frank T. Sands, Undertaker. 
 
 Congress was not in session at the time of the assas- 
 sination, but a public meeting was called of all who 
 were members of either house, or who were delegates 
 in Congress from any of the territories, and happened 
 then to be in Washington. This explains why some 
 of the States were not represented on this committee. 
 The following gentlemen were chosen from those 
 who were present, and the body thus chosen was desig- 
 nated the Congressional Committee : 
 
 States. Maine, Mr. Pike, New Hampshire, Mr Rol- 
 lins ; Vermont, Mr. Foot and Mr. Baxter ; Connecti- 
 cut, Mr. Dixon ; Massachusetts, Mr. Sumner and Mr. 
 Hooper ; Rhode Island, Mr. Anthony ; New York, 
 Mr. Harris; Pennsylvania, Mr. Cowan; Ohio, Mr. 
 Schenck ; Kentucky, Mr. Smith ; Indiana, Mr. Julian ; 
 Minnesota, Mr. Ramsey ; Michigan, Mr. Chandler and 
 Mr. Ferry ; Iowa, Mr. Harlan ; Illinois, Messrs. Yates, 
 Washburn, Farnsworth and Arnold, unless they pre- 
 ferred being considered part of the Illinois delegation ; 
 California, Mr. Shannon ; Oregon, Mr. Williams ; 
 Kansas, Mr. Clarke ; West Virginia, Mr. Whaley ; 
 Maryland, Mr. Phelps ; New Jersey, Mr. Newell ; 
 Nevada, Mr. Nye; Nebraska, Mr. Hitchcock.
 
 126 THE GBEAT FUNERAL CORTEGE, 
 
 Territories. Colorado, Mr. Bradford; Idaho, Mr. 
 Wallace; Dacotah, Mr. Weed. 
 
 George N. Brown, Sergeant-at-Arms of the United 
 States Senate. 
 
 N. G. Ordway, Sergeant-at-Arms of the United 
 States House of Representatives. Some of the above 
 named gentlemen accompanied the remains, but many 
 of them did not. 
 
 NAMES OF THE ILLINOIS DELEGATION. 
 
 Gov. R. J. Oglesby; Gen. Isham N. Haynie, Adju- 
 tant General of Illinois . Col. J. H. Bowen, Col. W. 
 H. Hanna, Col. D. B. James, Major S. Waite, Col. D. 
 L. Phillips, U. S. Marshal for the Southern District of 
 Illinois ; Hon. Jesse K. Dubois, Col. John Williams, 
 Dr. S. H. Melvin, E. F. Leonard, Hon. S. M. Cul- 
 lom, Hon. O. M. Hatch. 
 
 GOVERNERS OF STATES ACCOMPANYING THE 
 ESCORT : 
 
 Governor Stone, of Iowa, and the Hon. Mr. Lough- 
 ridge, of that State, accompanied the escort the entire 
 journey, and rode in the car occupied by the Illinois 
 Delegation. 
 
 REPORTERS FOR THE PRESS : 
 
 L. A. Gobright, of Washington City, and C. R. 
 Morgan, for the Associated Press ; U. H. Painter, for 
 the Philadelphia Inquirer; E. L. Crounse, for the New 
 York Times; G. B. Woods, of the Boston Daily Adver- 
 tiser; Dr. Adonis, of the Chicago Tribune; C. A. Page, 
 New York Tribune. 
 
 The hearse car was one that had been built in Alex- 
 andria, Va., for the United States military railroads, 
 and was intended for the use of President Lincoln and 
 other officers of the Government when traveling over 
 those roads. It contained a parlor, sitting room and 
 sleeping apartment, all of which was fitted up in the 
 most approved modern style. The car intended for the 
 family of the President and the Congressional Commit- 
 tee, belonged to the Philadelphia, Wilmington & Bal-
 
 AND THE NATIONAL, LINCOLN MONUMENT. 127 
 
 timore railroad company, ordinarily used by the Presi- 
 dent and Directors of the company. It was divided 
 into four compartments, thus : parlor, chamber, dining 
 room and kitchen ; with water tanks and gasometer. 
 The whole car was fitted up in the most elegant and 
 costly manner. Both of these cars were richly draped 
 in mourning. 
 
 The remains of President Lincoln having been placed 
 in the rotunda of the Capitol on the nineteenth of April, 
 continued to lie there until the time appointed to start 
 on the western journey. A continuous throng of visit- 
 ors filed past the coffin the entire day of the twentieth. 
 During that day more than twenty-five thousand persons 
 looked upon the face of the illustrious deceased, many 
 of them soldiers who left their beds, in the hospitals, 
 to take one last look at their departed chieftain.
 
 CHAPTER XII. 
 
 At six o'clock on the morning of April 21, the 
 members of the Cabinet, Lieutenant General Grant 
 and his staff, several United States Senators, the Illinois 
 delegation, and a considerable number of army officers, 
 arrived at the Capitol and took their farewell view of 
 the face of the departed statesman. After an impres- 
 sive prayer by the Rev. Dr. Gurley, the coffin was borne, 
 without music, to the hearse car, to which the body of 
 his son Willie had previously been removed. Another 
 prayer and the benediction followed. 
 
 At eight o'clock, the Funeral Cortege of Abraham 
 Lincoln moved slowly from the depot, for its long and 
 circuitous journey to the western prairies. Several 
 thousand soldiers were in line by the side of the rail- 
 road, and presented arms as the train departed amid 
 the tolling of bells and the uncovered heads of the 
 immense assemblage. A scene connected with the de- 
 parture was so impressive that it will never be forgot- 
 ten while life endures, by those who witnessed it. A 
 portion of the soldiers in line near the depot were two 
 regiments of U. S. Colored Troops. They stood with 
 arms reversed, heads bowed, all weeping like children 
 at the loss of a father. Their grief was of such un- 
 doubted sincerity as to affect the whole vast multitude. 
 Dignified Governors of States, grave Senators, and scar- 
 worn army officers, who had passed through scenes of 
 blood and carnage unmoved, lost their self control and 
 were melted to tears in the presence of such unaffected 
 sorrow.
 
 THE NATIONAL, LINCOLN MONUMENT. 129 
 
 After leaving Washington there was no stoppage for 
 public demonstrations until the train reached Balti- 
 more, at ten o'clock the same morning. The city, 
 through which Abraham Lincoln, four years before, 
 had hurried in the night, to escape assassination, 
 now received his remains with every possible demon- 
 stration of respect. The body was escorted by an 
 immense procession to the rotunda of the Merchants' 
 Exchange, where it was placed upon a gorgeous cata- 
 falque and surrounded with flowers. Here it rested 
 for several hours, receiving the silent homage of thou- 
 sands who thronged the portals of the edifice to take 
 a last look at the features of the illustrious patriot. 
 
 Baltimore was then under the control of loyal men, 
 who felt deeply grieved that a plot had been laid there 
 for his destruction when on his way to assume the duties 
 of his office ; and they suffered still greater mortification 
 that it was a native of their own city who had plunged 
 the nation into mourning by the horrid crime of assas- 
 sinating the President. The city added ten thousand 
 dollars to the reward offered for the arrest of the assas- 
 sin. Those who accompanied the escort the entire 
 journey say that there was no other place where the 
 manifestations of grief were apparently so sincere and 
 unaffected as in the city of Baltimore, although they 
 admit it was hard to make a distinction when all were 
 intent on using every exertion to do honor to the 
 memory of the illustrious statesman. 
 
 At three o'clock p. m. the train left the depot, and 
 making a brief stoppage at York, Penn., a beautiful 
 wreath of flowers was placed upon the coffin by the 
 ladies of that city, while a dirge was performed by the 
 band, amid the tolling of bells and the uncovered 
 heads of the multitude. The cortege arrived at Har- 
 risburg at twenty minutes past eight o'clock p. m. By 
 a proclamation of Mayor Roumfort, all business houses 
 and drinking saloons were closed during the stay of the 
 funeral cortege in Harrisburg. Preparations had been 
 9
 
 130 THE GREAT FUNERAL CORTEGE, 
 
 made for a grand military and civic demonstration, but 
 a heavy shower of rain was pouring down when they 
 reached the latter city. Col. Thomas S. Mather, of 
 Springfield, Illinois, was on duty at Philadelphia, at 
 the time President Lincoln was assassinated. He was 
 ordered to proceed to Harrisburg and take command 
 of the United States troops at that place, and make ar- 
 rangements for giving the remains of the President a 
 suitable reception. 
 
 Col. Mather had fifteen hundred soldiers in line, who 
 stood for more than an hour in the rain previous to the 
 arrival of the cortege. The body was conveyed to the 
 State Capitol and placed in the hall of the House of 
 Representatives, amid emblems of sorrow, and sur- 
 rounded by a circle of white flowering almonds. Du- 
 ring a part of that night, and until ten o'clock next 
 day, the people in vast numbers passed through the Hall 
 to look at the silent features of the martyred President. 
 Under orders from Col. Mather, a military and civic 
 procession commenced forming at eight o'clock Satur- 
 day morning. Col. Henry McCormic was chief mar- 
 shal of the civic department. The remains were es- 
 corted through the principal streets to the depot. In 
 order to have as much daylight as possible for the pro- 
 cession at Philadelphia, the train moved away from the 
 Harrisburg depot at eleven o'clock one hour before 
 schedule time. Crowds of people were at the depots 
 of Middletown, Elizabethtown, Mount Joy, Landisville 
 and Dillerville. In many places insignia of sorrow 
 were displayed, and all seemed anxious to obtain a 
 passing view of the mournful cortege. 
 
 At Lancaster twenty thousand people awaited the 
 arrival of the train, to make their silent demonstrations 
 of mourning. The depot was artistically decorated 
 with flags and crape. The only words expressive of 
 the feelings of the people were displayed at the side of 
 the depot as a motto : 
 
 "Abraham Lincoln, the Illustrious Martyr of Liberty; the nation 
 mourns his loss ; though dead, he still lives."
 
 AND THE NATIONAL LINCOLN MONUMENT. 131 
 
 Every place of business was closed, and insignia of 
 mourning were upon every house. At the outskirts 
 of the town the large force of the Lancaster Iron Works 
 lined the road, their buildings all draped in mourning. 
 It was affecting to see old men who had been carried 
 in their chairs and seated beside the track, and women 
 with infants in their arms, assembled to look at the 
 passing cortege. 
 
 This city was the home of ex-President Buchanan 
 and of the Hon. Thaddeus Stevens. Mr. Buchanan 
 was in his carriage on the outskirts of the multitude. 
 In approaching the town there is a bridge or tunnel 
 through which the train passed. Under this bridge, 
 standing upon a rock, entirely alone, Mr. Stevens was 
 recognized by personal friends on the train. An eye 
 witness, who related the circumstance to me, says that 
 he seemed absorbed in silent meditation, unconscious 
 that he was observed. When the hearse car approached 
 he reverently uncovered his head, and replaced his hat 
 as the train moved away. 
 
 Crowds of people were assembled at Penningtonville, 
 Parkesburg, Coatesville, Gallaghervillc, Downington 
 and Oakland. At each place flags draped in mourning 
 and uncovered heads were the sole expressions of feel- 
 ing. At West Chester intersection, about a thousand 
 persons were assembled at the stations. As the train 
 approached the city of Philadelphia, unbroken columns 
 of people lined the railroad on each side for miles. 
 Minute guns heralded the news as the train passed on 
 to the depot of the Philadelphia, Wilmington & Balti- 
 more railroad, on Broad street. Here the people were 
 not counted by thousands, but by acres. The train 
 reached the depot at half past four p. m., being one 
 hour in advance of schedule time.
 
 CHAPTER XIII. 
 
 It was estimated that half a million people were on 
 the streets. A procession, for which preparation had 
 been making for several days, was already formed ; men 
 standing in marching order, from four to twelve abreast. 
 A magnificent funeral car was in readiness, which had' 
 been specially constructed for the occasion. The corpse 
 was transferred to this car, the coffin enveloped in 
 the American flag, and surrounded with flowers. 
 The grand procession, composed of eleven divisions, 
 and including every organization in the city, both 
 military and civic, was seven miles in length. It 
 moved through the wide and beautiful streets of the 
 city to the sound of solemn music, by a great number 
 of bands. The insignia of sorrow seemed to be on 
 every house. The poor testified their grief by dis- 
 playing such emblems as their limited means could 
 command, and the rich, more profuse, not because 
 their sorrow was greater, but because their wealth 
 enabled them to manifest it on a larger scale. It was 
 eight o'clock when the funeral car arrived at the 
 southern entrance to Independence Square, on "Wal- 
 nut street. The Union League Association was sta- 
 tioned in the square, and when the procession arrived 
 at the entrance, the Association took charge of the 
 sacred dust, and conveyed it into Independence Hall, 
 marching with uncovered heads to the sound of a 
 dirge performed by a band stationed in the observa- 
 tory over the Hall the booming of cannon in the 
 distance, and the tolling of bells throughout the city. 
 The body was laid on a platform in the centre of the
 
 THE NATIONAL LINCOLN MONUMENT. 133 
 
 Hall, with feet to the north, bringing the head very 
 close to the pedestal on which the old Independence 
 bell stands. 
 
 That old bell, with its famous inscription, rang out 
 on the Fourth of July, 1776, "Proclaim liberty 
 throughout all the land, to all the inhabitants there- 
 of." Leviticus, xxv, 10. As if in sorrow and shame 
 for the degeneracy of mankind, when the curse of sla- 
 very crept into and controlled every department of our 
 government, the old bell became paralyzed and bro- 
 ken. The descendants of its early friends gave it 
 sepulture in this Hall, where the mighty deeds were 
 enacted which it proclaimed to the world with such 
 grand peals. These early notes, wafted on the free 
 air of heaven, were heard by one of lowly birth, in 
 his western home. As he pondered over them, they 
 sank deep in his heart, and his whole soul answered 
 to their vibrating touch, as he perused the historic 
 pages of the war for American Independence. The 
 years rolled on, and in his obscurity and poverty, 
 he struggled for light and knowledge, with the love 
 of human freedom for his guiding star. He then 
 learned that our fathers indeed won their independ- 
 ence of a foreign foe, but left a fetter in the land 
 for their children to break. At length he began to 
 dispense light to his fellow men. At first, it was 
 done with such modesty and gentleness that it could 
 be appropriately likened to the moon ; but as national 
 events followed each other in quick succession, the 
 wisdom of his words and the fervor of his patriot- 
 ism were more like the shining of the noon-day sun, 
 and were so apparent as to be known and read of 
 all men. He was called to become the head of the 
 nation, when the spirit fostered by slavery was threat- 
 ening its destruction. He takes what proved to be a 
 last look at the familiar scenes of his manhood ; in 
 feeling language he asks his old friends and neighbors 
 to pray for him, and then sadly bids them an aifection-
 
 134 THE GEEAT FUNERAL CORTEGE, 
 
 ate farewell. In the course of his journey, he stood 
 in this very Hall. While here, in a brief address, he 
 said: 
 
 "It was something in the Declaration of Independence, 
 giving liberty, not only to the people of this country, but hope 
 to the world for all future time. It was that which gave prpmise 
 that, in due time, the weights should be lifted from the shoulders 
 of all men, and that all should have an equal chance. * * * 
 Now, my friends, can the country be saved upon that basis ? It 
 it can, I will consider myself one of the happiest men in the 
 world, if I can help to save it. But, if this country can not be 
 saved without giiKng up that principle, I was about to say, I would 
 rather be assassinated upon this spot than to surrender it." 
 
 He passes on, assumes the reins of government as 
 the constitutionally elected president of the United 
 States. A long and bloody war ensues. On the one 
 side, the object was to destroy the government, because 
 slavery could no longer rule it ; on the other, it was to 
 save the government. In the course of the war, he 
 proclaimed freedom to the slave, and otherwise admin- 
 istered the government so wisely, that when the time 
 arrived for choosing a man to fill his place, he was 
 almost unanimously elected as his own successor. As 
 soon as he entered upon the' second term, the rebellion 
 was so nearly crushed that he commenced the work of 
 restoration where that of destruction began ; by order- 
 ing the national colors to be replaced at the identical 
 spot where they floated when first assailed by parricidal 
 hands. His happiness seemed almost complete. The 
 authority of government was restored and all men free. 
 But the slave power, in its death throes, slew him by 
 the hand of an assassin, and his body is now again in 
 this Hall, to make its report. 
 
 Let us imagine the inanimate clay, and the old bell 
 both endowed with life. We hear the dead President say: 
 " It was from you, Old Bell, as from the tongue of the
 
 AND THE NATIONAL LINCOLN MONUMENT. 135 
 
 Almighty, that I received the command to ( Proclaim 
 liberty throughout all the land, to all the inhabitants 
 thereof.' I have obeyed your orders, but see, I too 
 am broken, like thyself; these acts have cost me my 
 life's blood, but what need we care, our race is run. 
 Is it not enough that four millions of bondmen are 
 free, and the only free government on earth saved, to 
 be an asylum for the down-trodden of all lands? I 
 am content." 
 
 Then we hear the old bell say : " Well done, thou 
 good and faithful servant ; thou hast been faithful unto 
 the end. Henceforth thou shalt wear a crown, even 
 the martyr's crown." 
 
 It was eminently proper that the remains of Abra- 
 ham Lincoln should rest over the holy Sabbath in what 
 may, without irreverence, be termed the sanctuary of 
 the Republic. The interior of Independence Hall has 
 been decorated on many occasions, but never before 
 had such skill and taste been displayed as on this occa- 
 sion. The scene was a combination of enchantment 
 and gloom of unexampled brilliancy and splendor. 
 Evergreens and flowers of rare fragrance and beauty 
 were placed around the coffin. At the head were bo- 
 quets, and at the feet burning tapers. The walls were 
 hung with the portraits of many great and good patri- 
 ots, soldiers and civilians, who have long since passed 
 away. Among these, in a conspicuous place, was seen 
 the benignant countenance of William Penn, who was 
 the embodiment of peace, and yet he was not a more 
 ardent lover of peace than Abraham Lincoln, who died 
 the commander-in-chief of more than a million of sol- 
 diers. 
 
 In the procession and on the houses along the line of 
 march, there were many mottoes displayed, some of them 
 touchingly beautiful in their expressions of love and 
 sorrow for the departed statesman. The walls of Inde- 
 pendence Hall were adorned with them also. I can only
 
 136 THE GREAT FUNERAL CORTEGE, 
 
 give space for some that were on wreaths of flowers 
 about the coffin. A cross near its head, composed en- 
 tirely of flowers artistically intertwined, bore the in- 
 scription : 
 
 " To the memory of our beloved President, from a 
 few ladies of the United States Sanitary Commission." 
 
 A beautiful wreath, presented on Saturday evening, 
 bore the modest words : 
 
 " A lady's gift. Can you find a place ?" 
 
 An old colored woman managed to find her way into 
 the Hall, and approached 'the Committee of Arrange- 
 ments with a rudely constructed wreath in her hand, 
 and with tears in her eyes requested that it might be 
 placed on the coffin. When her request was granted, 
 her countenance beamed with an expression of satis- 
 faction. The wreath bore the inscription : 
 
 " The nation mourns his loss. He still lives in the 
 hearts of the people." 
 
 One of the wreaths that lay near the head of the cof- 
 fin contained a card with a quotation from one of Mr. 
 Lincoln's conversations with his cabinet officers, the 
 day before his death. It was in these words: 
 
 " Before any great national event, I have always had 
 the same dream. I had it the other night. It is of 
 a ship sailing rapidly" 
 
 Arrangements were first made to admit those who 
 desired to view the remains, by means of printed cards, 
 which read : 
 
 OBSEQUIES OF ABRAHAM LINCOLN, 
 
 LATE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES, 
 
 PHILADELPHIA, APRIL 22, 1865, 
 
 AT THE 
 HALL OP INDEPENDENCE, 
 
 FROM 10 TO 12 O'CLOCK, p. M. 
 Entrance at the Court House, on Sixth street, below Chesnut.
 
 AND THE NATIONAL LINCOLN MONUMENT. 137 
 
 "Within the hours designated, a constant stream of 
 men and women poured through the Hall, which was 
 closed at midnight. By three o'clock Sunday morning, 
 a large crowd of persons, of both sexes, were congre- 
 gated on Chesnut street, between Fifth and Sixth, 
 who patiently waited until six o'clock the time for 
 again opening the Hall to visitors. When it was opened, 
 the people were formed in lines extending from Inde- 
 pendence Hall to the Delaware river, on the east, and 
 to the Schuylkill on the west. Thousands spent from 
 three to four hours in the lines before reaching the 
 Hall. Throughout the entire day and night, men 
 and women, of all classes, continued to move in solid 
 phalanx past the remains of the fallen chieftain. 
 The crowd was so great at times that the people were 
 almost suffocated. On the afternoon of Sunday, many 
 women fainted in the crowd. During the day, about 
 one hundred and fifty soldiers were taken in ambu- 
 lances from the different hospitals in and around the 
 city ; and at a late hour, seventy-five veterans, who had 
 each lost a leg in their country's service, hobbled into 
 the Hall, there, amid the sacred surroundings, to take 
 a last look at the face of him whose heart had always 
 beaten in unison with their own. 
 
 Appropriate funeral sermons and orations were de- 
 livered in many of the churches of j;he city during the 
 day. Among them may be mentioned the Rev. Dr. 
 March, of the Clinton Street Presbyterian Church ; 
 Rev. Dr. Jeffrey, in the Fourth Baptist Church ; Rev. 
 H. A. Smith, in the Mantua Presbyterian Church ; 
 Rev. F. L. Robbins, of the Green Hill Church ; Rev. 
 N. Cyr, at the French Protestant Chapel, and Rev. J. 
 Hyatt Smith, at Mechanics' Hall. 
 
 Both nights in Philadelphia, Independence Hall was 
 brilliantly illuminated, as also the Ledger, Transcript 
 and other newspaper offices, and many other public 
 and private buildings. The funeral escort were the 
 guests of the city, and were quartered at the Conti-
 
 138 THE GREAT FUNERAL CORTEGE, 
 
 nental Hotel. While here, the hearse car was addi- 
 tionally decorated, the materials being furnished and 
 the work done by the citizens, who regarded it a privi- 
 lege to add this testimony of their respect to the mem- 
 ory of Abraham Lincoln, 
 
 At two o'clock a. m., Monday, April 24, the coffin 
 was closed and preparations made for the departure. 
 At four o'clock, the funeral train moved out of 
 the Kensington depot. After 'leaving Philadelphia, 
 the track was lined on both sides with a continuous 
 array of people. At Bristol and Morristown, large 
 crowds stood in silence, with uncovered heads. From 
 the time of leaving Washington, at many points where 
 no stoppage was expected, entire neighborhoods, old 
 and young, men and women, the latter frequently with 
 children in their arms, turned out by the roadside by 
 night and by day, and anxiously watched the gorgeous 
 funeral train as it passed. Flags at half mast, mourn- 
 ing inscriptions and funeral arches, testified the sorrow 
 that was in every heart. Clusters of people were col- 
 lected 4 at various points between stations. The men 
 reverently uncovered their heads as the funeral train 
 glided by. 
 
 The train reached Trenton at half past five in the 
 morning, and was greeted by the tolling of bells, firing 
 of minute guns anp! strains of solemn music. Crowds 
 of people were assembled, the number estimated at 
 twenty thousand, and the array of mourning inscrip- 
 tions and other evidences of sorrow were abundant. 
 This is the only State capital passed by the funeral 
 cortege on the entire journey, at which they failed to 
 stop for the people to engage in public demonstrations 
 of respect. Its location between the two great cities, 
 and so near them, is, no doubt, the cause of its being 
 made an exception. Governor Parker and staff, with 
 many citizens were taken on board here, and accom- 
 panied the remains to New York. At Princeton, a 
 large number of college students were standing with
 
 AND THE NATIONAL LINCOLN MONUMENT. 139 
 
 reverent bearing and in silence. At New Brunswick, 
 the train stopped for a few moments, to find an immense 
 crowd at the depot. Minute guns were fired from 
 the time it came in sight until it passed from their 
 view. Large numbers were assembled at Rahway and 
 Elizabeth City, also. 
 
 At Newark, every house seemed to be dressed in 
 mourning. It appeared as if the inhabitants had 
 turned out en masse to pay their respects to the memory 
 of Abraham Lincoln. Many of the women were 
 shedding tears, and the men stood with uncovered 
 heads. For more then a mile, those on the train could 
 only perceive one sea of human beings. The United 
 States Hospital was appropriately decorated, and many 
 of the soldiers on crutches were formed in line near it. 
 Minute guns fired and bells tolled from the time the 
 cortege arrived until it passed out of sight. 
 
 At Jersey City the scene was still more impressive. 
 The depot was elaborately draped in mourning, bells 
 tolled and cannon boomed,* bringing back sad echoes 
 as the train moved into the depot. The crowd was 
 not admitted into the vast edifice. When those on 
 board the train disembarked and the coffin was borne 
 along the platform, the funeral party were startled by 
 a vast choir, composed of German musical associa- 
 tions, which had been stationed in a gallery of the 
 building. As they chanted an anthem or requiem for 
 the dead, many who were unused to weeping were 
 affected to tears. As the remains were conveyed from 
 the depot to the boat, the choir chanted a solemn 
 dirge and continued it until the ferry boat reached the 
 opposite side of the Hudson river. The shipping of all 
 nations in the harbor displayed their flags at half-mast.
 
 CHAPTER XIV. 
 
 The ferry boat landed at the foot of Desbrosses 
 street, New York city, at ten o'clock a. m., April 24, and 
 the coffin was at once conveyed to a magnificent hearse. 
 or funeral car, prepared especially for the occasion. The 
 platform of this car was fourteen feet long and eight 
 feet wide. "On the platform, which was five feet from 
 the ground, there was a dais, on which the coffin rested. 
 This gave it sufficient elevation to be readily seen by 
 those at a distance, over the heads of the multitude. 
 Above the dais there was a canopy fifteen feet high, 
 supported by columns, and in part by a miniature tem- 
 ple of liberty. The platform was covered with black 
 cloth, which fell at the sides nearly to the ground. It 
 was edged with silver bullion fringe, which hung in 
 graceful festoons. Black cloth hung from the sides, 
 festooned with silver stars, and was also edged with 
 silver fringe. The canopy was trimmed in like man- 
 ner, with black cloth, festooned and spangled with 
 silver bullion, the corners surmounted by rich plumes 
 of black and white feathers. At the base of each col- 
 umn were three American flags, slightly inclined out- 
 ward, festooned and covered with crape. 
 
 The temple of liberty was represented as being 
 deserted, or rather despoiled, having no emblems of 
 any kind, in or around it, except a small flag on the 
 top, at half-mast. The inside of the car was lined 
 with white satin, fluted. From the centre of the can- 
 opy, a large eagle was suspended, with outspread wings, 
 and holding in its talons a laurel wreath. The plat- 
 form around the coffin was strewn with flowers. The
 
 THE NATIONAL, LINCOLN MONUMENT. 141 
 
 hearse or funeral car was drawn by sixteen white horses, 
 covered with black cloth trimming, each led by a 
 groom. 
 
 From the foot of Desbrosses street, the remains were 
 escorted by the Seventh regiment New York National 
 Guards, to Hudson street, thence to Canal street, up 
 Canal street to Broadway, and down Broadway to the 
 west gate of the City Hall Park. 
 
 The procession which followed the remains was in 
 keeping with the funeral car, the whole being inde- 
 scribably grand and imposing. As far as the eye could 
 see, a dense mass of people, many of them wearing 
 some insignia of mourning, filled the streets and 
 crowded every window. The fronts of the houses 
 were draped in mourning, and the national ensign dis- 
 played at half-mast from the top of almost every build- 
 ing. The procession was simply a dense mass of hu- 
 man beings. During the time it was moving, minute 
 guns were fired at different points, and bells were tolled 
 from nearly all the church steeples in the city. The 
 chime on Trinity church wailed forth the tune of Old 
 Hundred in a most solemn and impressive manner. 
 
 On arriving at the City Hall, the coffin was borne 
 into the rotunda, amid the solemn chanting of eight 
 hundred voices, and was placed on a magnificent cata- 
 falque, which had been prepared for its reception. The 
 Hall was richly and tastefully decorated with the na- 
 tional colors and mourning drapery, and the coffin 
 almost buried with rare and costly floral offerings. A 
 large military guard, in addition to the Guard of 
 Honor, kept watch over the sacred dust. All day and 
 all night long, the living tide pressed into the Hall, to 
 take a. last look at the martyred remains. At the sol- 
 emn hour of midnight, between the twenty-fourth and 
 the twenty-fifth days of April, the German musical so- 
 cieties of New York, numbering about one thousand 
 voices, performed a requiem in the rotunda of the City 
 Hall, with the most thrilling effect. About ten o'clock,
 
 142 THE GREAT FUNERAL CORTEGE, 
 
 on the morning of April 25, while a galaxy of distin- 
 guished officers were assembled around the coffin, Cap- 
 tain Parker Snow, commander of the Arctic and Ant- 
 arctic expedition, presented some very singular relics. 
 They consisted of a leaf from the book of Common 
 Prayer and a piece of paper, on which were glued 
 some fringes. They were found in a boat, under the 
 skull of a skeleton which had been identified as the 
 remains of one of Sir John Franklin's men. The 
 most singular thing about these relics was the fact that 
 the only words that were preserved in a legible condi- 
 tion were " THE MARTYR," in capitals. General Dix 
 deposited these relics in the coffin. At a few minutes 
 past eleven o'clock, the coffin was closed, preparatory 
 to resuming its westward journey. Notwithstanding 
 such vast numbers had viewed the corpse, there were 
 thousands who had waited for hours, in the long lines, 
 to obtain a look at the well known face, who were 
 obliged to turn away sadly disappointed. This disap- 
 pointment was not confined to any class or condition 
 of men. The coffin had just been closed, in the pres- 
 ence of the Sergeants of the Veteran Reserve Corps 
 who were in readiness to convey it to the hearse and 
 a number of distinguished army officers, whose com- 
 missions had been signed by the deceased ; when the 
 first to realize the disappointment were the representa- 
 tives of Great Britain, Russia and France. They came 
 in, glittering with scarlet, gold and silver lace, high 
 coat collars, bearing embroidered cocked hats under 
 their arms, with other costly trappings, and high birth 
 and breeding in every gesture, desirous of seeing the 
 corpse, but they were too late. 
 
 At about half past twelve o'clock, the magnificent 
 hearse or funeral car, drawn by sixteen white horses, 
 each led by a groom, as on the day before, appeared 
 on Broadway, at the west gate of City Hall Park. 
 The coffin was next conveyed to the car. Then com- 
 menced the farewell part of the funeral pageant given
 
 AND THE NATIONAL LINCOLN MONUMENT. 143 
 
 by the commercial metropolis of the nation to the 
 memory of Abraham Lincoln. A military force of 
 more than fifteen thousand men, with the staffs of sev- 
 eral brigades and divisions, with their batteries, and 
 the civic societies of every conceivable kind, in a great 
 city, which joined in the demonstration, formed a 
 double line about five miles long equal to a single 
 column of ten miles. In many parts of the procession, 
 twenty men walked abreast. It was composed of eight 
 grand divisions, each division having a marshal, with 
 aids. It moved through the streets to the tolling of 
 bells, the firing of minute guns and the music of a 
 large number of bands. The animosities and division 
 walls of parties, in politics, and sects and denomina- 
 tions, in religion, if not obliterated, were so far low- 
 ered, for the time being, that all parties could shake 
 hands over them. Archbishop McClosky, the highest 
 dignitary in the Roman Catholic church, in this 
 country, walked side by side, in the procession, with 
 Rev. Joseph P. Thompson, D. D., one of the most 
 radical of the Congregational reformers of our land. 
 
 I have said that all party lines were, for the time, 
 hidden from view, but it devolves upon me to notice 
 one exception. Notwithstanding the blending of so 
 many hearts in the great national sorrow, the city 
 authorities of New York, true to their Tammanyin- 
 stincts, took measures to prevent the colored people 
 from joining in the procession. They had deferred a 
 procession of their own, on the Wednesday before, in 
 order that five thousand of their number might be 
 ready to show their love and respect for the emanci- 
 pator of their race, by joining the procession to escort 
 his remains on their way to the tomb. When it was 
 known that the city authorities were trying to keep 
 them out of the procession, Secretary Stanton inter- 
 fered, and the order was set aside, but it was too late 
 to give them such assurance of protection as to bring 
 out their full numbers.
 
 1 44 THE QEEAT FUNERAL CORTEGE, 
 
 It is due to Thomas C. Acton, President of the Board 
 of Police Commissioners, that the colored people were 
 not entirely excluded. It was he, who, -but a few 
 months, before, enforced the right of the colored 
 people to ride in the street cars. Of the five thou- 
 sand who intended to turn out, only between two and 
 three hundred could be induced to risk the doubt 
 and uncertainty occasioned by the action of the city 
 authorities. These colored people were placed as 
 an appendage to the eighth division, and to be sure 
 that their rights were respected, Commissioner Acton 
 sent a body of fifty-six policemen, under Sergeant 
 Gay, who marched before and behind them in such 
 a way as to be ready in a moment to quell any at- 
 tempt at violence. A banner, prepared by the ladies 
 of Henry Ward Beecher's Church, was inscribed on 
 one side, 
 
 " Abraham Lincoln, our Emancipator," 
 and on the other, 
 
 " To Millions of Bondmen, he Liberty Gave." 
 
 The banner was carried by four freedmen, just from 
 the south, who were astonished to learn that there 
 were so many more Yankees than colored people. 
 Mourning emblems were displayed in such profusion 
 as to be almost a wilderness of sable drapery, and the 
 mottoes and inscriptions on the houses along the line 
 of march, and those carried in the procession, would, 
 if collected, make a volume of themselves. Space can 
 be given for only a small number of them here. 
 
 " The workman dies, but the work goes on." 
 
 "Your cause of sorrow must not be measured by his worth ; for 
 then there would be no end."
 
 AND THE NATIONAL LINCOLN MONUMENT. 145 
 " His deeds have made his name immortal." 
 
 " Let others hail the rising sun, 
 We bow to him whose race is run." 
 
 " A glorious career of service and devotion, is crowned with a 
 martyr's death." 
 
 " Well done thou good and faithful servant." 
 
 " Can barbarism further go ?" 
 
 The New York Caledonian Club, composed of na- 
 tive Scotchmen, carried a banner inscribed : 
 
 "Caledonia mourns Columbia's martyred chief." 
 
 A miniature monument, near University Place, bore 
 the name, 
 
 LINCOLN. 
 
 The panels on the sides of the pedestals had the fol- 
 lowing inscriptions : 
 
 FIRST. 
 
 " Good night, sweet prince, 
 And flights of angels sing thee to thy rest." 
 
 SECOND. 
 " With malice towards none ; with charity for all." 
 
 THIRD. 
 
 " There's a great spirit gone." 
 
 FOURTH. 
 
 " His life was gentle, and the elements 
 So mixed in him, that nature might stand up 
 And say to all the world 
 
 This was a man." 
 10
 
 146 THE GREAT FUNERAL CORTEGE, 
 
 " The heart of the nation throbs heavily at the portals of the 
 tomb." 
 
 " Our country weeps." " In God we trust." 
 
 " Behold how they loved him." 
 
 " The Almighty has His own purposes." 
 
 1 To heaven thou art fled, and left the nation in tears." 
 
 " His death has made him immortal." 
 
 " Oh why should the spirit of mortal be proud ? 
 Like a swift fleeting meteor, a fast-flying cloud, 
 A flash of the lightning, a break of the wave, 
 He passeth from life to his rest in the grave." 
 
 The above is the first verse of a hymn which was a 
 great favorite with Mr. Lincoln. He committed it to 
 memory in his younger days, and to repeat its verses 
 was ever after a source of mournful pleasure to him. 
 He never knew the authorship of it, but it was written 
 by Alexander Knox, of Edinburgh, Scotland, in the 
 year 1778. The following are the third, fifth, eleventh 
 and twelfth verses : 
 
 " The infant, a mother attended and loved ; 
 The mother, that infant's affection who proved ; 
 The husband, that mother and infant who blessed, 
 Each, all, are away to their dwelling of rest. 
 
 "The peasant, whose lot was to sow and to reap ; 
 The herdsman, who climbed with his goats up the steep; 
 The beggar, who wandered in search of his bread, 
 Have faded away like the grass that we tread.
 
 AND THE NATIONAL LINCOLN MONUMENT. 147 
 
 "Yea! hope and despondency, pleasure and pain, 
 We mingle together in sunshine and rain ; 
 And the smile and the tear, the song and the dirge, 
 Still follow each other, like surge upon surge. 
 
 ""Us the wink of an eye, 'tis the draught of a breath, 
 From the blossom of health to the paleness of death 
 From the gilded saloon to the bier and the shroud ; 
 O, why should the spirit of mortal be proud ?" 
 
 While the procession was escorting the remains to 
 the depot of the Hudson River Railroad, on Thirtieth 
 street, a vast concourse of people assembled in Union 
 Square. A meeting was opened, with Ex-Governor 
 King as presiding officer. He introduced the Rev. Dr. 
 Stephen H. Tyng, who repeated the beautiful words of 
 the Episcopal burial service, and then offered a fervent 
 prayer, appropriate to the occasion. Hon. George Ban- 
 croft was next introduced, who delivered a funeral ora- 
 tion. The following synopsis will give a faint idea of 
 its eloquence and power : 
 
 " Our grief at the crime which clothed the continent in mourn- 
 ing, finds no adequate expression in words, no relief in tears. 
 Neither the office with which Mr. Lincoln was invested by the 
 approved choice of a mighty people, nor the most simple-hearted 
 kindness of his nature, could save him from the fiendish passions 
 of the relentless rebellion. Waiting millions attend his remains 
 as they are borne in solemn procession over our great rivers, 
 beyond mountains, across prairies, to their final resting place in 
 the valley of the Mississippi. The echos of his funeral knell will 
 vibrate through the world, and friends of freedom, of every tongue 
 and in every clime, are his mourners. 
 
 " Members of the Government which preceded his administra- 
 tion, opened the gates of treason, and he closed them. When he 
 went to Washington, the ground on which he trod shook under 
 his feet, and he left the Republic on a solid foundation. Traitors 
 had seized the public forts and arsenals, and he recovered them
 
 148 THE GREAT FUNERAL CORTEGE, 
 
 to the United States. The capital which he found the abode 
 of slaves, is now only the abode of freemen. The boundless 
 public domain, which was grasped at, and in a great measure 
 held for the diffusion of slavery, is now irrevocably devoted to 
 freedom. These men talked the jargon of the balance of power, 
 in a Republic, between slave States and free States, and now their 
 foolish words are blown away forever by the breath of a Mary- 
 land, Missouri and Tennessee the only States that adopted vol- 
 untary emancipation. The atmosphere is now purer than ever 
 before, and insurrection is vanishing away. The country is cast 
 into another mould, and the gigantic system of wrong, which has 
 been the work of two centuries, is dashed down we hope forever. 
 
 " As for himself, personally, he was then scoffed at by the proud, 
 as unfit for his station, and now, against the usage of latter years, 
 and in spite of numerous competitors, he was the unbiased and 
 undoubted choice of the American people for the second term of 
 service. Through all the business of suppressing treason, he re- 
 tained the sweetest and most perfect disposition. The destruction 
 of the best, on the battle field, and the more terrible destruction 
 of our men in captivity, by the slow torture of exposure and 
 starvation, had never been able to provoke him into harboring 
 one revengeful feeling, or one purpose of cruelty. How shall the 
 nation most completely show its sorrow at Mr. Lincoln's death ? 
 How shall it best honor his memory ? There can be but one an- 
 swer. Grief must, like the character of action, breathe forth, in 
 assertion of the policy to which he fell a sacrifice. The standard 
 which he held in his hand, must be uplifted again, higher than 
 before, and must be carried above everything else. This emanci 
 pation must be affirmed and maintained. 
 
 " For the Union, Abraham Lincoln has fallen a martyr. His 
 death, which was meant to sever it beyond repair, binds it more 
 firmly than ever. From Maine to the Southwestern boundary of 
 the Pacific, it makes us one. The country may have needed this 
 imperishable grief, to touch its inmost feelings. The grave that 
 receives the remains of President Lincoln, receives a martyr to 
 the Union, .and the monument which rises over his body will bear 
 witness to the Union. His enduring memory will assist, during 
 countless ages, to bind the States together, and to incite a love for
 
 AND THE NATIONAL LINCOLN MONUMENT. 149 
 
 our indivisible country. Peace to the departed friend of his 
 country and his race. Happy was his life, for he was a restorer 
 of the Republic, and he was happy in his death, for the manner 
 of his end will plead forever for the Union of the States ' and 
 the freedom of man.' " 
 
 The last inaugural address of President Lincoln was 
 then read by Rev. Joseph P. Thompson, D.D., followed 
 by the reading of the ninety-fourth Psalm, by Rev. 
 W. H. Boole, which was exceedingly appropriate to 
 the occasion. It was addressed by King David to the 
 enemies of his country, and can not be read too often. 
 Prayer was then offered by Rev. Dr. Rogers. It was 
 both concise and comprehensive, enumerating in its 
 petitions all the wants of the people and nation. Rabbi 
 Isaacs, of the Jewish Synagogue, on Broadway, then 
 read a portion of Scripture and offered a fervent and 
 touching prayer, from which I give a single quotation : 
 
 " Thy servant, Abraham Lincoln, has, without warning, been 
 summoned before Thy august presence. He has served the people 
 of his afflicted land faithfully, zealously, honestly, and, we would 
 fain hope, in accordance with Thy supreme will. O, that his 
 ' righteousness may precede him and form steps for his way,' to 
 the heavenly abode of bliss ; that Thy angels of mercy may be 
 commissioned to convey his soul to the spot reserved for martyred 
 saints; that the suddenness with which one of the worst of being? 
 deprived him of his life, may atone for any errors which he may 
 have committed. Almighty God ! every heart is pierced by an- 
 guish every countenance furrowed with grief, at our separation 
 from one we revered and loved. We beseech Thee, in this period 
 of our sorrow and despondency, to soothe our pains and calm our 
 griefs. * * * * Our Father who art in heaven, show us this 
 kindness, so that our tears may cease to depict our sorrow, and 
 give place to the joyful hope that, through Thy goodness, peace 
 and concord may supersede war and dissension, and our beloved 
 Union, restored to its former tranquility, may be enabled to carry 
 out Thy wish for the benefit and the happiness of humanity.
 
 150 THE GREAT FUNERAL CORTEGE, 
 
 We pray Thee, do this ; if not for our sakes, for the sake of our 
 little ones, unsullied by sin, who lisp Thy holy name, with hands 
 uplifted, with the importunity of spotless hearts, they re-echo our 
 supplication. Let the past be the end of our sorrow, the future 
 the harbinger of peace and salvation to all who seek Thee in 
 truth. Amen." 
 
 Rev. Dr. Osgood then read a hymn entitled, " Thou 
 hast put all things under Thy feet," which was written 
 by William Cullen Bryant. An " Ode for the Burial 
 of Abraham Lincoln/' by the same author, was read 
 by Dr. Osgood, also. It reads as follows : 
 
 " Oh slow to smite and swift to spare, 
 
 Gentle, and merciful, and just, 
 Who, in the fear of God, didst bear 
 The sword .of power, a nation's trust. 
 
 " In sorrow by thy bier we stand, 
 Amid the awe that hushes all, 
 And speak the anguish of a land 
 That shook with horror at thy fall. 
 
 " Thy task is done ; the bond are free ; 
 We bear thee to an honored grave, 
 Whose noblest monument shall be 
 The broken fetters of the slave. 
 
 " Pure was thy life ; its bloody close 
 
 Hath placed thee with the sons of light, 
 Among the noble host of those 
 Who perished in the cause of right." 
 
 Archbishop McClosky, who was to have pronounced 
 the benediction, having become exhausted by his long 
 walk in the procession, was not present, and that ser- 
 vice was performed by Rev. Dr. Hitchcock. 
 
 The following is an extract from a sermon by Henry 
 Ward Beecher, at Plymouth Church, Sunday April 30,
 
 AND THE NATIONAL, LINCOLN MONUMENT. 151 
 
 1865, with reference to the funeral cortege of Abraham 
 Lincoln : 
 
 " And now the martyr is moving in triumphal march, mightier 
 than when alive. The nation rises up at every stage of his com- 
 ing ; cities and states are as pall bearers, and the cannon beat the 
 hours in solemn procession ; dead, dead, dead, he yet speaketh ! 
 Is Washington dead ? Is Hampden dead ? Is David dead ? Is 
 any man, that was ever fit to live, dead ? Disenthralled from the 
 flesh, and risen to the unobstructed sphere where passion never 
 comes, he begins his illimitable work. His life is now upon the 
 infinite, and will be faithful as no earthly life can be. Pass on. 
 Four years ago, Oh ! Illinois, we took from your midst an untried 
 man, from among the people. Behold! we return to you a 
 mighty conqueror, not thine any more, but the nation's not 
 ours, but the world's. Give him place, Oh, ye prairies. In the 
 midst of this great continent his dust shall rest, a sacred treasure 
 to the myriads who shall pilgrimage to that shrine, to kindle 
 anew their zeal and patriotism. Ye winds that move over the 
 mighty prairies of the west, chant his requiem ! Ye people, be- 
 hold the martyr, whose blood, as so many articulated words, 
 pleads for fidelity, for law, for liberty." 
 
 The funeral cortege remained thirty hours in New 
 York, and about twenty-two of that time, the corpse 
 was exposed to public view. During those hours, it 
 was thought to be a moderate estimate, that one hun- 
 dred and twenty thousand persons looked upon the 
 rigid features of Abraham Lincoln. It was also esti- 
 mated that, on the twenty-fifth of April, from seventy- 
 five to one hundred thousand persons took part in the 
 procession, and that there was at least half a million 
 spectators along the line of the procession. Some 
 newspaper reporters placed the number that viewed 
 the remains at one hundred and fifty thousand, and the 
 spectators of the procession at three quarters of a 
 million. 
 
 The more I think of the subject, the more I am
 
 152 THE GEEAT FUNERAL CORTEGE, 
 
 impressed with the inadequacy of language to convey 
 a correct idea of the intensity of feeling and the mag- 
 nitude of the demonstration; but take it in all its 
 bearings, New York paid a tribute of respect to the 
 memory of Abraham Lincoln, the like of which was 
 never approached in this country before, and has proba- 
 bly not been excelled in the obsequies of any ruler in 
 the history of the world. 
 
 One incident I can not forbear to mention. Lieuten- 
 ant Oreneral Scott accompanied the escort through the 
 city, in his carriage. At the Thirtieth street depot, he 
 paid his last respects to the remains of President Lin- 
 coln, and then withdrew from the crowd and stood 
 alone, waiting for the departure of the train. One of 
 the Illinois delegation, who was also a member of 
 Congress, approached the General and introduced him- 
 self, offering as an apology for doing so, the fact that 
 it was his first, and might be his last opportunity. 
 General Scott assured him that no apology was necces- 
 sary, and straightening himself to his full height, said, 
 " You do me honor, Sir. ' Notwithstanding he was in 
 his seventy-ninth year, the gentleman who related the 
 circumstance to me, says he was the most majestic 
 specimen of a man he ever saw. After introducing 
 the other members of the delegation, they all left him 
 and entered the cars.
 
 CHAPTER XV. 
 
 The hearse car and Generals' car, or that occupied 
 by the Guard of Honor, were transferred from Jersey 
 City to New York on a tug boat. Those two, with 
 seven others furnished by the Hudson River railroad, 
 made up the train to convey the funeral party from 
 New York to Albany. All things being in readiness, 
 the train left the Thirtieth street depot at 4:15 p. m., 
 April 25, leaving an immense multitude of spectators, 
 the men with uncovered heads. They then dispersed, 
 to treasure up the memories of that day to the end of 
 their lives. 
 
 At all the stations were demonstrations of sorrow and 
 respect. Fort Washington, Mount St. Vincent, Yonk- 
 ers, Hastings, Dobb's Ferry, Irvington, Tarrytown, 
 Sing Sing, Montrose, Peekskill, and many other sta- 
 tions, were all passed in quick succession. At many 
 of them the train was greeted with minute guns and 
 bands performing dirges. Funeral arches and inscrip- 
 tions expressive of the sorrow of the people, were 
 everywhere visible. At some of the stations groups of 
 young ladies were standing on the platforms, represent- 
 ing the States, dressed in white with mourning badges. 
 Many of the mottoes seen before were repeated. Among 
 the new ones, were such as, " He died for truth." 
 " Bear him gently to his rest." 
 
 Garrison's Landing, 6:20 p. m. This is opposite 
 West Point, with which it is connected by a ferry. A 
 company of Regular soldiers and all the West Point 
 Cadets were drawn up in line. The officers of the 
 Academy stood apart, all with uncovered heads. The
 
 154 THE GREAT FUNERAL CORTEGE, 
 
 Cadets all passed through the funeral car and saluted 
 the remains of their late Commander-in-Chief. Mean- 
 while, salutes were being fired from West Point, at the 
 west side of the river. 
 
 At Cold Spring, an arch was visible, with a young 
 lady representing the Goddess of Liberty weeping. 
 She was supported by two boys, one representing a 
 sailor, the other a soldier. 
 
 Fishkill, 6:55 p. m. The depot was artistically 
 draped in mourning, with the motto, " In God we 
 trust." Newburg is on the west side of the Hudson, 
 opposite Fishkill. A flag draped in mourning was dis- 
 played from the house where General Washington had 
 his headquarters in revolutionary times. 
 
 Poughkeepsie, 7:10 p. m. A bounteous supper was 
 waiting here for the entire escort. A committee of 
 seven ladies placed a wreath of roses on the coffin of 
 .the martyred President. A band, composed of students 
 from Eastman's business college, accompanied the 
 funeral train from New York. Professor Eastman, 
 with the remainder of his twelve hundred pupils, 
 helped to make up the twenty-five thousand assembled 
 here. After a stay of nearly one hour, the train moved 
 on, and from this time it was lighted by bonfires and 
 torches, at the different stations. Passing Hyde Park 
 and Straasburgh, the train reaches Rhinebeck at 8:35, 
 but no stoppage. A torchlight procession enabled the 
 assembled crowds of people to view the imposing 
 funeral cortege as it flitted by. Barrytown, Tivoli, 
 Germantown and Catskill present a scene of mourning, 
 drapery, bonfires and torchlights ; reaching Hudson at 
 9:45 p. m. Thousands of people were assembled, min- 
 ute guns fired, buildings illuminated and draped in 
 mourning. Stockport, Stuyvesant and Castleton were 
 passed, at all of which were bonfires or torchlights. 
 
 Arrived at East Albany 10:55 p. m., to find the depot 
 draped in mourning, bells tolling, cannon firing, sol- 
 diers marching, and three companies of firemen bear-
 
 AND THE NATIONAL LINCOLN MONUMENT. 155 
 
 ing torches to light the funeral party across the river 
 to Albany. The remains were taken from the car and 
 placed in a hearse. The entire party passed over on 
 the ferryboat, and were escorted by a midnight torch- 
 light procession to the State Capitol. 
 
 The coffin was deposited in the Assembly Chamber 
 on a catafalque prepared for the occasion. Over the 
 Speaker's desk appeared the following inscription : 
 " I have sworn a solemn oath to preserve, protect and 
 defend the Government." 
 
 At half past one o'clock on the morning of April 
 26, all being in readiness, the coffin was opened and 
 the people admitted to view the remains. They passed 
 by at the rate of sixty or seventy per minute from the 
 commencement, and the number increased as daylight 
 approached. When the morning dawned it revealed 
 the fact that the whole city was draped in mourning, 
 with mottoes and inscriptions tastefully displayed at 
 appropriate points. Some of the most touching were 
 quotations from Mr. Lincoln's own words, such as, 
 
 " The heart of the nation throbs heavily at the portals of the 
 
 tomb." 
 " Let us resolve that the martyred dead shall not have died in 
 
 vain." 
 
 The numbers increased, until the line of those 
 awaiting admission was more than a mile in length, 
 one half of them being ladies, all pressing towards 
 the portals of the stately edifice. The cars and steam- 
 boats arriving that morning brought additional thou- 
 sands to the city, many of them coming from one to 
 two hundred miles. From the time of its arrival, 
 the coffin was strewn with flowers of the most rare 
 and costly varieties. As fast as they exhibited signs 
 of fading, they were removed, and fresh ones put in 
 their places. Solemn dirges were performed at in- 
 tervals by the musical societies and bands. The 
 stream of people continued to pour through the edifice,
 
 156 THE GREAT FUNERAL CORTEGE, 
 
 to take a last look at the distinguished dead, and yet, 
 when the hour arrived for replacing the cover, thou- 
 sands were still in line pressing their way toward the 
 State House. Governor Fenton met the funeral party 
 at New York, and returned with it to Albany, but 
 could go no further from the fact that the Legislature 
 was about to adjourn, and the business before it re- 
 quired his presence. 
 
 While the people were filing through the Capitol of 
 the most populous State of the Union, at the rate of 
 more than four thousand an hour, to do homage to the 
 remains of our martyred President, a far different scene 
 was being enacted, in which his assassin was the cen- 
 tral figure. On Monday evening, the twenty-fourth 
 of April, a detachment of the 16th regiment of New 
 York cavalry, numbering twenty-five men, under the 
 direction of Col. L. C. Baker, of the Government 
 detective force, left Washington to visit the south- 
 ern part of Maryland, in search of John Wilkes 
 Booth. They learned from a colored man that he had 
 crossed the Potomac river into Virginia, and soon 
 ascertained that he and his accomplice, Harold, were 
 well armed, and secreted in a barn, between Port Royal 
 and Bowling Green, the county seat of Caroline county. 
 Lieutenant Dougherty arranged his forces, surrounded 
 the barn about dusk on Tuesday evening, and called 
 upon them to surrender. Several hours were spent in 
 efforts to capture them, but Booth steadily expressed 
 his determination not to be taken alive. Despairing 
 of success in any other way, fire was applied to some 
 straw in the barn, hoping to drive them out and then 
 capture them. Seeing no hope of escape, Harold sur- 
 rendered, but Booth drew up his gun, and was in the 
 act of taking aim at one of the party outside. At this 
 juncture, Lieutenant Dougherty ordered Sergeant Bos- 
 ton Corbett to fire. The shot took effect in Booth's 
 head, but little differing from the wound he inflicted 
 on President Lincoln. He was shot about four o'clock
 
 AND THE NATIONAL LINCOLN MONUMENT. 157 
 
 Tuesday morning, April 26, and died about seven 
 o'clock, after three hours of the most intense agony. 
 
 From the time the funeral party started, they had 
 been astonished to witness the immense throngs of peo- 
 ple who, night and day, through sunshine and storm, 
 met them at every point to see the great funeral cor- 
 tege and view the remains. They feared the people of 
 Springfield would be overwhelmed with numbers be- 
 fore they realized the intensity of feeling on the part 
 of the people. At Albany the Illinois Delegation held 
 a consultation and decided that it was best for one of 
 their number to go at once to Springfield and impress 
 upon the citizens the importance of exerting themselves 
 to the utmost in making suitable preparations for the 
 final ceremonies. Col. John Williams volunteered to 
 discharge that duty, and started immediately for Spring- 
 field. 
 
 After the remains of the President were taken from 
 the train at East Albany, the hearse car and that occu- 
 pied by the Guard of Honor, were run up the river 
 five miles, to Troy, where they were taken across the 
 Hudson on the railroad bridge, and run down the west 
 side to the depot of the Central Railroad, at Albany. 
 At two o'clock p. m. the coffin was closed and conveyed 
 to a magnificent hearse, drawn by eight white horses. 
 It was escorted by a vast procession, composed of all 
 the military at Albany and Troy, the fire department, 
 the State and city authorities, about thirty civic asso- 
 ciations and the citizens generally, to the New York 
 Central depot, where it was again placed on board the 
 hearse car. 
 
 Never before were such multitudes of people gath- 
 ered at the Capital of the State. Every one seemed 
 fully to realize the solemnity of the occasion. It was 
 estimated that at least fifty thousand men, women and 
 children visited the remains during the twelve and a 
 half hours they were exposed to view. The Central
 
 158 THE GREAT FUNERAL CORTEGE, 
 
 railroad furnished seven of its finest cars, making the 
 same number the train had been composed of before, 
 and at 4 o'clock p. m., April 26, the great funeral cor- 
 tege resumed its journey westward through the empire 
 State.
 
 CHAPTER XVI. 
 
 The train arrived at Schenectady at forty-five minutes 
 past four o'clock, to find a multitude of people assem- 
 bled. The depot, business and dwelling houses were 
 draped in mourning. The women were much affected, 
 many of them crying audibly, and tears coursed down 
 many manly cheeks. The mechanics of the railroad 
 shops all stood in line, with heads uncovered, and the 
 utmost silence prevailed. 
 
 Amsterdam, 5:25 p. m. A crowd of people were at 
 the depot. They were evidently from the country, as 
 it was but a small village, and the line was almost a 
 mile long. The train passed through an arch, deco- 
 rated with red, white and blue, and draped in mourn- 
 ing. The village bells tolled from the time the train 
 came within hearing until it passed. 
 
 Funda, 5:45 p. m. Depot, houses, and an arch across 
 the railroad, all decorated with ftags and draped in 
 mourning. Minute guns were fired as the train arrived, 
 and continued until it passed out of hearing. 
 
 Palatine Bridge, 6:25 p. m. In passing along the 
 valley of the Mohawk river, the railroad runs under 
 the Palatine Bridge, which was artistically decorated 
 with flags, intertwined with mourning emblems. On 
 approaching the village of the same name, a white cross 
 was erected on a grassy mound. The cross was robed 
 in evergreens and mourning. On each side was a 
 woman, apparently weeping. Inscribed on the cross 
 were the words, " We have prayed for you ; now we 
 can only weep." The village buildings were draped
 
 160 THE GREAT FUNERAL, CORTEGE. 
 
 in mourning, minute guns fired, and a band was play- 
 ing most solemn music. 
 
 Fort Plain, 6:32 p. m. The depot was draped in 
 mourning, and a large gathering of people looked 
 mournfully at the train as it swept by. 
 
 St. Johnsville, N. Y., 6:47 p. m., April 26. The 
 funeral escort were the guests of all the cities where 
 they stopped for public demonstrations of respect to be 
 paid to the remains. . At Harrisburg they were quar- 
 terted at the Jones House ; in Philadelphia, at the Con- 
 tinental Hotel ; in New York at the Metropolitan 
 Hotel, and in Albany, at the Delavan House. The 
 first place where the services of Captain Penrose, the 
 commissary of subsistence, were brought into requisi- 
 tion, was on the run from New York to Albany ,when 
 it was necessary to have supper prepared at Pough- 
 keepsie. Between Albany and Buffalo,the distance being 
 too great to pass over without refreshments, Commissary 
 Penrose made arrangements to have them supplied at 
 St. Johnsville, and when the train arrived, a bounteous 
 supper was in waiting. The depot was elaborately 
 draped in mourning. Twenty-four young ladies, from 
 the most wealthy and refined families of the village 
 and surrounding country, dressed in white with black 
 velvet badges, waited on the tables. After supper, 
 these young ladies assembled, entered the hearse car, 
 and placed a wreath of flowers on the coffin, and then 
 the train moved on in its westward course. 
 
 It was now quite dark, and the remaining distance 
 to Buffalo occupied the whole time until daylight. 
 
 Those on board the train remember this as hav- 
 ing been the most remarkable portion of the whole 
 route for its continuous and hearty demonstrations of 
 respect if any part could be so designated, where 
 all were without precedent. Bonfires and torchlights 
 illumined the road the entire distance. Minute guns 
 were fired at so many points that it seemed almost 
 continuous. Singing soceities and bands of music
 
 AND THE NATIONAL LINCOLN MONUMENT. 161 
 
 were so numerous that, after passing a station, the 
 sound of a dirge or requiem would scarcely die away 
 in the distance, until it would be caught up at the town 
 or village they were approaching. Thus through the 
 long hours of the night did the funeral cortege receive 
 such honors that it seemed more like the march of a 
 mighty conqueror, than respect to the remains of one 
 of the most humble of the sons of earth. 
 
 We will notice in detail some of the towns and vil- 
 lages on the line. 
 
 Little Falls, N. Y., 7:35 p. m. The train paused 
 here long enough for a wreath of flowers in the form 
 of a shield and cross, to be placed on the coffin. It 
 bore the following inscription. 
 
 " The ladies of Little Falls, through their committee, present 
 these flowers. The shield, as an emblem of the protection which 
 our beloved President has ever proved to the liberties of the 
 American people. The cross, of his ever faithful trust in God ; 
 and the wreath as a token that we mingle our tears with those of 
 our afflicted nation." 
 
 Herkimer, 7:50 p. m. Thirty-six young ladies, 
 dressed in white, with black sashes, and holding flags 
 representing the thirty-six States of the Union, were 
 on the platform, surrounded by a vast multitude. A 
 band was playing solemn music, and wreaths of flowers 
 were thrown on board the train as it moved slowly past. 
 
 Ilion, N. Y., 7:56. Remington's gun factory was 
 brilliantly illuminated. A torchlight procession and 
 boy zouaves were in line. 
 
 Utica, 8:25 p. m., April 26. The depot and other 
 buildings draped in mourning. Many banners were 
 displayed in mourning and bearing inscriptions. Min- 
 ute guns were firing and bands playing solemn dirges. 
 A multitude of people were assembled and a gorgeous 
 torchlight procession was in line. 
 
 As the train swept by Whitesboro and Oriskany, the 
 people were gathered in crowds around large bonfires, 
 and were waving flags trimmed with mourning. 
 11
 
 162 THE GREAT FUNERAL CORTEOE, 
 
 Rome, April 26, 9:10 p. m. It was raining heavily 
 when the train arrived at this place, but there was an 
 immense crowd assembled at the depot, which was 
 richly draped in mourning. A band of music on the 
 platform was playing a dead march. 
 
 Green's Corners and Verona were next passed, at 
 both of which large numbers of people were standing 
 around bonfires. 
 
 Oneida, 9:50 p. m. An arch draped in mourning, 
 bore the inscription : " We mourn with the nation." 
 The depot was decorated with flags all draped in mourn- 
 ing. A crowd of people were at the depot, the men 
 with heads uncovered. A company of firemen bearing 
 lighted torches were in line. 
 
 At Canastota, Canaserga, Chittenango, Kirkville and 
 Manlius, the people stood around bonfires and carried 
 lighted torches to see the funeral cortege on its west- 
 ward course. 
 
 Syracuse, April 26, 11:05 p. m. The depot and ad- 
 joining buildings were almost covered with the in- 
 signia of sorrow. Many dwellings were illuminated 
 and mourning drapery suspended around the windows. 
 Tears coursed down the cheeks of both men and 
 women. Minute guns were firing and bands playing 
 solemn dirges. The scene was grand and imposing. 
 
 Memphis, N. Y., midnight. At this place, and 
 Warners, just passed, people stood in groups, with un- 
 covered heads and lighted torches, to see the funeral 
 cortege glide past. 
 
 At Weedsport, Jordan, Port Byron, Savannah, Clyde, 
 Lyons and Newark, the depots were draped in mourn- 
 ing, bonfires and torchlights revealed groups of men 
 and women with bare heads standing for hours in the 
 middle of the night to catch a passing view of the great 
 funeral. 
 
 Palmyra, N. Y.. April 27, 2:15 a. m. The depot is 
 nicely decorated, and men, women and children flock 
 about the hearse car.
 
 AND THE NATIONAL, LINCOLN MONUMENT. 163 
 
 Meriden was next passed, and a bonfire threw a 
 glare of light on the whole surrounding scene. 
 
 Fairport, 2:50 a. m. The people with lighted torches, 
 banners, badges and mourning inscriptions were assem- 
 bled in large numbers, to view the funeral train. 
 
 Rochester, N. Y., 3:20 a. m, Thursday, April 27. 
 Here there were assembled an immense multitude, 
 numbering many thousands. The Mayor, City Coun- 
 cil, military and civic organizations were out in full 
 force. The depot was draped in mourning, and in- 
 scriptions and mottoes were displayed, expressive of the 
 sorrow of the people. From the time the funeral cor- 
 tege arrived until it passed out of hearing distance, 
 minute guns were fired, bells tolled and bands per- 
 formed measured and mournful music. 
 
 The towns, Coldwater, Chili, Churchville, Bergen, 
 West Bergen and Byron were passed. At all of these 
 the people were gathered in groups around bonfires, and 
 some were carrying lighted torches, all eager to obtain 
 a view of the funeral cortege of Abraham Lincoln. 
 
 Batavia, N. Y., 5:18 a. m., April 27. A large num- 
 ber of citizens were assembled at the depot, which was 
 richly draped in mourning. A choir of male and 
 female voices were singing a requiem. Minute guns 
 were firing and bells tolling from the time the cortege 
 arrived until it passed out of hearing. 
 
 At Crofts, Corfu, Alden, Wende and Lancaster, the 
 depots were draped, flags displayed and the people stood 
 in groups with uncovered heads, as the funeral cortege 
 glided by. Soon after daylight, in passing a farm 
 house, a group of children were seen in a wagon wav- 
 ing flags trimmed with mourning, towards the train. 
 
 Buffalo, N. Y., 7 a. m., Thursday, April 27. The 
 following editorial appeared in the Buffalo Daily Ex- 
 press, a few days after the assassination : 
 
 " How reverently Abraham Lincoln was loved by the common 
 people ; how much they had leaned upon the strength of his heroic
 
 164 THE GREAT FUNERAL, CORTEGE, 
 
 character, in the great trial through which he led them; how per- 
 fect a trust they reposed in his wisdom, his integrity, his patriot- 
 ism, and the fortitude of his faithful heart; how great a sphere he 
 filled in the constitution of their hopes, they did not know before. 
 The shock of consternation, grief, and horror, which revealed it 
 to them, was undoubtedly the most profound that ever fell upon 
 a people. It shook this nation like an earthquake. The strong 
 men of the nation wept together like children. Never, do we 
 believe, was there exhibited such a spectacle of manly tears, 
 wrung from stout hearts, by bitter anguish, as in the streets of 
 every city, town and hamlet, in these United States, on Saturday 
 last. Ah! there was a deep planting of love for Abraham Lin- 
 coln in the hearts of his countrymen ! Noble soul, honest heart, 
 wise statesman, upright magistrate, brave old patriot, the nation 
 was orphaned by thy death and felt the grief of orphanage 
 
 It would be natural to expect that where such noble 
 and sympathetic sentiments were expressed, the remains 
 of Abraham Lincoln would receive a tender greeting. 
 An extensive military and civic funeral procession 
 turned out on the nineteenth, the day the obsequies 
 took place at Washington. For this reason there were 
 no preparations for any such demonstration on the arri- 
 val of the funeral cortege, but it was met at the depot 
 by a large concourse of people. An impromptu pro- 
 cession was formed by citizens, headed by the military. 
 The coffin was taken to a fine hearse, which was cov- 
 ered with black cloth, and surrounded by an arched 
 canopy tastefully trimmed with white satin and silver 
 lace. The coffin was elevated so as to be seen at a long 
 distance. The procession moved along the principal 
 streets to the sound of solemn music, and reached St. 
 James Hall about half past nine o'clock. The body 
 was conveyed into the Hall and deposited on a dais, in 
 the presence of the accompanying Guard of Honor and 
 the Union Continentals. As the remains were carried 
 in, the Buffalo St. Cecelia Society sang, with much feel- 
 ing, the dirge, " Rest, Spirit, Rest; " after which, the
 
 AND THE NATIONAL LINCOLN MONUMENT 165 
 
 Society placed an elegantly formed harp, made of choice 
 white flowers, at. the head of the coffin, which was over- 
 shadowed by a crape canopy, and the space lighted up 
 by a large chandelier in the ceiling. Ex-President 
 Fillmore was among the civilians composing the escort 
 to St. James Hall. Large numbers of Canadians came 
 over to Buffalo during the day, to manifest their sym- 
 pathy by taking part in the procession and viewing the 
 remains. The funeral party being the guests of the 
 city, were quartered at the Mansion House. All kinds 
 of business was suspended, and it was estimated that 
 between forty and fifty thousand persons took a parting 
 look at the remains. At eight o'clock in the afternoon 
 the coffin was closed ; about nine it was taken back to 
 the depot, and at ten p. m. the train resumed its jour- 
 ney.
 
 CHAPTER XVII. 
 
 At New Hamburg, North Evans, Lake view, Angola 
 and Silver Creek, the depots were draped in mourning, 
 large bonfires were burning, and the people were assem- 
 bled in great numbers to see the funeral cortege of the 
 martyred President. 
 
 Dunkirk, N. Y., 12:10 a. m., Friday, April 28. The 
 depot was elaborately and artistically decorated with 
 mourning drapery and festoons of evergreens. An 
 immense throng of people were assembled, who stood 
 with heads uncovered as the train moved up. The 
 principal feature of the scene was a group of thirty- 
 six young ladies, representing the States of the Union, 
 dressed in white, with black scarfs on their shoulders. 
 All were kneeling, and each held in her hands a na- 
 tional flag. It was a beautiful tableau, as seen at the 
 midnight hour by the glare of more than a hundred 
 lamps and torches. When the train stopped, the young 
 ladies entered the funeral car and placed a wreath of 
 flowers and evergreens on the coffin. The firing of 
 minute guns, the tolling of bells, and the band per- 
 forming a requiem, combined with the other parts to 
 present a spectacle such as had never before been wit- 
 nessed on the shores of Lake Erie. 
 
 At Brockton there was a crowd standing with heads 
 uncovered and in silence as the train passed by. 
 
 Westfield, N. Y., one o'clock a. m., April 28. The 
 train stopped for wood and water, and a delegation of 
 five ladies placed a cross and wreath of roses on the 
 coffin. It bore the inscription : 
 
 " Our's, the Cross; Thine, the Crown."
 
 THE NATIONAL LINCOLN MONUMENT. 167 
 
 All of them were affected to tears, and considered it 
 a privilege to kiss the coffin. 
 
 Kipley, N. Y. Flags were draped in mourning, bon- 
 fires blazing, and the people stood in groops with heads 
 uncovered. 
 
 State Line, between New York and Pennsylvania, 
 1:32 a. m., April 28. A bonfire was blazing, flags were 
 draped, and a large number of people were assembled 
 to look at the funeral cortege of Abraham Lincoln. 
 
 North East, Pa., 1:47 a. m. A little girl came on 
 board with a cross and wreath of roses and other flow- 
 ers, and placed it on the coffin. The cross bore the 
 inscription : " Rest in Peace." Major General Dix 
 took leave of the remains at this place and returned 
 to New York. F. F. Faran, Mayor of Erie, and 
 others, came on board. 
 
 Erie, Pa., 2:50 a. m., April 28. The citizens of 
 Erie were making arrangements to give suitable recep- 
 tion to the honored remains, when they were informed 
 by the Superintendent of the Cleveland & Erie rail- 
 road that the funeral escort had made a special request 
 that no public demonstration be made at that place, in 
 order to give them an opportunity for repose. The 
 request was unauthorized, but it deprived them of a 
 mournful pleasure. Notwithstanding this, a large num- 
 ber of people were assembled at the depot, where a 
 transparency was displayed, with the inscription : 
 
 " Abraham Lincoln may die, but the principles embalmed in his 
 blood will live forever." 
 
 Girard, Pa. A large number of people were collect- 
 ed at the depot, which was draped with mourning and 
 illuminated with bonfires. 
 
 Springfield, Pa., 2:27 a. m., April 28. A large crowd 
 of people, with lighted torches and drooping flags were 
 assembled at the depot to see the funeral cortege pass 
 
 by-
 
 168 THE GREAT FUNERAL CORTEGE. 
 
 Conneaut, Ohio, 3:48 a. m., April 28. This is the 
 first station in Ohio. The depot was draped in mourn- 
 ing and a large number of persons on the platform with 
 heads uncovered. 
 
 Kingsville, Ohio. Depot was draped and a crowd 
 of people. 
 
 Ashtabula, Ohio, 4:27 a. m. Minute guns heralded 
 the approach of the funeral train. The depot was 
 draped in mourning and flags floating to the breeze. 
 Mottoes and inscriptions were displayed expressing the 
 sorrow of the people for the cruel assassination of 
 Abraham Lincoln. 
 
 Geneva, Madison, Perry, Painesville and Mentor 
 were passed as the day dawned, but the depots were all 
 draped in mourning, flags floating, mottoes displayed 
 and large crowds of people, all eager to see the hearse 
 car bearing all that was mortal of Abraham Lincoln, 
 to his rest. 
 
 Willoughby, Ohio, April 28, 6:08 a. m. Notwith- 
 standing the early morning hour, a number of very 
 aged men were seen leaning on their staffs with their 
 snow-white locks uncovered. Hundreds of watchers 
 looked longingly at the sable cortege gliding by. 
 
 Wickliffe, Ohio, 6:20 a. m. Governor John Brough, 
 on the part of Ohio, received the funeral party. He 
 was accompanied by his staff, consisting of Adj. Gen. 
 B. R. Cowan, Asst. Adj. Gen. John T. Mercer, Quar. 
 Mast. Gen. Merrill Barlow, Sergeon Gen. R. N. Barr, 
 Col. S. D. Maxwell, Aid-de-Camp, and F. A. Marble, 
 Private Secretary. Ex-Governor Tod, Senator Sher- 
 man, Hon. Sam. Galloway, and others, accompanied 
 the party. 
 
 Major General Joseph Hooker, commanding the 
 department of Ohio, with his staff, came on board the 
 train at Wickliffe, and, under General Orders No. 72, 
 took chief command of the funeral escort. A delega- 
 tion of about twenty -five citizens of Cleveland met the 
 train at this point and formed part of the escort.
 
 AND THE NATIONAL LINCOLN MONUMENT. 169 
 
 Euclid, 6:32 a. m. More of the citizens of Cleve- 
 land came on board the train at this point. 
 
 Cleveland, Ohio, 7 o'clock a. m., Friday, April 28. 
 The attention of those on the train, was first attracted 
 by a magnificent arch, bearing, in large letters, the in- 
 scription : 
 
 "ABRAHAM LINCOLN." 
 
 Immediately under the arch was a female, dressed to 
 represent the Goddess of Liberty. She held in her 
 hand a flag, and this, together with her cap, was braid- 
 ed in mourning. An immense multitude thronged the 
 streets. At seven o'clock, as the train arrived, a na- 
 tional salute of thirty-six guns was fired, and half-hour 
 guns from that time until sunset. As the funeral cor- 
 tege approached, the bells throughout the city com- 
 menced tolling, the shipping in the harbor and all the 
 hotels and other public buildings displayed the Ameri- 
 can flag at half-mast, and all business houses were 
 closed, and remained so throughout the day. At half 
 past seven an immense procession consisting of mili- 
 tary and civic associations, was formed at the Euclid 
 street station. It was composed of six divisions, each 
 headed by a band. As soon as the train arrived at 
 the station the coffin was placed in a magnificent hearse, 
 draped with the American flag trimmed with mourn- 
 ing. 
 
 The procession moved through Euclid street to Erie 
 street, down Erie to Superior street, thence to a public 
 park, where a beautiful temple had been erected. This 
 temple was twenty-four by thirty-six feet, and fourteen 
 feet high, to the cornice. The roof was in pagoda 
 style. Within this temple was a gorgeous catafalque. 
 The coffin was laid on a dais, about two feet above the 
 floor of the catafalque. The columns were wreathed 
 with evergreens and white flowers, and trimmed with 
 mourning. Black cloth fringed with silver, drooped
 
 170 THE GREAT FUNERAL CORTEGE, 
 
 from the corners and the centre of the canopy, and looped 
 back to the columns. The floor and sides of the dais 
 were covered with black cloth, bordered with silver 
 fringe. The cornice was brilliantly ornamented with 
 white rosettes and stars of silver. The inside of the 
 canopy was lined with black cloth, gathered in folds, 
 and black and white crape. In the centre of the can- 
 opy was a large star of black velvet, ornamented with 
 thirty-six silver stars, representing the States of the 
 Union. The dais was covered with flowers and a fig- 
 ure representing the Goddess of Liberty was placed at 
 the head of the coffin. The ceiling of the temple was 
 hung with festoons of evergreens and flowers. Lamps 
 were attached to the pillars of the catafalque, and the 
 columns of the temple, that the remains might be 
 viewed at night as well as by day. This temple seemed, 
 in daylight, as if it was a creation of fairy land, and 
 when lighted up with all the lanterns, and standing out 
 amid the surrounding darkness, looked more like the 
 realization of an enchanted castle than the work of 
 men's hands. The cost of it must have been very 
 great, and I have beep thus minute in the description 
 because there was nothing comparable to it at any other 
 place on the whole journey. This large expenditure 
 on the part of the citizens of Cleveland, to prepare a 
 few hours resting place for the remains of Abraham 
 Lincoln, on their way to the tomb, was only a faint 
 symbol of the sacrifices they had already made, and 
 were still willing to make in support of the principles 
 for which he was assassinated. 
 
 The religious services were conducted by the Right 
 Rev. Bishop Mcllvaine, of the Protestant Episcopal 
 Church. He read a part of the funeral service of that 
 Church, suitable to the occasion. After the religious 
 services, two columns of spectators one on each side 
 began filing past the corpse, and, notwithstanding it 
 rained the greater part of the time, about eighty per- 
 sons per minute viewed the remains of President Liu
 
 AND THE NATIONAL LINCOLN MONUMENT. 171 
 
 coin, throughout the day. At intervals the coffin was 
 freshly covered with flowers by the ladies. It was es- 
 timated that more than fifty thousand persons viewed 
 the remains, and when the coffin closed, near midnight, 
 there were still hundreds in line, disappointed in their 
 efforts to look on the face of the dead. The funeral 
 party being the guests of the city, were quartered at 
 the Weddell House. 
 
 While the funeral party were in Cleveland they were 
 waited upon by Charles L. Wilson, editor of the Chi- 
 cago Journal, as chairman of the Committee of One 
 Hundred citizens, appointed by the City Council of 
 Chicago, " to proceed to Michigan City to receive the 
 remains of President Lincoln, escort them to Chicago, 
 and accompany them to Springfield." Mr. Wilson 
 tendered the hospitalities of the city to the funeral es- 
 cort when they should arrive in Chicago, and stated 
 that, up to the time of his departure, forty-one organi- 
 zations and societies, representing twenty-five thousand 
 men, had reported to the Chief Marshal their intention 
 to form part of the procession. 
 
 The saloons of Cleveland were all closed during the 
 stay of the funeral party in that city, by a proclamation 
 from the Mayor ; and, in order to control the move- 
 ments of the vast multitude, all the streets leading to 
 the Park were fenced up and gates placed in the centre. 
 They were guarded by military, and the people admit- 
 ted no faster than they could view the remains and pass 
 out. In this way, all crowding about the temple was 
 avoided. The procession began re-forming about ten 
 o'clock p. m., and escorted the remains to the depot.
 
 CHAPTER XVIII. 
 
 At midnight, the funeral cortege left Cleveland, to 
 continue its westward course. Rain continued to fall, 
 but that did not abate the anxiety of the people. 
 
 Among the towns worthy of special mention, on ac- 
 count of their costly and elaborate demonstrations, were 
 Berea, Olmstead, Columbia, Grafton, Lagrange, Wel- 
 lington, Rochester, New London, Greenwich, Shiloh, 
 Shelby and Crestline, the latter place being reached at 
 seven minutes past four o'clock a. m. At all these 
 places the depots were draped and the national flag 
 shrouded in mourning. Mottoes and inscriptions ex- 
 pressive of the sorrow of the people were everywhere 
 visible. Through the rain and darkness they came, 
 bearing lanterns and torches, that they might obtain a 
 passing view of the great funeral pageant. Galion, 
 Iberia and Gilead, each presented the same appearance, 
 and the train arrived at Cardington at 5:20 a. m., Sat- 
 urday, April 29. The largest gathering seen after 
 leaving Cleveland, were collected at this place, about 
 three thousand people being present. The depot was 
 handsomely draped with mourning flags. Over the 
 doorway was an inscription, in large letters, 
 
 " He sleeps iu the blessings of the poor, whose fetters God com- 
 missioned him to break." 
 
 The train arrived and departed to the sound of min- 
 ute guns and the tolling of bells. Ashley, Eden, Dela- 
 ware, Berlin, Lewis r Centre, Orange, Westerville and 
 Worthington, all presented the same appearance of
 
 THE NATIONAL LINCOLN MONUMENT. 173 
 
 depots draped in mourning, with mottoes, inscriptions, 
 and increasing crowds of people. The train arrived at 
 Columbus, Ohio, at 7:30 a. m., Saturday, April 29. 
 By way of preparing for appropriately honoring the re- 
 mains of the late Chief Magistrate, the following order 
 had been promulgated at the proper time : 
 
 } GEN'L H'DQ'RS, STATE OF OHIO, 
 
 General Order, No 5. [ ADJUTANT GENERAL'S OFFICE, 
 
 \ COLUMBUS, April 23, 1865. 
 
 Major John W. Skiles, Eighty-eighth O. V. I., is hereby ap- 
 pointed Chief Marshal of the ceremonies in honor of the remains 
 of the late President Lincoln, in the city of Columbus, on the 
 twenty-ninth inst. He will appoint his own aides, and will have 
 entire control of the ceremonies and procession attending the 
 transfer of the remains from and to the depot. All societies, dele- 
 gations, or other organizations, wishing to participate in the cere- 
 monies, will report, by telegraph or letter, to the Chief Marshal 
 on or before ten o'clock a. m. of Friday, the twenty-eighth inst. 
 
 The headquarters of the Chief Marshal, during Thursday and 
 Friday, twenty-seventh and twenty-eighth inst., will be at the 
 Adjutant General's office, in the Capitol. 
 
 By order of the Governor : 
 
 B. R. CO WEN, 
 Assistant Adjutant General. 
 
 Immediately on the arrival of the train, the funeral 
 party were taken in carriages, the carriages moving 
 three abreast, and the coffin was conveyed to a mag- 
 nificent hearse. It was seventeen feet long, eight and 
 a half feet wide, and seventeen and a half feet from 
 the ground to the top of the canopy. The floor of the 
 hearse was four feet from the ground. A dais was 
 raised two and a half feet above the floor, making six 
 and a half feet above the ground. On this the coffin 
 rested, where it was sufficiently elevated for all to see 
 it. The canopy was formed like a Chinese pagoda. 
 The interior of the canopy was lined with silk flags,
 
 174 THE GREAT FUNERAL CORIEGE, 
 
 and the outside covered with black broadcloth. The 
 dais, main floor,and the entire hearse was covered with 
 black cloth, which hung in festoons from the main plat- 
 form to within a few inches of the ground. The broad- 
 cloth was fringed with silver lace and ornamented with 
 heavy tassels of black silk. Surrounding the cornice 
 were thirty-six silver stars, and on the apex and the 
 four corners were heavy black plumes. The canopy 
 was curtained with black cloth and lined with white 
 merino. On each side of the dais was the name 
 "Lincoln," in silver letters. The hearse was drawn 
 by six white horses, all covered with black cloth, edged 
 with silver fringe. The heads of the horses were sur- 
 mounted with large black plumes, and each was led 
 by a groom, dressed in black, with white gloves and 
 a white band around his hat. 
 
 The flowers of Buffalo and Cleveland were still on 
 the lid of the coffin. The procession was by far the 
 most grand and imposing of any that had ever marched 
 through the streets of the capital of Ohio. It was 
 composed of soldiers, citizens and civic societies, not 
 of Columbus only, but of Cincinnati and other cities 
 and towns for many miles around. At the Soldiers' 
 Hospital, the invalids had adorned the palings in front 
 of the building with national flags, trimmed with 
 mourning, and displayed other evidences of sorrow. 
 
 These invalids, made so in the service of their 
 country, gathered flowers and branches, principally 
 lilac, and for several hundred yards, had strewn them 
 on each side of the street, where the procession was to 
 pass. Many of the soldiers appeared on crutches. 
 
 Amid the tolling of bells and the booming of cannon, 
 the solemn cortege wended its way to the State Capi- 
 tol. The pillars of that beautiful white edifice were 
 artisticially draped in mourning, and flags were at half- 
 mast on each side of the dome. Displayed conspicu- 
 ously, in large black letters, were the following words : 
 " With malice toward none, with charity for all."
 
 AND THE NATIONAL LINCOLN MONUMENT. 175' 
 
 Arched over the gate leading to the grounds, were the 
 words, " Ohio Mourns," and over the entrance to the 
 building, "God moves in a mysterious way." The 
 interior of the capitol was draped in the most elabo- 
 rate and costly style. 
 
 The coffin was conveyed into the rotunda, where it 
 was deposited on a mound of moss, thickly dotted 
 with the choicest of flowers, and surrounded by ele- 
 gant vases of rare exotics. The walls were adorned 
 with Powell's great painting of Perry's victory on 
 Lake Erie ; with clusters of battle flags, torn and rid- 
 dled with bullets, as they were borne by Ohio regi- 
 ments in suppressing the rebellion. These were fes- 
 tooned with crape, and drooped sadly around the 
 spacious rotunda. As soon as the coffin was properly 
 arranged, the spectators began to pass before the re- 
 mains. 
 
 Solemn dirges were performed at intervals, and guns 
 were fired during the day. In the afternoon, a meet- 
 ing was held at the east side of the capitol. On the 
 stage were Major Generals Hooker and Hunter, with 
 the clergy of the city. Rev. Mr. Goodwin opened the 
 services with prayer. The Hon. Job E. Stevenson 
 then addressed the vast assemblage, in a most eloquent 
 and thrilling oration. He was listened to with the 
 most profound attention from beginning to end. I 
 can only give a very brief synopsis. He said : 
 
 " Ohio mourns, America mourns, the civilized world will mourn 
 the cruel death of Abraham Lincoln, the brave, the wise, the 
 good ; bravest, wisest, best of men. History alone can measure 
 and weigh his worth, but we, in parting from his mortal remains, 
 may indulge the fullness of our hearts, in a few broken words, 
 of his life, his death and his fame. 
 
 " A western farmer's son, self-made, in early manhood he won 
 by sterling qualities of head and heart, the public confidence, and 
 was entrusted with the people's power. Growing with his State, 
 he became a leader in the west. Elected President, he disbelieved
 
 176 THE GREAT FUNERAL CORTEGE, 
 
 the threats of traitors, and sought to serve his term in peace. The 
 clouds of civil war darkened the land. The President pleaded 
 and prayed for peace, ' long declined the war,' and only when the 
 storm in fury burst upon the flag, did he arm for the Union. For 
 four years the war raged, and the President was tried as man was 
 never tried before. Oh, ' with what a load of toil and care,' has 
 he come; with steady, steadfast step, through the valley and the 
 shadow of defeat, over the bright mountain of victory, up to the 
 sun-lit plain of peace ! 
 
 "Tried by dire disaster at Bull Run, where volunteer patriots 
 met veteran traitors ; at Fredericksburg, where courage contended 
 with nature; at Chancellorville, that desperate venture; in the 
 dismal swamps of the Chickahominy, where a brave army was 
 buried in vain ; by the chronic siege of Charleston, the mockery 
 of Richmond, and the dangers of Washington through all these 
 trials the President stood firm, trusting in God and the people, 
 while the people trusted in God and in him. There were never 
 braver men than the Union volunteers ; none braver ever rallied 
 in Grecian phalanx or Roman legion ; none braver ever bent the 
 Saxon bow, or bore barbarian battle axe, or set the lance in rest ; 
 none braver ever followed the crescent or the cross, or fought 
 with Napoleon, or Wellington, or Washington. Yet the com- 
 mander-in-chief of the Union army and navy was worthy of the 
 man filling for four years the foremost and most perilous part 
 unfaltering. 
 
 " Tried by good fortune, he saw soldiers of the West recover 
 the great valley, and bring back to the Union the Father of 
 Waters, and all his beautiful children. He saw the legions of 
 Lee hurled from the heights of Gettysburg. He saw the flag of 
 the free rise on Lookout Mountain, and spread from river to sea, 
 and rest over Sumter. He saw the Star Spangled Banner, bright- 
 ened by the blaze of battle, bloom over Richmond, and he saw 
 Lee surrender. Yet he remained wise and modest, giving all the 
 glory to God and our army and navy. 
 
 " Tried by civil affairs which would have taxed the powers and 
 tested the virtues of Jefferson, Hamilton and Washington, he ad- 
 ministered them so wisely and well, that after three years no man 
 was found to take his place. He was re-elected, and the harvest
 
 AND THE NATIONAL LINCOLN MONUMENT. 177 
 
 of success came in so gradually, that he might have said, ' Now, 
 Lord, lettest Thou Thy servant depart in peace, for mine eyes 
 have seen Thy salvation.' Yet he was free from weakness or 
 vanity. Thus did he exhibit, on occasion, in due proportion and 
 harmonious action, those cardinal virtues, the trinity of true great- 
 ness courage, wisdom and goodness ; goodness to love the right, 
 wisdom to know the right, and courage to do the right. Tried 
 by these tests, and by the touchstone of success, he was the great- 
 est of living men. 
 
 " But why multiply words of his greatness ? We read it in the 
 nation's eyes. What a scene do we witness! Some of us remem- 
 ber when, on the thirteenth of February, 1861, four years and two 
 months before his death, the President was here on his way to 
 Washington, and spoke in the State House. Then, this self-made 
 man was untried, and his friends, and he himself, questioned his 
 capacity to fill the responsible position to which he was chosen. 
 He spoke with misgivings, but placing his reliance on Providence, 
 went forward reluctantly to the chair ; and now, after four short 
 years, he returns, borne on the bosom of millions of men, his way 
 watered with tears and strewn with flowers. 
 
 " He stood on the summit, his brow bathed in the beams of the 
 rising sun of peace, singing in his heart the angelic song of 'Glory 
 to God in the highest, peace on earth and good will toward men.' 
 'With malice toward none, with charity for all,' he had forgiven 
 the people of the South, and might have forgotten their leaders 
 covering with the broad mantle of his charity their multitude of 
 sins. But he is slain slain by slavery. That fiend incarnate did 
 the deed. Beaten in battle, the leaders sought to save slavery by 
 assassination. This madness presaged their destruction. 
 
 "Abraham Lincoln was the personification of Mercy. Andrew 
 Johnson is the personification of Justice. They have murdered 
 Mercy, and Justice rules alone, and the people, with one voice, 
 pray to heaven that justice may be done. The blood of thousands 
 of murdered prisoners cries to heaven. The shades of sixty-two 
 thousand starved soldiers rise up in judgment against them. The 
 body of the murdered President condems them. Some deprecate 
 vengeance. There is no room for vengeance here. Long before jus- 
 tice can have done Iwr perfect work, tlie material will be exhausted and 
 
 12
 
 178 THE GREAT FUNERAL, CORTEGE, 
 
 the record dosed. Some wonder why the South killed her best 
 friend. Abraham Lincoln was the true friend of the people of the 
 South; for he was their friend as Jesus is the friend of sinners, 
 ready to save when they repent. Ours is the grief, theirs is the 
 loss, and his is the gain. He died for Liberty and Union, and 
 now he wears the martyr's glorious crown. He is our crowned 
 President. While the Union survives, while the love of liberty 
 warms the human heart, Abraham Lincoln will hold high rank 
 among the immortal dead. The imperial free Republic, the best 
 and strongest government on earth, will be a monument to his 
 glory, while over and above all shall rise and swell the great dome 
 of his fame." 
 
 The procession of the morning was re-formed, and 
 escorted the remains to the depot, and at eight o'clock 
 p. m. the funeral train resumed its course, amid the 
 firing of guns and the tolling of the bells of the city.
 
 CHAPTER XIX. 
 
 At Pleasant Valley, Unionville, Milford, "Wood- 
 stock and Cable, the depots were decorated and draped 
 in mourning, and bonfires and torches enabled the 
 large crowds assembled to see the funeral train. At 
 Woodstock a delegation of ladies entered the hearse 
 car and decorated the coffin with flowers, and at the 
 same time the "Woodstock band played a solemn piece 
 of music. 
 
 Urbana, Ohio, 10:30 p. m., April 29. Three thous- 
 and people were assembled, and a large bonfire lighted 
 up the scene. Ten young ladies entered the car and 
 strewed flowers on the bier, some of them weeping. At 
 the same time a choir of forty male and female voices 
 sang, " Go to thy Rest." The train arrived and de- 
 parted with minute guns firing and bells tolling. 
 
 At St. Paris and Fletcher bonfires were blazing and 
 the people were standing with heads uncovered and in 
 silence as the train moved along. 
 
 Piqua, Ohio, 12:20 a. m., Sunday, April 30. Many 
 thousands of people were assembled at the depot, which 
 was draped in mourning. The scene was lighted up 
 with large fires. A delegation from the Methodist 
 Church, with Rev. Granville Moody, sang a funeral 
 hymn. Two bands also discoursed solemn music. 
 
 Covington, Bradford Junction and Gettysburg were 
 passed in quick succession, and, notwithstanding it was 
 in the middle of the night, there was a large crowd at 
 each place, with bonfires, flags and mottoes. 
 
 Greenville, Ohio, two o'clock a. m., Sunday, April 
 30. The depot was tastefully decorated, and the scene
 
 180 THE GREAT FUNERAL CORTEGE, 
 
 lighted up by two large bonfires. Thirty-six young 
 ladies, representing the States of the Union, were 
 dressed in white, each waving a star-spangled banner. 
 A requiem was sung by a choir of ladies aud gentle- 
 men. A large number of people were standing at the 
 depot at New Madison. 
 
 New Paris, 2:41, Sunday morning, April 30. The 
 depot was artistically draped in mourning. An arch 
 spanned the track. It was adorned with evergreens 
 draped in mourning. The scene was lighted up by 
 huge bonfires. This was the last town on that line of 
 road in the State of Ohio. 
 
 Richmond, Ind., 3:10 a. m., Sunday, April 30. This 
 was the first town entered in the State of Indiana. The 
 scene here was imposing and magnificently solemn. 
 The city contains about twelve thousand inhabitants, 
 but there were more than that number present. Ar- 
 rangements were effected the day before to have all the 
 bells in the city rang an hour previous to the expected 
 arrival of the funeral cortege. At the time appointed 
 they pealed forth their notes on the still night air, and 
 soon the streets were filled with men and women, old 
 and young, all wending their way to the depot. Broad- 
 brimmed hats and Quaker bonnets were liberally 
 sprinkled among the vast concourse as the Friends 
 are more numerous here, in proportion to the whole 
 population, than they are in the city of Philadelphia. 
 Nearly the whole population of the city came out, and 
 the people in the surrounding country lefl; their homes 
 in the middle of the night and came many miles in 
 wagons, carriages, and on horseback, and it was esti- 
 mated that between twelve and fifteen thousand were 
 present. 
 
 As the train approached the city the bells on the 
 engines of the Airline railroad a cross road were 
 tolling, and all the engines were lighted up with revolv- 
 ing lamps and tastefully decorated in mourning. A 
 gorgeous arch was constructed, twenty-five feet high
 
 AND T1IK -NATIONAL LINCOLN MONUMENT. 181 
 
 and thirty wide, under which the train passed. On 
 both sides of the structure American flags were wrought 
 into triangles, down the sides of which were suspended, 
 at equal distances, transparencies of red, white, and 
 blue, alternating with chaplets of evergreens, which 
 clambered up the sides of the triangles and centered at 
 the summit in velvet rosettes. Across the structure, at 
 about eighteen feet from the base was a platform car- 
 peted with black velvet. On the ends of this platform 
 were two flags in drooping folds. In the center of this 
 upper work was a female representing the Goddess of 
 Liberty. She was in a sitting posture, weeping over a 
 coffin. On one side was a boy-soldier and on the other 
 a boy-sailor, both acting as mourners. Governor Mor- 
 ton and suite, with other prominent gentlemen from dif- 
 ferent parts of the State, about one hundred in all, 
 came on a special train from Indianapolis and joined 
 the funeral party at Richmond. After a brief pause, 
 the train moved slowly away, and the multitude, with 
 sad hearts, dispersed to their homes in silence. 
 
 Centerville, Ind., 3:41 a. m. The depot was splen- 
 didly robed in mourning. At each end of the plat- 
 form were two chandeliers, brilliantly lighted. The 
 people were anxious for the train to tarry longer, but 
 of course their wishes could not be complied with. 
 Centerville is the home of the Hon. George W. Julian, 
 and was the home of Hon. O. P. Morton, previous to 
 his becoming Governor of the State. 
 
 Germantown, Ind., 4:05 a. m. A number of bril- 
 liant bonfires were burning, flags draped in mourning, 
 and other evidences of sorrow exhibited. 
 
 Cambridge City, Ind., 4:15 a. m. As the funeral 
 train reached this place, it was received with salvos of 
 artillery. A very tasty arch spanned the railroad track. 
 It was beautifully decorated and appropriately draped 
 in mourning. The darkness was turned into a solemn 
 glare by the burning of Bengal lights, and as the red- 
 dish blue met the first streaks of grey on the eastern
 
 182 THE GREAT FUNERAL CORTEGE, 
 
 horizon, the effect was solemn and impressive. It was 
 the unanimous verdict of those who traveled all the 
 journey with the train, that this, and the display at 
 Richmond, was not exclled in taste and appropriateness 
 by anything that had been witnessed. There was a 
 solemn earnestness depicted on the countenance of the 
 Indiana patriots, and the sentence seemed to be writ- 
 ten as if in " burnished rows of steel," that though 
 Lincoln had died, the republic should live. 
 
 Dublin, Ind., 4:30 a. m., Sunday, April 30. The 
 platform and sides of the track were lined with peo- 
 ple whose looks and actions bespoke their deep grief. 
 A neat and beautiful arch, entwined with evergreens 
 and mourning emblems, was erected for the train to 
 pass under. The depot was artistically draped, and on 
 the right was a large flag. In a conspicuous place there 
 was a portrait of the martyred President entwined with 
 evergreens and roses. Dublin is a town of about fif- 
 teen hundred inhabitants, and was the last station 
 passed in Wayne county, which has been largely under 
 Quaker influence from its first settlements, and, although 
 you would see but little of the outward sign of that 
 peculiar people, their principles are nowhere more de- 
 cidedly felt than at this place. There has never been 
 a whisky-shop in the town, and it is a remarkable co- 
 incidence that for many years the Republican ticket 
 has been voted unanimously not a single one on the 
 other side. I well remember the amusement created 
 at Richmond, in the same county, on the evening of 
 the Presidential election, in 1864. As the reports came 
 in by telegraph they were posted on an illuminated 
 bulletin. Among the earliest was, 
 
 Dublin, For Lincoln, 269 
 
 " For McClellan, 
 
 Majority for Lincoln, 269 
 
 At Lewisville, Rayville, Knightstown, Charlottes- 
 ville, Greenfield, Philadelphia and Cumberland, mourn-
 
 AND THE NATIONAL, LINCOLN MONUMENT. 183 
 
 ing emblems and other demonstrations of sorrow were 
 everywhere visible. 
 
 Indianapolis, seven o'clock, a. m., Sunday, April 
 30, 1865. The funeral cortege arrived at this hour 
 with all that was mortal of Abraham Lincoln. The 
 avenues leading to the depot were closely packed 
 with people. The military organizations were in line 
 from the depot to the State House. The corpse was 
 taken in charge by a local guard of soldiers, and con- 
 veyed to a very large and magnificent hearse, prepared 
 especially for the occasion. It was drawn by eight 
 white horses, six of them having been attached to the 
 carriage in which the President elect rode, on his way 
 to Washington, four years before. By the time the 
 procession was ready to move, rain commenced falling. 
 The arrival of the train was announced by the firing 
 of artillery and tolling of bells throughout the city, 
 and this continued until the hearse arrived at the State 
 House. The body was conveyed to the interior of the 
 building, and soon after exposed to view. 
 
 The Sabbath school children were first admitted, and 
 then ladies and citizens generally passed through the 
 Capitol and viewed the remains. At many of the 
 streets intended to be crossed by the procession were 
 triple arches, adorned with evergreens and national 
 flags. Great preparations had been made in draping 
 the city in mourning. It included public buildings, 
 business houses and private residences of all classes. 
 The threatening rain deterred many from ornamenting 
 their buildings who would otherwise have done so, and 
 the torrents of water sadly marred what had been done. 
 
 The rain prevented many of the organizations from 
 turning out that had provided themselves with banners 
 bearing appropriate inscriptions. The colored Masons, 
 in their appropriate clothing, and colored citizens gen- 
 erally turned out in procersion and visited the remains 
 in a body. At the head of their procession they car- 
 ried the Emancipation Proclamation. At intervals
 
 184 THE GREAT FUNERAL CORTEGE, 
 
 banners were seen bearing, among others, the following 
 inscriptions : 
 
 " Colored men always Loyal." 
 
 " Lincoln, Martyr of Liberty." 
 
 " He lives in our memories.' 
 
 " Slavery is Dead ! " 
 
 The City Councils of Cincinnati, Louisville and 
 Covington, with Governor Bramlette and many other 
 distinguished personages from Kentucky, and from 
 nearly all the towns and cities of Indiana, were in In- 
 dianapolis, to take part in a grand military and civic 
 demonstration. It was expected that the procession 
 would march early in the day, and that Governor Mor- 
 ton would deliver a funeral oration at the Capitol in 
 the afternoon. Every railroad train for the previous 
 twenty-four hours brought in its thousands, but the 
 incessant rain prevented the programme from being 
 carried out. All that could be done was to pay their 
 silent respects to the remains. A constant stream of 
 spectators continued to file past the coffin until near 
 midnight, when it was escorted back to the depot, and, 
 like the star of empire, continued its westward course. 
 
 A time table was prepared, and rules and regulations 
 adopted, at Indianapolis, for running the train from 
 that city to Chicago. The paper was signed by an 
 officer of each of the three roads over which the train 
 was to pass the Indianapolis & Lafayette, the Louis- 
 ville, New Albany & Chicago, from Lafayette to Michi- 
 gan City, and the Michigan Central from Michigan 
 City to Chicago. As a sample of the way the train
 
 AND THE NATIONAL LINCOLN MONUMENT. 185 
 
 was run during the whole journey, I omit the time 
 table, but insert here the 
 
 RULES AND REGULATIONS. 
 
 1. The figures in Table represent the time upon which the Pi 
 lot Engine is to be run, and the funeral train will follow, leaving 
 each station ten minutes behind the figures of this table. 
 
 2. The funeral train will pass stations at a speed not exceeding 
 five miles an hour, the euginemau tolling his bell as the train passes 
 through the station and town. 
 
 3. Telegraph offices upon the entire route will be kept open 
 during the passage of the funeral train, and as soon as the train 
 has passed a station the operator witt at once give notice to that ef- 
 fect to the next telegraph station. 
 
 4. The pilot engine will pass no telegraph station without first 
 getting information of funeral train having paseed the last pre- 
 ceding telegraph station, coming to a full stop for that informa- 
 tion, if necessary. 
 
 5. Upon the entire route a safety signal will be shown at each 
 switch and bridge, and at entrance upon each curve, indicating 
 that att is safe for the passage of pilot and train each man in 
 charge of a signal knowing personally such to be the case, so far 
 as his foresight can provide for it. The signal from Indianapolis, 
 until reaching broad daylight, to be a white ligld, and from that point 
 to Chicago, a white flag, draped. 
 
 6. The engineman in charge of pilot engine will carry two red 
 lights in the night, and an American flag, draped, during daylight, 
 indicating that a train is following, and will also provide them- 
 selves with red lights, flags and extra men,,togive immediate notice 
 to the funeral train, in case of meeting with anything on the route 
 causing delay or detention. 
 
 7. The enginemeu in charge of the funeral train will keep a 
 sharp lookout for the pilot engine and its signals. 
 
 8. The pilot and funeral train will have entire right to the line 
 during its passage, and all engines and trains of every description 
 will be kept out of the way. 
 
 9. Each road forming the route will run its train upon its own 
 standard time.
 
 CHAPTER XX. 
 
 Notwithstanding the train departed in the middle of 
 the night from Indianapolis, formidable demonstra- 
 tions were made at Augusta, Zionsville, Whitestown, 
 Lebanon, Hazelrigg, Thorntown, Colfax, Stockwell 
 and many other points. The depots were draped in 
 mourning and other insignia of sorrow were visible, in 
 the light of bonfires and torches ; but the people were 
 assembled in large numbers at every point, to witness 
 the great funeral train. 
 
 Arrived at Lafayette at three o'clock and thirty-five 
 minutes, Monday morning, May 1. It was known 
 that the train would stop at this place but a few min- 
 utes, but it appeared to those on board as if all the 
 inhabitants of the city, and from many miles of the 
 surrounding country, were there. The depot was draped 
 in mourning, and the surrounding scene well lighted. 
 The bells of the city were tolled, and other manifesta- 
 tions of sorrow were visible. 
 
 From Lafayette, the stations of Tippecanoe Battle 
 Ground, Brookston, Chalmers, Reynolds, Bradford, 
 Francisville, Medaryville, Kankakee, LaCrosse, Wana- 
 tah, Westville, Lacroix and many other towns, the 
 depots were draped, and the people in many ways 
 demonstrated their sorrow for the loss of our Chief 
 Magistrate. 
 
 Michigan City, Indiana, eight o'clock a. m., May 1. 
 A bountiful breakfast was prepared for the entire fu- 
 neral party, in the main station house. Thirty-six 
 young ladies, representing the States of the Union, 
 and one representing the Goddess of Liberty, appeared
 
 THE NATIONAL, LINCOLN MONUMENT, 187 
 
 in appropriate costumes, and with a large number of 
 other ladies, appropriated the time assigned to the fu- 
 neral party for breakfast, in passing through the hearse 
 car to look on the coffin containing the remains of the 
 martyred President. 
 
 The funeral train approached the depot under a 
 large triple arch, which was surmounted by a tall flag- 
 staff, bearing the national colors trimmed with mourn- 
 ing, at half-mast. Portraits of the illustrious deceased 
 were suspended from the centre of each arch, wreathed 
 in evergreens, and surrounded by draped flags and 
 other insignia of sorrow. Among the mottoes dis- 
 played, were the following : 
 
 "Noblest martyr to Freedom; sacred thy dust; hallowed thy 
 resting place." 
 
 " With tears we resign thee to God and History.' 
 
 " The purposes of the Almighty are perfect, and must prevail." 
 
 " Our guiding star has fallen ; our nation mourns." 
 
 Here the funeral escort were joined by the Hon. 
 Schuyler Colfax and friends, and the citizen's com- 
 mittee of one hundred, who came out from Chicago on 
 a special train. After all had partaken of breakfast, 
 the train started for Chicago, at 8:35 a. m., over the 
 Michigan Central Railroad. 
 
 Arrived at Chicago at 11 o'clock a. m., Monday, 
 May 1. The train did not run to the Union depot, 
 but stopped a little more than one mile south, where a 
 temporary platform had been prepared, opposite Park 
 Place, a short street running from the lake shore one 
 square west, to Michigan avenue. Park Place is one 
 square north of Twelfth street, and is between that 
 street and Lake Park.
 
 188 THE GREAT FUNERAL CORTEGE, 
 
 Across the foot of Park Place a magnificent Funeral 
 Arch had been erected. It was built of wood, in the 
 Gothic style of architecture, and consisted of a central 
 arch thirty feet high in the clear, and twenty-four feet 
 wide, and two side arches, each eight feet wide in the 
 clear, and twenty feet high. The three arches and 
 their abutments, or columns, made a total width of fifty- 
 one feet. The total height of the central arch and 
 turrets was about forty feet. 
 
 This grand triple arch had two fronts, one east, the 
 other west. Fifty American flags, with mourning 
 drapery interwoven, were used in decorating the arches. 
 Busts and portraits of Lincoln were placed conspicu- 
 ously upon the arches. Two figures of an American 
 eagle were placed near the apex of the central arch 
 that on the east front folding its wings, as if at rest, 
 and the one on the west with wings extended, as if in 
 the act of taking flight. All three of the arches had 
 inscriptions on each front. Those on the east or lake 
 side were : 
 
 " Our Union ; cemented in patriot blood shall stand forever." 
 " An honest man is the noblest work of God." 
 
 " The poor man's champion ; the people mourn him. ' 
 On the west front : 
 
 " We honor him dead, who honored us while living." 
 
 " Kest in peace noble soul, patriot heart." 
 
 "Faithful to right, a martyr to justice." 
 Beneath the central arch was a platform or dais.
 
 AND THE NATIONAL LINCOLN MONUMENT. 189 
 
 The dais was covered with black velvet, ornamented 
 with silver fringe, and fastened with silver stars. Black 
 velvet hung in festoons on all sides, reaching nearly 
 to the ground. It was sufficiently elevated for those 
 at a distance to view it over the heads of the surround- 
 ing multitude. The area around the dais was large 
 enough to afford standing room for many thousands. 
 This area was filled to its utmost capacity long before 
 the hour of the expected arrival. 
 
 When the funeral train arrived at Park Place, a sig- 
 nal gun was fired, and the tolling of the bell on the 
 Court House announced the news to the citizens, but 
 there were already thousands and thousands of people 
 congregated in the vicinity of the funeral arch. The 
 vast multitude stood in profound silence, and rever- 
 ently uncovered their heads as the coffin was borne to 
 the dais beneath the grand arch, while the great West- 
 ern Light Guard Band performed the Lincoln Re- 
 quiem, composed for .the occasion. Thirty-six young 
 lady pupils of the High School, dressed in white and 
 banded with crape, then walked around the bier and 
 each deposited an immortelle on the coffin as she 
 passed. The coffin was then placed in the funeral car 
 or hearse, prepared expressly for the occasion, and the 
 funeral cortege passed out of Park Place into Michigan 
 avenue, and fell into procession in something like the 
 following order : 
 
 Police. 
 
 Band of music playing the Lincoln Requiem. 
 Chief Marshal Col. R. M. Hough and Major General Joseph 
 
 Hooker. 
 Assistant Marshal Col. J. L. Hancock, and Superintendent of 
 
 Police, William Turtle. 
 
 Major General Alfred Sully and staff. / 
 
 Brigadier General N. B. Buford and staff. 
 Brigadier General J. B. Sweet and staff; and 
 Military Band.
 
 190 THE GREAT FUNERAL CORTEGE, 
 
 Eighth Veteran Reserve Corps, Lieut. Col. Skinner, and four 
 hundred men, with arms reversed, and in mourning. 
 
 Military Band. 
 
 Fifteenth Regiment Veteran Reserve Corps, Lieut Col. Martin 
 Flood commanding, with four hundred men, arms 
 reversed and in mourning. 
 
 PALL BEAKERS. ^ PALL BEAHEES. 
 
 Hon. Lyman Trumbull, j^ Hon. Thomas Drurnmond, 
 
 Hon. John Wentworth, S Lt. Gov. William Bross, 
 
 rO 
 
 Hon. F. C. Sherman, f> Hon. J. B. Rice, 
 
 Hon. E. C. Lamed, Hon. S. W. Fuller, 
 
 Hon. F. A. Hoffman, Hon - T - B - Bryan, 
 
 Hon. J. R. Jones, & Hon. J. Young Scarnrnon. 
 
 Military Escort. 
 
 Capt. James McComly, of the 9th Veteran Reserve Corps ; First 
 Lieutenant J. R. Durkee, 7th U. S. I. ; Second Lieutenant E. 
 Murphy, 10th U. S. I. ; and twenty -five sergeants of the Veteran 
 Reserve Corps. 
 
 Guard of Honor, 
 
 Consisting of the general officers appointed by the Secretary of 
 War to accompany the remains from Washington to Springfield, 
 Illinois. 
 
 Two carriages contained the relatives and family friends. In 
 the first, rode the Rev. Dr. Gurley, pastor, and Niniau W. Ed- 
 wards and C. M. Smith, the two latter brothers-in-law of the Presi- 
 dent. In the second, rode Judge David Davis, of the U. S. Su 
 preme Court ; General W. W. Orme, and W. H. Hanna, Esq. 
 Illinois Delegation. 
 
 Gov. R. J. Oglesby, Hon. Jesse K. Dubois, Hon. Shelby M. 
 Cullom, Hon. D. L. Phillips, W. H. Hanna, Adjutant General 
 Isham N. Haynie, Col. James H. Bowen, E. F. Leonard, Dr. S. 
 H. Melvin, Hon. O. M. Hatch, Col. John Williams. 
 Congressional Committee. 
 
 Senator Nye, of Nevada; Senator Williams, of Oregon; Sena- 
 tor H. S. Lane, of Indiana; Senator J. H. Lane, of Kansas; Sena- 
 tors Howe and Doolittle, of Wisconsin; and George T. Brown, 
 Sergeaut-at-Arms of the U. S. Senate. Hon. Schuykr Colfax, 
 Speaker U. S. House of Representatives ; Hon. E. B. Washburn,
 
 AND THE NATIONAL LINCOLN MONUMENT. 391 
 
 Hon. B. C. Cook, Hon. J. O. Norton, the three latter from^ Illinois ; 
 Hon. J. K. Morehead and Hon. Joseph Bailey, of Pennsylvania; 
 Hon. J. C. Sloan, of Wisconsin ; Hon. J. F. Wilson, of Iowa ; 
 Hon. J. H. Farquhar, of Indiana; Hon. Sydney Clarke, of Kan- 
 sas; Hon. Thomas B. Shannon, of California; Hon. Charles E. 
 Phelps, of Maryland; Hon. Samuel Hooper, of Massachusetts; 
 Hon. T. W. Ferry, of Michigan ; Hon. W. A. Newell, of New 
 Jersey ; Hon. N. G. Ordway, Sergeaut-at-Arms U. 8. House of 
 Representatives. 
 
 Gov. O. P. Morton and staff, of Indiana ; Governor W. H. Wal- 
 lace, of Idaho Territory ; and Gov. William Pickering, of Wash- 
 ington Territory. 
 
 Representatives of the Press. 
 
 L. A. Gobright, of Washington City, and C. R. Morgan, both of 
 the Associated Press ; Dr. Adonis, of the Chicago Tribune; C. H. 
 Page, of the New York Tribune; U. H. Painter, of the Philadel- 
 phia Inquirer; and G. B. Woods, of the Boston Daily Advertiser. 
 
 Committee of One Hundred, 
 
 Appointed by the City Council of Chicago, " to proceed to Michi- 
 gan City, to receive the remains of President Lincoln, escort 
 them to Chicago, and accompany them to Springfield." The fol- 
 lowing catalogue contains the names of all the members of the 
 committee : 
 
 Ex-Mayors B. W. Raymond, J. L. Milliken, James H. Wood- 
 worth, J. S. Rumsey, Charles M. Gray, John C. Haines, Alexander 
 Lloyd, and A. S. Sherman ; Charles Randolph, N. K. Fairbanks, 
 J. S. Browuson, John C. Dore, John F. Beatty, Stephen Clary, 
 C. J. Wheeler, J. Maple, S. S. Hayes, Maucel Talcott, N. W. 
 Huntley, Aaron Gibbs, Judge J. B. Bradwell, Judge E. S. Wil- 
 liams, Judge E. Van Buren, H. T. Dickey, John Kinzie, H. D. Col- 
 vin, Thomas Hoyne, Elliot Anthony*, Ira Y. Munn, O. S. Hough, 
 Chas. H. Walker, D. R. Holt, W. D. Houghtelling, G. S. Hubbard, 
 R. MoChesney, Samuel Howe, I. Lawson, B. E. Gallup, J. K. Bots- 
 ford, A. B. Johnson, Judge Jos. E. Geary, J. M. Watson, Judge Van 
 H. Higgins, W. B. Brown, Mark Skinner, John Alston, S. P. A. 
 Healey, James H. G-oodsell, George M. Kimbark, Wrn. Wayman, 
 E. H. Sargent, C. G. Hammond, George C. Bates, Samuel Hoard, 
 Peter Page, W. H. Bradley, L. P. Hilliard, Dr. William Wagner, 
 J. S. Grindell, George Anderson, U. P. Harris, Dr. J. V. Z. Blaney,
 
 192 THE GREAT FUNERAL CORTEGE, 
 
 J. L. Marsh, J. H. McVicker, W. F. Tucker, Dr. J. P. Lynn, J. H. 
 Buruham, James Nulten, B. J. Patrick, Dr. D. Brainard, Matthew 
 Laflin, John B. Turner, S. B. Cobb, W. W. Boyington, Isaac Speer, 
 James W. Sheahan, Robert Hervey, M. L. Sykes, John B. Drake, 
 John L. Wilson, Luther Haven, George Schneider, W. L. Church, 
 John A. Wilson, Jacob Rehm, H. W. Bigelow, A. H. Blackall, 
 Charles L. Wilson, Joseph Meclill, A. C. Hesing, J. H. Field, 
 E. W. Blatchford, T. S. Blackstone, Gen. Julius White, Capt. 
 James Smith, J. V. Farwell, Robert H. Foss, L. Brentano, Win. 
 James, James Long, S. A. Goodwin, J. M. Van Osdel, M. W. 
 Fuller. 
 
 Charles L. Wilson was Chairman of the Committee of One 
 Hundred, and Col. James H. Bowen and TJ. P. Harris, Marshals. 
 
 Next came the Wisconsin Delegation, consisting of Gov. Lewis 
 and other State officers, the Mayor and Couucilmeu of the city 
 of Madison, and several hundred citizens. 
 
 After the Wisconsin Delegation, came a body of about fifty 
 clergymen all the principal denominations being represented. 
 
 The remainder of the procession was separated into 
 five grand divisions, each under a marshal, with a staff 
 or corps of aids. The procession was made up of soci- 
 eties of almost every kind known to the country. 
 Military organizations innumerable ; Board of Trade ; 
 Mercantile Association ; about one thousand Free 
 Masons, and as many Odd Fellows, appeared in the 
 line. Then there were Union Leagues, Fenian Soci- 
 eties, and many Roman Catholic Societies, Hebrew 
 Societies, Trades Societies and Unions, students of 
 Chicago University, Druids and societies belonging to 
 citizens from European countries, such as the Holland 
 and Belgian Society, French Benevolent Society, Ger- 
 man Societies in large numbers, Scandinavian, Bohe- 
 mian, Irish, English and others. About four hundred 
 colored citizens bearing the mottoes : 
 
 " We mourn our loss," 
 
 1 Rest in peace, with a nation's tears."
 
 AND THE NATIONAL LINCOLN MONUMENT. 193 
 
 The Chicago Fire Department brought up the rear. 
 
 It is worthy of remark, that of the military who 
 took part in the funeral honors, there was a full regi- 
 ment of infantry, which was composed of men who 
 had been in the rebel army, and, after taking the oath 
 of allegiance, at the several prison camps, were re- 
 cruited into the government service. 
 
 To attempt a detailed description of the procession 
 would only result in failure. It was a wilderness of 
 banners and flags, with their mottoes and inscriptions. 
 The estimated number of persons in line was thirty- 
 seven thousand, and there were three times as many 
 more who witnessed the procession by crowding into 
 the streets bordering on the line of march, making 
 about one hundred and fifty thousand who were on the 
 streets of Chicago that day, to add their tribute of re- 
 spect to the memory of Abraham Lincoln. 
 
 The line of march was from the Lake shore, at the 
 foot of Park Row, or Park Place, west on that street 
 to Michigan avenue, thence north on Michigan avenue 
 to Lake street, west on Lake to Clark street, south on 
 Clark to the east gate of the Court House square, 
 and inside the square to the south door of the Court 
 House. The remains reached the Court House at a 
 quarter before one o'clock, passing in under the in- 
 scription : 
 
 " Illinois clasps to her bosom her slain and glorified son." 
 Over the north door was inscribed : 
 
 " The beauty of Israel is slain upon her high places." 
 
 A gorgeous catafalque had been erected in the centre 
 of the rotunda, directly beneath the dome. The coffin 
 was placed on the platform or dais within the cata- 
 falque, and the entire procession passed through the 
 rotunda in the order observed in marching through 
 the streets. This was done before the coffin was 
 13
 
 194 THE GREAT FUNERAL CORTEGE, 
 
 opened. The embalmers and assistants spent a short 
 time in preparing the remains, and the people were ad- 
 mitted. By midnight, it was estimated that forty 
 thousand people passed through the Court House and 
 looked upon the face of the dead President. 
 
 Whilst the people are filing past the remains, we will 
 leave them and go back to review the route of the pro- 
 cession from its starting point to the Court House. 
 The whole distance was guarded on either side by 
 strong ropes, stretched along near the outer edge of 
 the side walks. The streets were occupied entirely by 
 the procession, and the side walks by spectators. The 
 grand triple arch, with its inscriptions and mourning 
 decorations, has been described. The residences and 
 business houses, on either side of the streets along 
 which the cortege moved, were among the finest build- 
 ings of their kind in the world, and their owners had 
 been lavish in the expenditure of money in draping 
 them with mourning insignia and otherwise decorating 
 them. Language would utterly fail to describe this 
 part of the scene, and I shall content myself by quoting 
 a small number of the hundreds of*mottoes displayed 
 and in describing some of these houses. 
 
 ".Mournfully, tenderly, bear on the dead." 
 
 " Our Country's Martyr." 
 
 The mansion of Lieutenant Governor Bross was 
 beautifully draped with black and white crape, inter- 
 woven with the national colors. 
 
 The mansion of Hon. J. Y. Scammon bore on its 
 front a bust of Abraham Lincoln, surrounded with 
 wreaths of immortelles, and surmounted on the back 
 ground by a cherub. The anchor of Hope was beauti- 
 fully arranged among the mourning drapery. 
 
 On another house was displayed the motto : 
 
 " We mourn our beloved President."
 
 AND THE NATIONAL, LINCOLN MONUMENT. 195 
 
 The residence of Bishop Duggan, of the Roman 
 Catholic Church, displayed the national flags of Ireland 
 and America intertwined. 
 
 Other houses bore such inscriptions as the following : 
 
 " In sorrowing grief, the nation's tears are spent, 
 Humanity has lost a friend, and we a President." 
 
 " Bear him gently to his rest" 
 
 Beneath a marble bust of the President, surrounded 
 ' by thirty-six golden stars, was inscribed : 
 
 " We loved him much, but now we love him more." 
 One of the banners bore the inscription : 
 " Ours the cross Thine the crown." 
 On a banner hanging over a bust of Lincoln was : 
 
 " Freedom's noblest sacrifice." 
 At the Soldiers' Rest, this quotation was displayed : 
 
 " EMANCIPATION PROCLAMATION." 
 
 " Upon this act, I invoke the considerate judgment of mankind, 
 and the gracious favor of Almighty God." 
 
 And there were many others, such as : 
 
 " To Union may our heartfelt call 
 And brotherly love attune us all." 
 
 " Nations swell thy funeral cry." 
 
 " Young, old, high and low, 
 The same devotion show."
 
 196 THE GREAT FUNERAL CORTEGE, 
 
 " And over the coffin man planteth hope." 
 
 " Though dead, he yet speaketh." 
 
 " He won the wreath of fame, 
 And wrote on Memory's scroll a deathless name. 
 
 " Look how honor glorifies the dead." 
 
 1 Know ye not that a great man has fallen this day in Israel." 
 
 " The great Emancipator." 
 
 " He left us sustained by our prayers, 
 He returns embalmed in our tears." 
 
 I might continue these quotations almost indefinitely, 
 but I have given enough to indicate the spirit that per- 
 vaded all hearts. Thousands and tens of thousands of 
 dollars were expended in decorating the buildings with 
 mourning drapery. The triple arch was designed, con- 
 structed and decorated under the superintendence of 
 the well known architect, W. W. Boyington. The 
 decorations at the Court House were designed and 
 executed under the superintendence of the other equally 
 well known architect, J. M. Van Osdel. The cata- 
 falque was equal in design, execution and costliness of 
 material, to any that have been described. To attempt 
 a minute description would only bewilder the under- 
 standing. 
 
 Solemn music, both vocal and instrumental, was per- 
 formed at intervals during the entire night. At mid- 
 night, several hundred German voices chanted a re- 
 quiem in the rotunda with thrilling effect. Brigadier 
 General Sweet appointed a guard of honor from the
 
 AND THE NATIONAL LINCOLN MONUMENT. 197 
 
 Veteran Reserve Corps, to relieve those who had acted 
 in that capacity from Washington. Their services 
 were not required, for the reason that fifty Illinois offi- 
 cers, formerly serving in the army and navy, had 
 already tendered their services, through Gen. Julius 
 White, to act as Guard of Honor to the remains while 
 in Chicago, and had been accepted by Gen. Townsend. 
 They were appointed as follows : 
 
 First relief, Col. Edward Daniels ; second relief, Col. 
 Hasbrouck Davis ; third relief, Lieut. Col. Arthur C. 
 Ducat ; fourth relief, Capt. R. L. Law, U. S. N. 
 
 Each officer of relief had nine officers under him, 
 who, for the time, acted as Guard of Honor. The 
 following was the full guard : 
 
 Col. Hasbrouck Davis, Col. Edward Daniels, Lieut. Col. Arthur 
 C. Ducat, Capt. R. L. Law, U. S. N. ; Lieut. Col. T. W. Grosvenor, 
 Lieut. Col. S. McClevy, Maj. M. Thieman, Maj. John McCarthy, 
 Maj. J. B. Kimball, Chief Engineer, U. S. N. ; Maj. Walter B. 
 Scates, Maj. Charles Ehoon, Brev. Maj. L. Bridges; Captains W. S. 
 Swayne, James Dugane, F. Busse, Edward Went, Z. B. Greenleaf, 
 Henry Konkle, John McAssen, Samuel A. Love, G. W. Hills, 
 H. 8. Goodspeed, R. N. Hayden, J. M. Leish, B. A. Busse, P. H. 
 Adolph, J. G. Langgarth, C. G. Adoc, Wm. Cunningham ; Lieu- 
 tenants N. S. Bouton, C. George, W. P. Barclay, M. Shields, J. S. 
 Mitchell, G. S. Bigelow, R. J. Bellamy, R. S. Sheridan, Harry 
 Briggs, F. A. Munge, J. H. Hills, A. Russell, C. H. Gladding. 
 
 The skill and cool judgment of Col. R. M. Hough, 
 in handling forty thousand men in the crowded streets 
 of a city like Chicago, was equal to managing twice 
 the number on open ground, and won the praise of all 
 the military men who participated in the procession. 
 A citizen of Chicago, while the people were pouring 
 through the Court House by thousands, to look at the 
 remains of Abraham Lincoln, was heard to say : 
 
 " I have seen three deceased Kings of England lying 
 in state, but never have witnessed a demonstration so
 
 198 THE GEEAT FUNERAL CORTEGE, 
 
 vast in its proportions, so unanimous and spontaneous, 
 as that which has been evoked by the arrival in the 
 city of the remains of the fallen President." 
 
 The three kings referred to were, George the Third, 
 who, after a reign of sixty years, died in the eighty- 
 third year of his age, January 29, 1820; George the 
 Fourth, who died June 26, 1830 ; and William the 
 Fourth, who died June 20, 1837, and was succeeded 
 by his niece, Queen Victoria. 
 
 The Chicago Times of May 3, speaking of the mani- 
 festations of sorrow and respect, says : 
 
 " The bitterest of his political opponents in life, vied with his 
 warmest adherents in speaking words of appreciation and esteem. 
 Some of the most touching and characteristic reminiscences of his 
 personal traits, and of his private deeds, were contributed with 
 tearful eye and broken voice by his former opponents. 
 
 "All joined heartily and liberally in preparation for the cere- 
 monies, which yesterday and the day before were to put the seal 
 of the people's approbation on his character and acts in the eye 
 of the world. If men no longer went about their preparations 
 with heavy and o'erburdened hearts, they did so with subdued 
 and kindly ones. All was done with a tenderness more touching 
 than the most uncontrollable passion of grief could be. When 
 the sacred remains were brought through the streets and deposited 
 in the keeping of the people of the city, there were no downcast 
 countenances, but none that were not sad and pitiful. There 
 were no loud voices in the unnumbered throngs. Men expressed 
 themselves in subdued tones, and often nothing would be heard 
 but the indescribable murmur of ten thousand voices, modulated 
 to a whisper, and the careful tread of countless feet on the damp 
 pavement of the streets. It was the entire population of a great 
 city in. mourning, conscious of what was due alike to herself and 
 the honored dead." 
 
 After having been exposed to view from four o'clock 
 p. m., May 1, to eight p. m., May 2, the scene was 
 closed by the Court House doors shutting out the
 
 AND THE NATIONAL LINCOLN MONUMENT. 199 
 
 throng that was still pouring in. At half-past eight 
 the Court House was cleared of all except the guard 
 and the choir. The coffin was then closed and borne 
 upon the shoulders of the Sergeants of the Veteran 
 Reserve Corps down the south steps to the funeral car. 
 The Light Guard Band performed a requiem as the 
 remains were being transferred. An immense proces- 
 sion, bearing about three thousand torches, was already 
 in line, to escort the remains to the depot. At a quar- 
 ter before nine o'clock, it moved to the time of numer- 
 ous bands of music. The route lay west on Washing- 
 ton street to Market, south cm Market to Madison, 
 west on Madison, by the Madison street bridge, to 
 Canal street, on the west side, thence south on Canal 
 street to the depot of the Chicago, Alton & St. Louis 
 Railroad. While the preparations for starting were in 
 progress, the choir continued to sing funeral dirges, 
 and the twenty-five Sergeants of the the Veteran Re- 
 serve Corps stood around the funeral car with drawn 
 swords. At half-past nine o'clock, the funeral cortege 
 moved slowly out of the depot to the strains of a fu- 
 neral march by the band, while the bells of the city 
 tolled a solemn farewell to all that was mortal of 
 Abraham Lincoln. 
 
 Some idea may be formed of the princely style of 
 the reception and passage of the funeral cortege through 
 Chicago, from the fact that the City Council paid bills 
 for expenses incurred in erecting the funeral arch at 
 Park Place, and decorating the Court House, to the 
 amount of about fifteen thousand dollars. This was 
 probably not more than a tithe of the total expendi- 
 ture by citizens and asssociations.
 
 CHAPTER XXI. 
 
 The remains had tarried so long at Chicago, while 
 such extensive preparations were in progress at 
 Springfield, it would not have been surprising if 
 the people along the line had contented themselves 
 with visiting one or the other of those places, and 
 had omitted any demonstrations at the respective 
 towns and cities along the route, but the love in the 
 hearts of the people of Illinois for the memory of 
 Abraham Lincoln would not permit them to be so 
 easily satisfied. 
 
 At Bridgeport, in the very suburbs of Chicago, the 
 people had kindled bonfires, and with torches lighted 
 the way as the train moved slowly along. Crowds of 
 spectators were at Summit and Willow Springs stations, 
 and at the town of Lemont. 
 
 Lockport, 11:33 p. m., Tuesday, May 2. An im- 
 mense bonfire was burning, minute guns firing, and 
 the track lined with people holding torches. The 
 glare of light revealed the mourning drapery on almost 
 every building, and many mottoes expressive of the. 
 feelings of the people. None elicited more sympathetic 
 feeling than the simple words, 
 
 "Come Home," 
 
 Joliet. It was midnight and raining. At least 
 twelve thousand people were assembled at the depot. 
 Bonfires lighted up the scene, and the cortege was 
 greeted by minute guns, tolling of bells, and funeral 
 dirges by a band of music. An immense arch spanned
 
 THE NATIONAL, LINCOLN MONUMENT. 201 
 
 the track, decked with flags, evergreens and the insignia 
 of mourning. The arch was surmounted by a figure 
 representing the Genius of America, weeping. Among 
 the mottoes, the most impressive was, 
 
 "Champion, defender and martyr of liberty." 
 
 As the train moved away, a number of ladies and 
 gentlemen, on an elevated platform, were singing, 
 
 " There is rest for thee in heaven." 
 
 At Elwood and Hampton both very small places 
 the people had kindled large bonfires to enable them to 
 take a passing view of the funeral train. 
 
 Wilmington, one o'clock, a. m., Wednesday, May 3. 
 Minute guns announced the arrival of the train, and a 
 line of men with torches was drawn up on each side 
 of the track. The depot was draped in mourning and 
 about two thousand people were present to view the 
 grand funeral cortege. 
 
 At Gardner all the houses to be seen were draped in 
 mourning and illuminated, while crowds of people were 
 at the depot. 
 
 Dwight, two o'clock, a. m., May 3. Minute guns 
 and the tolling of bells announced the arrival of the 
 cortege. The American flag was displayed, and all 
 the buildings in view were draped in mourning. 
 The entire population appeared to be out of doors de- 
 sirous to pay their respects to the memory of Lincoln. 
 Some of the escort recognized this as the place where 
 the Prince of Wales and his royal party were enter- 
 tained. 
 
 Minute guns, tolling of bells, bonfires, funeral dirges 
 and the insignia of mourning made up the demon- 
 strations at Odell, Cayuga, Pontiac, Chenoa and Lex- 
 ington. 
 
 Towanda, 4:30 a. m., May 3. A large assemblage 
 of people were at the depot anxious to testify their sor- 
 row and respect for the distinguished martyr. This is 
 the highest point between Chicago and St. Louis, being
 
 202 THE GREAT FUNERAL CORTEGE, 
 
 one hundred and twenty-eight feet above the water of 
 Lake Michigan. 
 
 Bloomington, five o'clock, a. m., May 3. A large 
 arch over the track bears the inscription, " Go to thy 
 Rest." The depot was handsomely draped in mourn- 
 ing, and about five thousand persons were assembled 
 to testify their respect for the distinguished statesman. 
 There would, no doubt, have been greater demonstra- 
 tions at Bloomington, but a considerable number of the 
 citizens visited Chicago, and a very large delegation 
 had already gone, or were then on the point of going 
 to Springfield to participate in the procession and other 
 demonstrations of respect and mourning. 
 
 At Shirley, a large number of people were present, 
 with sad countenances, to view the imposing funeral 
 cortege as it glided by. 
 
 At McLean, minute guns, tolling bells, and singing 
 by a choir of ladies contributed with mournful effect 
 to the occasion, which called out almost the entire 
 population. 
 
 Atlanta, six o'clock, a. m., May 3. Minute guns and 
 the fife and muffled drum greeted the funeral cortege 
 at this place, just as the sun arose in splendor over the 
 beautiful prairies. A large number of people had as- 
 sembled, and portraits of Abraham Lincoln with em- 
 blems of mourning were everywhere visible. Among 
 the mottoes were, 
 
 " Mournfully, tenderly, bear him to his grave." 
 
 " He saved our country and freed a race." 
 
 Lincoln, 111., 7 a. m., May 3. This town was 
 named for Abraham Lincoln, by some personal friends 
 before he was known to fame. The depot was appro- 
 priately draped in mourning, and ladies dressed in 
 white, trimmed with black, sang a requiem as the train 
 passed under a handsomely constructed arch, on each
 
 AND THE NATIONAL, LINCOLN MONUMENT. 203 
 
 column of which was a portrait of the deceased Presi- 
 dent. The arch bore as a motto : 
 
 " With malice to none, with charity for all." 
 
 The national colors were prominently displayed, and a 
 profusion of evergreens, with black and white drapings, 
 completed the artistic decorations. 
 
 At Elkhart, a beautiful arch spanned the track, orna- 
 mented with evergreens and national flags, all draped 
 in mourning. The arch was surmounted by a cross 
 formed of evergreens and bearing the motto : 
 
 " Ours the cross, thine the crown." 
 
 At Williamsville, the houses were nearly all draped 
 in mourning, with a profuse display of small flags and 
 portraits of the late President. An arch spanned the 
 track here, also, which bore the inscription : 
 
 " He has fulfilled his mission." 
 
 Springfield, 111., 9 a. m., Wednesday, May 3, 1865. 
 The train arrived one hour later than schedule time, 
 so little did it deviate from the time table arranged be- 
 fore leaving Washington twelve days previous. The 
 trains on all the roads for the twenty-four hours before 
 the expected arrival of the funeral cortege, brought in 
 passengers by thousands. The greatest anxiety was 
 manifested by the people to be present at the reception 
 of the remains of Abraham Lincoln. Long previous 
 to the time appointed for their arrival, crowds were col- 
 lected at the depot of the Chicago & Alton Railroad, 
 and extended along the line of the road several squares 
 north. Every building in the vicinity was covered 
 with spectators. Hundreds of men who could not 
 find standing or sitting room near the depot, walked 
 up Fourth and Fifth streets to the crossing near the 
 northern limits of the city. Every class of people was
 
 204 THE GREAT FUNERAL CORTEGE, 
 
 represented in the assembled multitude. Minute guns 
 were fired by a section of Battery K, Second Missouri 
 Light Artillery. A few minutes before nine o'clock, 
 the pilot engine made its appearance. The ten minutes 
 between its arrival and that of the funeral train, were 
 occupied by Gen. Cook in bringing to their proper pla- 
 ces the committee of reception, members of the several 
 delegations, the military and the civic societies. 
 
 As soon as the funeral car came along side of the 
 depot, the coffin was transferred to the beautiful hearse 
 which had been tendered for the occasion by Messrs. 
 Lynch & Arnot, of St. Louis, through mayor Thomas 
 of that city, and accepted by mayor Dennis of Spring- 
 field. The hearse was built in Philadelphia, at a cost 
 of about six thousand dollars, and was larger and longer 
 than the ordinary size. It had been used at the funeral 
 of the Hon. Thomas H. Benton. After the offer was 
 accepted, the proprietors had it additionally ornamented 
 with a silver plate engraving of the initials "A. L." 
 around which was a silver wreath, with two inverted 
 torches and thirty-six silver stars, representing the States 
 of the Union. It was drawn by six superb black hor- 
 ses, draped in mourning, and wearing plumes on their 
 crests. - The horses belonged to Messrs. Lynch & Arnot 
 also, and were driven on this occasion by Mr. A. Arnot, 
 without the aid of grooms. 
 
 The procession moved in the following order : 
 
 Brig. Gen. John Cook and staff. 
 
 The 146th regiment Illinois Volunteer Infantry, Col. H. H. Deane ; 
 
 one company of the 46th regiment of Wisconsin Volunteer 
 
 Infantry, Capt. Chase, and Company E. Veteran 
 
 Reserve Corps, under Lieut. Cornelius. 
 The above organizations were acting as a military funeral escort. 
 
 Band. 
 Maj. Gen. Joseph Hooker and staff.
 
 AND THE NATIONAL LINCOLN MONUMENT. 205 
 PALL BBARER8. PALL BEARERS. 
 
 Hon. Jesse K. Dubois, Erastus Wright, Esq. 
 
 Hon. S. T. Logan, y Jacob Bunu, Esq. 
 
 Hon. W. F. Elkiu, j Chas. W. Matheuy, Esq. 
 
 Hon. Gustavus Kceruer, GO Capt. James N. Brown, 
 
 Hon. S. H. Treat, Col. John Williams, 
 
 James L. Lamb, Esq. Dr. Gershom Jayue. 
 
 Guard of Honor. 
 
 Composed of the same general officers who were appointed by 
 the Secretary of War to accompany the remains to Springfield. 
 Also, the Commissary of Subsistence, Embalmer and Undertaker. 
 
 Relatives and family friends. 
 
 Among the latter were the Rev. Dr. P. D. Gurley, Pastor of the 
 deceased, and Judge David Davis of the U. S. Supreme Court. 
 
 Illinois Delegation, named in another place. 
 
 Congressional Committee, or Delegation, named in another place. 
 
 Gentlemen from Washington, D. C. Hon. Richard Wallach, 
 
 Mayor, and Col. Ward H. Lamon, U. S. Marshal for the 
 
 District of Columbia. 
 
 [It is worthy of remark here, that three of the men 
 who left Springfield with Mr. Lincoln, February 11, 
 1861, returned with his remains, viz. : Major General 
 David Hunter, Judge David Davis and Col. Ward H. 
 Lamon.] 
 
 Members of the Illinois State Legislature. 
 Governors of the different States. 
 
 Delegation from Kentucky. 
 
 Chicago Committee of one hundred. 
 
 Springfield Committee of Reception. 
 
 Judges of the several Courts. 
 
 The Reverend Clergy. 
 
 Officers of the Army and Navy then in service or honorably dis- 
 charged. 
 Civic Societies. 
 Citizens generally. 
 
 The procession moved from the depot east on Jeffer- 
 son street to Fifth, south on Fifth to Monroe, east on
 
 206 THE GREAT FUNERAL CORTEGE, 
 
 Monroe to Sixth, north on Sixth to the State House 
 Square, entering through the east gate, and by the north 
 door of the State House to Representatives' Hall, in the 
 west end of the building, second story, where the cof- 
 fin was placed on a dais, within a magnificent catafalque 
 prepared for the occasion. 
 
 A few minutes after ten o'clock all being in readi- 
 ness, the doors were opened and the vast multitude be- 
 gan to file through the hall to view the remains. They 
 entered the Capitol at the north door, ascended the 
 stairway in the rotunda and entered Representatives' 
 Hall at the north door, passed by the catafalque, out at 
 the south door, then down the stairway and made their 
 exit from the Capitol at the south side.
 
 CHAPTER XXII. 
 
 We will turn our attention for a time from the crowds 
 of people, and view the preparations for this reception. 
 For ten days a large number of men and women worked 
 almost night and day in decorating the State House. 
 The whole building was draped in mourning on the 
 exterior ; and the rotunda and Representatives' Hall on 
 the interior, and the entrance to the Governor's room, 
 the rooms of the Secretary of State, Auditor of State 
 and Superintendent of Public Instruction. Part of the 
 time there were one hundred and fifty persons at work. 
 The ladies of Springfield bore their full share in these 
 arduous labors. I have been furnished with the fol- 
 lowing figures by a prominent citizen of this city, who 
 prepared some of the designs for decorations. I shall 
 not attempt a description of the ornamental work, but 
 will give a few facts by which some idea of their gor- 
 geous beauty may be conveyed. About fifteen hund- 
 red yards of black and white goods were used in the 
 decorations, exclusive of the catafalque. In its con- 
 struction and decoration, black cloth, black velvet, 
 black, blue and white silk and crape, with silver stars 
 and silver lace and fringe, were used in the greatest 
 profusion. The canopy of the catafalque was made of 
 velvet, festooned with satin and silver fringe. It was 
 lined on the under side with blue silk, studded with 
 silver stars. Three hundred yards of velvet and mourn- 
 ing goods, and three hundred yards of silver lace and 
 fringe, besides a vast quantity of other materials, were 
 used in its construction. Each of the six columns was 
 surmounted with a rich plume.
 
 208 THE GEEAT FUNERAL CORTEGE, 
 
 Evergreens and flowers interwoven with crape, hung 
 in festoons from capitals, columns and cornices in all 
 parts of the building. Two hundred vases of natural 
 flowers in full bloom, emitted their fragrance through- 
 out the edifice. Nearly all of them were furnished free 
 of cost by Michael Doyle, horticulturist, of Springfield. 
 Mottoes and inscriptions were displayed at various 
 places about the hall, but I can only give place to two 
 of them : 
 
 " Washington the Father, Lincoln the Saviour." 
 
 "Rather than surrender that principle I would be assassinated 
 on this spot." 
 
 The Governor's mansion, the old Lincoln residence, 
 the military headquarters of Gen. Cook and Gen. Oakes, 
 were decorated, externally, similar to the State House. 
 Of the twenty thousand dollars appropriated by the 
 City Council of Springfield, to be expended in prepa- 
 rations for the funeral, less than fifteen thousand were 
 used. Part of it was expended in building the tempo- 
 rary vault on the new State House grounds, paying 
 railroad charges on some carriages from Jacksonville, 
 the hearse from St. Louis, and the expenses of musi- 
 cians and the orator; but much the largest portion of 
 the whole amount was laid out in decorating the build- 
 ings above named. This, however, was only a small 
 part of the money thus expended, for the whole city 
 was draped in mourning, business houses, private resi- 
 dences and all, and in many instances they were as 
 richly decorated as the public buildings. 
 
 It was well known that the hotels could not accom- 
 modate a tithe of the strangers who would be in attend- 
 ance, and private families who could do so, made prepa- 
 rations and invited to their houses such as could not 
 otherwise be provided for. The six organizations of 
 Free Masons in Springfield, viz. : four lodges, one
 
 AND THE NATIONAL, LINCOLN MONUMENT. 209 
 
 chapter and one commandery, made equal appropria- 
 tions from their several treasuries, procured one of the 
 largest halls in the city, filled it with tables, and kept 
 them supplied with well cooked food prepared by the 
 families of their members. This dining hall was in- 
 tended to be free to masons only who should be in 
 attendance, but many others partook of their bounty 
 also.. As for sleeping, there was not much of that done 
 in Springfield on the night the remains of Abraham 
 Lincoln were exposed to view. 
 
 Strangers who were in the city on this occasion for 
 the first time, almost invariably visited the former resi- 
 dence of Abraham Lincoln, at the north east corner of 
 Eighth and Jackson streets. As already stated, it was 
 elaborately and tastefully decorated with the national 
 colors and the insignia of sorrow. The committee of 
 escort from Chicago, numbering one hundred although 
 business engagements prevented part of their number 
 visiting Springfield assembled near the residence and 
 had their photographs taken in a group, in connection 
 with the house, to be preserved as a memorial of their 
 mournful visit. The photograph was by an artist from 
 Chicago, who accompanied the escort to Springfield for 
 the purpose of taking views of the State House, the 
 closing scenes at Oak Ridge, and other objects of in- 
 terest. 
 
 From the time the coffin was opened, at ten o'clock 
 on the morning of May third, there was no cessation 
 of visitors. All through the still hours of the night, 
 no human voices were heard except in subdued tones ; 
 but the tramp, tramp, of busy feet, as men and women 
 filed through the State House, up one flight of stairs, 
 through the hall, and down another stairway, testified 
 the love and veneration for Abraham Lincoln in the 
 hearts of his old friends and neighbors. While the 
 closing scenes were being enacted, a choir of two hundred 
 and fifty singers, accompanied by Lebrun's Washington 
 band, of twenty performers, from St. Louis, assembled 
 
 14
 
 210 THE GREAT FUNERAL CORTEGE, 
 
 on the steps of the Capitol, and, under the direction of 
 Professor Meissner, sang 
 
 "Peace, troubled soul." 
 
 The coffin was closed at ten o'clock on the morning 
 of May 4th, and while it was being conveyed to the 
 hearse the choir sang Pleyel's Hymn : 
 
 " Children of the Heavenly King." 
 
 The funeral procession was then formed in the fol- 
 lowing order, under the immediate direction of Major 
 General Joseph Hooker, Marshal-in-Chief : 
 
 Brig. Gen. John Cook and staff. 
 Brig. Geii. James Oakes and staff 
 
 Military. 
 Funeral Escort. 
 
 First Division. Col. C. M. Prevost, 16th Reg. V. R. C., Mar- 
 shal. AIDS : Lieut. Thomas B. Beach, A. A. A. Gen. ; Maj. Hor- 
 ace Holt, 1st Mass. Heavy Artillery ; Capt. J. C. Reuuisou, 15th 
 N. Y. Cavalry ; Capt. E. C. Raymond, 124th 111. Inf. ; Capt. Eddy, 
 95th 111. Inf. ; Lieut. H. N. Schlick, 1st N. Y. Dragoons. 
 
 This division consisted entirely of Infantry, Cavalry 
 and Artillery. 
 
 Second Division. Mnj. F. Bridgman, Pay Department, U. S. 
 Army, Marshal. AIDS: Maj. R. W. McClaugliry and Maj. W. W. 
 White. 
 
 This division was composed of officers and enlisted 
 men of the Army and Navy, not otherwise assigned, 
 officers in uniform and side arms. 
 
 Maj. Gen. John A. McClernand was the chief marshal of the 
 civic department of the procession. AIDS: Lieut. Col. Schwartz, 
 Capt. Henry Jayne, Capt. R. Rudolph, Capt. Benjamin Ferguson, 
 Hon. Charles Keys, W. M. Springer, E. E. Myers, Ed. L. Merritt, 
 N. Higgins.
 
 AND THE NATIONAL LINCOLN MONUMENT. 211 
 
 The command of Gen. McClernand commenced 
 with the 
 
 Third Division. Col. Dudley Wickersham, of the 1st Army 
 Corps, Marshal. AIDS: Joshua Rogers, Isaac A..Hawley, W. F. 
 Kimber, J. B. Perkins. 
 
 Marshals of Sections Col. W. 8. Barnum, Capt. A. J. Allen, 
 Col. S. N. Hitt, Clinton L. Conkling, Robert P. Officer, W. Smith 
 and Capt. T. G. Barnes. 
 
 Orator of the Day and Officiating Clergymen Rev. Dr. Simp- 
 son, Bishop of the M. E. Church and Orator of the Day ; Rev. Dr. 
 Gurley ; Rev. Dr. N. W. Miner ; Rev. Dr. Harkey ; Rev. Albert 
 Hale ; Rev. A. C. Hubbard, and others. 
 
 Surgeons and Physicians of the Deceased. 
 
 PALL BEAKERS. PALL BEAREK8. 
 
 Hon. Jesse K. Dubois, Erastus Wright, Esq. 
 
 Hon. S. T. Logan, t=J Hon. J. N. Brown, 
 
 Hon. Gustavus Kcerner, j Jacob Bunn, Esq. 
 
 James L. Lamb, Esq. C. W. Matheny, Esq. 
 
 Hon. S. H. Treat, Elijah lies, Esq. 
 
 Col. John Williams, Hon. John T. Stuart. 
 
 "Old Bob." or " Robin," the old horse formerly ridden by 
 Abraham Lincoln in his political campaigns and law practice, off 
 the lines of railroad. He was about sixteen years old, and was led 
 by two colored grooms. 
 
 Guard of Honor, in carriages, as follows : Brevet Brig. Gen. E. 
 D. Townsend ; Brevet Brig. Gen. Charles Thomas ; Brig. Gen. A. 
 B. Eaton ; Brevet Maj. Gen. J. G. Barnard ; Brig. Gen. G. D. 
 Ramsay ; Brig. Gen. A. P. Howe ; Brevet Brig. Gen. D. C. Mc- 
 Callum; Maj. Gen. D. Hunter; Brig. Gen. J. C. Caldwell; Brig. 
 Gen. Elkin: Rear Admiral C. H. Davis; Capt. W. R. Taylor, U. 
 S. Navy ; Maj. T. H. Field, U. S. Marine Corps. 
 
 Relatives and Family Friends, in Carriages. 
 
 Fourth Division. Col. Speed Butler, Marshal. AIDS : Maj. 
 Robert Allen, Capt. Louis Rosette and Capt. Albert Williams. 
 
 Marshals of Sections William Bennett, H. W. Ives, Philip C. 
 Latham, William V. Roll, K. H. Richardson, J. E. Williams and 
 J. D. Crabb.
 
 212 THE GREAT FUNERAL, CORTEGE, 
 
 Congressional Committe or Delegation. 
 
 Senate Hon. Messrs. James W. Nye of Nevada, George H. Wil- 
 liams of Oregon, Henry S. Lane of Indiana, John B. Henderson 
 of Missouri, Lyman Trumbull and Richard Yates of Illinois, Howe 
 and Doolittle of Wisconsin, Foote of Vermont, Chandler of 
 Michigan, and George T. Brown, Sergeant-at-arms of the U. 8. 
 Senate. 
 
 House of Representatives Hon. Schuyler Colfax, Speaker; Hon. 
 Messrs. Pike of Maine, Rollins of New Hampshire, Baxter of 
 Connecticut, Harris of New York, Cowan of Pennsylvania, Farns- 
 worth, Washburn, Cook, Norton and Arnold, of Illinois, Morehead 
 and Bailey of Pennsylvania, Sloan of Wisconsin, Wilson of Iowa, 
 Farquhar of Indiana, Clarke of Kansas, Shannon of California, 
 Phelps of Maryland, Hooper of Massachusetts, Ferry of Michi- 
 gan, Newell of New Jersey, Whaley of West Virginia, Schenck 
 of Ohio, Smith of Kentucky, Ramsay of Minnesota, Hitchcock 
 of Nebraska, and S. G. Ordway, Sergeant-at-arms of the U. S. 
 House of Representatives. 
 
 Territorial Representatives Hon. Messrs. Bradford, of Colorado, 
 and Weed, of Dacotah. 
 
 A portion of those who are named among the Con- 
 gressional Delegation did not attend, but of those who 
 were certainly with the funeral cortege from the begin- 
 ning to the end of the journey, were the Hon. Messrs. 
 Williams, of Oregon, Nye, of Nevada, Washburn, of 
 Illinois, Morehead, of Pennsylvania, Hooper, of Massa- 
 chusetts, and Schenck, of Ohio. Some of the Mem- 
 bers of Congress from Illinois were in the 
 
 Illinois Delegation. 
 
 Governor R. J. Oglesby, Hons. Jesse K. Dubois, Shelby M. 
 Cullom and D. L. Phillips, Adjt. Gen. Isham N. Haynie, Col. J. 
 H. Bowen, W. H. Hauna, E. F. Leonard, Dr. S. H. Melvin, Hon. 
 O. M. Hatch, Col. John Williams. 
 
 Governors of States with their suites, and Governors of Terri- 
 tories: Oglesby, of Illinois; Bramlette, of Kentucky ; Morton, 
 of Indiana; Fletcher, of Missouri : Stone, of Iowa ; Pickering, of 
 Washington Territory, and Wallace, of Idaho Territory.
 
 AND THE NATIONAL LINCOLN MONUMENT. 213 
 
 Members of the Illinois Legislature. 
 
 Kentucky Delegation. 
 
 Chicago Committee of Reception and Escort. 
 Fifth Division. Hon. George L. Huntington, Marshal. AIDS: 
 Dr. S. Babcock, George Shepherd, Charles Ridgley, George 
 Latham, Moses B. Condell. 
 
 This division was composed of the municipal authori- 
 ties of Springfield, and other cities. 
 
 Sixth Division. Hon. W. H. Herndon, Marshal. AIDS: P. P 
 Enos, C. 8. Zane, Dr. T. W. Dresser, John T. Jones, William G. 
 dochrane, James Ray borne, Charles Vincent, Edward Beach, John 
 Peters, C. W. Reardon, R. C. Huskey. 
 
 Marshals of Sections Thomas Lyon, B. T. Hill, George Birge, 
 Henry Yeakel, Jacob Halfen, Sweet, Dewitt C. Hartwell, 
 
 Hamilton Haney, Fred. B. Smith. 
 
 The sixth division was composed of Christian, Sani- 
 tary and other kindred Commissions, Aid Societies, etc. 
 and delegations from Universities, Colleges and other 
 institutions of learning. 
 
 Reverend Clergy, not officiating for the day. 
 Members of the Legal Profession. 
 Members of the Medical Profession. 
 
 Representatives of the Press. 
 
 Seventh Division. Hon. Harmon G. Reynolds, Marshal. AIDS : 
 George R. Teasdale, John A. Hughes, James Smith, P. Fitzpat- 
 rick, Henry Shuck and Thomas O'Conner. 
 
 Marshals of sections Capt. Charles Fisher, Frank W. Tracy, 
 M. Conner, Frederick Smith, M. Armstrong, Richard Young. 
 
 This division was composed of the various bodies of 
 Free Masons, Odd Fellows and other kindred fraterni- 
 ties, and the Firemen. 
 
 Eighth Division. Hon. John W. Smith, Marshal. AIDS : Capt' 
 Isaac Keys, S. H. Jones, Hon. John W. Priest, O. A. Abel, Maj. 
 H. N. Alden, Win. P. Crafton, G. A. Kimber, John W. Poorman, 
 Henry Ridgley, J. H. Crow, John W. Davis, Fresco Wright, N.
 
 214 THE GREAT FUNERAL, CORTEGE, 
 
 V. Hunt, George Dalby, Alfred A. North, Hon. J. 8. Bradford, 
 Samuel P. Townsend. 
 
 This division was composed of citizens generally, and 
 all who had not been assigned to some other place in 
 the procession, bringing up the rear with the colored 
 people. 
 
 The procession thus formed received the corpse at 
 the north gate of the State House square, and moved 
 east on Washington street to Eighth, south on Eighth 
 passing the Lincoln residence at the corner of Jack- 
 son and Eighth to Cook, west on Cook to Fourth, 
 north on Fourth, passing between the Governor's man- 
 sion then the home of Governor Oglesby and the 
 fine residence of ex-Governor Matteson, to Union, west 
 on Union to Third, north on Third to the eastern en- 
 trance to Oak Ridge Cemetery, one and a half miles 
 from the State House. 
 
 On arriving at the cemetery, the remains were placed 
 in the receiving tomb. The choir then sang the Dead 
 March in Saul : 
 
 " Unveil thy bosom, faithful tomb, 
 Take this new treasure to thy trust," etc. 
 
 ReV. Albert Hale, Pastor of the Second Presbyterian 
 Church, of Springfield, then offered a fervent and ap- 
 propriate prayer, after which the choir sang a dirge 
 composed for the occasion by L. W. Dawes, music by 
 George F. Root : 
 
 " Farewell, Father, Friend and Guardian." 
 
 A portion of scripture was then read by Rev. N. W. 
 Miner, and the choir sang 
 
 " To Thee, O, Lord, I yield my spirit." 
 
 President Lincoln's Inaugural Address of March 4, 
 1865, was then read by Rev. A. C. Hubbard. A dirge 
 was performed by the choir, and then followed the 
 Funeral Oration by Rev. Dr. Simpson, Bishop of the
 
 AND THE NATIONAL LINCOLN MONUMENT. 215 
 
 Methodist Episcopal Church. It was a review of the 
 life of Abraham Lincoln, more particularly that part 
 from the time He left Springfield, Feb. 11, 1861, until 
 his death. In drawing the contrast between his depart- 
 ure and return, the Bishop said : 
 
 " Such a scene as his return to you was never known among the 
 events of history. There was one for tho Patriarch Jacob which 
 come up from Egypt, and the Egyptians wondered at the evidences 
 of reverence and filial affection which came up from the hearts 
 of the Israelites. There was mourning when Moses fell upon the 
 heights of Pisgah, and was hid from human view. There has 
 been mourning in the kingdoms of the earth when kings and 
 princes have fallen, but never was there in the history of man 
 such mourning as that which accompanied this funeral procession. 
 
 " Far more eyes have gazed upon the face of the departed than 
 ever looked upon the face of any other departed man. More eyes 
 have looked upon the procession for sixteen hundred miles and 
 more, by night and by day, by sunlight, dawn, twilight, and by 
 torchlight, than ever before watched the progress of a procession." 
 
 In illustration of the universal feeling of sorrow, 
 the orator said : 
 
 " Nor is this mourning confined to any one class, or to any dist- 
 rict or country. Men of all political parties and of all religious 
 creeds, have united in paying this mournful tribute. The arch- 
 bishop of the Roman Catholic Church in New York and a Prot- 
 estant minister walked side by side in the sad procession. A Jew- 
 ish Rabbi performed part of the solemn services. 
 
 " But the great cause of this mourning is found in the man him- 
 self. Mr. Lincoln was no ordinary man; and I believe the con- 
 viction has been growing on the nation's mind, as it certainly has 
 been on mine, especially in the last years of his administration, 
 that by the hand of God he was especially singled out to guide 
 our government in these troubled times. And it seems to me that 
 the hand of God may be traced in many of the events connected 
 with his history. 
 
 " I recognize this in his physical education, which prepared him 
 for enduring herculean labors. In the toils of his boyhood and
 
 216 THE GREAT FUNERAL CORTEGE, 
 
 the labors of his manhood, God was giving him an iron frame. 
 Next to this was his identification with the heart of the great 
 people, understanding their feelings because he was one of them, 
 and connected with them in their movements and life. His edu- 
 cation was simple. A few months spent in the school house gave 
 him the elements of an education. He read Bunyan's Pilgrim's 
 Progress, ^Esop's Fables and the life of Washington, which were 
 his favorites. In these we recognize the marks which gave the 
 bias to his character, and which partly moulded his style. His 
 early life, with its varied struggles, joined him indissolubly to the 
 working masses, and no elevation in society diminished his respect 
 for the sous of toil. He knew what it was to fell the tall trees of 
 the forest, and to stem the current of the broad Mississippi. His 
 home was in the growing West the heart of the Republic and 
 invigorated by the winds that swept over its prairies, he learned 
 lessons of self reliance that sustained him in scenes of adversity. 
 His genius was soon recognized, as true genius always will be, and 
 he was placed in the legislature of his adopted State. Already 
 acquainted with the principles of law, he devoted his thoughts to 
 matters of public interest, and began to be looked upon as the 
 ' coming statesman.' As early as 1839 he presented resolutions in 
 the legislature asking for emancipation in the District of Columbia, 
 while, with but rare exceptions, the whole popular mind of his 
 State was opposed to the measure. From that hour he was a 
 steady and uniform friend of humanity, and was preparing for the 
 conflict of later years. 
 
 " It was not, however, chiefly by his mental faculties that he 
 gained such control over mankind. His moral power gave him 
 pre-eminence. The convictions of men that Abraham Lincoln 
 was an honest man, led them to yield to his guidance. As has 
 been said of Cobden, whom he greatly resembled, he made all men 
 feel a kind of sense of himselfa recognized individuality a self 
 relying power. They saw in him a man whom they believed 
 would do what was right, regardless of consequences. It was this 
 moral feeling which gave him the greatest hold upon the people, 
 and made his utterances almost oracular. 
 
 " But the great act of the mighty chieftain, on which his power 
 shall rest long after his frame shall moulder away, is giving free- 
 dom to a race. We have all been taught to revere the sacred
 
 AND THE NATIONAL LINCOLN MONUMENT. 217 
 
 scriptures. We have thought of Moses ; of his power, and the 
 prominence he gave to the moral law; how it lasts, and how his 
 name towers high among the names in heaven, and how he deliv- 
 ered those millions of his kindred out of bondage. And yet we 
 may assert that Abraham Lincoln, by his proclamation, liberated 
 more enslaved people than ever Moses set free and those not of 
 his kindred. God has seldom given such power or such an oppor- 
 tunity to man. When other events shall have been forgotten; 
 when this world shall have become a network of republics; when 
 every throne shall be swept from the face of the earth ; when lit- 
 erature shall enlighten all minds; when the claims of humanity 
 shall be recognized everywhere, this act shall still be conspicuous 
 on the pages of history. And we are thankful that God gave to 
 Abraham Lincoln the decision and wisdom and grace to issue that 
 proclamation, which stands high above all other papers which have 
 been penned by uninspired men. 
 
 " Look over all his speeches listen to his utterances he never 
 spoke unkindly of any man. Even the rebels received no words 
 of anger from him, and the last day of his life illustrated, in a re- 
 markable manner, his forgiving disposition. A dispatch was 
 received that afternoon that Thompson and Tucker were trying 
 to escape through Maine, and it was proposed to arrest them. 
 Mr. Lincoln, however, preferred to let them quietly escape. He 
 was seeking to save the very men who had been plotting his de- 
 struction; and this morning we read a proclamation offering 
 $25,000 for the arrest of these men as aiders and abettors of his 
 assassination ; so that, in his expiring acts, he was saying, 'Father 
 forgive them, they know not what they do.' As a ruler, I doubt 
 if any president ever showed such trust in God, or, in public 
 documents, so frequently referred to Divine aid. Often did he 
 remark to friends and delegations that his hope for our success 
 rested in his conviction that God would bless our efforts because 
 we were trying to do right. To the address of a large religious 
 body he replied, 'Thanks be unto God who, in our national trials, 
 giveth us the churches.' To a minister who said he ' hoped the 
 Lord was on our side,' he replied that it ' gave him no concern 
 whether the Lord was on our side or not,' and then added, ' for I 
 know the Lord is always on the side of right,' and with deep feel- 
 ing continued : 'But God is my witness that it is my constant
 
 218 THE GREAT FUNERAL CORTEGE, 
 
 anxiety and prayer that both myself and this nation should be on 
 the Lord's side.' " 
 
 After the oration or eulogy, a requiem was per- 
 formed by the choir, a prayer offered by the K,ev. Dr. 
 Harkey, followed by the singing of 
 
 " Peace, troubled soul." 
 
 Rev. Dr. P. D. Gurley then arose, made a few remarks 
 and the closing prayer, after which the following funeral 
 hymn, composed by him for the occasion, was sung : 
 
 Rest, noble martyr ! rest in peace ; 
 
 Rest with the true and brave 
 Who, like thee, fell in freedom's cause, 
 
 The nation's life to save. 
 
 Thy name shall live while time endures, 
 
 And men shall say of thee, 
 He saved his country from its foes, 
 
 And bade the slave be free. 
 
 These deeds shall be thy monument, 
 
 Better than brass or stone ; 
 They leave thy fame in glory's light 
 
 Unrivaled and alone. 
 
 This consecrated spot shall be 
 
 To freedom ever dear ; 
 And freedom's sons of every race 
 
 Shall weep and worship here. 
 
 O, God, before whom we, in tears, 
 
 Our fallen chief deplore, 
 Grant that the cause for which he died, 
 
 May live forever more. 
 
 The services closed by the choir singing the doxology, 
 and the benediction by Dr. Gurley, when the vast mul- 
 titude melted away and sought the railroad depots, from
 
 AND THK NATIONAi, LINCOLN MONUMENT. 219 
 
 which the trains bore them to their homes in all parts 
 of the nation east, west, north and south. Thus 
 ended the most grand and sublime funeral pageant 
 the world ever saw. The injunction so often repeated 
 on the way . 
 
 " Bear him gently to his rest " 
 
 was reverently obeyed, and Mr. Lincoln's own words, 
 " The heart of the nation throbs heavily at the portals of the tomb," 
 
 were realized with a force of which he little thought at 
 the time they were spoken. 
 
 In the largest number of places where the escort 
 stopped to give an opportunity for public honors, the 
 local authorities provided guards to relieve the Guard 
 of Honor detailed by the Secretary of War, but in no 
 instance did they all leave the remains. They w.ere 
 acting under orders to guard the body of Abraham Lin- 
 coln until it should be deposited in its final resting 
 place at Springfield, Illinois, and during all the jour- 
 ney there was not a moment but one or mor.e of these 
 veteran officers, with bronzed visages and gray hairs, 
 could be seen near the body. 
 
 According to the special order issued from the War 
 Department, April 18, 1865, all arrangements by State 
 or municipal authorities for doing honor to the remains, 
 were to be under the direction of the military com- 
 mander of the division, department or district in which 
 the proposed demonstrations were to take place. In 
 order to see that the provisions of this order were car- 
 ried out, Major General Cadwallader, commander of 
 the department of Pennsylvania, joined the cortege at 
 the State line between Maryland and Pennsylvania. 
 He continued with the funeral party until it reached 
 Jersey City, when he was relieved by Major General 
 John A. Dix, commander of the department of New 
 York. Gen. Dix traveled with the cortege through 
 New York and across the northern end of Pennsylva- 
 nia. Major General Joseph Hooker, commander of the
 
 220 THE GREAT FUNERAL, CORTEGE, 
 
 department of the Ohio, relieved Gen. Dix at Wick- 
 liffe, Ohio. General Hooker continued with the funeral 
 cortege until the closing ceremonies at Springfield, 
 Illinois. 
 
 I have omitted to mention the estimates given in the 
 papers of the numbers who viewed the remains at dif- 
 ferent points ; but summing them all up at the close, 
 I feel justified in saying that more than one million 
 men and women must have looked upon the dead face 
 of Abraham Lincoln ;an event which has no parallel in 
 the history of the world. 
 
 In the course of the entire journey, there can not be 
 a line or even a word found on record, urging the peo- 
 ple to turn out in honor of the deceased. The assem- 
 bling of such multitudes was, in all cases, spontaneous. 
 Day and night, cold or warm, rain or shine, for twelve 
 long days and nights, it was only necessary for the 
 people to know the time the cortege was expected to 
 arrive at any given point, to bring them together in 
 great numbers. 
 
 The annexed table will exhibit the distance traveled 
 by the funeral train that bore the remains of Abraham 
 Lincoln from Washington city to Springfield, Illinois. 
 The distance is also given between the different points 
 at which the remains were taken from the train, in 
 compliance with the desire of the people to do honor 
 to the memory of the martyred President : 
 
 MILKS. 
 
 From Washington to Baltimore 40 
 
 " Baltimore via York to Harrisburg 84 
 
 " Harrisburg to Philadelphia 107 
 
 " Philadelphia via Trenton to New York 87 
 
 " New York to Albany 142 
 
 " Albany via Schuectady, Utica, Syracuse, Rochester and 
 
 Batavia to Buffalo 296 
 
 " Buffalo ma Dunkirk and Erie to Cleveland 183 
 
 " Cleveland via Crestline and Delaware to Columbus. . 138
 
 AND THE NATIONAL LINCOLN MONUMEMT. 221 
 
 From Columbus via Urbana, Piqua, Greenville, Richmond, 
 
 and Knightstown to Indianapolis 188 
 
 " Indianapolis via Lafayette and Michigan City to 
 
 Chicago 212 
 
 " Chicago via Joliet, Chenoa and Bloomington to 
 
 Springfield 185 
 
 Total 1662 
 
 It is but natural that the very best that could be 
 written would appear in those papers of Mr. Lincoln's 
 own way of thinking in politics ; but some of the finest 
 articles appeared in papers that had always been op- 
 posed to him politically. The Daily Register, a Demo- 
 cratic paper published at Springfield, in its issue of 
 Saturday evening, April 15, 1865, after relating the 
 news of the assassination, says : 
 
 "Just in the hour when the crowing triumph of his life awaited 
 him ; when the result which he had labored and prayed for four 
 years with incessant toil, stood almost accomplished ; when he 
 could begin clearly to see the promised land of his longings the 
 restored Union even as Moses, from the top of Pisgah, looked 
 forth upon the Canaan he had for forty years been striving to 
 attain, the assassin's hand at once puts a rude period to his life 
 and to his hopes. As Moses of old, who had led God's people 
 through the gloom and danger of the wilderness, died when on 
 the eve of realizing all that his hopes had pictured, so Lincoln is 
 cut off just as the white wing of peace begins to reflect its silvery 
 radiance over the red billows of war. It is hard for a great man 
 to die, but doubly cruel that he should be cut off after such a 
 career as that of him we mourn to-day." 
 
 And the same paper of April 18th says : 
 
 " History has recorded no such scene of bloody terror. The 
 murder of monarchs has been written. Caesar was slain in the 
 8enal Chamber ; Gustavus was butchered in the ball room ; but 
 these were usurpers and tyrants, not the chosen heads of a peo- 
 ple, empowered to select their rulers. And, O horrible ! that he 
 should have been assassinated when his best efforts to tranquilize 
 the fears and fury of his people were so nearly realized. We are 
 dumb with sorrow."
 
 222 THE GREAT FUNERAL, CORTEGE,' 
 
 The Illinois State Journal, at Springfield, the oldest 
 paper in the State north of Edwardsville, was the first 
 in which Lincoln's name ever appeared in connection 
 with any office he having been announced as a candi- 
 date for Representative of Sangamon county, in its 
 issue of March 15, 1832. It was then Whig and is 
 now Republican in politics, and supported Lincoln 
 every time he was ever a candidate. The Daily Jour- 
 nal of Saturday morning, April 15, 1865, gave the 
 telegraphic announcement of his assassination, with- 
 out comment. Monday morning, the 17th, it said : 
 
 "ABKAHAM LINCOLN is DEAD! These portentious words, as 
 they sped over the wires throughout the length and breadth of 
 the land on Saturday morning last, sent a thrill of agony through 
 millions of loyal hearts, and shrouded a nation, so lately rejoic- 
 ing in the hour of victory, in the deepest sorrow. The blow came 
 at a moment so unexpected, and was so sudden and staggering 
 the crime by which he fell was so atrocious and the manner of it 
 so revolting, that men were unable to realize the fact that one of 
 the purest of citizens, the noblest of patriots, the most beloved 
 and honored of Presidents, the most forbearing and magnanimous 
 of rulers, had perished at the hands of an assassin. The horrify- 
 in'g details recalled only the scenes of blood which have disgraced 
 barbaric ages. People were unwilling to believe that, in our own 
 time, there could be found men capable of a crime so utterly 
 fiendish and brutal. * * * And yet this is 
 
 called chivalry." 
 
 " President Lincoln died at the hand of Slavery. It was Slavery 
 5hat conceived the fearful deed ; it was Slavery that sought and 
 found the willing instrument and sped the fatal ball ; it is Slavery 
 alone that will justify the act. Henceforth men will look upon 
 Slavery as indeed 'the sum of all villanies.' " 
 
 The same paper of Saturday morning, the 22d, says : 
 
 "A week ago this morning, the intelligence first startled the 
 the nation that a crime of the most fearful character had been 
 perpetrated in Washington. The spirit of our honored and be- 
 loved President, the most genial, patient and forbearing of men,
 
 AND THE NATIONAL LINCOLN MONUMENT. 223 
 
 but the victim of the most atrocious assassination, was then tak- 
 ing its flight to the 'God who gave it.' " * * * 
 "One week has passed, and such a week was never known in 
 this or any other land. The popular sorrow, instead of abating 
 by time, has grown even more intense, as the people have been 
 gradually enabled to comprehend the terrible facts. The heart 
 of the nation has been moved as it was never moved before. 
 Every village and city of the land, from the Atlantic to the Pa- 
 cific, have joined in the most heartfelt demonstrations of grief, in 
 view of the national loss. To-day the sorrowful cortege accom- 
 panying the remains of our beloved President is at last approach, 
 ing the home whence, four years ago, he set out with many mis- 
 givings, but strong in the sense of duty, to assume the reins of 
 government, to which the suffrages of the people had called him. 
 The eyes of the whole nation are upon it, and wherever that dark 
 and sorrow-burdened train appears, it is attended by the lamenta- 
 tions of the people." 
 
 Friday morning, 28th, the Journal announced the 
 death of the assassin, and said : 
 
 " Retribution, swift and sure, has fallen upon his murderer ! 
 J. Wilkes Booth, the author of that atrocious deed, lies as lifeless 
 as Abraham Lincoln. * * * * It is no 
 
 compensation for the loss to the nation of such a man as Abraham 
 Lincoln, that judgment has overtaken his murderer. * * 
 The only satisfaction we feel is that justice has been done." 
 
 The Journal of Wednesday morning, May 3d, says : 
 
 " To-day all that is mortal ol Abraham Lincoln comes back to 
 us to be deposited among a people with whom he spent so many 
 years of his life, and among whom he hoped, his work being 
 done, to spend the evening of his days." 
 
 The Journal, Thursday, May 4th : 
 
 " To-day we lay him reverently to rest, amid the scenes he 
 loved so well. Millions will drop a tear to his memory, and 
 future generations will make pilgrimages to his tomb. Peace to 
 his ashes."
 
 CHAPTER XXIII. 
 
 It will be remembered that, on the twenty-fourth 
 day of April, a public meeting was held in Springfield, 
 at which a committee was chosen to make arrange- 
 ments for the sepulture of the remains of President 
 Lincoln. It will also be borne in mind that the com- 
 mittee resolved itself into a National Lincoln Monu- 
 ment Association. 
 
 A conditional contract had been made for a plat of 
 ground on which to erect a monument, and the work 
 of constructing a temporary vault, at the expense of 
 the city, had been commenced. It was designed to be 
 a resting place for the remains until the monument 
 could be erected. By the men working night and day, 
 
 (Fig. 1.) 
 
 VAULT ON THE NEW STATE HOUSE GUOUND8.
 
 THE NATIONAL LINCOLN MONUMENT. 225 
 
 through sunshine and rain, it was ready for use at the 
 appointed time, although the work was not quite com- 
 pleted on the outside. It was ascertained, on the 
 morning of the fourth, that Mrs. Lincoln objected to 
 the body of her husband being placed, even tempo- 
 rarily, in the new vault, on account of the location 
 of the grounds selected. She having expressed her 
 preference for Oak Ridge Cemetery, it was in com- 
 pliance with her wishes that the remains were taken 
 
 (Fig. 2.) 
 
 PUBLIC VAULT AT OAK KIDGE. 
 
 there and deposited in the public receiving vault 
 of the cemetery. The new vault was on the grounds 
 that have since been purchased and donated by 
 the city of Springfield to the State of Illinois, upon 
 which the State is now erecting a Capitol, at an ex- 
 pense o-f three and a half millions of dollars. The 
 vault stood about fifty yards north of the new State 
 House. A cenotaph should, and doubtless will, be 
 15
 
 226 
 
 THE GREAT FUNERAL, CORTEGE, 
 
 erected on the spot, after the edifice is completed and 
 the grounds put in proper order. Figure No. 1 was 
 engraved from a drawing of the vault, preserved by 
 T. J. Dennis, who was at the time Mayor of the city. 
 
 For several weeks after the remains were deposited 
 in the public vault of the cemetery, ropes were ex- 
 tended in front of it, and a guard of soldiers kept 
 there day and night. This was done more as a mark 
 of honor and respect, than from any fear that his tomb 
 would be desecrated. Figure No. 2 was engraved from 
 a photograph taken during that time. 
 
 Soon after the remains of Mr. Lincoln and Willie 
 were deposited in this vault, the following entries were 
 made in the register kept by the sexton of Oak Ridge 
 Cemetery : 
 
 DATE OP 
 
 LNTERM'T. 
 
 NAME. 
 
 CAUSE OP 
 DEATH. 
 
 PLACE OF 
 BIRTH. 
 
 REMARKS. 
 
 May 4, 
 1865. 
 
 Abraham 
 Liucolu. 
 
 Assassinated. 
 
 Kentucky. 
 
 Receiving 
 Tomb. 
 
 
 
 
 
 Removed 
 
 May 4, 
 
 Willie 
 
 
 Springf'ld, 
 
 from Wash- 
 
 1865. 
 
 Lincoln. 
 
 
 111. 
 
 ington, D.C. 
 
 
 
 
 
 Receiving 
 
 
 
 
 
 Tomb. 
 
 On the ninth of May, a call was sent out to all Sun- 
 day schools, to take up collections the second Sabbath, 
 and all public schools, the first Tuesday, in June. 
 
 The Association was without legal authority until 
 the eleventh of May, when it was established accord- 
 ing to the laws of Illinois governing voluntary soci- 
 eties, under the following 
 
 ARTICLES OF ASSOCIATION. 
 
 We, Richard J. Oglosby, Sharon Tyndale, O. H. Miner, James 
 H. Beveridge, Newton Bateman, John T. Stuart, Samuel H. Treat, 
 Jesse K. Dubois, O. M. Hatch, James C. CoHkling, Thomas J.
 
 AND THE NATIONAL LINCOLN MONUMENT. 227 
 
 Dennis, John Williams, Jacob Bunu, S. H. Melvin and David L. 
 Phillips, all being of full age, and citizens of the United States, 
 and of the State of Illinois, certify that we do hereby associate our- 
 selves under and by virtue of an act of the General Assembly of 
 the State of Illinois, entitled " An act for the incorporation of 
 Benevolent, Educational, Literary, Musical, Scientific and Mis- 
 sionary societies, including societies formed for mutual improve- 
 ment, or for the promotion of the arts," approved February 24, 
 1859, by the following name, and for the purpose herein specified. 
 
 ARTICLE I. 
 
 This Association shall be called the " National Lincoln Monu- 
 ment Association," and be located at Springfield, State of Illinois, 
 and shall continue in existence for the term of twenty years. 
 
 ARTICLE II. 
 
 The object of this Association shall be to construct a Monu- 
 ment to the memory of Abraham Lincoln, in the city of Spring- 
 field, State of Illinois. 
 
 ARTICLE HI. 
 
 The following persons shall be the Directors of the Association 
 during the first year of its existence : Richard J. Oglesby, Sharon 
 Tyudale, O. H. Miner, James H. Beveridge, Newton Bateman, 
 John T. Stuart, Jesse K. Dubois, O. M. Hatch, James C. Conk- 
 Hug, Thomas J. Dennis, John Williams, Jacob Burm, 8. H. Melvin, 
 Samuel H. Treat and David L. Phillips. 
 
 In testimony whereof, we have hereunto set our hands and 
 seals, this eleventh day of May, 1865. 
 
 RICHARD J. OGLESBY, [SEAL.] SHARON TYNDALE, [SEAL.] 
 ORLIN H. MINER, [SEAL.] NEWTON BATEMAN, [SEAL.] 
 
 JOHN T. STUART, [SEAL.] S. H. TREAT, [SEAL.] 
 
 JESSE K. DUBOIS, [SEAL.] O. M. HATCH, [SEAL.] 
 
 JAMES C. CONKLING, [SEAL.] S. H. MELVIN, [SEAL.] 
 
 JOHN WILLIAMS, [SEAL.] JAMES H. BEVERIDGE, [SEAL.] 
 
 JACOB BUNK, [SEAL.] THOMAS J. DENNIS, [SEAL.] 
 
 DAVID L. PHILLIPS, [SEAL.] 
 
 These gentlemen were nearly all occupying high 
 official positions at the time, or had previously been. 
 The first five named in the preamble were, respectively,
 
 228 THE GREAT FUNERAL, CORTEGE, 
 
 Governor, Secretary, Auditor, Treasurer and Superin- 
 tendent of Public Instruction for the State of Illinois 
 at the time. Mr. Stuart was the preceptor and first 
 law partner of Abraham Lincoln, an ex-member of the 
 U. S. House of Representatives, and is yet one of 
 the leading lawyers of Central Illinois; Mr. Treat 
 has been for many years, and is yet, a Judge of the 
 U. S. Court for Illinois ; Mr. Dubois is an ex-member 
 of the State Legislature, ex-receiver of the U. S. Land 
 Office, ex- Auditor of State, etc., etc. ; Mr. Hatch is an 
 ex-Secretary of State, and a man of wealth and influ- 
 ence ; Mr. Conkling is an ex-Mayor of Springfield, ex- 
 member of the State Legislature, a leading lawyer, 
 capitalist, and public spirited citizen ; Mr. Dennis was 
 at the time Mayor of the city, and is one of the fore- 
 most architects in the west; Mr. Williams and Mr. 
 Bunn are, respectively, at the head of two among the 
 oldest and most wealthy banking houses in the city ; 
 Dr. Melvin is a prominent merchant, banker and rail- 
 road man ; Mr. Phillips was then United States Mar- 
 shal for the Southern District of Illinois. All of them 
 had long been on terms of personal friendship and in- 
 timacy with Abraham Lincoln. 
 
 On the day the Association took a legal form, the 
 Board of Directors organized by electing 
 
 Governor Richard J. Oglesby, President. 
 
 Hon. Jesse K. Dubois, Vice President. 
 
 Clinton L. Conkling, Secretary. 
 
 Hon. James H. Beveridge, Treasurer. 
 
 A code of by laws was adopted, agents appointed to 
 collect funds, agricultural and horticultural societies 
 called on to contribute, and the Treasurer directed to 
 invest funds which were already beginning to reach 
 the treasury in United States securities. Until June, 
 it was the intention of the Association to erect the 
 monument on the plat of ground where the first vault 
 had been built, not doubting that Mrs. Lincoln would 
 give her consent to that arrangement, on a deliberate
 
 AND THE NATIONAL LINCOLN MONUMENT. 229 
 
 consideration of the subject. In a letter to the Asso- 
 ciation, dated at Chicago, June fifth, Mrs. Lincoln still 
 objected to that location. On the fourteenth day of the 
 month, it was decided by a majority of one, in a full 
 Board of Directors, to build the Monument in Oak 
 Ridge Cemetery. Six acres of land were donated by 
 the city of Springfield, and conveyed to the Asssocia- 
 tion as a site for the Monument. 
 
 Measures were at once taken to erect a temporary 
 vault, near that belonging to the cemetery. Th 
 object in building a temporary vault, was that the 
 remains might be deposited there until the Monu- 
 ment could be completed, and thus vacate the public 
 vault. The temporary vault was completed before 
 winter, and a notice given to Mrs. Lincoln, at Chi- 
 cago, that the Association was ready to remove the 
 body of her late husband ; that it would be done with- 
 out public display, and asked her to name the time 
 that it would be convenient for her to be present. She 
 replied, saying that December 21, at three o'clock p. m., 
 would suit her. A day or two previous to the time 
 fixed for the removal, Mrs. Lincoln, with her son Rob- 
 ert, came to Springfield, and visited the new tomb. 
 She expressed herself well pleased with what had been 
 done, but a sudden indisposition prevented her being 
 present when the removal took place. In process of 
 transferring the remains, the box containing the coffin 
 was opened, in order that the features of the deceased 
 might be seen, and six of his personal acquaintances 
 filed a written statement with the Secretary of the 
 Association, that it was the body of Abraham Lincoln 
 beyond a doubt. This was deemed advisable, to 
 keep the evidence of identity unbroken through the 
 changes necessary to be made before the completion of 
 his final resting place. 
 
 Mr. Lincoln had one son who died in childhood, 
 many years ago, and was buried in Hutchinson ceme- 
 tery, near the city. His body was removed to the tern-
 
 230 THE GREAT FUNERAL CORTEGE, 
 
 porary vault also, and it then contained the bodies of 
 the father and two sons, Eddie and Willie. Edward 
 was named for Col. E. D. Baker who was killed at 
 Ball's Bluff between whom and Mr. Lincoln the 
 warmest friendship always existed. I must digress 
 here, to say that I have been informed by one who 
 knows, that in one of the finest cemeteries of San 
 Francisco, the grave of that pure and eloquent states- 
 man and brave soldier, is the only one that is neglected. 
 Is there no lover of free institutions, and admirer of 
 genius in that city, who will see that the stain is re- 
 moved ? 
 
 Figure No. 3 was engraved from a photograph of 
 the temporary vault. It stood on the brow of the 
 hill, about fifty yards northeast of the monument. It 
 was removed late in the autumn of 1871, and the site 
 where it stood graded down about fifteen feet. 
 
 Early in 1868, the Association advertised a "Notice 
 to Artists," offering $1000 for the best design for a 
 monument, with the usual conditions, and named the 
 
 (Fig. 3.) 
 
 TKMPOKARY VAULT AT OAK 1UDGE.
 
 AND THE NATIONAL LINCOLN MONUMENT. 231 
 
 first of September as tKe day for the examination. 
 Thirty-seven designs, by thirty-one artists six of them 
 sending two each were received and placed on exhi- 
 bition in the Senate Chamber. 
 
 They came from the following States : Illinois 
 Chicago, John Wesley Hooper, Henry L. Gay, H. 
 Schroff, Cochrane & Piquenard, one each, and from 
 L. W. Volk, two ; Mattoon, J. E. Hummell, one ; 
 Bloomington, J. It. & J. S. Haldeman, one ; Quincy, 
 C. G. Volk, two ; Springfield, Joseph Baum and E. E. 
 Myers, one each, making a total of twelve. Wisconsin 
 Milwaukee, N. Merrill, two. Iowa Jefferson, Henry 
 Goodman, one. Indiana Logansport, William Em- 
 mett, and Indianapolis, J. H. Vrydagh, one each. 
 Ohio Toledo, W. H. Macher, one, and Cincinnati, 
 Thomas D. Jones, two. Massachusetts Boston, C. B. 
 Odiorne and Miss Harriet E. Hosmer, one each. Dis- 
 trict of Columbia Washington, Miss Vinnie Ream, 
 one. Kentucky Louisville, M. S. Belknap, one. 
 Missouri St. Louis, J. Beattie, Charles Bullitt, R. H. 
 Follenius, McLaren & Baldwin, one each. New York 
 Brooklyn, Horwan & Maurer, two. Pennsylvania 
 Philadelphia, J. H. Bailey & H. H. Lovie, A. E. Har- 
 wicke, J. H. Hazeltine, E. N. Scherr, one each. Con- 
 necticut Hartford, J. G. Batterson, one. Vermont 
 Brattleboro, Larkin G. Mead, Jr., two ; making a total 
 of thirty -seven. 
 
 Some of these designs would have cost a million dol- 
 lars each to put them into execution. Five days were 
 occupied in studying them, when the board adjourned 
 to meet again on the tenth of the month. They re- 
 assembled on the tenth, and continued to the eleventh, 
 when it was 
 
 Resolved, That this Association adopt the design one of them 
 submitted by Larkin G. Mead, Jr., to be constructed of granite 
 and bronze, and that the whole matter be referred to the Execu- 
 tive Committee, with power to act.
 
 232 THE GREAT FUNERAL CORTEGE, 
 
 Thooe voting in the affirmative were, Bateman, Bev- 
 eridge, Bunn, Conkling, Dennis, Dubois, Hatch, Mel- 
 vin, Miner, Stuart, Treat, Williams and Phillips. In 
 the negatiye, Mr. Tyndale. Absent or not voting, 
 Gov. Oglesby. 
 
 The Association then entered into a contract with 
 Mr. Mead, to erect the monument, together with the 
 statuary, and all the accessories necessary to the fulfil- 
 ment of the design. It was soon after ascertained that 
 it was Mr. Mead's intention to let the contract for the 
 architectural part of the work and return to Italy, 
 where he had been residing for several years. Then it 
 was mutually agreed to annul the existing contract, 
 and a new one was entered into on the thirtieth of De- 
 cember, in which it was stipulated that the Association 
 was to manage the building of the architectural part 
 of the monument, and that it should be done strictly 
 after the drawings and specifications of Mr. Mead. 
 On his part, Mr. Mead was to mould, cast and deliver 
 all the statuary required by and necessary to his design, 
 namely. 
 
 1. A statue of Lincoln, not less than ten feet high, 
 for $13,700. 
 
 2. A group representing infantry, containing three 
 figures and appropriate accessories, the figures to be 
 not less than seven and a half feet high, for $13,700. 
 
 3. A group of cavalry, to contain a horse and two 
 human figures, with appropriate accessories, the human 
 figures to be not less than seven and a half feet high, 
 and the horse in proportion, for the sum of $13,700. 
 
 4. A group of artillery, to contain three figures and 
 appropriate accessories, the figures to be not less than 
 seven and a half feet high, for $13,700. 
 
 5. A marine group, to contain three figures and ap- 
 propriate accessories, the figures to be not less than 
 seven and a half feet high, for $13,700. 
 
 6. The coat of arms of the United States, as shown 
 in the specifications, for $1,500, making a total of 
 $70,000.
 
 AND THE NATIONAL LINCOLN MONUMENT. 233 
 
 It was a part of the contract, that the Association 
 was to have the right to order one or more of these 
 pieces or groups at a time, to suit its own convenience, 
 and that it was not under obligations to pay for any 
 piece until a written order was given for the work to 
 proceed. When a written order was given, one-third 
 of the stipulated price was to accompany it, one-third 
 to be paid when the plaster model was delivered at the 
 foundry where it was to be cast, and the remaining 
 third when the work was completed and delivered in 
 good order, at Springfield, Illinois. It was also stipu- 
 lated in the contract, that if cannon were donated to 
 be used in the statuary, the value thereof should be 
 deducted from the price. It was further agreed, that 
 if any donations of freight were made, it should be to 
 the Association, and not to Mr. Mead. 
 
 On the back of this contract, Mr. Mead gave the 
 signatures of five business men of New York city, 
 binding themselves in the penal sum of $5,000 each, 
 for the faithful performance of the contract on his 
 part. A note, also an the back of this contract, over 
 the signature of John J. Cisco, of New York, ex- 
 presses the opinion that the bond is good and suffi- 
 cient. 
 
 On the seventh day of May, 1869, the Board of 
 Directors, under the above contract, instructed the 
 Executive Committee to order the statue of Lincoln 
 and the coat of arms of the United States, and to ac- 
 company the order with one third of the money, as per 
 contract. 
 
 After advertising for proposals to erect the monu- 
 ment excepting the statuary and receiving five or 
 six bids, that of W. D. Richardson, of Springfield, was 
 accepted. A contract was then entered into, between 
 the Association and Mr. Richardson, in which he 
 agreed to erect the National Lincoln Monument, in 
 Oak Ridge Cemetery, according to the plans and speci- 
 fications adopted by the Association, for the sura of
 
 234 THE GREAT FUNERAL CORTEGE, 
 
 $136.550. He was to build the foundation during the 
 year 1869, and the superstructure by January 1, 1871. 
 The Association agreed to pay Mr. Richardson the 
 sum above named, and for the purpose designated, by 
 monthly estimates as the work progressed, fifteen per 
 cent of which was to be withheld until the work was 
 completed according to contract, when the total amount 
 remaining should be paid. Mr. Richardson gave am- 
 ple security, under a penalty of $50,000, for the faith- 
 ful performance of the contract on his part.
 
 CHAPTER XXIV. 
 
 Arrangements having been previously made, the 
 Board of Directors held a special meeting in Oak 
 Ridge Cemetery, September 9, 1869. After calling 
 the roll, a brief but fervent prayer was offered by Rev. 
 Albert Hale, invoking God's blessing on the work they 
 were about to commence. The president of the Asso- 
 ciation being absent, the vice president, Hon. Jesse K. 
 Dubois, at the request of the board, made the follow- 
 ing statement of the financial condition of the Associa- 
 tion : 
 
 U. 8. 5-20 bonds, on special deposit with J. Bunn $66,300 00 
 
 Premium on said bonds, at present value 13,260 00 
 
 Cash in bank 2,023 46 
 
 Notes on individuals. 80 00 
 
 Illinois State bonds, on special deposit with J. Bunn. . 17,000 00 
 
 Illinois State appropriation 50,000 00 
 
 Estimated value of cannon donated by Congress 5,000 00 
 
 Paid to Larkiu G. Mead on contract for statuary 5,000 00 
 
 Total assets $158,663 46 
 
 Mr. Dubois also made a statement of all the con- 
 tracts entered into by the Association, in consequence 
 of which the following liabilities were incurred : 
 
 To W. D. Richardson, for building monument $136,550 00 
 
 To Larkin Q. Mead, for statute of Lincoln and coat of 
 arms 15,200 00 
 
 Total liabilities $151,750 00 
 
 Balance, after meeting all liabilities $6,913 46
 
 236 THE GREAT FUNERAL CORTEGE, 
 
 Mr. Dubois said that, if no misfortune befel the 
 Association, it could, by January 1, 1871, have the 
 monument completed, except the four groups of statu- 
 ary, and be out of debt, with a small balance in the 
 treasury. He expressed the hope that the American 
 people, or separate States or cities, would furnish the 
 means to pay for the remaining groups of statuary, 
 that the monument might stand complete and sym- 
 metrical, a fitting emblem of the character and virtues 
 of the man it was designed to honor. 
 
 Vice President Dubois closed his statement by say- 
 ing : " In obedience to the order of your board, and 
 to testify their and my approbation of all that has been 
 done, it is my pleasure now to begin the work, by 
 throwing out the first shovelful of earth." 
 
 Mr. Richardson had his materials on the ground, 
 and before winter closed in, had the foundation com- 
 pleted, doing all his contract required for the year 1869. 
 
 When the work was about to commence, the Asso- 
 ciation reorganized its Executive Committee, so that it 
 was composed of the Hon. John T. Stuart, Jacob Bunn 
 and John Williams. 
 
 Mr. Stuart, as previously intimated, was the preceptor 
 of Abraham Lincoln, in the study of the law, and fur- 
 nished him the library for that purpose. They were 
 also partners in practice from 1837 to 1840, when the 
 partnership was dissolved, in consequence of Mr. Stuart 
 being elected to a seat in the United States House of 
 Representatives. 
 
 I shall now endeavor to describe the monument. 
 The excavation for the central part, or that on which 
 the main shaft rises, is twenty-three and a half feet 
 deep, and seventeen feet square. The bottom of the 
 excavation is filled with concrete, the whole seventeen 
 feet square, to the depth of eight feet. (See Fig. 7.) On 
 this concrete, the whole seventeen feet square is built up 
 with solid masonry of block stone, to a height of thirty- 
 nine feet and four inches. The stone is all dressed
 
 AND THE NATIONAL LINCOLN MONUMENT. 237 
 
 true and square, and is very heavy, some of the pieces 
 weighing several tons each. The excavations for all 
 the outer walls and piers are six feet deep. The walls 
 commence with two feet depth of concrete. There is 
 a round pier, fifteen feet in diameter at the bottom 
 at each of the four corners of the central shaft. These 
 piers are built up to a height of twenty-eight feet and 
 four inches above the ground line, and are tapered to 
 form a pedestal of eleven feet diameter at the top. 
 
 There are three straight walls on each side of the 
 central shaft, parallel with its sides, and at equal dis- 
 tances from each other. These walls are all joined to 
 the round piers. The central shaft, pedestals, and 
 walls touching the .pedestals, form a square of fifty -four 
 feet, with rounded corners. There is another wall out- 
 side of all these, nearly ten feet distant, the whole form- 
 ing a square of seventy-two feet six inches. In addi- 
 tion to these walls, there is an oval room thirty-two 
 and a half feet long and twenty-four feet wide, in the 
 clear. About half of it projects from the south side, 
 and the other half extends inward, nearly to the base 
 of the obelisk. This room is called Memorial Hall, 
 and is designed to be a repository for articles used by, 
 or in any way associated with the memory of Abraham 
 Lincoln. The interior wall is planed Illinois stone, 
 and inside of that, a few inches, is a lining of Vermont 
 marble in panel work, extending in dome groined 
 arches, to form the ceiling, all supported by a series 
 of Doric columns. This Hall is entered from the 
 ground by a door at the south. (See Fig. 4.) 
 
 At the north side there is a similar projection, called 
 the Vestibule to the Catacomb. It is finished inside 
 the same as Memorial Hall, except that the floor is of 
 black and white marble instead of Illinois stone. It 
 is entered by a door from the north. (See Fig. 4.) 
 
 The ground plan is one hundred and nineteen and 
 a half feet from north to south, and seventy-two and 
 a half feet from east to west. The walls shown in Fig-
 
 238 THE GREAT FUNERAL CORTEGE, 
 
 (Fig. 4.) 
 
 GROUND PLAN OF THE NATIONAL LINCOLN MONUMENT.
 
 AND THE NATIONAL LINCOLN MONUMENT. 239 
 
 ure 4 are all fourteen feet and four inches high. Arches 
 are sprung from one to another at the top, and heavy 
 iron beams or joists, with flanges on the lower edge, 
 are laid across Memorial Hall and the Catacomb. 
 Arches are sprung from one of these beams to another, 
 beginning on the flanges at the bottom of the iron 
 beams. The upper part of this series of arches is 
 brought to an even surface by filling the depressions 
 with concrete. On top of this, embedded in cement, 
 is a covering of immense slabs of Illinois stone, planed 
 to a uniform thickness of about eight inches, which 
 brings the whole area of seventy-two and a half feet 
 square, and the half circular projections over Memorial 
 Hall and the Catacomb, up to fifteen feet ten inches in 
 height. Figure 5 is an illustration of this area, which 
 is called the Terrace. 
 
 You can ascend to the Terrace by either of four 
 flights of granite steps, one at each corner. The two 
 on the south land over Memorial Hall, and the two at 
 the north over the Catacomb. The flagging stone that 
 makes the Terrace, and at the same time a roof for 
 everything below, is laid with sufficient inclination 
 outward to carry off the water. 
 
 A heavy granite balustrade ascends on the outside 
 of each stairway, and is extended so as to form a para- 
 pet around the Terrace and over the Catacomb and 
 Memorial Hall. A small section of the parapet may 
 be seen on each end of Figure 7. 
 
 The Catacomb now consists of five crypts, side by 
 side, elevated three feet above the floor of the vestibule. 
 The crypts are three feet square, and seven feet from 
 north to south. Figure 6, is an elevation fronting 
 north, of the five crypts as they appeared before the 
 marble panel work was put in place. Now the cen- 
 tral crypt is the only one visible. In it there is a 
 marble Sarcophagus, containing all that was mortal 
 of Abraham Lincoln.
 
 '240 THE GREAT FUNERAL CORTEGE, 
 
 ig. 5.) 
 
 THE TERRACE.
 
 AND THE NATIONAL LINCOLN MONUMENT. 241 
 
 (Fig. 6.) 
 
 ELEVATION OP THE CKYPTS. 
 
 The Catacomb and Memorial Hall are each lighted 
 by six openings, and each opening is designed to be 
 closed by a single piece of plate glass, when necessary. 
 
 The central shaft, being seventeen feet square at the 
 bottom, as it rises is reduced to twelve feet square on 
 the outside, a_t the top of the Terrace, and tapers to 
 eight feet square at the apex, ninety-eight feet four and 
 a half inches from the ground. The outside is dressed 
 granite, and the inside hard burned brick. The shaft, 
 or obelisk, is hollnv from the terrace to the top, eighty- 
 two and a half feet. The opening is six feet in diame- 
 ter, and perfectly round. Fastenings were built in the 
 wall, as the work progressed, for the support of a cir- 
 cular iron stairway, which ascends from the entrance, 
 over the Terrace, as shown in Figure 5, and ends in a 
 platform of iron, just near enough the cap stone to 
 leave convenient room for standing erect. Each step 
 is fastened to the wall by two iron bolts, the other 
 end is attached to a central iron shaft, which extends 
 from bottom to top. Figure 7 presents an interior view 
 of the construction of the stairway. 
 16
 
 242 THE GREAT FUNERAL CORTEGE, 
 
 One-third of the way from the Terrace to the top, 
 there is a circular window, one foot in diameter, on 
 each of the four sides. Two-thirds of the way up, 
 there are four similar windows. At the top, and at a 
 convenient height to stand on the platform and look 
 out, there are twelve of these windows, three on each 
 side. Each one was intended to have been closed by a 
 single piece of plate glass, three-fourths of an inch 
 thick, but it has been found necessary thus far to leave 
 them open, to afford ventilation as well as light. 
 
 The study of Figure 7 will enable the reader to un- 
 derstand the interior construction of the monument 
 better than a Avritten description only. 
 
 It is as though the monument was cut exactly through 
 the centre, from north to south, and you were standing 
 at the west, facing the east, and looking at the eastern 
 half. You see how the arches are sprung from one 
 wall to another, to support the stone flagging which 
 forms the Terrace. The south end, or that to the right, 
 shows the interior of Memorial Hall, and the north end, 
 or that to the left, shows the interior of the Catacomb, 
 without any attempt to illustrate the crypts. The let- 
 ter S indicates that the material used is stone, and the 
 letter B, brick. It will be observed that the founda- 
 tion of the obelisk is sunk much deeper than the other 
 walls. The spiral stairway is seen commencing on a 
 level with the Terrace. A small section of the granite 
 parapet, which extends around the Terrace, is seen at 
 each end of the cut. The small light spots in Memorial 
 Hall and the Catacomb, are the small windows previ- 
 ously described. The elevation at the south side is a 
 profile of the pedestal for the statue of Lincoln. It is 
 thirty-five and a half feet above the ground line, and 
 nineteen feet eight inches above the Terrace. 
 
 In preparing the granite for the monument, a series 
 of ashlars, two feet by two feet nine inches, are so 
 dressed that each presents the appearance of a raised
 
 AND THE NATIONAL LINCOLN MONUMENT. 243
 
 244 THE GREAT FUNERAL CORTEGE, 
 
 shield. The names of the States are engraved on these 
 shields. The shortest are given in full, and the longest 
 abbreviated. These shields form a part of the wall, 
 around the entire base, and the four pedestals, alter- 
 nating with an ashlar of the same size. On each of 
 these alternating ashlars, are two raised bands, running 
 horizontally, giving to the States the appearance of 
 being linked together, as it were, by an endless chain. 
 The body of the granite is dressed to a true surface, 
 and the bands and letters are polished. To complete 
 a course around the edifice, there were three more 
 shields than the whole number of States. These three 
 are built in at the east side, and left blank, ready to 
 receive the names of any States that may hereafter be 
 admitted. (See Fig. 10.) 
 
 The following is the order in which the States are 
 placed, beginning on the east side, at the right of the 
 blanks, and continuing to the right around the monu- 
 ment. The names of the original thirteen States are 
 first given, and then the newer States, in the chrono- 
 logical order of their admission into the Union. As 
 the names of the States are all abbreviated, except 
 two, I first give the abbreviation exactly as it is on the 
 stone, and immediately follow it with the name in full. 
 
 Va. for Virginia ; N. Y. New York ; Mass. Massa- 
 chusetts ; N. H. New Hampshire ; N. J. New Jersey ; 
 Del. Delaware ; Conn. Connecticut ; Md. Maryland ; 
 R. I. Rhode Island; N. C. North Carolina; S. C. 
 South Carolina ; Penn. Pennsylvania ; Ga. Georgia ; 
 Vt. Vermont; Ky. Kentucky; Tenn. Tennessee ; Ohio; 
 La. Louisiana ; Ind. Indiana ; Miss. Mississppi ; Ills. 
 Illinois ; Ala. Alabama ; Me. Maine ; Mo. Missouri ; 
 Ark. Arkansas ; Mich. Michigan ; Tex. Texas ; Fla. 
 Florida; Iowa; Wis. Wisconsin; Cal. California; 
 Minn. Minnesota ; On. Oregon ; Kan. Kansas ; W. Va. 
 West Virginia; Nev. Nevada; Neb. Nebraska ; ending 
 at the left of the three blank shields. 
 
 This cordon of States is twenty-three feet above the
 
 AND THE NATIONAL LINCOLN MONUMENT. 245 
 
 ground, seven feet above the Terrace, and three feet 
 below the top of the pedestals on which the four 
 groups of statuary are to stand, previously described 
 as representing the Infantry, Cavalry, Artillery, and 
 the Navy. The names of the States, as above described, 
 and 
 
 LINCOLN, 
 
 in raised letters on the front of the pedestal for his 
 statue, constitute the whole of the inscriptions on the 
 monument. Figure 8 is a view of one of the four 
 round pedestals. 
 
 (Fig. 8.) 
 
 ROUND PEDESTAL. 
 
 This is one of the four for the support of the groups 
 of statuary, and is situated at the southwest corner of 
 the monument, showing that part of it above the Ter- 
 race. The tablets are all of the same size, but the 
 pedestal being round, as it recedes, Missouri, on the
 
 THE GREAT FUNERAL CORTEGE, 
 
 right, and Illinois, on the left, are apparently dimin- 
 ished in width. The left edge of the tablet 111. 
 forms the inside of the corner, as it joins the square 
 base of the obelisk, which brings Mississippi on a 
 straight surface. The bands or links connecting the 
 tablets are well illustrated. 
 
 (Fig. 9.) 
 
 U. S. COAT OF ARMS. 
 
 Th.e statue of Mr. Lincoln stands on a pedestal pro- 
 jecting from the south side of the obelisk, seven feet 
 higher than the four round pedestals. The pedestal 
 bearing the statue of Lincoln has the United States 
 Coat of Arms, in bronze, sunk in a recess on its front. 
 The Coat of Arms, ag shown in Figure 9, is somewhat 
 modified, and is in bas relief. 
 
 It will be observed that the shield, with part of the
 
 AND THE NATIONAL LINCOLN MONUMENT. 247 
 
 stars obscured, supports the American Eagle. The 
 olive branch on the ground shows, that having been 
 tendered until it was spurned by the rebels, it was 
 then cast under foot. Then the conflict began, and 
 raged until the chain of slavery was torn asunder, one 
 part remaining grasped in the talons of the eagle, and 
 the other held aloft in his beak. The coat of arms, 
 in the position it occupies on the monument, is intended 
 to typify the Constitution of the United States. Mr. Lin- 
 coln, on the pedestal above it, makes the whole an illus- 
 tration of his position at the outbreak of the rebellion. 
 He took his stand on the Constitution, as his authority 
 for using the four arms of the war power of the Gov- 
 ernment the Infantry, Cavalry, Artillery, and the 
 Navy, which are to be represented in groups around 
 him to hold together the States, which are represented 
 still lower on the monument, by a cordon of tablets, 
 linking them together, as it were, in a perpetual bond 
 of Union. 
 
 The statue of Lincoln is the central figure in the 
 group, or series of groups. There is nothing visible, 
 on all the exterior, except granite and bronze. You 
 enter the shaft, or obelisk, on a level with the Terrace, 
 at the south side, under the statue of Lincoln, and 
 ascend the spiral stairway seventy-seven feet, which 
 brings you to the platform at the top, previously de- 
 scribed. The floor of this platform is made of iron, 
 and is ninety-two feet from the ground. The monu- 
 ment being on almost as high ground as any within 
 several miles of the city, affords a fine prospect of 
 Springfield and the surrounding country. Figure 10 
 is an accurate representation of the monument from 
 the southeast, as it will appear when completed, and as 
 it now appears, with the exception of the statuary. 
 The door on the ground is the entrance to Memorial 
 Hall ; that on the Terrace, the entrance to the obelisk. 
 The Catacomb is on the opposite side, and consequently
 
 248 
 
 THE GEEAT FUNERAL CORTEGE. 
 
 (Fig. 10.) 
 NATIONAL LINCOLN MONUMENT, SPRINGFIELD, ILL.
 
 AND THE NATIONAL LINCOLN MONUMENT. 249 
 
 does not appear in this picture, but it is entered by a 
 door on the ground, the same as that to Memorial Hall. 
 In order to make it more easily understood, I will 
 recapitulate the dimensions. The base is seventy-two 
 and a half feet square, and with the circular projection 
 of the Catacomb on the north, and Memorial Hall on 
 the south, the extreme length on the ground from north 
 to south is one hundred and nineteen and a half feet. 
 Height of the Terrace, fifteen feet ten inches. From 
 the Terrace to the apex of the Obelisk, eighty-two feet 
 six and a half inches. From the grade line to the top 
 of the four round pedestals, twenty-eight feet four 
 inches, and to the top of the pedestal for the Lincoln 
 statue, thirty-five and a half feet. Total 'height from 
 ground line to apex of Obelisk, ninety-eight feet four 
 and a half inches. The above measurements were 
 taken by T. J. Dennis in January, 1872.
 
 CHAPTER XXV. 
 
 I have said that Memorial Hall would be the re- 
 ceptacle for articles that had been used by Mr. Lin- 
 coln, or in any way associated with his memory. 
 There is a stone preserved in the Hall, which will 
 furnish food for reflection to all lovers of liberty, but 
 to those whose meditative faculties are fully developed, 
 the study of it will be a rich feast. 
 
 All historians are aware that much of the early his- 
 tory of Rome is obscure and traditional, and that some 
 of her reputed rulers are regarded, by a portion of the 
 early historical writers, as mere creatures of the imag- 
 ination, whilst others who are entitled to equal cre- 
 dence, regard what is related of them as, in the main, 
 true. 
 
 Taking all the light that can be obtained on the sub- 
 ject, the following is -thought to be a correct version 
 of the life of Servius Tullius : He is said to have been 
 the sixth king of Rome. It is stated that he ascended 
 the throne 578 years before the birth of Christ. He 
 was of obscure origin, and his history mingled with 
 pagan mythology. It is intimated that one or both of 
 his parents were slaves. The policy of his reign was 
 to better the condition of the common people by every 
 means he could devise, and to raise them to an equality 
 with their rulers, so far as the right to life and prop- 
 erty was concerned. It is even asserted that he 'was 
 aiming to qualify them to be their own rulers, with a 
 view to abolishing the kingly office. He discharged 
 the debts of his indigent subjects from his own private 
 revenues, and deprived the creditor of the power of 
 seizing the body of the debtor, restricting him to the 
 goods and chattels for the liquidation of his claims.
 
 THE NATIONAL LINCOLN MONUMENT. 251 
 
 At the time his reign commenced, the city was com- 
 posed of but four hills : the Palatine, the Tarpeian 
 now called the Capitoline the Aventine and the Cselian. 
 The king manifested his public spirit by adding the 
 Viminal,the Esquiline and the Quirinal, making Rome, 
 at that ancient date, the city of the seven hills. Hav- 
 ing enlarged its boundaries, he enclosed it with a stone 
 wall which was ever after called by his own name. His 
 reign was eminently peaceful and tempered with kind- 
 ness and benevolence. In his efforts to ameliorate the 
 condition of the common people, and confer upon them 
 the right to take part in the affairs of the State, thus, 
 for the first time, making them politically independent, 
 he established a constitution for their government. 
 
 Already jealous of his love for the common people, 
 this last act of the king aroused all the latent malig- 
 nity of the wealthy classes, or those claiming to be the 
 nobility, and they determined upon his destruction. 
 , He had no sous, but two daughters, both of whom 
 were married. His daughter Tullia put her husband 
 to death. Lucius Tarquinius, who had married the 
 other daughter, put her to death and then took her sis- 
 ter Tullia to wife. Tarquinius plotted with the nobles, 
 and at the head of an armed mob, in the summer, when 
 the commoners were gathering their harvests, he entered 
 the forum and seated himself on the throne. The king, 
 unconscious of danger, while going from one part of 
 the city to another, was struck down and assassinated 
 in the streets by some of the followers of his treacher- 
 ous and ungrateful son-in-law. His body was left 
 where it fell until the chariot of his daughter Tullia 
 was driven over it by her own directions. Thus passed 
 away king Servius Tullius, 538 years before the birth 
 of Christ, in the fortieth year of his reign. 
 
 What were called the walls of Servius Tullius, were 
 the walls of Rome for about 700 years, or until the 
 reign of the Emperor Aurelius, which commenced in 
 the year 138 of the Christian era.
 
 252 THE GREAT FUNERAL CORTEGE, 
 
 The constitution Driven to the Roman people by Ser- 
 vius Tullius, and which is believed to be historical, 
 never came into force, but was swept away with all his 
 other reforms, soon after -his successor ascended the 
 throne. Instead of the happy condition in which the 
 good king hoped and labored to place the Roman peo- 
 ple, they were plunged into the deepest abyss of woe 
 by Tarquinius, whose oppressions of the poor were so 
 great that many slew themselves, and the historians say, 
 that "in the days of Tarquinius, the tyrant, it was hap- 
 pier to die than to live." 
 
 During all the centuries of oppression and tyranny 
 through which Rome has grown hoary, there has been 
 a chosen few who loved liberty and justice. When 
 suffering under the oppressions of the aristocratic class- 
 es, they have kept alive by their traditions, as objects 
 of fond regret, the memory of the just laws of king 
 Servius Tullius. 
 
 Some of these Roman patriots evidently watched 
 with intense interest for four long and weary years, the 
 struggle in the new world, between liberty on the one 
 side and tyranny and oppression on the other. They 
 saw it terminate in the destruction of the slave power, 
 and the elevation of four millions of the oppressed and 
 downtrodden of the human family, to an equal right 
 with all other men to life, liberty and the pursuit of 
 happiness. They kept their eyes steadily fixed on the 
 man whose head and heart and hands wielded the power 
 of the great liberty loving nation to consummate these 
 grand achievements. They believed that they saw in 
 him an embodiment of all the virtues of their ancient 
 king, whose memory they so fondly cherished. 
 
 After his election as President of the United States 
 for the second time, and in order to show their appre- 
 ciation of his character, and the parallel between the 
 lives of Abraham Lincoln and Servius Tullius, these 
 Roman patriots took from a fragment of the wall, where 
 it had been placed by human hands more than two
 
 AND THE NATIONAL LINCOLN MONUMENT. 253 
 
 thousand four hundred years before, a stone, and placed 
 upon it an inscription and sent it as a memorial to 
 President Lincoln. Figure 11 is a fac simile of the 
 stone, with its inscription. It was engraved from a 
 photograph, taken for the purpose after its arrival in 
 Springfield. 
 
 (Fig. 11.) 
 
 STONE FROM THE WALL OP SERVIUS TULLIUS. 
 
 The following is a translation of the inscription : 
 
 " To Abraham Lincoln, President for the second time, of the 
 American Republic, citizens of Rome present this stone, from the 
 wall of Servius Tullius, by which the memory of each of those 
 brave assertors of liberty may be associated. Anno, 1865." 
 
 It is a conglomerate sandstone, and Prof. Worthen, 
 State Geologist for Illinois, says that it is possibly an 
 artificial one. It is twenty-seven and a half inches 
 long, nineteen inches wide, and eight and three-quarter 
 inches thick. The lower edge and the side which bears 
 the inscription are dressed true ; the opposite side
 
 254 THE GREAT FUNERAL CORTEGE, 
 
 shows the unevenness peculiar to the natural surface 
 of a stone the upper edge and both ends are broken 
 as if done with a hammer. 
 
 By authority of the Hon. Shelby M. Cullom and the 
 Congressional Records, I give the following as the 
 American history of the stone : Something like a year 
 after the assassination of President Lincoln, it was dis- 
 covered in the basement of the Executive mansion, 
 where it had been run over, covered with rubbish and 
 somewhat defaced. The attention of President John- 
 son was called to it, and he caused diligent search to be 
 made by the clerks of the Executive mansion, to ascer- 
 tain if any letters had been received giving a clue as to 
 how or when it came. Not a word of anything con- 
 nected with it could be found, and all that is positively 
 known of its history is the inscription it bears on its 
 face ; yet no person acquainted with the circumstances 
 doubts that it really came from the wall of Servius 
 Tullius at Rome. 
 
 It is believed that it arrived before the death of 
 Mr. Lincoln, and to avoid a newspaper furore, he 
 quietly placed it where it was afterwards found. When 
 the stone was discovered it was removed to the Capi- 
 tol and placed in the crypt in the basement, still de- 
 priving the public of any opportunity to see it. Early 
 in June, 1870, a joint resolution was introduced into 
 the House of Representatives at Washington, instruct- 
 ing the architect of the Capitol to transfer it to an 
 appropriate place in a conservatory of the United 
 States Botanical Gardens. Upon its coming before 
 the House, Mr. Cullom moved the following substi- 
 tute : "Strike out all after the enacting clause and insert 
 that the architect of the Capitol be, and he is hereby 
 directed to cause the stone presented to the late Abra- 
 ham Lincoln by the patriots of Rome, to be trans- 
 ferred to the possession of the National Lincoln Mon- 
 ument Association, at Springfield, Illinois, to be placed 
 by said Association in the monument now being erect- 
 ed to the memory of Abraham Lincoln."
 
 THE NATIONAL LINCOLN MONUMENT. 255 
 
 In a brief speech, Mr. Cullom presented some very 
 forcible reasons why the stone should be placed in the 
 monument, and when he closed, the resolution was 
 adopted. Passing both Houses, this action of Con- 
 gress was completed on the 17th of June. The stone 
 was boxed and shipped to this city and placed in the 
 office of Vice President Dubois, Sept. 15, 1870, where 
 it remai'ned until August, 1871, when it was removed 
 to Memorial Hall. 
 
 That stone was prepared and shipped to Abraham 
 Lincoln because his life had thus far been similar to that 
 of Servius Tullius. Both sprang from the common peo- 
 ple ; both, in their official capacity, did all they could 
 to elevate and improve the condition of the common 
 people ; both incurred the hatred of those claiming to be 
 the nobility, because they were of and for the common 
 people ; and both were assassinated because they were 
 endeavoring so to administer their respective govern- 
 ments, as to increase the freedom, happiness and pros- 
 perity of the common people. Little did those who 
 put the inscription on that stone think that the paral- 
 lel in the lives of those two rulers would so soon be 
 complete, even to the closing tragedy of assassination. 
 The death of our martyred President sealed the right to 
 life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness to every Jiuman 
 being on American soil ; but it required twenty-four 
 centuries for the blood of Servius Tullius to produce 
 its legitimate fruits, in severing the manacles which 
 held in bondage the Roman people. King Victor 
 Emanuel is deserving of all honor for the part he has 
 taken in their elevation ; but they must make another 
 stride by educating the masses until they are prepared 
 to set aside a kingly government for that of a republic, 
 and then they will be acting in the true spirit of their 
 ancient ruler. 
 
 There is no beauty in that stone to make it attract- 
 ive, but the association of ideas that cluster around it 
 always cause it to be an object of interest. Dur-
 
 256 THE GEEAT FUNEEAL COETEGE, 
 
 ing the time that has elapsed since it was placed by 
 human hands in the wall surrounding the city of Rome, 
 continents have been discovered ; empires have risen 
 and fallen ; and more than seventy generations of hu- 
 man beings have sprung from the earth, acted their 
 busy parts and sunk back into its bosom. Servius 
 Tullius at the beginning and Abraham Lincoln at the 
 close of that long period of time, were influenced by 
 the same spirit of humanity. Both loved and trusted 
 the common people, and both were loved and trusted 
 in return ; and because of that mutual love, both were 
 assassinated by the minions of tyranny and oppression. 
 The object of the Roman patriots is attained the names 
 of " those brave assertors of liberty " are and will be 
 associated from this time henceforth.
 
 CHAPTER XXVI. 
 
 In the preceding chapters I have endeavored to de- 
 scribe the appearance which the structure will present 
 when completed. We will now see what has really 
 been done. Mr. Mead, who is a sculptor by profession, 
 does not pretend to be an architect. After studying 
 out the general design for the Monument, he secured 
 the services of Mr. Russell Sturgis, Jr., Secretary of 
 the American Institute of Architects, located in New 
 York city, to prepare his drawings, and after they were 
 completed, Mr. Mead submitted them to that associa- 
 tion for criticism by its members, particularly with 
 reference to its proportions, and they gave it their un- 
 qualified approval. When the Association was about 
 to adopt it because of its general beauty, they required 
 improvements in some of the minor details. The most 
 important change was made at the suggestion of Mr. 
 T. J. Dennis, one of the members of the Association, 
 who prepared drawings for the purpose. It was that 
 of substituting the present granite balustrade and para- 
 pet for the metalic railing originally designed. As soon 
 as arrangements were perfected for going forward with 
 the building, the necessary drawings and specifications 
 for the guidance of the stone cutters were prepared by 
 Mr. Dennis and placed in the hands of the contractor, 
 Mr. Richardson, who, after having some of them re- 
 drawn, conveyed them to the stone cutters at Lemont, 
 near Joliet, Illinois, and the granite quarries at Quin- 
 cy, Massachusetts, where each piece was cut, dressed 
 and numbered before being shipped to its destination. 
 17
 
 258 THE GREAT FUNERAL CORTEGE, 
 
 As already stated, ground was broken September & 
 1869, and the massive foundation was completed before 
 the close of that year. When the spring of 1870 opened, 
 Mr. Richardson had materials ready to commence the 
 work on the superstructure. He pushed it steadily 
 forward with a full force of men, expecting to finish 
 it during 1870, but there was so much delay on the 
 part of the railroads in bringing the granite on the 
 ground that it was found impossible to finish it within 
 the building season. 
 
 Work was resumed early in the spring of 1871, and 
 the cap stone was elevated to its position on the obelisk 
 Monday morning, May 22, without any ceremonials 
 whatever. That did not complete the work, however, 
 for there was still more to do on the Catacomb, Memo- 
 rial Hall, and other parts of the terrace. 
 
 It will be remembered that on the seventh of May, 
 1869, orders were given by the Association for Mr. 
 Mead to proceed with the work, and prepare the mod- 
 els for the statue of Lincoln and the coat of arms of 
 the United States. A newspaper called La Ri/ot'ma, 
 published in Florence, Italy, in its issue of February 
 22, 1870, criticises Mr. Mead's work on the model of 
 Lincoln, then far advanced towards completion. The 
 article was translated by Mr. A. Alvey of this city, 
 and published in the Register. From his translation I 
 make the following quotations : 
 
 " The statue which will arise in colossal proportions from the 
 monument holds in the left hand a scroll upon which is written 
 1 Emancipation,' and in the other the pen with which Lincoln 
 blotted from human history the stain of slavery. As a symbol 
 of Union, to which he devoted his existence, the fasces are placed 
 near the statue, upon which is thrown, in relief, the glorious ban- 
 ner of the republic * * * At the foot of the fasces reclines 
 a crown of laurel, that crown which mankind has unanimously 
 placed upon the head of the great citizen. 
 
 " But art stops when life is to be infused into inert matter, and 
 then inspiration roust be summoned to express the feeling and
 
 AND THE NATIONAL LINCOLN MONUMENT. 259 
 
 sentiment of a soul, which reflects, as in a mirror, the gran- 
 deur of the hero whose figure she would model. * * * 
 In this Avork, Mr. Mead has surpassed our expectations. * * * 
 The Florentines admire the works of Mr. Mead, and desire to do 
 homage to the memory of Lincoln, who no longer belongs exclu- 
 sively to America, but to the whole world, an honor to the human 
 race." 
 
 Hon. W. M. Springer, also of Springfield, while 
 traveling in Europe, spent several weeks in Florence 
 when Mr. Mead was at work on the bust and features 
 of Mr. Lincoln. He sent a translation of the criticism 
 in La Riforma to the Journal of this place. In his 
 accompanying letter he says : " The comments of the 
 Florentine papers are very complimentary, and you 
 have a right to conclude that the statue merits all that 
 is said of it. Here, where are found the finest works 
 of Michael Angelo and Canova, and the renowned 
 chefs d'ceuvre of Greek sculpture, every werk of this 
 kind must stand upon its own merits. All who have 
 seen Mr. Mead's statue of Mr. Lincoln admire it." 
 The engraving of the coat of arms in this volume is 
 from a photograph by. L. Powers, a son of Hiram 
 Powers, who has a gallery adjoining the studio of his 
 father in Florence. It was a present from Mr. -Mead 
 to Mrs. Springer. 
 
 The models of the statue and coat of arms were 
 completed and shipped to Chicopee, Massachusetts, ar- 
 riving there in the latter part of October, 1870. Hon. 
 J. C. Conkling of this city, a long and intimate friend 
 of Mr. Lincoln, was at Chicopee in December, and his 
 description of both models are similar to those previ- 
 ously given. 
 
 Thomas Lincoln (Tad), the youngest son of Presi- 
 dent Lincoln, after having spent the greater part of 
 his time in Germany since the death of his father, re- 
 turned with his mother to America early in 1871. In 
 crossing the Atlantic he contracted a severe cold, which 
 terminated in his death at Chicago, July 15, 1871.
 
 260 THE GREAT FUNERAL CORTEGE, 
 
 The monument was not completed, but the Catacomb 
 was far enough advanced to be occupied, and on Mon- 
 day, the seventeenth of July, the remains were brought 
 to Springfield and deposited in the west one of the five 
 crypts that which is at the extreme right on entering 
 the vestibule. 
 
 At a meeting of the Association August 22, Gover- 
 nor Oglesby was instructed to confer with Judge David 
 Davis of Bloomington and Robert T. Lincoln of Chi- 
 cago, and they three were to agree upon a day for the 
 removal of the remains of President Lincoln. After 
 consultation they named September 19, at three o'clock 
 p. m. The removal was intended to be done privately, 
 a few personal friends only being notified. At the 
 time appointed there were about two hundred persons 
 at the monument to witness the event. Of the fifteen 
 members of the Association, thirteen were present, 
 namely, Oglesby, Dubois, Miner, Stuart, Conkling, 
 Williams, *Bunn, Bateman, Treat, Hatch, Melvin, Bev- 
 eridge and Phillips. 
 
 When the remains were removed, December, 21, 
 1865, Jesse K. Dubois, Newton Bateman, D. L. Phil- 
 lips, O. M. Hatch and O. H. Miner, members of the 
 Association, signed a paper stating th-at it was the 
 body of Abraham Lincoln beyond a doubt. In mak- 
 ing their preparations for removal on the forenoon of 
 September 19, 1871, it was thought that the embalm- 
 ing was a failure, and the remains were changed from 
 the wooden coffin in which they were brought from 
 Washington and placed in a metalic casket. The 
 same members of the Association viewed the corpse, 
 and again signed a paper testifying to the identity of 
 the body. About four o'clock in the afternoon, the 
 casket was conveyed to the Catacomb and deposited 
 in the central crypt. As the time approached for the 
 dedication, the Association made arrangements for 
 transferring the remains to a marble Sarcophagus. 
 They had all things in readiness, and on Friday even-
 
 AND THE NATIONAL LINCOLN MONUMENT. 261 
 
 Ing, about seven o'clock, Oct. 9, 1874, the body was 
 removed from the casket to a red cedar coffin lined 
 with lead. The remains were found to be in a good 
 state of preservation, and readily recognized as the 
 true body of Abraham Lincoln. The transfer was 
 made by Thomas C. Smith, undertaker, and soldered 
 air tight by Col. A. J. Babcock. The coffin was then 
 placed in the Sarcophagus, which was deposited in the 
 central crypt of the catacomb, and the evidence of 
 identity preserved unbroken by the same six gentle- 
 men signing a paper similar to the two previous ones. 
 All three certificates are on file with the Secretary 
 of the Association. The central crypt is lined with 
 fine polished marble. The bodies of Willie and Eddie 
 were placed together September 19, 1871, in the crypt 
 to the right, or west, of that in which Mr. Lincoln 
 rests. The body of Thomas (Tad), as previously stated, 
 is in the crypt to the west, or extreme right, on enter- 
 ing the vestibule. The father and three sons are re- 
 posing near each other in this National Mausoleum. 
 The two crypts on the left, or to the east, are unoccu- 
 pied, and are intended for the only two remaining 
 members of the family. They are closed as though 
 they were occupied. Figure 6 presents the appearance 
 of the crypts before the marble panel work, supported 
 by Doric columns, and extending in dome groined 
 arches to form the ceiling, were put in. Now the cen- 
 tral crypt only is visible, with the Saracophagus bear- 
 ing on its front the inscription 
 
 "With malice towards none, with charity for all." 
 
 LINCOLN. 
 The name is surrounded by a wreath of oak boughs.
 
 CHAPTER XXVII. 
 
 The reader will doubtless be interested in knowing 
 how the money was raised to accomplish so much. By 
 the courtesy of the treasurer, the Hon. James H. Bev- 
 eridge, it has been my privilege to examine his books, 
 and a little explanation will be of some advantage. As 
 the money came in, an entry was made in a journal, 
 prepared expressly for that purpose, of each contribu- 
 tion, giving the date of its reception, number on the 
 journal, name of the person or society contributing, 
 place of residence or location, and amount. For every- 
 thing, except Sunday schools, this is all the record. 
 The whole number of entries in the journal is 5145, 
 and of these 1697 are Sunday schools. Besides enter- 
 ing the Sunday schools on the journal, there is another 
 book prepared for them alone. The names of more 
 than sixty thousand children are enrolled in this book. 
 The total amount of their contributions is about twenty 
 thousand dollars. Every superintendent was requested 
 to send a roll of the names of the children, with the 
 amount contributed by each. The record begins with 
 the name of the school, where located, and the name 
 of the superintendent, followed by the names of the 
 children and amounts of their contributions. After the 
 design was adopted, those who contributed not less 
 than fifty cents, received in return a fine steel engraving 
 of the monument, as it will appear when the statuary 
 is placed on it. 
 
 The following extracts from the journal of the Asso- 
 ciation, taken at random, will give some idea of the 
 great variety of persons and organizations contributing 
 to the fund :
 
 THE NATIONAL LINCOLN MONUMENT. 263 
 
 The first entry was made May 8, 1865, and was from 
 Isaac Eeed & Co., New York city, $100; Excelsior 
 Lodge, No. 97, F. & A. Masons, Freeport, 111., $25 ; 
 St. Annes's Council, U. L. A., No. 1234, Kendall 
 county, 111.; Big Thunder Lodge, No. 28, I. O. of 
 Good Templars, Belvidere, 111. ; Olive Branch Lodge, 
 No. 15, Independent Order of Odd Fellows, Canton, 
 111. ; Third Presbyterian Church, Springfield, 111. ; 
 Second Presbyterian Church, Springfield, 111 ; Ger- 
 man Lutheran Church; Springfield, 111., and nearly 
 all the other churches in Springfield ; First Universal- 
 ist Church, Sugar Grove and Blackberry, 111. ; First 
 M. E. Church, Springfield, 111.; 118th Mounted In- 
 fantry, Baton Rouge, La. ; Cumberland Presbyterian 
 Sunday School, at Lincoln, 111. This is the first con- 
 tribution from a Sunday school, and it is remarkable 
 that it comes from a town named by some personal 
 friends for Abraham Lincoln, when his only fame was 
 that of being a good and honest lawyer. Congrega- 
 tional Church, Clifton, 111. ; Baptist Church, Towanda, 
 111. ; Ladies' Aid Society, Fairfield, Iowa ; St. Mary's 
 Church, Protestant Episcopal, Bloomington, 111, ; Citi- 
 zens of Chelsea, Mass. ; M. E. Church, Altoona, Penn, ; 
 Presbyterian Church, Omaha, Neb. ; Colored Citizens 
 of Cairo, 111. ; Hebrew Citizens of Alton, 111 ; Hobart 
 Church, Oneida Indians, Oneida, Wis. ; United Breth- 
 ren Church, Dayton, Ohio. The 73d Regiment U. S. 
 Colored Troops, at New Orleans, La., contributed 
 $1437, a 'greater amount than was given by any other 
 individual or organization, except the State of Illinois. 
 
 It was not until the latter part of June that the 
 Sunday schools began to report in large numbers, when 
 page after page of the journal was filled with their 
 contributions. At the same time, reports would come 
 from a U. S. war steamer, with a long list of contribu- 
 tions ; then from a U. S. army hospital, then Sunday 
 schools, another U. S. steamship, a regiment in Missis- 
 sippi, another at Washington, then one in Tennessee,
 
 264 THE GREAT FUNERAL CORTEGE, 
 
 still another from Arkansas, some white and some col- 
 ored. Then more Sunday schools, Naval Hospital at 
 Portsmouth, Virginia ; a colored regiment, Sunday 
 schools, a Hebrew congregation at St. Joseph, Mo. ; 
 Sunday schools, M. E. Church in Massachusetts, from 
 a Congregational Church in Wisconsin, a Presbyterian 
 Church in Pennsylvania, Baptist Church in Michigan, 
 Episcopal Church in Illinois ; roll of contributors from 
 a colored regiment fills twenty-three pages ; Hebrew 
 congregation in Philadelphia, and a Presbyterian Sun- 
 day school at Aurora, Indiana. An American mis- 
 sionary, from his far-off field in Hong Kong, China, 
 sends his contribution, to help build the monument to 
 the memory of Abraham Lincoln. A Methodist Sun- 
 day school, away up in Seattle, Alaska, sends twenty 
 dollars for the same purpose. Then comes a contribu- 
 tion from the superintendent of public instruction at 
 Memphis, Tennessee. More Sunday schools, more 
 Masonic, Odd Fellows, and Good Templars' lodges. 
 More Sunday schools, from the east, west, north, and 
 some from the south, of almost every denomination of 
 Christians. Citizens of New York city contributed 
 nearly five thousand dollars. Citizens of Boston and 
 Stockbridge, Mass., contributed nearly fifteen hun- 
 dred dollars. More Sunday schools Sunday schools, 
 lodges, churches, Sunday schools, and so it continues, 
 page after page, throughout the journal. 
 
 Much the largest part of the money was contributed 
 during the year 1865, but contributions continued to 
 come, decreasing in number, until the early part of 
 1870. A contribution came, February 2, 1870, from a 
 Methodist Sunday school at Smithtown Branch, Mass. 
 On the sixty-first anniversary of the birth of Abraham 
 Lincoln, namely, February 9, 1870, a contribution of 
 $500 in gold was received from, the State of Nevada, 
 by her large hearted Governor, Henry G. Blasdel. 
 One hundred dollars in gold was received on the 
 eleventh of March, following, from the Secretary of
 
 AND THE NATIONAL LINCOLN MONUMENT. 265 
 
 the State of Nevada, as the contribution of the mem- 
 bers of the Legislature and officers of that State. For 
 a long time it appeared as if no more voluntary offer- 
 ings would come into the treasury, but in December, 
 1870, a contribution of $10 was received from a gen- 
 tleman in St. Louis, and on the twenty-second of the 
 month $15.22 was received from a Presbyterian Sun- 
 day school at Princeton, Illinois. 
 
 Another pause ensues, until May 12, 1871, when 
 $25 was received from a citizen of Sangamon county, 
 Illinois, and on the fifth of June, $5, from a citizen 
 of Belvidere, Illinois. On the twenty-fourth of June, 
 $5 was received from a Methodist Sunday School at 
 Greenwich, New York, and on the same day, $198 was 
 reported as the contribution of the Second Presbyter- 
 ian Sunday School of Springfield, Illinois. November 
 25, 1871, a contribution of $50 is recorded from a 
 citizen of Geneva, Illinois. A report of the contribu- 
 tions for procuring the groups of statuary can be seen 
 in the twenty-eighth chapter, and for ornamenting the 
 monument grounds, in the twenty-ninth chapter. 
 
 Only three States have made contributions to the 
 fund, without reserve. Illinois, by an act of the Gen- 
 eral Assembly, approved January 29, 1867, appropri- 
 ated fifty thousand dollars. The money was not to be 
 drawn from the State treasury until it was needed to 
 pay out on the work. It has been drawn and applied 
 as contemplated in the law. The State of Missouri 
 appropriated one thousand dollars a draft from Gov- 
 ernor Fletcher, for that amount, came into the hands 
 of the treasurer of the Association, April 18, 1868 
 and the State of Nevada $500, as already stated. 
 
 Men may object to giving assistance, and say it is an 
 enterprise that belongs to Illinois. That State has 
 acknowledged the honor of having been the chosen 
 home of Abraham Lincoln, by her contribution of fifty 
 thousand dollars, and has put her name in the most 
 obscure place on the monument. If any other four
 
 266 THE GREAT FUNERAL CORTEGE, 
 
 States were to combine, and do as much as Illinois, 
 they would justly be regarded as liberal, and yet 
 it is not a State, but a National Monument. As evi- 
 dence of this, I need only refer to the great extent of 
 country from which the contributions already received 
 have come. They were made up, too, by all classes of 
 people, and by organizations of almost every kind. 
 
 There can be but one National Monument to the 
 memory of Abraham Lincoln, and that only can be a 
 National Monument which contains his remains ; who, 
 at the time of his death, was the head of the nation, 
 and was slain because he was its Chief Magistrate. 
 This is even more than a National Monument, it is 
 cosmopolitan in its character. His love included all 
 mankind, and all the liberty loving portion of the hu- 
 man family extended their love to him. I might fill 
 page after page with quotations from articles written 
 in all parts of the world, expressing sorrow for his 
 death. These expressions were so numerous that the 
 United States Congress, in order to preserve them in a 
 separate form, by a joint resolution of both houses, 
 approved March 2, 1867, 
 
 Resolved, That, in addition to the number of copies of papers 
 relating to foreign affairs now authorized by law, there shall be 
 printed for distribution by the Department of State, on fine paper, 
 with wide margin, a sufficient number of copies of the appendix 
 to the diplomatic correspondence of 1865, to supply one copy to 
 each Senator and each Representative of the Thirty-ninth Con- 
 gress, and to each foreign government, and one copy to each cor- 
 poration, association or public body, whose expressions of condo- 
 lence or sympathy are published in this volume ; one hundred of 
 these copies to be bound in full Turkey morocco, full gilt, and the 
 remaining copies to be bound in half Turkey morocco, marble 
 edged. 
 
 Under this resolution, a volume of nine hundred and 
 thirty quarto pages was published, making a book 
 almost as large as Webster's unabridged dictionary. It
 
 AND THE NATIONAL LINCOLN MONUMENT. 267 
 
 contains " expressions of condolence and sympathy," 
 on account of the assassination of Abraham Lincoln, 
 from the governments, associations or individuals, in 
 some official capacity, from the following countries, in 
 alphabetical order. I give the name of each country, 
 and the number of parties from whom documents were 
 received : 
 
 Austria, nine ; Argentine Republic, nine ; Belgium, 
 seven ; Brunswick, one ; Baden, Duchy of, four ; Bra- 
 zil, six ; Bolivia, one ; Chili, seventeen ; Costa Rica, 
 six ; China, two ; Denmark, four ; Equador, five ; 
 Egypt, two; France, one hundred and fifty forty- 
 seven of which were from the press ; Great Britain 
 and her dependencies, including both houses of Parlia- 
 ment and Queen Victoria, many cities and towns 
 throughout the kingdom, the island of Nassau, the 
 Bahamas, Bengal and Calcutta, India, Cape Town and 
 the gold coast of Africa, Dominion of Canada, with 
 many of her cities east and west, Ireland, Scotland, 
 Australia, islands of Guernsey, Bermuda, Jamaica and 
 Vancouver, New South Wales and Nova Scotia. The 
 addresses received from all these sources were four 
 hundred and sixty-five, including twenty-nine from the 
 press. Greece, one ; Honduras, one ; Hanseatic Re- 
 publics, including the free cities of Bremen, Hamburg 
 and Lubec, seven ; Hesse Darmstadt, Duchy of, two ; 
 Hawaian Islands, four; Hayti, one; Italy, seventy- 
 two, outside of Rome ; Japan, two ; Liberia, five ; 
 Mexico, six ; Morocco, one ; the Netherlands, including 
 the Hague, four ; Nicaragua, three ; Prussia, seven- 
 teen ; Portugal, eighteen ; Peru, eleven ; Russia, eight ; 
 Rome, four ; Spain, nineteen ; Sweden and Norway, 
 nine ; Saxe Meiningen, one ; Switzerland, one hundred 
 and thirty-six ; San Salvador, three ; United States of 
 Columbia, twenty -three ; Uraguay, three ; Venezuela, 
 six ; Wurtemburg, three ; United States of America, 
 sixty-eight. These latter were, to a great extent, made 
 up of societies composed of foreigners residing in the
 
 268 THE GREAT FUNERAL CORTEGE, 
 
 different cities of the Union. The total number, from 
 all sources, is eleven hundred and sixty-eight. They 
 contain some of the finest sentiments that words can 
 express. They are nearly all written in prose, with a 
 small number in poetry. I insert a single communica- 
 tion of the latter class. It was written by Miss Grace 
 W. Gray, an invalid lady of Northampton, England, 
 and sent to Charles F. Adams, our minister to that na- 
 tion, with a request that it be forwarded to Mrs. Lin- 
 coln. It is an accrostic, and in the number of lines, 
 it would also be a sonnet, if the versification had been 
 arranged for that purpose : 
 
 " A nation nor one only mourns thy loss, 
 " Brave Lincoln, and with voice unanimous 
 
 Raise to thy deathless memory 
 
 A dirge-like song of all thy noble deeds. 
 
 High let it rise; and I, too, fain would add 
 
 A loving tribute to thy priceless worth, 
 
 More widely known since banished from the earth. 
 
 " Laurel shall now thy brow entwine, 
 In memory's ever-faithful shrine ; 
 Nor shall it fade when earth dissolves. 
 Caught up to meet thee in the air, 
 Old age and youth shall bless thee there ; 
 Love shall her grateful tribute pay, 
 Nor cease through heaven's eternal day." 
 
 Resolutions and other expressions, by legislative 
 bodies, corporations, voluntary societies and public 
 assemblies called for the occasion, one and all, ex- 
 pressed in unmistakable terms their horror at the 
 crime, and the warmest sympathy and condolence with 
 the bereaved family of the President and the American 
 people ; but from the very nature of things, they par- 
 took too much of formality to express the finer feel- 
 ings of the heart. These latter could only be found in 
 the public journals. Of the former class, I make a
 
 AND THE NATIONAL LINCOLN MONUMENT. 269 
 
 single selection of part of an utterance in four where- 
 aees and six resolutions, from the government of Li- 
 beria : 
 
 Resolved, By the President of tlie Republic of Ltiwia and Ids 
 Cabinet, in council, That it is with sincere regret and pain, as well 
 as with feelings of horror and indignation, the government of Li- 
 beria has heard of the foul assassination, of Abraham Lincoln, late 
 President of the United States of America. 
 
 Resolved, That the government and people of Liberia deeply 
 sympathize with the government and people of the United States, 
 in the sad loss they have sustained by the death of so wise, so 
 just, so efficient, so vigorous, and yet so merciful a ruler. 
 
 Resolved, That while with due sorrow the government and peo- 
 ple of Liberia weep with those that mourn the loss of so good and 
 great a chief, they are, nevertheless, mindful of the loss they them- 
 selves have experienced in the death of the great philanthropist 
 whose virtues can never cease to be told so long as the Republic 
 of Liberia shall endure ; so long as there survives a member of 
 the negro race to tell of the chains that have been broken ; of the 
 griefs that have been allayed ; of the broken hearts that have been 
 bound up by him who, as it were a new creation, breathed life into 
 four millions of that race whom he found oppressed and degraded 
 
 From a large number of French papers, I select a 
 single paragraph, from the Siecle of April 30, 1865 : 
 
 " I pause to pay a tribute of homage to the memory of Abraham 
 Lincoln ; he will have been the apostle and the martyr of freedom. 
 The cause of slavery could only be put an end to by assassination. 
 It dies as it has lived, the dagger in hand. What a lost cause ! 
 What a dishonored cause ! The frightful drama of Golgotha is the 
 purchase of the disinherited. The blood of the just is invariably 
 the ransom of the slaves." 
 
 We have heretofore regarded the people of South 
 America as not more than half civilized, but in all the 
 hundreds of papers on the death of Abraham Lincoln, 
 there is none that exhibits more accurate and di&crim-
 
 270 THE GREAT FUNERAL CORTEGE, 
 
 inating knowledge of onr history, and that for sub- 
 limity of thought and deep pathos, excels that written 
 by the Hon. Salvador Camacho Roldan, and translated 
 from La Opinion, Bogota, June 7, 1 865 ; from which I 
 make some brief extracts. After stating in the most 
 clear and concise language, the causes of our civil war 
 and the difficulties in the path of President Lincoln, 
 the writer says : "There is in his last words something 
 of the fire of the old prophets," and then proceeds to 
 quote from his inaugural address of March 4, 1865 : 
 
 " Fondly do we hope, fervently do we pray, that this mighty 
 scourge of war may soon pass away. Yet if God wills that it con- 
 tinue until the wealth piled by the bondman's two hundred and 
 fifty years of unrequited toil shall be sunk, and until every drop 
 of blood drawn by the lash be paid by another drawn with the 
 sword, as was said three thousand years ago, so still it must be 
 said, 'the judgments of the Lord are true and righteous altogether." 
 
 The writer continues : 
 
 "And that nothing should be wanting to complete the grandeur 
 of his life, the hand of crime snatched it from him in the midst of the 
 triumph of his cause, and bound his temples, already pale from the 
 vigils and anguish of four years, with the resplendent crown of 
 the martyr. 
 
 "Abraham Lincoln is dead, but his work is finished and sealed 
 with the veneration which God has given to the blood of martyrs. 
 He who was yesterday a man, is to-day an apostle ; he who was the 
 centre at which the shots of malice and hatred were aimed, is to-day 
 a prestige, sacred and irresistible. His voice is louder and more po- 
 tent from the mansion of martyrs, than from the Capitol, and the 
 cry which was loudly raised among the living, is mute before the 
 majesty of the tomb. 
 
 "Abraham Lincoln passes to the side of Washington the one 
 the father, and the other the saviour of a great nation. The tra- 
 ditions, pure and stainless, of the early times of the republic, 
 broken at the close of the administration of the second Adams, 
 were restored in the martyr of Ford's Theatre; and the predomi- 
 nance of material interests which has heretofore obscured the 
 country of Franklin, will abdicate the field to the prelacy of
 
 AND THE NATIONAL LINCOLN MONUMENT. 271 
 
 moral ideas, of justice, of equality, and of reparation. The whip 
 has dropped from the hand of the overseer; the bloodhound will 
 hunt no more the fugitive slave in the mangrove swamps of the 
 Mississippi ; the hammer of the auctioneer of negroes has struck 
 for the last time on his platform, and its baleful sound has died 
 into eternal silence. The sacred ties of love which unite the 
 hearts of slaves will not again be broken by the forced separation 
 of husbands and wives, parents and children. The unnatural and 
 infamous consort between the words liberty and slavery is dis- 
 solved forever; and liberty! liberty! will be the cry which shall 
 run from the Atlantic to the Pacific, and from the northern lakes 
 to the Gulf of Mexico. This great work has cost a great price. 
 Humanity will have to mourn yet many years to come the hor- 
 rors of that civil war; but above the blood of its victims, above 
 the bones of its dead, above the ashes of desolated hearths, will 
 arise the great figure of Abraham Lincoln, as the most acceptable 
 sacrifice offered by the nineteenth century in expiation of the 
 great crime of the sixteenth. Above all the anguish and tears of 
 that immense hecatomb will appear the shade of Lincoln as the 
 symbol of hope and pardon." 
 
 These expressions of condolence and sympathy were 
 written in not less than twenty-five of the leading 
 languages of the world, but when translated into our 
 own, they one and all convey such true appreciation 
 of the motives that governed the life of Abraham 
 Lincoln, as leads us to believe that the language of 
 freedom is everywhere the same. I believe it may be 
 truthfully said, that there is not a man under the whole 
 canopy of heaven, that loves liberty for liberty's sake, 
 who does not feel that, when Abraham Lincoln was 
 struck down, he lost a brother, for his love included 
 all mankind. 
 
 A copy of the book containing these expressions of 
 condolence and sympathy, also the books, papers and 
 letters of the Monument Association will be placed in 
 Memorial Hall. A package of the original documents 
 sent to Mrs. Lincoln and the officers of the United 
 States government, after the death of Mr. Lincoln.
 
 272 THE GREAT FUNERAL CORTEGE. 
 
 was forwarded by Robert T. Lincoln to the Hon. 
 John T. Stuart in December, 1871, are framed and 
 placed in Memorial Hall. A small number of them 
 are on paper, but much the largest number are on either 
 parchment or vellum. They are of all sizes, from 
 eight by ten inches to eighteen by twenty -four. Among 
 them are some very fine specimens of pen-printing. 
 They will be highly valued for their ornamental ap- 
 pearance. Twenty-two of them are the originals of 
 those contained in the book published by Congress. 
 I will mention them in something like the order in 
 which they appear in that book. 
 
 In the borough of Blackburn, county of Lancaster, 
 England, a meeting was held May 2, 1865, and an ad- 
 dress issued to Mrs. Lincoln, Mr. Seward and their 
 families. In this address the sentiment is expressed, 
 that when the exigencies of a nation demand a great 
 leader, God always sends the man for the time, and that 
 Abraham Lincoln was raised up for the special pur- 
 pose of leading our government through the perils of 
 the rebellion, and to let the oppressed go free. Although 
 the language varies, there is a similarity in the senti- 
 ments running through them all, therefore I shall 
 simply give the dates and places from whence they 
 came: 
 
 Belfast, Ireland, May 8, 1865. 
 
 Dublin, Ireland, May 1, 1865. 
 
 Borough of Lancaster, England, May 3, 1865. 
 
 City Council of Liverpool, England, May 3, 1865. 
 
 City of Leeds, England, May 1, 1865. 
 
 Workingmen of London, England, May 4, 1865. 
 Their words of patriotism and love of freedom are so 
 clear, that they seem to be Americans. Their address 
 comes on a large piece of parchment, with fifty-five 
 signatures. 
 
 The Emancipation Society, at St. James Hall, Lon- 
 don, April 29, 1865.
 
 AND THE NATIONAL LINCOLN MONUMENT. 273 
 
 British and Foreign Anti-Slavery Society, London, 
 May 5, 1865. 
 
 Temple Discussion Forum, of London, without date. 
 
 Atlantic Telegraph Company, from the London of- 
 fice, May 8, 1865. 
 
 New England Society, of Montreal, Canada, April 
 19, 1865. 
 
 Municipal Council of Northampton, England, May 
 1, 1865. Two copies, on vellum ; one to the govern- 
 ment archives at Washington, the other to Mrs. Lin- 
 coln. 
 
 Municipal Council of Oldham, England May 1 and 
 3, 1865. 
 
 Town Council of Paisley, Scotland, May 6, 1865. 
 
 The inhabitants of Plaistow, England, without date. 
 
 Municipal Council of Rochdale, Scotland, May 4, 
 1865. 
 
 Sheffield Secular Society, England, without date. 
 
 The inhabitants of Southport, England, May 6, 1865. 
 
 Parish of St. Pancras, county of Middlesex, England, 
 May 10, 1865. 
 
 Chamber of Commerce of the State of New York, 
 New York city, April 22, 1865. 
 
 Board of Managers of the Missionary Society of the 
 Methodist Episcopal Church, 200 Mulberry street, New 
 York, April 24, 1865. 
 
 The following do not appear in the book published 
 by Congress, bu$. on the parchments only : 
 
 From the Aldermen and Burgesses of the city of 
 Liverpool, England, May 3, 1865. 
 
 The inhabitants of Gateshead, England, May 4, 1865. 
 
 Ladies of the London Emancipation Society, to Mrs. 
 Lincoln, without date. 
 
 St. George's Society, Quebec, Dominion of Canada, 
 April 24, 1865. 
 
 Montgomery Lodge No. 19, Free and Accepted Ma- 
 sons, Philadelphia, May 4, 1865. 
 
 Friends, or Quakers, of Kendall, England, to the 
 18
 
 274 THE GREAT FUNERAL CORTEGE, 
 
 widow and children of Abraham Lincoln, without date. 
 This parchment contains sixty-seven autograph names, 
 about one-third being women. 
 
 Mercantile Library Company sent a piece of parch- 
 ment, with some very neatly expressed sentiments 
 and fifteen signatures, but it is without date or loca- 
 tion . 
 
 The St. Andrew's Scottish Benevolent Society of San 
 Francisco, California, April 17, 1865. Their expres- 
 sions are recorded on a fine piece of vellum, and at- 
 tached to a roller, heavily plated with gold. 
 
 Declarations of the Bishop and Clergy of the Pro- 
 testant Episcopal Church, in the Diocese of Illinois, 
 April 19, 1865. These are neatly engrossed on a piece 
 of vellum, eighteen by twenty-four inches, and signed 
 
 bv Bishop Whitehouse and fifty-one of the clergv of 
 ,-. ,. * J & 
 
 his diocese. 
 
 Among the number there is one very fine piece of 
 parchment, which has nothing on its face to show 
 whether it was prepared before or after Mr. Lincoln's 
 death. It is a series of joint resolutions of the Select 
 and Common Councils of the city of Philadelphia, in- 
 viting Abraham Lincoln to visit that city on his way 
 to Washington, to be inaugurated President of the 
 United States. It contains the names of the committee 
 of invitation, consisting of six members of each coun- 
 cil, and was approved by the Mayor, Alexander Henry, 
 February 14, 1861. 
 
 On the morning of Saturday, April 29, 1871, the 
 Hon. Sharon Tyndale, of Springfield, arose from his 
 bed about one o'clock, took an affectionate leave of his 
 family, and started to the depot of the Chicago and St. 
 Louis Railroad, with the intention of visiting Belle- 
 ville. At daylight his body was found, about a square 
 from his residence, lying on its face, with a pistol shot 
 through his head. The wound was almost like that 
 which caused the death of Mr. Lincoln. Large re- 
 wards were offered for the arrest of the assassins, but
 
 AND THE NATIONAL LINCOLN MONUMENT. 275 
 
 there has never been the slightest clue as to who they 
 were. 
 
 At the annual meeting of the Association, May 11, 
 1871, a committee was appointed who reported the fol- 
 lowing resolutions, which were adopted and ordered to 
 l)e spread upon the record : 
 
 Rejoiced, That in the death of the Hon. Sharon Tyndale, one 
 of the corporators of the National Lincoln Monument Associa- 
 tion, and the first of that number who has departed this life, this 
 Association has lost one of the most earnest, faithful and valued 
 members one who cherished the memory of Abraham Lincoln 
 with sincere and patriotic devotion, and who gave his time and 
 thought, gladly and without stint, to promote the success of the 
 enterprise for which this corporation was created. 
 
 Resolved, That we recall with grateful emotions the unvarying 
 courtesy and kindness of the deceased, as a member of this body ; 
 his exulted conception of the historic significance of the proposed 
 monument; his strong desire that the structure should be worthy 
 of the great name to be honored and perpetuated by it, and his 
 many valuable services and suggestions as the work was begun 
 and carried forward. 
 
 Resolved, That the cruel assassination of Mr. Tyndale derives a 
 blacker coloring of atrocity from his singularly benevoleent and 
 philanthropic nature, and his well known kindness of disposition, 
 and that we earnestly join in the general wish that his inhuman 
 murderers may yet be arrested, convicted and punished. 
 
 Resolved, That a copy of these resolutions be forwarded, with 
 assurances of our deep and respectful sympathy, to the afflicted 
 widow and family of the deceased. 
 
 NEWTON BATE MAN, "] 
 
 DAVID L. PHILLIPS, \- Committee. 
 
 JAMES C. CONKLING, J 
 
 At the same meeting, upon the suggestion of Hon. 
 O. M. Hatch, Gov. John M. Palmer was elected a 
 member of the Association, to fill the vacancy occa- 
 sioned by the death of Mr. Tyndale. With this ex- 
 ception, there has never been any change in the mem- 
 .bership, from the organization of the Association.
 
 27 f) THE GREAT FUNERAL CORTEGE, 
 
 Clinton L. Conkling, the first secretary, was never 
 a member of the Association, but served as secretary 
 until December 28, 1865, when he tendered his resigna- 
 tion, which was accepted January 18, 1866. Hon. O. 
 M. Hatch was then elected secretary, which he accepted, 
 and has continued to serve until the present time. The 
 Association is at present composed of ex-Gov. R. J. 
 Oglesby, President ; Hon. Jesse K. Dubois, Vice Presi- 
 dent; Hon. James H. Beveridge, Treasurer; Hon. O. 
 M. Hatch, Secretary ; Hon. O. H. Miner, Hon. John 
 T. Stuart, Hon. James C. Conkling, John Williams, 
 Thomas J. Dennis, Jacob Bunn, Hon. Newton Bate- 
 man, Hon. S. H. Treat, Hon. D. L. Phillips, Dr. S. H. 
 Melvin, and Gov. John M. Palmer. 
 
 The Executive Committee, appointed when the work 
 commenced, namely, the Hon. John T. Stuart, Jacob 
 Bunn, and John Williams, has continued to superin- 
 tend it to the present time.
 
 CHAPTER XXVIII. 
 
 Soon after the National Lincoln Monument Associ- 
 ation was organized, it announced its intention to 
 raise two hundred and fifty thousand dollars for the 
 purpose of building a monument to the memory of 
 Abraham Lincoln. There was but one contribution 
 made, the payment of which was dependent on the 
 amount named being raised. The Legislature of the 
 State of New York, at its first or second session, after 
 the Association was organized, appropriated ten thou- 
 sand dollars, to be paid to the National Lincoln Mon- 
 ument Association at Springfiield, Illinois, when two 
 hundred and forty thousand dollars were raised from 
 other sources. As that amount was never collected, 
 the appropriation lapsed, but another law was enacted 
 in February, 1872, appropriating the same amount, 
 to be paid when a sworn statement of the amount ex- 
 pended by the Association was placed in the hands of 
 the Comptroller of the State of New York. That 
 statement was duly forwarded, and a draft for the 
 amount was received by the Treasurer of the National 
 Lincoln Monument Association, November 15, 1872. 
 
 A single incident will illustrate how easy it would 
 have been to raise money in many oilier places, with 
 the proper exciting cause. An aged colored woman, 
 Charlotte Scott, who had received her freedom in Vir- 
 ginia by the Emancipation Proclamation, was living 
 at Marietta, Ohio, when President Lincoln was assas- 
 sinated. She at once said: "The colored people have 
 lost their best friend on earth ;. Mr. Lincoln was our 
 best friend, and I will give five dollars of my wages 
 towards building a monument to his memory ." This 
 circumstance being related in the Missouri Democrat,
 
 278 THE GREAT FUNERAL CORTEGE, 
 
 of May 2, 1865, caused more than sixteen thousand 
 dollars to be raised by the colored people. The fund 
 was held in St. Louis by Hon. James 1C. Yeatman for 
 several years, but was pledged to the National Lin- 
 coln Monument Association at Washington City. 
 
 From the time ground was broken in the autumn of 
 1869, until the spring of 1871, the structure arose 
 steadily and quietly, and the work, both on the Monu- 
 ment and statue, was so far advanced that the Associa- 
 tion began to prepare for some public demonstration 
 connected with the enterprise, without waiting for the 
 four groups of statuary. On the eleventh day of May, 
 at the sixth annual meeting of the Association, a com- 
 mittee was raised consisting of President Oglesby, D. 
 L. Phillips, J. C. Conkling, Newton Bateman and S. 
 H. Treat, to make the necessary preparations. They 
 were expected to visit Chicopee, Massachusetts, and 
 "examine the Statue of Lincoln and the Coat of Arms, 
 suggest to the Association the name of a suitable per- 
 son to deliver the oration upon the occasion of the un- 
 veiling of the Statue when placed upon the Monument, 
 and to select and suggest a day upon which the ceremo- 
 nies should take place.'"' 
 
 On the nineteenth of July, four days after the death 
 of Thomas Lincoln, at a meeting of the Association, 
 that committee reported progress. A few days after 
 that, Governor Oglesby and Mr. Phillips, of the before 
 mentioned committee, started East. 
 
 A meeting of the Association was called on the 
 twenty-second of August, to hear the report of the 
 committee, of which the following is the substance : 
 
 Messrs. Oglesby and Phillips went by the way of 
 Chicago, for the purpose of availing themselves of the 
 counsels particularly in the selection of an orator 
 of some of the prominent gentlemen of that city, who 
 had been the personal and political friends of President 
 Lincoln. Upon making their business known to the 
 Hon. J. Young Scammon, Col. James H. Bowen,
 
 AND THE NATIONAL LINCOLN MONUMENT. 279 
 
 Chauncey T. Bowen, Esq. and others, they learned that, 
 several of these gentlemen, on their visit to Springfield 
 with the remains of Thomas Lincoln, became deeply 
 interested in seeing the monument completed. When 
 the subject was more fully discussed, the committee 
 received what they regarded as ample assurances that 
 Chicago would furnish the means to purchase one of 
 the groups of statuary. They went so far as to select 
 the infantry Group as the one they would prefer to have 
 placed to the credit of their city. The whole question 
 was left open, with the understanding that whenever 
 the Association desired it, the money would be forth- 
 coming. 
 
 The committee next visited New York city and called 
 on ex-Governor E. D. Morgan, Hon. Russell Sage, 
 Hon. George Opdyke, Winthrop S. Oilman, Esq. Geo. 
 T. M. Davis, Esq. A. D. Shepherd, Esq. and others, 
 and received assurances that New York would furnish 
 the Naval Group. They left the matter of raising the 
 money there open also, for the reason that it was in the 
 heat of summer, and they were assured that many gen- 
 tlemen who would cheerfully contribute to the fund 
 were then absent. 
 
 On visiting Boston they called on Governor Claflin, 
 and after a long consultation with him, were gratified 
 to find that he entered heartily into the spirit of the 
 enterprise, and although he declined, alone, to make a 
 positive promise, he assured the committee of his sym- 
 pathy with the movement, and gave it as his opinion 
 that Boston would furnish the means to pay for one of 
 the groups. 
 
 The committee would have visited Philadelphia but 
 did not think it advisable to go while the weather was 
 so hot, and that it would be better to defer it until 
 winter. 
 
 On visiting Chicopee the committee found the Coat 
 of Arms finished, and the work on the Statue of Lin- 
 coln in a good state of progress. They took ample time
 
 280 THE GREAT FUNERAL CORTEGE, 
 
 to study it, and unhesitatingly pronounce it as perfect a 
 reproduction of Abraham Lincoln as it is possible to 
 transfer from life to inert matter. In their opinion Mr. 
 Mead has proven himself a true artist, in the fact that 
 he has made no effort to improve on nature. Mr. Lin- 
 coln stooped in the shoulders, just enough to spoil the 
 lit of a coat about the breast, and the Statue shows this 
 to perfection. The peculiar contour of the features, 
 the full lower lip, the mole on the cheek, the wrinkles 
 on the forehead, and the nose, unlike any other except 
 Lincoln's, are all faithfully reproduced. His long, 
 bony fingers, as they grasped the Emancipation Procla- 
 mation, and all his other angularities, are brought out 
 with great accuracy. They regard the work a sig- 
 nal success, and think it a fortunate circumstance that 
 the casting and finishing was placed in the hands of 
 the Ames Manufacturing Company. Mr. James T. 
 Ames, as President of that Company, became intimately 
 acquainted with Mr. Lincoln during the four years of 
 the rebellion. His business relations in manufacturing 
 cannon and other arms for the government, led to many 
 personal interviews with the President. His recollec- 
 tion of these events was of great value when he came 
 to finish up the statue, which he seemed to regard more 
 as a labor of love and patriotism, than a mere matter of 
 business. 
 
 It appeared to them as if the work was almost done, 
 but Mr. Ames declined to name a time when it would 
 be completed. Being satisfied that it could not be done 
 and put in position on the Monument in time to be un- 
 veiled during 1871, the committee did not make aelec- 
 tion of an orator, neither did they name any day for the 
 ceremony of unveiling to take place. 
 
 Although the committee found it inexpedient at that 
 time to do all they were appointed for, they did that 
 which was much more important. They developed 
 the fact that the movement on the part of the people 
 to build a monument to the memory of Abraham Lin-
 
 AND THE NATIONAL LINCOLN MONUMENT. 281 
 
 coin was not a mere impulse, to be abandoned when 
 the novelty wore away, but that the people are firmly 
 resolved to complete it in all its parts. Thus matters 
 connected with the Monument stood when the great 
 tornado of fire swept over Chicago on the eighth and 
 ninth of October. Hundreds of thousands of dollars' 
 worth of property, belonging to the men who had 
 united in pledging the money to purchase the Infantry 
 Group of statuary, were reduced to ashes in a day. 
 
 When this great calamity befel the commercial me- 
 tropolis of the Northwest, it was about the close of the 
 building season for 1871. The Monument proper was 
 then nearly completed. The Association had the means 
 to pay all bills for this part of the work, also for the 
 United States Coat of Arms and the Statute of Lin- 
 coln. But the Monument would still lack what was 
 necessary to give vital force to the design of the artist. 
 It would be an apt emblem of our government at the 
 beginning of the great rebellion. The constitution was 
 there as a pedestal, and Abraham Lincoln took his posi- 
 tion upon it. The States were there, but threatening 
 dissolution, and he had neither Infantry, Cavalry, Artil- 
 lery or a Navy, without which he would have been 
 compelled to look on and see them crumble aAvay be- 
 neath his feet. At this juncture the loyal people of 
 America rallied to his support, and placed at his dispo- 
 sal the means necessary to organize all the forces 
 required for the preservation of the government. 
 The members of the Association, when assembled on 
 the twenty-ninth of November, felt that the time had 
 arrived for an earnest appeal to be made to the Ameri- 
 can people, to again furnish the means to organi/e the 
 Infantry, the Cavalry, the Artillery and the Navy in 
 bronze to be marshaled around his Statue, in imitation 
 of the support the loyal people of the nation gave him 
 in its hour of greatest peril. 
 
 The feeling was unanimous among the members 
 that the magnanimity which always characterized
 
 282 THE GREAT FUNERAL, CORTEGE, 
 
 Abraham Lincoln, should restrain them from hold- 
 ing those gentlemen in Chicago to their promises 
 made before the fire. In consideration of the munifi- 
 cent liberality manifested by them in so many ways 
 when in prosperity, all felt that they should be con- 
 sulted before calling on any other city to take their 
 place in supplying the Infantry Group. It was decided 
 that, as the initial step to further proceedings, Governor 
 Oglesby should visit Chicago and ascertain their feel- 
 ings on the subject. After spending a day or two there, 
 the Governor wrote a letter to the Hon. O. M. Hatch, 
 Secretary of the Association. The letter was dated 
 Chciago, Dec. 8, and when it was received Mr. Hatch 
 informed Vice President Dubois, who called a meeting 
 Dec. 11, 1871, for the purpose of hearing a report from 
 the Governor. 
 
 He said that at an interview with the Hon. J. Young 
 Scammon, he opened the conversation about the future 
 purposes of the Association, and suggested that it might 
 be under the necessity of calling upon some other city 
 to take the place of Chicago in supplying one of the 
 groups of statuary. Mr. Scammon said Jie thought not, 
 and inquired into the terms of the contract with the 
 sculptor, as to the time of payments. The Governor 
 informed him that one-third of the price was to be paid 
 when the order was given for the work to proceed ; but 
 then added very explicitly, that the Association did 
 not, under the present circumstances, expect Chicago 
 to contribute anything, and assured him of the pro- 
 found regret felt, by the members at the necessity of 
 looking somewhere else for the Infantry Group. Mr. 
 Scammon said he thought that unnecessary, and then 
 to the surprise and gratification of the Governor, pro- 
 ceeded to say : " Your Association may give Mr. Mead 
 the order to proceed at once to prepare the cast for the 
 Infantry Group, and I will furnish you in cash one- 
 third of the $13,700 ; and I think by the time the sec- 
 ond payment becomes due, we shall be able to meet
 
 AND THK NATIONAL LINCOLN MONUMKNT. 283 
 
 that and the last also." The Governor conferred with 
 Mr. Chatincey T. Bowen, and other gentlemen, who 
 heartily approved of the action of Mr. Scammon, and 
 expressed the determination of Chicago to have one of 
 the groups if no other city did so. 
 
 One of the rules of the Association is, never to order 
 any work until they have the money in hand to pay 
 the whole amount ; but the Governor recommended a 
 deviation from that rule in the case of Chicago. The 
 other members adopted his views, and on motion of 
 Dr. S. H. Melvin, it was 
 
 " Resolved : That, in consideration of the proposition mag- 
 nanimous under the circumstances made by the Hon. J. Young 
 Scammon to President Oglesby, as detailed in his letter just read, 
 the Executive Committee be, and they are hereby directed to re- 
 quest or order Mr. Mead to proceed to execute the work upon the 
 Infantry Group, and prepare the same for the Monument, as stipu- 
 lated and contemplated in his contract with the Association." 
 
 The following order was then issued, with instruc- 
 tions to Mr. Mead to draw on Mr. Scammon for 
 $4566.661 : 
 
 SPRINGFIELD, ILL. U. 8. A. Dec. 11, A. D. 1871. 
 Mr. Larkin G. Mend, FLORENCE, ITALY. 
 
 SIR You are hereby directed to proceed to the construction of 
 the Infantry Group for the National Lincoln Monument, as speci- 
 fied in your contract with the Association, this order being given 
 upon a resolution of the Association, a copy of which is herewith 
 transmitted. 
 
 Respectfully yours, 
 
 JOHN T. STUART, ) 
 
 JOHN WILLIAMS, > Executive Committee. 
 
 JACOB BUNN, ) 
 
 Ex-Governor Oglesby and D. L. Phillips, of the 
 committee appointed May, 1871, again started east via 
 Chicago about the eighth of February, 1872, for the 
 purpose of completing their labors and of enlisting the 
 patriotic citizens of some of the eastern cities in the
 
 284 THE GREAT FUNERAL CORTEGE, 
 
 laudable work of supplying the means to secure the 
 remaining groups of Statuary, and to make arrange- 
 ment? for having the Statue of Lincoln placed upon the 
 Monument when completed ; also, to secure the consent 
 of some distinguished American citizen to deliver the 
 oration on that occasion. 
 
 At a meeting of the Association on the fourteenth of 
 March, the committee made their report, of which the 
 following is the substance : One or both of them vis- 
 ited New York, Philadelphia, Boston, Chicopee, Albany 
 and Auburn. At New York, Boston and Philadelphia, 
 each, they received positive assurances from gentlemen 
 eminent for their love of country, that the money would 
 be raised to pay for a group of statuary. At each place 
 the parties giving this assurance had a book prepared 
 for recording one hundred and thirty-seven subscrip- 
 tions, of one hundred dollars each, making $13,700, 
 the amount required. When the subscriptions are 
 completed, the books are to be forwarded to Springfield 
 and placed in Memorial Hall, as an additional attrac- 
 tion to the contributors, or their friends, when visiting 
 the Monument. 
 
 New York being the largest seaport in the United 
 States, the Naval Group was very appropriately as- 
 signed to that city. The assurances^ that the money 
 would be raised for that group was supported by ex- 
 Gov. E. D. Morgan, Russel Sage, Col. G. T. M. Davis 
 and Winthrop S. Gilman. Gov. Morgan went to 
 work among his friends and very soon became con- 
 vinced that he would have no difficulty in raising the 
 money. The following letter, written the day before 
 Messrs. Oglesby and Phillips made their report, ex- 
 plains itself: 
 
 NEW YORK, March 13, 1872. 
 Hon. R. J. Oglesby, Decatur, III: 
 
 MY DEAR GOVERNOR I have been at work since Thursday 
 last upon the matter of obtaining the autographs of one hun-
 
 AND THE NATIONAL LINCOLN MONUMENT. 285 
 
 clred and thirty-seven of our citizens, for the purpose of contrib- 
 uting one of the Bronze Groups for the monument to Abraham 
 Lincoln. I have gone far enough to enable me to assure you, 
 and the Association represented by you, that I am certain to be 
 successful ; so certain that I will be responsible for raising the 
 sum of thirteen thousand seven hundred dollars, being the amount 
 necessary to pay for the group representing the Navy. Each 
 autograph on my book means a check for $100, and it may be 
 until the middle of April before the matter will be complete, and 
 the certificate of deposit in the United States Trust Company for- 
 warded to you. Therefore, that no time should be lost in ordering 
 the modeling to be done by the artist (Mr. Mead), I want you toad- 
 vise him and get him to work without delay. My subscribers are all 
 chosen, and none refuse, while many thank me for giving them 
 the privilege ; and yet, time is required to see so many gentle- 
 men. Some are not in town, and others not always at their place 
 of business when I call ; but be assured that success is certain, 
 and that there ought not to be any delay in forwarding the order. 
 The artist may get engaged in some other heavy work. 
 I am very truly yours, 
 
 E. D. MORGAN. 
 
 The letter was transmitted by President Oglesby to 
 Secretary Hatch, with instructions to call a meeting 
 at once. The meeting was called for March 22d. 
 When the Association was convened, and the letter 
 read, the following resolution was unanimously 
 adopted : 
 
 Resolved, That in consideration of the letter from Hon. E. D. 
 Morgan, just read, we hereby request and direct Larkin G. 
 Mead, Esq., to proceed without delay to prepare and construct the 
 Naval Group for the Monument, as contemplated and specified 
 in hia contract with this Association, and draw upon them for 
 one-third of thirteen thousand seven hundred dollars. The Sec- 
 retary is hereby directed to cause to be transmitted to Mr. Mead 
 a copy of this order.
 
 286 THE GREAT FUNERAL CORTEGE, 
 
 The order was at once forwarded to the artist at 
 Florence, Italy. The money was all paid, and re- 
 ceived by the Treasurer of the Association at Spring- 
 field, October 4, 1872. The models for the Infantry 
 and Naval Groups were completed and shipped to 
 Chicopee, Massachusetts. In crossing the Atlantic 
 ocean both Groups were somewhat injured, but in 
 such a manner as not to affect the work when com- 
 pleted. A letter from the Association inquiring into 
 the progress of the work, elicited the following re- 
 sponse : 
 
 CHICOPEE, MASS., Oct. 10, 1874. 
 National Lincoln Monument Association, Springfield, III. 
 
 GENTLEMEN: By request of O. M. Hatch, for the Association, 
 on the 7th inst., would say that the amount of cannon on hand is 
 44,511 pounds; have purchased similar stock at twenty cents per 
 pound. We are in receipt of the models of the Navy and In- 
 fantry Groups. The models for Navy Group are repaired, and 
 the moulding in a good state of forwardness in the foundry, part 
 of the castings being in a finished state. The models for In- 
 fantry Group are not all repaired, but will be ready to follow 
 Navy Group when out. 
 
 Yours Truly, 
 
 AMES MFG. Co. 
 
 The Cavalry Group was assigned to Boston, and 
 the assurance that the money will be raised is sup- 
 ported by such names as ex-Gov. Claflin, Nathaniel 
 Thayer, Alpheus Hardy, J. Wiley Edmonds, Horatio 
 Harrison and others. Hon. Henry Wilson, Vice- 
 President of the United States, was so pleased with 
 the monument, while on his first visit to Springfield 
 to participate in the ceremony of unveiling the Statue 
 of Lincoln, that he expressed his decided opinion 
 that when the people of Boston were informed of 
 the progress of the work, they would no longer delay, 
 but would raise the money at once to pay for the 
 Cavalry group.
 
 AND THE NATIONAL LINCOLN MONUMENT. 287 
 
 At Philadelphia some parties proposed raising the 
 $13,700 by subscriptions of $1000 each, bnt it was 
 nfterwards decided to adopt the plan pursued in New 
 York. The following are the names of some of the 
 parties who entered heartily into the spirit of the 
 movement, upon the object being presented by Gov. 
 Oglesby: Col. John W. Forney, Morton McMichael, 
 
 G. W. Childs, Henry Gary. Comly, the collector 
 
 of customs, and James L. Claghorn. 
 
 Pennsylvania being the largest iron producing 
 State in the Union, and Pittsburgh the city where the 
 greatest quantity of heavy ordnance was manufactured 
 during the war to suppress the rebellion, it seemed 
 appropriate for the commercial metropolis of that 
 State to furnish the Artillery Group. The propo- 
 sition made by Gov. Oglesby that this should be 
 done, was very heartily acceded to by the gentlemen 
 above named. Now that Boston and Philadelphia can 
 see that it only depends on the fulfilment of their 
 pledges to complete the monument in all its parts, they 
 will doubtless vie with each other in seeing which 
 shall be first to fill its quota. As soon as the money 
 is in the treasury the Association will order the work 
 to proceed on the two groups together. If it is done 
 soon the Association may hold the two groups, now so 
 near completed, until they can have all four placed on 
 the Monument at the same time, when it will be com- 
 pleted and symmetrical in all its parts. 
 
 Previous to the departure of the committee for the 
 east in February, 1872, the feeling was almost unani- 
 mously expressed by members of the Association and 
 others, that in view of the historical associations con- 
 nected with the death of President Lincoln, and the 
 attempt to assassinate his Secretary of State, it would 
 be eminently proper that the latter should take the 
 leading part in the approaching demonstration at the 
 tomb of the former. With the view of making such 
 arrangements as would lead to the consummation of
 
 288 THE GREAT FUNERAL CORTEGE. 
 
 the wishes of the Association, Gov. Oglesby visited 
 Auburn, New York, on the seventh of March, and on 
 behalf of the Association, extended to the Hon. Wil- 
 liam H. Seward an invitation to visit Springfield and 
 deliver the oration at the unveiling of the statue of 
 Lincoln. After taking one whole day to consider the 
 matter, and consult with his physician and family, 
 Mr. Seward felt compelled to decline the invitation 
 on account of the precarious condition of his health.
 
 CHAPTER XXIX. 
 
 After the death of William H. Seward, October 10, 
 1872, no definite steps were taken towards dedicating 
 the monument, until July 24, 1874. At a meeting of 
 the National Lincoln Monument Association, held on 
 that day, it was decided, by the passage of a resolu- 
 tion to that effect, that the ceremony of unveiling the 
 Statue of Abraham Lincoln, and dedication of the 
 Monument, should take place October 15, 1874. The 
 principal reasons for selecting so early a day for the 
 ceremonial, and without waiting for the groups of 
 Statuary, was that the work was substantially com- 
 pleted, and the members of the Association being 
 nearly all men of advanced age. Of the fifteen origi- 
 nal members, one only has passed away Mr. Tyndale 
 and he died by violence. It was felt by many of the 
 members that this remarkable Providential preserva- 
 tion could not reasonably be expected to continue. In 
 addition to this, they each cherished a very commen- 
 dable desire to witness a formal public recognition of 
 their almost ten years' labor of love. Another reason 
 why they selected that particular time, was that the 
 Society of the Army of the Tennessee had decided to 
 hold its Eighth Annual Reunion at Springfield, Illi- 
 nois, October 14 and 15, 1874. 
 
 The citizens of Springfield commenced raising sub- 
 scriptions August 18, 1874, to defray the expense. 
 Nearly $3,000 were raised, and committees organized 
 on Finance, Decorations, Printing, Banquet, Salute, 
 Music, and one each on the part of the Society of the 
 19
 
 290 THE GREAT FUNERAL CORTEGE, 
 
 Army of the Tennessee and of the National Lincoln 
 Monument Association, on Invitations. 
 
 Six grand triumphal arches were erected across the 
 principal streets. They consisted each of a central 
 arch, thirty-three and a half feet high, and thirty feet 
 between the pedestals, each of which had a flag staff 
 rising in the centre to the height of forty feet. The 
 central arches had arches on each side, seventeen feet 
 four inches high in the centre, and nine feet between 
 the pedestals. One of these compound arches was 
 placed at each side of the State House Square, on Ad- 
 ams, Washington, Fifth and Sixth Streets. Two oth- 
 ers were erected on Sixth Street, one opposite the Le- 
 land Hotel and one at the Opera House. The arch 
 west of the Square, on Fifth Street, was devoted to 
 mottoes, each expressing some sentiment with refer- 
 ence to Lincoln. That on the south, to distinguished 
 soldiers, deceased. The others were covered with pat- 
 riotic devices, utterances and names of distinguished 
 living soldiers. All were decorated Avith evergreens 
 and flowers. The meetings of the Society of the Army 
 of the Tennessee were held at the Opera House 
 through the day and evening of the fourteenth, and 
 an oration and many brilliant speeches delivered. On 
 the morning of the fifteenth the Society held a closing 
 meeting at the Opera House, and then joined the pro- 
 cession and marched in a body to the National Lin- 
 coln Monument and participated in the services of un- 
 veiling the Statue of Lincoln. The closing part of the 
 services of the Army Society Reunion was a grand 
 banquet at the Leland Hotel, commencing at nine 
 o'clock on the evening of the fifteenth. 
 
 The Monument Association having decided upon 
 the time for unveiling the Statue of Lincoln, the next 
 thing in order was the selection of an orator for the 
 occasion. That was a delicate question. It had from 
 the first been the subject of great solicitude with the 
 Association, that a member of Mr. Lincoln's cabinet
 
 AND THE NATIONAL, LINCOLN MONUMENT. 291 
 
 or some one connected with his administration should 
 deliver the oration. The death of Seward, Greeley, 
 Chase, Sumner and others, more especially identified 
 with Mr. Lincoln in the political events before and 
 during his administration, reduced the number of his 
 distinguished compeers, and in proportion increased 
 the difficulty of making a selection that would give 
 general satisfaction. At the meeting of July 24, a res- 
 olution was passed, inviting the President of the Uni- 
 ted States to deliver the oration. Upon its being com- 
 municated to him by Gov. Oglesby, President Grant 
 replied, under date of July 31, 1874, and says: 
 
 "I have kept the letter two days "without answering, to fully 
 consider whether I can undertake a task so different from any- 
 thing ever attempted by me before. My great admiration for Mr. 
 Lincoln's character, talents, and public services, would tempt me, 
 if I felt able to do justice to the subject, but I do not; therefore 
 decline the honor, thanking the Association of which you are the 
 President for conferring it and hope you will make a selection 
 of some one who can and will do full justice to the memory and 
 public services of our noble martyred President." 
 
 The Association held a meeting on the tenth of Au- 
 gust, at which the following was offered by Governor 
 Palmer : 
 
 Resolved, That the President of this Association be requested 
 to communicate with the following gentlemen in the order here- 
 in named, with the view to obtaining the services of one of -them 
 to deliver an oration at the unveiling of the Statue of Mr. Lin- 
 coln, to-wit : Gov. John A. Dix, Hon. Gideon Welles and Hon. 
 O. P. Morton. 
 
 Mr. Hatch offered the following amendment : 
 
 "And in the event that neither accept, that the President of 
 this Association, Gov. R. J. Oglesby, be requested to deliver the 
 address upon that occasion."
 
 292 THE GEEAT FUNERAL CORTEGE, 
 
 Governor Dix declined, pleading official engage- 
 ments. 
 
 A special messenger, D. L. Phillips, visited Ex- 
 Secretary of the Navy, Welles, at his home. Mr 
 Welles did not come to an immediate decision, but 
 afterwards declined by letter. Previous to receiving 
 the invitation, Mr. Welles had written some very able 
 and kindly articles on the administration of President 
 Lincoln, in reviewing the Memorial Address on the 
 life, character and public services of William H. Sew- 
 ard, by Hon. Charles Francis Adams, at Albany, N. 
 Y., in April, 1873. We believe that is the only in- 
 stance where a cabinet officer, who, during the entire 
 struggle for the life of the nation was daily on the 
 most intimate terms with President Lincoln, has so 
 freely commented on the peculiar traits of his charac- 
 ter and of the events connected with his administra- 
 tion. This is my apology for digressing here to quote 
 some passages from those articles, which were first 
 published in the Galaxy, and afterwards in book form, 
 entitled "Lincoln and Seward." 
 
 On page 32, Mr. Welles says : 
 
 "Mr. Lincoln was rriodest, kind, and unobtrusive, but he had, 
 nevertheless, sturdy intellectual independence, wonderful self-re- 
 liance, and, in his unpretending way, great individuality. 
 Though even willing to listen to others, and to avail himself of 
 suggestions from any quarter which he deemed valuable, he never 
 for a moment was unmindful of his position or of proper relf-re- 
 spect, or felt that he was "dependent" on any one for the faithful 
 and competent discharge of any duty upon which he entered. He 
 could have dispensed with any one of his cabinet, and the admin 
 istration not been impaired, but it would have been difficult if 
 not impossible to have selected any one who could have filled 
 the office of Chief Magistrate as successfully as Mr. Lincoln in 
 that troublesome period. In administering the government, there 
 were details in each department which the Secretaries respect- 
 ively discharged. Of these the President had a general knowl-
 
 AND THE NATIONAL LINCOLN MONUMENT. 293 
 
 edge, and the executive control of each and all. In this respect 
 the Secretary of State bore the same relation to the President as, 
 his colleagues in the other departments." . 
 
 On page 206, he says : 
 
 "When the Republicans, in convention at Chicago, chose their 
 standard bearer, they wisely and properly selected as their repre- 
 sentative the sincere ancJ able man who had no great money 
 power in his interest, no disciplined lobby, no host of party fol- 
 lowers, but who, like David, confided in the justice of his cause, 
 and, with the simple weapons of truth and right, met the Goliath 
 of slavery aggression before assembled multitudes in many a well 
 contested debate. The popular voice was not in error, nor its 
 confidence misplaced, when it selected and elected Lincoln. Af- 
 ter his election, and after the war commenced, events forced up- 
 on him the emancipation of the slaves in the rebellious States. It 
 was his own act, a bold step, an executive measure originating 
 with him, and was, as stated in the memorable appeal at the 
 close of the final proclamation, invoking for it the considerate 
 judgment of mankind, warranted alone by military necessity. 
 He and the cabinet were aware that the measure involved high 
 and fearful responsibility, for it would alarm the timid every- 
 where, and alienate, at least for a time, the bold in the border 
 States, who clung to the Union. * * Results have proved that 
 there was in the measure profound thought, statesmanship, cour- 
 age and far-seeing sagacity consummate executive and admin- 
 istrative ability, which was, after some reverses, crowned with 
 success. The nation, emerging from gloom and disaster, and the 
 whole civilized world, united in awarding honor and gratitude to 
 the illustrious man who had the mind to conceive, and the cour- 
 age and firmness to decree the emancipation of a race." 
 
 On page 214, Mr. Welles says: 
 
 "Mr. Lincoln was in many respects a remarkable, though I do 
 not mean to say an infallible, man. No true delineation or pho- 
 tograph of his intellectual capacity and attributes has ever been 
 given, nor shall J attempt it. His vigorous and rugged, but com-
 
 294 THE GREAT FUNERAL CORTEGE, 
 
 prehensive mind, his keen and shrewd sagacity, his intellectual 
 strength and mental power, his genial, kindly temperament 
 with charity for ajl and malice towards none his sincerity, un- 
 questioned honesty and homely suavity, made him popular as 
 well as great." 
 
 In his letter, dated Hartford, Ct., August 31, 1874, 
 to the Monument Association, through Hon. D. L. 
 Phillips, declining the invitation to deliver the Ora- 
 tion, Mr. Welles says : 
 
 "The intellect and capability of Mr. Lincoln, are, I apprehend, 
 not fully understood and appreciated by those who knew him 
 before entering upon his great public career. His vigorous mind 
 was continually expanding, the horizon enlarging, so that, on 
 the day he was murdered, he was better qualified to discharge 
 the duties of Chief Magistrate than any man living. Well may 
 the nation deplore his loss." 
 
 After the Secretary of the Navy declined, Gov. 
 Oglesby waited on Gov. O. P. Morton in person, at 
 Indianapolis, who declined on account of the state 
 of his health. At a meeting of the Monument Associ- 
 ation, September 8, on motion of Col. D. L. Phillips, 
 it was 
 
 Resolved, That the Association adhere to its original resolution 
 of August 10th, that Hon. R. J. Oglesby, at the unanimous re- 
 quest and hearty concurrence of the Association, will deliver the 
 Oration. 
 
 At a later period it was decided by the Association 
 to relieve Gov. Oglesby of the work of preparing a 
 history of the Monument, and Hon. Jesse K. Du- 
 bois, Vice President of the Association, was invited 
 to discharge that duty. Both accepted the positions 
 assigned them. 
 
 A committee of invitation and arrangements was 
 appointed, consisting of Ex-Go veriior John M. Pal-
 
 AND THE NATIONAL LINCOLN MONUMENT. 295 
 
 mer, Dr. S. H. Mel'vin and Col. John Williams. One 
 thousand invitations were sent out to all parts of the 
 Union. Much the largest number of those invited 
 responded in person on the day of dedication, and 
 those who, from any cause, were unable to be pres- 
 ent, they very generally answered by letter, express- 
 ing their sympathy with the object of the meet- 
 ing, and regrets at their inability to attend. Among 
 these were letters from Hon. L. F. S. Foster of Nor- 
 wich, Ct. ; R. H. Dana, Jr., of Boston, Mass. ; Judge 
 G. L. CranmerSj of Wheeling, W. Va. ; Prof. Noah 
 Porter, of Yale College ; Hon. John G. Palfrey, Cam- 
 bridge, Mass. ; Hon. Reverdy Johnson, of Baltimore, 
 Md. ; Gov. W. P. Kellogg, of Louisana; Maj.-Gen. 
 George D. Ramsey, Washington, D. C. ; Gen. James 
 Longstreet, New Orleans ; Gov. Thos. A. Hendricks, 
 of Indiana; Governor J. A. Campbell, of Wyom- 
 ing Ter. ; George Wm. Curtis, Editor of Harpers' 
 Weekly ; Rear Admiral Th. Rogers Taylor, Newport, 
 R. I.; Adjutant General E. D. Townsend, Washing- 
 ton, D. C. ; Hon. James T. Fields, Boston, Mass. ; 
 Maj.-Gen. Andrew B. Eaton, Washington, D. C. ; 
 Gov. Thomas Talbott, Boston, Mass. ; Ex-Gov. J. D. 
 Cox, Toledo, Ohio ; Henry C. Bowen, of the New 
 York Independent; Hon. Cassius M. Clay, of White- 
 hall, Ky. ; Q. M. General M. C. Meigs, Washington, 
 D. C. ; Alexander T. Stewart, New York ; General 
 A. E. Burnside ; General George Cadwallader, Phil- 
 adelphia ; Mrs. Madeline Vireton Dahlgren, widow 
 of Rear Admiral Dahlgren. Andrew Johnson, the 
 only living ex-President of the United States, was in- 
 vited, but neither came nor responded to the invita- 
 tion in any way. 
 
 The work of preparation for the grand event was 
 everywhere visible in Springfield for weeks before. 
 The telegraphic reports in the morning papers began 
 to announce the approach of distinguished personages 
 and delegations from every point of the compass, for
 
 296 THE GREAT FUNERAL CORTEGE, 
 
 thousands of miles distant in our own country, and 
 some of the English nobility who were traveling in 
 this country, so timed their movements as to be pres- 
 ent at the unveiling also. By Monday evening, Octo- 
 ber 12, the number of strangers began to increase in 
 the city. The earliest arrivals were of distinguished 
 ex-soldiers and army commanders, in attendance on 
 the meetings of the Society of the Army of the Ten- 
 nessee. Every train on Wednesday came loaded with 
 strangers, and on that night and Thursday morning it 
 seemed as though the entire adult population of cen- 
 tral Illinois came pouring into the streets of the Cap- 
 ital. The hotels were crowded to overflowing, and 
 private houses were everywhere thrown open to re- 
 ceive the throng of visitors. 
 
 In addition to the grand arches, the Capitol build- 
 ing, Court House and Postoffice building, and other 
 public buildings and business houses and private res- 
 idences were decorated most tastefully with drapery, 
 evergreens and flowers. The old home of Abraham 
 Lincoln, now the residence of Col. Geo. H. Harlow, 
 Secretary of State, was one among those most taste- 
 fully decorated. 
 
 On the morning of October 15, the streets of the 
 city presented the appearance of a moving mass of hu- 
 man beings, and as the hour approached for the proces- 
 sion to form, strains of music from the various bands 
 in attendance began to swell out on the breeze. 
 
 THE PROCESSION. 
 
 The Grand Marshal of the day, Gov. John L. Bev- 
 eridge, with his aids, appeared on north Sixth street 
 at ten o'clock A. M. on Thursday, Oct. 15, 1874, and 
 commenced forming the procession in the following 
 order : 
 
 FIRST DIVISION Gen. John Cook, Marshal, with 
 aids. This division was composed of Elwood com-
 
 AND THE NATIONAL LINCOLN MONUMENT. 297 
 
 mandery Knights Templar, of Springfield, 111., mount- 
 ed, followed by a cornmandery each, from Mt. Pulaski 
 and Decatur, a band of music and three independent 
 military companies. 
 
 SECOND DIVISION Col. DudleyWickersham, Mar- 
 shal, with aids. This division was headed by a mili- 
 tary band from Newport Barracks, Ky., and was com- 
 posed of the Governor's Guard of Springfield, the 
 President and Vice President of the United States, 
 and other distinguished guests ; the Orator of the day 
 and other speakers ; the Chaplain and other clergy- 
 men, the whole division being in carriages. 
 
 THIRD DIVISION Gen. E. B. Harlan, Marshal, with 
 aids ; was composed of independent orders and benev- 
 olent societies, with two bands of music. 
 
 FOURTH DIVISION Gen. R. N. Pearson, Marshal 
 with aids; was led by the St. Louis Arsenal Band, 
 and was composed of a volunteer company, the 
 "Sherman Guards," of Pawnee, acting as an escort to 
 the Societyof the Army of the Tennessee. The Society 
 was led by its President, Gen. W. T. Sherman. 
 
 FIFTH DIVISION Gen. John McConnell, Marshal ; 
 consisted of Springfield Fire Department, and citizens 
 in carriages. , 
 
 THE LINE OP MARCH, 
 
 was south on Sixth street to Adams; east on Adams to 
 Eighth, south on Eighth passing the old family res- 
 idence of Abraham Lincoln to Cook ; west on Cook 
 to Sixth ; north on Sixth to Adams ; west on Adams 
 to Fifth ; north on Fifth to Washington; east on Wash- 
 ington to Sixth; north on Sixth to North Grand Avenue; 
 west on North Grand Avenue to Second street; north 
 on Second street to Oak Ridge Cemetery.
 
 298 THE GREAT FUNERAL CORTEGE, 
 
 The line of march was so ordered as to pass the 
 Lincoln family residence, and under each of the six 
 Grand Triumphal Arches. 
 
 AT OAK RIDGE CEMETERY 
 
 the people began to collect at a very early hour, and 
 the crowd about the Monument was so great that the 
 procession could only reach it by the aid of the mili- 
 tary in opening up an avenue. When all were as- 
 sembled, it was estimated that there were between 
 twenty -five and thirty thousand people present. 
 
 Gov. John M. Palmer, Chairman of the Committee 
 of Arrangements, acted as Master of Ceremonies. The 
 exercises opened with music by the Newport, Ky., band. 
 Gov. Palmer then.introduced Bishop Way man, of the 
 African M. E. Church, who offered the opening pray- 
 er. He was specially invited, and came from Balti- 
 more for that purpose. 
 
 A choir of ladies and gentlemen sang an ode com- 
 posed for the occasion by Mrs. Mary Riley Smith ; 
 music by Mr. George A. Sanders all of Spriugtield. 
 I quote one verse, with the chorus : 
 
 'We sing to him whose soul, on heights divine, 
 
 Has reached the stature of the undefined ; 
 In whom a judgment ripe and honor fine 
 
 Were blended with the nature of a child ; 
 Whose pen, with patient toil and God-like grace, 
 
 Picked out the puzzled knot of Slavery ; 
 Unloosed the gyves that bound a hapless race, 
 
 And dared to write, "The bondman shall be free!" 
 
 CHORUS : 
 
 "Then sing to him from whom these sweet words fall : 
 'With malice towards none with charity for all ;' 
 
 And write this epitaph above his grave : 
 'He bound the nation, and unbound the slave.' "
 
 AND THE NATIONAL LINCOLN MONUMENT. 299 
 
 After the singing, the Hon. Jesse K. Dubois, Vice 
 President of the Association, delivered the 
 
 HISTORICAL ADDRESS. 
 
 When Abraham Lincoln fell by the hand of an assassin, April 
 14th, 1865, after the first expressions of horror and grief, and a 
 partial recovery from the shock which for the instant had para- 
 lyzed the nation, a spontaneous feeling arose demanding that 
 some memorial should be erected, to convey to future generations 
 the estimate placed by his contemporaries upon the life, virtues 
 and public services of the martyr President. 
 
 While the funeral cortege was slowly proceeding from Wash- 
 ington to Sringfield, letters were received daily by our men in 
 public life, from all parts of the country and from people of 
 every station, suggesting that a great National Monument be 
 erected over his remains, and in many cases tendering contribu- 
 tions. 
 
 For some days nothing was said on the subject at his own home, 
 where his lifelong neighbors were bending all their energies to 
 prepare for the funeral ceremonies. 
 
 The first mention of the subject in Springfield was in the STATE 
 JOURNAL on the morning of April 24th, in the following words : 
 "We suggest that our citizens assemble at the State House at an 
 early day, and organize an association for the purpose of select- 
 ing officers from the State Officials and other leading citizens of 
 the State, and taking immediate steps for the collection of the 
 necessary funds. The sooner done the better. Our idea is, that 
 the Treasurer of the State should be made the Treasurer of the 
 Association, and that every postmaster and every national bank 
 in the country should be requested to act as agents." The edito- 
 rial closed with the words, " Let us move in the matter at once." 
 
 The same day the Committee of Arrangements that had been 
 previously appointed by a public meeting of the citizens of 
 Springfield, to prepare for the reception of the remains of 
 President Lincoln, held a meeting, and, among other items of 
 business,
 
 300 THE GREAT FUNERAL CORTEGE, 
 
 Resolved, That Gov. Richard J. Oglesby, Lieut. Gov. William 
 Bross, Hon. Sharon Tyndale, Secretary of State; Hon. O.H. Mi- 
 ner, Auditor of State ; Hon. N. Bateman, Sup't Public Instruc- 
 tion ; Hon. John S. Stuart, Hon. S. H. Treat, Hon. Jesse K. Du- 
 bois, Hon. O. M. Hatch, Hon. John A. McOlernand, Hon. Win. 
 Butler, Hon. James C. Conkling, Hon. Thomas J. Dennis, Mayor, 
 etc , and such others as they may select, constitute a Lincoln 
 Monument Association, for the purpose of receiving funds and 
 disbursing the same ; for obtaining grounds and erecting a mon- 
 ument thereon, in Springfield, 111., to the memory of our lament- 
 ed Chief Magistrate, Abraham Lincoln. 
 
 Resolved. That Hon. James H. Beveridge, Treasurer of the State 
 of Illinois, be the Treasurer of said Association. 
 
 A call was at once issued by the Association to "The officers, 
 soldiers and sailors in the army and navy, in camps, stations, 
 forts and hospitals, loyal leagues, lodges of Masons and Odd 
 Fellows, religious and benevolent associations, churches of all 
 denominations, and the colored population," requesting con- 
 tributions by the second week in May, or as soon thereafter as 
 possible. 
 
 National banks and postmasters were requested to act as agents. 
 The proceedings were telegraphed to all parts of the country and 
 published in the newspapers. Two days after the Association, 
 was organized, its Executive Committee published an appeal to 
 the Nation that it would, "by one simultaneous movement, testify 
 its regard for his exalted character, its appreciation for his dis- 
 tinguished services, and its sorrow for his death by erecting to 
 his memory a monument that will forever prove that Republics 
 are not ungrateful." 
 
 The first work of the Association was to secure, conditionally, 
 the plat of ground where the new State House ie now being built, 
 and the building of a temporary vault thereon. But when the 
 remains of President Lincoln arrived, it was ascertained that 
 Mrs. Lincoln objected to the body being placed there, even tern 
 porarily, and at her request it was placed in the public receiv- 
 ing vault of Oak Ridge Cemetery, May 4th, 1865.
 
 AND THE NATIONAL LINCOLN MONUMENT. 301 
 
 On the 8th day of May, a call was sent out by the Association 
 requesting all Sunday Schools to take up collections the second 
 Sunday, and all public schools the first Tuesday, in June, 1865. 
 
 The Association was without legal authority until May llth 
 1865, when it was organized under the general incorporation laws 
 of the State of Illinois, with the following 
 
 " ARTICLES OP ASSOCIATION : 
 
 " We, Richard J. Oglesby* Sharon Tyndale, O. H. Miner, James 
 H. Beveridge, Newton Bateuian, John T. Stuart, Samuel H. Treat, 
 Jesse K. Dubois, O. M. Hatch, James C. Conkling, Thomas J. 
 Dennis, John Williams, Jacob Bunn, S. H. Melvin, and David L. 
 Phillips, all being of full age and citizens of the United States 
 and State of Illinois, certify that we do hereby associate ourselves 
 under and by virtue of an act of the General Assembly of the 
 State of Illinois, entitled "An act for the incorporation of benev- 
 olent, educational, literary, musical, scientific and missionary so- 
 cieties, including societies formed for mutual improvement or 
 for the promotion of the arts," approved February 24th, 1859; by 
 the following name and for the purpose hereafter specified. 
 
 Article I. 
 
 This Association shall be called the "National Lincoln Monu- 
 ment Association," and be located at Springfield, State of Illi- 
 nois, and shall continue in existence for the term of twenty years. 
 
 Article II. 
 
 The object of this Association shall be to construct a monu- 
 ment to the memory of Abraham Lincoln, in the city of Spring- 
 field, Illinois. 
 
 Article III. 
 
 The following persons shall be the directors of the Association 
 during the first year of its existence : Richard J. Oglesby, Sha- 
 ron Tyndale, O. H. Miner, James H. Beveridge, Newton Bate- 
 man, John T. Stuart, Jesse K. Dubois, O. M. Hatch, James C. 
 Conkling, Thomas J. Dennis, John Williams, Jacob Bunn, S. H- 
 Melvin, S. H. Treat, and David L. Phillips. 
 
 In testimony whereof, we have hereunto set our hands and seals 
 this llth day of May, 1865.
 
 302 THE GREAT FUNERAL CORTEGE, 
 
 [Seal] RICHARD J. OGLESBY, 
 
 [Seal] ORLIN H. MINER, 
 
 [Seal.] JOHN T. STUART. 
 
 [Seal] JESSE K. DUBOIS, 
 
 [Seal] JAMES C. CONKLING, 
 
 [Seal] JOHN WILLIAMS, 
 
 [Seal] JACOB BUNN, 
 
 [Seal] SHARON TYNDALE, 
 
 [Seal] NEWTON BATEMAN, 
 
 [Seal] S. H. TRBAT, 
 
 [Seal] O. M. HATCH, 
 
 [Seal] S. H. MELVIN, 
 
 fSeal] JAMES H. BEVERIDGE, 
 
 [Seal] THOMAS J. DENNIS, 
 
 [Seal] DAVID L. PHILLIPS. 
 
 On the same day, viz: the llth day of May, 1865, the Associa- 
 tion perfected its organization by electing Gov. K. J. Oglesby, 
 President; Jesse K. Dubois, Vice President; Clinton L. 
 Conkling, Secretary, James H. Beveridge, Treasurer. A code of 
 by-laws was adopted, agents to collect funds were appointed, and 
 the treasurer directed to invest the funds in United States securi- 
 ties. 
 
 It was still the intention to erect the monument on the ground 
 where the first vault was built, but a letter was received from Mrs. 
 Lincoln, dated at Chicago, June 5, 1865, in which she repeated 
 her objections to that locality. 
 
 On the 14th of June, 1865, it was decided by a majority of one 
 in a full board of directors, to build the Monument in Oak Ridge 
 Cemetery. 
 
 Six acres of land were given by the city of Springfield to the 
 Association as a site for the Monument. Measures were at once 
 taken to erect a temporary vault near that belonging to the Cem- 
 etery, in which to keep the remains until the monument should 
 
 be ready to receive them. 
 
 
 
 The body of Mr. Lincoln was removed from the public receiv- 
 ing vault to the temporary vault belonging to the Association, 
 Dec. 21st, 1865.
 
 AND THE NATIONAL LINCOLN MONUMENT. 303 
 
 In the process of transferring the remains, the box containing 
 the coffin was opened, in order that the features of the deceased 
 might be seen and identified ; and six of his personal acquaint- 
 ances: R. J. Oglesby, O. H. Miner, Jesse K. Dubois, Newton 
 Bateman, O. M. Hatch, and D. L. Phillips, filed a written state- 
 ment with the Secretary of the Association that it was the body 
 of Abraham Lincoln. 
 
 On the 28th of December, 1865, Clinton L. Conkling, Esq., 
 tendered his resignation as Secretary of the Association, which 
 was accepted, and Hon. O. M. Hatch elected to fill the vacancy. 
 
 Early in 1868, the Association published a "Notice to Artists," 
 offering, with the usual conditions, $1,000 for the best design for 
 a monument, and named the first of September as the day for the 
 examination of designs. 
 
 Thirty-seven designs by thirty-one artists, six of them sending 
 two each, were received and placed on exhibition in the Senate 
 Chamber. 
 
 After patient and careful consideration, on the eleventh of the 
 same month the Board announced its decision in the following 
 resolution : 
 
 Resolved, That this Association adopt the design submitted by 
 Larkin G. Mead, Jr., to be constructed of granite and bronze, 
 and that the whole matter be referred to the Executive Commit- 
 tee, with power to act. 
 
 Ample time was taken to discuss the details of a contract, care 
 being had to fully protect the interests of all parties thereto. By 
 the terms of the proposals for designs, the successful competitor 
 was entitled to the contract to build the entire monument. When 
 Mr. Mead's design was accepted, he at once commenced arrange- 
 ments to build the architectural portion of the monument, and 
 caused full plans and specifications to be prepared. Afterwards, 
 by agreement between the Association and Mr. Mead, he surren- 
 dered his right to build the architectural part of the monument, 
 and the Association, for good reasons, released him, and agreed 
 to pay the expenses he had incurred up to that time. 
 
 On the 30th of December, 1868, a contract was concluded be- 
 tween the Association and Larkin G. Mead, Jr., in which it was 
 stipulated that the Association was to manage the building of
 
 304 THE GREAT FUNERAL CORTEGE, 
 
 the architectural part of the monument, and that it should be 
 done strictly after the drawings and specifications of Mr. Mead. 
 On his part, Mr. Mead was to mould, cast and deliver all the 
 statuary in bronze, according to his design, namely : 
 
 1. A statue of Lincoln, not less than ten feet high, for 
 $13,700. 
 
 2. A group representing infantry, containing three figures 
 and appropriate accessories, the figures to be not less than seven 
 and a half feet high, for $13,700. 
 
 3. A group of cavalry, to contain a horse and two human fig- 
 ures, with appropriate accessories, the human figures to be not 
 less than seven and a half feet high, and the horse in proportion, 
 for the sum of $13,700. 
 
 4. A group of artillery, to contain three figures and appro- 
 priate* accessories, the figures to be not less than seven and a 
 half feet high, for $13,700. 
 
 5. A marine group, to contain three figures and appropriate 
 accessories, the figures to be not less than seven and a half feet 
 high, for $13,700. 
 
 6. The coat of arms of the United States, as shown in the 
 specifications, for $1,500 making a total of $70,000. 
 
 It was part of the contract that the Association should have 
 the right to order one or more of these pieces or groups at a 
 time, to suit its own convenience, and not be under obligations 
 to pay for any piece until a written order was given for the 
 same. When a written order was given, one-third of the stipu- 
 lated price was to accompany it, one-third to be paid when the 
 plaster model was delivered at the foundry, and the remaining 
 third when the work was completed and delivered in good order 
 at Springfield, Illinois. 
 
 It was also stipulated in the contract that if cannon were given 
 to be used in the statuary, the value thereof should be deducted 
 from the price. 
 
 It was further agreed that if any donations of freight were 
 made, they should be to the Association, and not to Mr. Mead. 
 
 Five business men of New York, of known responsibility, gave 
 security for the performance of the contract on the part of Mr- 
 Mead.
 
 AND THE NATIONAL LINCOLN MONUMENT. 305 
 
 On the seventh day of May, 1869, the Board of Directors, under 
 the aforesaid contract'instructed the Executive Committee to order 
 the statue of Lincoln and the coat of arms of the United States. 
 
 After advertising for proposals to erect the monument except- 
 ing the statuary the bid of W. D. Richardson, of Springfield, 
 was accepted. 
 
 A contract was then entered into between the Association and 
 Mr. Richardson, in which he agreed to erect the National Lin. 
 coin Monument, in Oak Ridge Cemetry, according to the plans 
 and specifications adopted by the Association, for the sum of 
 $130,550. 
 
 He was to build the foundation during the current year 1869, 
 and complete the superstructure by January 1, 1871. 
 
 The Association agreed to pay Mr. Richardson the sum above 
 named on monthly estimates as the work progressed, 15 per cent, 
 of the same to be withheld until the work was completed accord- 
 ing to contract. 
 
 Ground was broken September 9, 1869, and the massive founda- 
 tion was completed before the close of that year. When the 
 spring of 1870 opened, materials were ready to commence the 
 superstructure. There was so much delay on the part of the rail- 
 roads in bringing the granite to the ground, that it was found 
 impossible to finish within the building season of 1870. 
 
 Work was resumed early in the following spring, and the cap- 
 stone was elevated to its position on the obelisk May 22, 1871. 
 
 The monument was so far advanced that the remains of Thomas 
 Lincoln, a son of President Lincoln, who died in Chicago on the 
 15th of July, 1871, were brought to Springfield and deposited in 
 the crypt at the extreme west, on the 17th of that month ; and 
 the remains of the President, and of his two sons, William and 
 Edward, were removed from the temporary vault to the monu- 
 ment September 19, 1871. 
 
 The six personal friends of Mr. Lincoln, who identified his 
 remains on the occasion of their being deposited in the tempor- 
 ary vault, again viewed them, and again certified in writing that 
 it was the body of Abraham Lincoln. 
 
 Both papers are on file with the Secretary of the Association. 
 
 The evidence of identity is thus unbroken. 
 20
 
 306 THE GREAT FUNERAL CORTEGE, 
 
 The total contributions to the general fund of the 
 National Lincoln Monument Association have 
 amounted to $144,448 45 
 
 To this add the sum realized for interest and prem- 
 iums 35,67245 
 
 Giving a total of $180,120 90 
 
 Which has been appropriated as follows : 
 
 L. G. Mead, for design $1,000 00 
 
 Paid Larkin G. Mead for drawings, specifications and 
 
 all details connected with the architectural part of 
 
 the Monument 5,500 00 
 
 L. G. Mead, statue and coat of arms 15,200 00 
 
 W. D. Richardson, on contract 136,550 00 
 
 Temporary vault 1,612 97 
 
 Expended on grounds 3,546 60 
 
 Iron steps on grounds 892 00 
 
 Paid for steel engraving of the Monument for Sunday 
 
 school children, as per agreement 1,150 00 
 
 Superintendence, printing, expenses of soliciting 
 
 agents, commissions to agents, etc., etc 7,830 13 
 
 Total appropriations $173,282 70 
 
 The balance unappropriated is $6,838.20, which will all find 
 profitable use in the future improvements of the grounds. 
 The contributions may be classified as follows : 
 
 Received from States $61,500 
 
 As follows : 
 
 State of Illinois $50,000 
 
 State of New York 10,000 
 
 State of Missouri 1,000 
 
 State of Nevada 500 
 
 The next largest item is the contributions of the soldiers and 
 sailors, which amount to $27,682.12. 
 
 These contributions by companies, regiments, ships and sepa- 
 rate commands, will avarage $1 per man, and in nearly all cases 
 a record is preserved of the name of each contributor
 
 AND THE NATIONAL LINCOLN MONUMENT. 307 
 
 About $8,000 of the sum is the contribution of the colored sol- 
 diers of the 'United States Army. 
 
 Contributions credited to Sunday schools amount to $18,320.38. 
 
 This represents the contributions of 1,700 schools; and the 
 names of the individual contributors, embracing more than 
 60,000 children, are enrolled in a separate book. 
 
 The contributions taken up in churches amount to $3,893.03. 
 The contributions of benevolent societies amount to $2,542.39. 
 This sum is contributed by Lodges of Masons, Odd Fellows and 
 Union Leagues. Among many contributions received from 
 public schools, the public schools of California contributed, 
 through the State Superintendent, $1,780.44. In addition to the 
 before mentioned, the contributions to the general fund of other 
 societies and organizations, and of individuals, amount, in the 
 aggregate, to $28,730.09. 
 
 A considerable sum, some thousands of dollars, is credited to 
 boxes which were put up in banks and post offices, and other 
 public places. The large amount of these anonymous contribu- 
 tions is the best evidence of the interest of all classes in the 
 undertaking. 
 
 It has been the rule of the Association never to order work 
 nor make any contract involving absolute payment of money 
 until the money is in hand to pay the whole amount. 
 
 The contract with Mr. Mead was drawn in recognition of this 
 rule. As already shown, the proceeds of contributions, public 
 and private, had been sufficient to pay for the architectural por- 
 tion of the Monument, and the statue of Lincoln and the coat 
 of arms; but until the summer of 1871, no special effort had 
 been made to raise funds for the four groups. 
 
 In July, 1871, citizens of Chicago, through Hon. J. Young 
 Scammon, voluntarily pledged themselves to raise $13,700 to pay 
 for the infantry group of statuary. In December of that year 
 the one-third of this sum was paid to Mr. Mead, and he was or- 
 dered to construct the model of the infantry group. 
 
 Messrs. Oglesby and Phillips, acting under instructions of the 
 Association, visited New York, Philadelphia and Boston, and 
 submitted to prominent gentlemen in each of those cities the 
 proposition that the three cities should assume the cost of the 
 three remaining groups that New York should furnish the
 
 308 THE GREAT FUNERAL CORTEGE. 
 
 naval group, Philadelphia the artillery group and Boston the 
 cavalry group. This proposition met with favor and encourage- 
 ment in each city. In the city of New York, under the leader- 
 ship of Gov. E. D. Morgan, 137 gentlemen have subscribed and 
 paid $100 each, amounting to $13,700, and the naval group has 
 been ordered in accordance with the terms of the contract. 
 
 It is proposed to raise the same amount, in a similar manner, in 
 Philadelphia and in Boston ; and the Association has the pledge 
 of prominent and influential gentlemen in each city that it shall 
 be clone. 
 
 The Monument is finished and paid for. The means are pro- 
 vided for the completion of two of the groups ; and we hope, 
 from the assurances from Boston and Philadelphia, that the two 
 others are also provided for. If, however, we fail in that, we 
 doubt not a generous people will make up the deficiency. The 
 work stands to speak for itself. The materials are granite and 
 bronze than which none can more successfully defy the ele- 
 ments. The foundations are laid deep and strong, and in all the 
 details of construction, the work is well and faithfully done. 
 
 Of the original members of the Association, all survive to see 
 the result of their labors, except the Hon. Sharon Tyndale, 
 whose sad taking off by violent hands is still fresh in our recol- 
 lection. The vacancy caused by the death of Mr. Tyndale was 
 filled by the selection of Governor John M. Palmer. 
 
 While all the members of the Association have worked with 
 zeal and fidelity, and without pecuniary reward, the most labor 
 has devolved upon the Secretary, Hon. O. M. Hatch ; the Treas- 
 urer, Hon. James H. Beveridge, and the Executive Committee, 
 Messrs. John T. Stuart, Jacob Bunii and John Williams. 
 
 The Association and its contributors are under especial obli- 
 gations to Hon. John T. Stuart, Chairman of the Executive Com- 
 mittee, and to Hon. O. M. Hatch, Secretary, for the wise and 
 energetic manner in which they have performed the many duties 
 of their offices. 
 
 The members of the Association congratulate the artist upon 
 the success which has crowned his efforts to give a faithful ren- 
 dering of the face and form of the beloved dead whose remains 
 rest beneath this Monument. Every member of the Association 
 was a neighbor of President Lincoln, and most of them had
 
 AND THE NATIONAL LINCOLN MONUMENT. 309 
 
 known 1 him intimately since his early manhood. It is their 
 unanimous opinion that this statue is a truthful likeness, and 
 will serve to give to future generations a perfectly accurate con- 
 ception of Abraham Lincoln. 
 
 Here ends what has been to the members of the Association, 
 for almost ten years, a labor of love and duty. 
 
 By the liberal contributions of a grateful nation, we have been 
 enabled to provide a suitable place for the remains of one of the 
 wisest, purest men known to our national history. 
 
 There may they rest in peace. 
 
 After music by the Band the master of ceremonies, 
 Gov. Palmer, introduced the President of the As- 
 sociation, ex-Gov. R. J. Oglesby, who proceeded to 
 deliver 
 
 THE ORATION. 
 
 The tenth of a century is about taking its departure siuce the 
 close of the great rebellion an epoch in the history of our country 
 marked by glowing associations, and fraught with grave and im- 
 posing consequences a rebellion, in its inception and upon its 
 inauguration, which found a contented and prosperous people 
 enjoying the fruits of long years of peace in a government ot 
 their own choice, guaranteed in a constitution upon principles so 
 just and a basis so firm, it was believed it could enter into the 
 hearts of none seriously to contemplate its destruction. This 
 government had descended to us from the revolution, well-shapen 
 by the hands of our fathers, clothing in plain and simple language 
 powers general and national as to the union, ample and local as 
 to the states. Under its broad shield liberty sought and found 
 repose. There was no citizen in its broad domain who was not 
 unfettered in conscience and thought, and not consulted and rep- 
 resented in all its actions a government the freest, the mildest 
 and the strongest on the face of the earth. It had, by a long ca- 
 reer of prosperit}', unsettled if not destroyed the dogma of the old 
 school of publicists, "That the durable establishment of a dem- 
 ocratic government was not possible in a country of great 
 extent and with a numerous population. " There was one stain
 
 310 THE GREAT FUNERAL CORTEGE, 
 
 upon it all men were not free. The curse of slavery had taken 
 deep root in an unnatural soil. 
 
 The consciences of a large majority of the American people 
 were not at rest with the scourge of mankind in their midst, and 
 a new political party was openly protesting against its claims for 
 more general recognition. It had been the source of much dis- 
 quiet, and was the prolific agent of endless discussion and dissen- 
 sion. At last, halting upon safe ground, with the lights then 
 around us, the friends of freedom said to the friends of slavery, 
 " We will arrest the further spread of it and place it where the 
 public mind shall rest in the belief that it is in the course of ulti- 
 mate extinction. " Its advocates argued, "We will push it forward 
 until it shall become alike lawful in all the states, old as well as 
 new, north as well as south. " 
 
 The rebellion closed, leaving in its wake broken hopes, blasted 
 anticipations, ruined fortunes, desolated homes, and thousands of 
 dead and wounded soldiers states dissevered, civil governments 
 dethroned, discord in the place of order, and social and politi- 
 cal devastation. The soldiers of its vast armies, victors for a 
 time on many fields, with a valor, courage and discipline in a 
 just cause which would have earned for themselves the praise of 
 all men, stacked their arms, parked their artillery, turned over 
 the public property to the officers of the union, and returned to 
 their homes on paroles of honor, prisoners of war in a lost cause. 
 
 Again : The rebellion closed with the union maintained in all its 
 strength and majesty, and with liberty preserved. The long years 
 of toil and taxation; of human patience and human suffering; of 
 war, bloody, destructive war, shrouded in clouds of bitter an- 
 guish, or lighted by the torch of angry passions, were at last re- 
 warded by the return of peace. A heroic people, that good gov- 
 ernment might not perish from the earth, had conquered the 
 most formidable enemy of modern times, and that enemy its own 
 internal, domestic home people. The return of peace was hailed 
 as the return of only such a peace could be, with unspeakable 
 joy, gratitude and thanksgiving. The great words of the great 
 president were still lingering upon the tongues of men and ring- 
 ing through the hearts of all people. The British parliament 
 and the British people caught them up, as they were caught up
 
 AND THE NATIONAL LINCOLN MONUMENT. 311 
 
 by all the civilized nations of Europe, and applauded them as the 
 noblest of human utterances: 
 
 " Fondly do we hope, fervently do we pray, that this mighty 
 scourge of war may speedily pass away; yet if God wills that it 
 continue until all the wealth piled by the bondsman's two hun- 
 dred and fifty years of urequited toil shall be sunk, and until 
 every drop of blood drawn by the lash shall be paid by another 
 drawn by the sword, as was said three thousand years ago, so still 
 it must be said, the judgments of the Lord are true and righteous 
 altogether. With malice toward none, with charity for all, with 
 firmness in the right as God gives us to see the right, let us strive 
 to finish the work we are in; to bind up the nation's wounds; 
 to care for him who shall have borne the battle, and for his 
 widow and his orphans; to do all which may serve to cherish 
 a just and lasting peace among ourselves and with all-nations." 
 
 " A just and lasting peace. " Late even as February, eighteen 
 hundred and sixty-five, so earnest was the president in his de- 
 sire for peace, to stay if possible the further effusion of blood, 
 and bind up the nation's wounds, that he went in person to meet 
 messengers from the camp of the enemy, and submitted these 
 general propositions : 
 
 First, the restoration of, the national authority throughout all 
 the states. 
 
 Second, no receding by the executive of the United- States on 
 the slavery question from the position assumed thereon in the 
 late annual message to congress and in preceding documents. 
 
 Third, no cessation of hostilities short of an end of the war and 
 the disbanding of all forces hostile to the government. 
 
 Fourth, all propositions of theirs not inconsistent with the 
 above, would be considered and passed upon in a spirit of sincere 
 liberality. 
 
 These generous terms were not accepted, and nothing came of 
 the meeting. A fatality hung over these deluded people not to 
 be propitiated without an unconditional surrender of their arms 
 and armies. In the interest of universal humanity, to the credit 
 of the highest civilization known to the world, and especially 
 that our own blessed country might escape the impending humil- 
 iation, would to God that then and there, upon the four years wild 
 carnival of passion, the curtain had fallen. It could not be so. I have
 
 312 THE GREAT FUNERAL CORTEGE, 
 
 no heart, even at this late day, to speak of the sad event. Ameri- 
 ca is blackened with the crime of assassination : Abraham Lincoln is 
 the martyr. Badges of mourning covered the whole laud; the 
 very air was heavy with sighs, and nature seemed to hang her 
 head in sorrow. Grief deep, bitter grief filled the whole laud, 
 and malice at last, with its victim before it, closed its repentant 
 lips and skulked away disarmed and discomfited forever. The 
 sad news of his death filled the world with consternation. Con- 
 dolence poured in upon our people from every laud and tongue. 
 Distinctions of nationality and all forms of power, forgetting ani- 
 mosities, obliterating all lines of separation, came together at 
 the bier of Lincoln. Beautiful in -life, comely in death, he was 
 annoiuted with the tears of all nations. There is in the hands of 
 the people, published by authority of the national congress, a 
 volume of 930 quarto pages, coutaiuiug expressions of condolence 
 and grief over the national bereavement, from the governments 
 and people of almost the entire world. 
 
 His people took up his body, and a funeral procession one 
 thousand miles long followed his remains to his old home. Here 
 his body lies, under the trees and amid the people who knew 
 him in poverty and honored him iu obscurity, and here it 
 will lie so long as dust. shall .mark the spot where man has fallen. 
 The friends of his youthful manhood and the children of those 
 who knew and loved him when he was yet unknown to the 
 world, will stand, one generation after another, sentinels over 
 his body. His fame, breaking through the boundaries of his 
 state and nation, has gone abroad over a boundless world, and 
 will descend with the march of time doAvn the illimitable age 
 of the hereafter. 
 
 The generous contributions of an admiring people have erect- 
 ed over his remains this monument an imposing and lasting 
 testimonial to his great worth. I must be spared the task of 
 passing in detail upon its merits as a work of art. A member of 
 the association from its organization, heartily uniting with it in 
 selecting the design of Larkiu G. Mead a young native artist of 
 more than national reputation, who connects his own rising 
 fame in this structure with the name of his great subject I turn 
 it over to the impartial criticism of the students, the lovers and 
 the creators of art. Only this I say, after a long and somewhat
 
 AND THE NATIONAL LINCOLN MONUMENT. 313 
 
 intimate personal acquaintance with him, the colossal statue un- 
 veiled in your presence to-day is the very similitude and likeness 
 of Abraham Lincoln. Republics aTe not unlike other nations in 
 contemplating the character and cherishing the memory of the 
 illustrious dead. What they have said, what they have done, is 
 quoted over and over again, to impress upon the living the im- 
 portance of like action. We create honorable customs, to bring 
 them again and again to our remembrance. Addresses, eulogies 
 and orations are made the willing instruments of their praise; 
 and at last, in the hope of some way bearing their fame further 
 along down the course of time, half doubting that civilization 
 will continue and history hold its own faithfully in recording 
 great events and the lives of distinguished citizens, we erect 
 monuments of granite, marble and bronze, that the remotest time 
 may know such men lived. 
 
 A great life draws after it the ceaseless attention of the living, 
 and if it be good also, is held up in history, poetry and song for 
 the imitation of nil men. Such was the life of Abraham Lincoln. 
 His birth and early life at once excite our attention. Born in a 
 forest, out of the range of school houses, on the margin of civili- 
 zation, where nature yet almost held primeval dominion, of 
 parents poor and without education, he heard no music but the 
 music of birds he saw no wonders but the wonders of 
 nature. At the early age of eight years his father moved from 
 the old home in Hardin county, Kentucky, to Spencer county, 
 Indiana. Part of the journey was a ride down the Ohio river on 
 an ordinary raft something less than a flat-boat, but common 
 enough in those early days of western navigation. The change 
 of homes was simply the exchange of one forest for another, but 
 it was a change from a slave to a free state. It was possibly the 
 unfettering of a young and pure soul -from what might have been 
 a thralldom. Soon after the settlement in Indiana his mother 
 died she who had taught him to read. In time a step-mother 
 entered the cabin door, and soon there sprang up between the 
 boy and his new mother an interest and a love that never died. 
 He went to school about one year, learned to "read, write and 
 cipher," and finished all of education received in that way. From 
 this time until he had grown to manhood, to all those who care 
 to watch the development of mind and the growth of character
 
 314 THE GREAT FUNERAL CORTEGE, 
 
 under such circumstances, with one destined to fill so large a 
 share of the public attention and to control so much iu public 
 affairs, the young life of Lincoln presents much that is interesting, 
 instructive and novel, not however altogether unusual in the first 
 settlement of a new country, and especially in America. He was the 
 most diligent student in the neighborhood. The Columbian Orator, 
 the Life of Washington, Burns' Poems, the Pilgrim's Progress 
 and the Bible he read and studied over and over again. Clad in 
 the rustic raiment of the times, as he went from cabin to cabin, 
 from the gatherings of the pioneers for frolic, and the frequent tests 
 of physical strength so common in those early times, to the spell- 
 ing school and debating club, for the higher test of mind iu study 
 and discussion ; a prompt attendant upon all occasions either of 
 frolic or debate; seldom if ever second best in any encounter; a 
 moderator in the settlement of disputes and the prevention of 
 quarrels; and, when all other remedies failed, putting all angry 
 passions to flight by a ludicrous story or a good joke he came 
 in time to be looked upon by his admiring companions as a 
 prodigy. The basis of his moral structure laid iu those early 
 days, out of reach of the ordinary temptations of vice, away from 
 the seductive influences of mere fashion, where the rules for the 
 administration of justice were few and easy of application, un- 
 hauuted by the vexatious speculations of metaphysics was broad 
 and deep. And here he laid the foundations of a faith that were 
 to lead him through life: "Thou shall not make unto thyself any 
 graven image or any likeness of anything that is in Heaven 
 above or in the earth beneath, or that is in the waters under the 
 earth. Thou shall not bow down thyself to them nor serve them" 
 and he did not. He worshiped the image of neither the living nor 
 the dead in the material world. Truth he did worship. TrutL 
 aud Justice he did bow down to. Truth, Justice and Mercy he 
 did serve, and he had no other master in the moral world. He could 
 look up into the clear blue sky of Heaven and descry God every- 
 where. In the procession of the worlds and the grand laws that 
 produce uniformity, coulinuity, order, beauty and justice, 
 throughout all space and through all time, he beheld the benigni- 
 ty of universal and divine intelligence. "Therefore, all things 
 whatsoever ye would that men should do to you, do ye even
 
 AND THE NATIONAL LINCOLN MONUMENT. 315 
 
 so to them, " and, " Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself, " he 
 comprehended as Christian precepts and lived up to them daily. 
 
 At the age of twenty-one he again moved with his father's family 
 still further west. In 1830 the historical family came to Illinois and 
 settled on the Sangamou river in Macou county. There are still 
 standing the visible marks of his toil upon the inclosure around the 
 home where the family settled. His old friend and near relation, his 
 steady and faithful companion at home and on the long journey 
 to New Orleans on a flat-boat, who assisted in felling the trees, 
 splitting the rails and making the improvements upon the new 
 home in Illinois, now venerable in years, though still blessed 
 with health and the promise of a lengthened life, an ever watchful 
 sentinel along the line of life of his great and good friend, conies to 
 drop another tear on the grave of one he always loved. John Hanks, 
 who stood by the cradle of the mysterious boy, shares his hum- 
 ble part in dedicating a monument to the departed statesman. 
 At the close of his twenty-first year he left the paternal home, 
 and found his way into Sangamon county, not many miles from 
 this city. Again locating on the Sangamon river, he made an- 
 other trip to New Orleans, and upon his return, in 1832, volun- 
 teered as a private, but was immediately chosen captain of a 
 company, and served three months in the notable Black Hawk 
 war. At the expiration of his service in this Indian war he be- 
 came a candidate for the legislature, and although not successful, 
 of the 207 votes cast at his home, New Salem, he received every one, 
 and this notwithstanding there were several popular candidates in 
 the field. Better fortune however was awaiting him. At the next 
 election he was successful, and was returned every two years 
 from 1834 to 1842, making a continuous service of eight years in 
 the legislature. In the meantime he had turned his attention to 
 the study of the law, and at the age of twenty-seven was admitted 
 to the bar. The Hon. John T. Stuart, with whom he read law, is 
 a member of the association having in charge this monument. 
 
 By this time the name of Lincoln began to be known through- 
 out the state. In the great campaign of 1840 he was chosen by 
 the whig party to bear the brunt of its heaviest work. After due 
 consideration and a trial contest in the capital of the state, be- 
 tween the ablest debaters of both political parties, which lasted 
 for a week, and which was in the nature of a political skirmish,
 
 316 THE GREAT FUNERAL CORTEGE, 
 
 Lincoln was selected to meet Douglas, who at that early period of 
 his life was put in the front rank to uphold democracy. To those 
 still living, favored with the privilege of listening to the joint de- 
 bates of these strong young men, it cannot be forgotten how inter- 
 esting and able they were. The place of each was at once fixed ill 
 the confidence of his party. They met, to be in some way held 
 together before the public eye, for twenty years; met as political 
 antagonists and personal friends, to share in political policies, and 
 to shape political principles in the public mind, uniting their 
 names with measures of the highest significance and broadest in- 
 fluence upon American institutions. Douglas, four years the 
 younger, with fair education, high resolves, and a purpose to do 
 for himself in the world, left his eastern home and worked his 
 way to the great west. Lincoln had preceded him in the same jour- 
 ney. Each selected Illinois for his future home. In the centre 
 of this j'oung state, with a population at that time of one hun- 
 dred and fifty-seven thousand, they located at no great distance 
 apart. Both studied law, and both attained to some distinction 
 in the profession. Douglas rose to the bench, and was for two 
 years one of the judges of the supreme court of the state. Lin- 
 coln gave his whole attention to the practice of law when not 
 engaged in politics, and I am warranted In the statement, upon 
 the uniform testimony of all the great lawyers who practiced at 
 the bar with him, several of whom are here to-day, testifying by 
 their presence the great respect in which he was held by them, that. 
 he ranked among the first lawyers of the state. Both entered politi- 
 cal life about the same time. Douglas came from Vermont, where 
 liberty early took shelter from tyranny, and where slavery found 
 no friends; Lincoln from the "dark and bloody ground" where 
 slavery was already a planted institution ; one from the north, 
 the other from the south; one from a free, the other from a slave 
 state. From 1840 down to 1858 they met at intervals in public 
 discussion, and time and again had debated all the political 
 questions of those times. Both had steadily grown in public favor, 
 and both had been laborious and faithful students of the history 
 of their country, and of every public interest concerning that 
 country. In the interval Lincoln had served one term in con- 
 gress. One circumstance, not sufficiently considered, had much, I 
 think, to do with forming the political character of these two men,
 
 AND THE NATIONAL LINCOLN MONUMENT. 317 
 
 and of giving them prominence before the country at least 
 upon the subject of slavery. It was one of location. Living 
 between the thirty-ninth and fortieth parallels, where the mighty 
 currents of population flowing ceaselessly west from the north and 
 south first met where men with anti-slavery and men with pro-sla- 
 very views came together, compared ideas and freely discussed the 
 subject, for the first time, on equal terms and out of its presence; 
 where there could be no campaign and no election to choose offi- 
 cers for the ordinary purpose of civil administration that did not 
 bring together at the polls voters of opposing convictions upon this 
 question, it could not be otherwise than that these prominent 
 men should be brought to ponder upon it and to sift and weigh 
 all the feelings and sentiments involved, and all the arguments 
 brought to bear, one way or the other, upon the whole subject. 
 Out of the range of extreme views either way, yet meeting the sub- 
 ject as other public men in the north or south could not, they pos- 
 sessed advantages for its fullest consideration. Both were for a 
 long time inclined to compromise. By 1854 Douglas' position may 
 be perhaps most fairly and correctly stated as one comparatively of 
 indifference he would leave it to the people to decide for them- 
 selves. Lincoln, on the contrary, had come to look upon slaver y 
 as a great wrong, a wrong to be dealt with, and, if possible, to be 
 got rid of. Ripe age and riper experience were preparing these 
 men to appear once more on. the popular forum. Eighteen hundred 
 and fifty-eight must come, whether hidden beyond the discern- 
 ment of man or the range of the demonstrable relations of cause and 
 effect, whether attributable to the mysterious movement of the fin- 
 ger of Providence over the affairs of nations, or coming rationally 
 out of the covetous and grasping nature of mau in his greed of 
 gain to lay foundations of fortune in disregard of moral precepts 
 and against conscience; the event,- the time must come, when 
 slavery in the United States must be met as a national question 
 must be considered as a domestic institution, and must, in the 
 end, be plucked up by the roots and eradicated -.from the soil of 
 the republic. 
 
 These two great leaders met in joint debate in August, eigh- 
 teen hundred and fifty-eight. The whole country were spectators, 
 for now both were men of renown.
 
 318 THE GREAT FUNERAL CORTEGE, 
 
 Douglas, well fortified with natural gifts, a strong intellect, a 
 clear understanding, broad views, a most tenacious and tireless 
 memory, bold in thought, deep in conception, with a robust con- 
 stitution, and though in physical stature by no means a giant, had 
 come, by his sixteen years of public service in congress, his many 
 admirable speeches and his shining mental qualities, to be regard- 
 ed as the "little giant" entirely familiar with the political his- 
 tory of the country, a life-long democrat, true to his party, and 
 resting with undoubting confidence upon its fealty, while it was 
 warm in its attachment to him and proud of his leadership, pop- 
 ular in his manners, genial and warm-hearted by nature, but 
 austere and courageous in the presence of his adversary ; with a 
 faculty, excelled by no American statesman, of clothing in the 
 mast exact and forcible language political definitions; clear, log- 
 ical, fluent, and at times eloquent, and withal exceedingly 
 ingenuous, he was a man on the stump, before the people, in a 
 campaign, greatly to be dreaded. 
 
 Lincoln calm, self-possessed, contemplative by nature, his 
 mind capable of the deepest penetration, able to grasp any pro- 
 position and to analyze every element it contained ; cautious, 
 taking no position until every step leading to it had been tested, 
 measured and planted in its appropriate place, but, once resolved 
 upon, not to be driven from it by open denunciation or specious 
 exposition; by no means dogmatic, but exceedingly tenacious of 
 a conviction; shrewd in discovering the weak parts of an argu- 
 ment, and capable of unraveling the most complex sophistry; 
 clear in statement, powerful in argument, forcible in illustration, 
 bringing home to the learned and unlearned alike, by reasoning 
 the simplest and purest, a clear understanding of the subject in 
 debate ; rich in raillery, prolific of anecdote, fond of apothegm ; 
 in his presence the pretender finding no quarter and the pretense 
 no mercy; seeking no advantage, but hoping to make the right 
 appear to all men as the right by addressing himself to the rea- 
 son; the people who listened were lifted up and made to feel, by 
 his appeals to their understanding and higher natures, that they 
 were a part of the country and rightfully responsible for its laws 
 and morals; with a humanity that included all races and nations; 
 an honesty that extracted praises from his adversary, touched by 
 the conviction that a great wrong was about being done, or moved
 
 AND THE NATIONAL LINCOLN MONUMENT. 319 
 
 by the consciousness of impending evil to his country, he ranked 
 high above the standard of ordinary debate, and at times was 
 truly eloquent. 
 
 The debate covered the entire ground of the slavery question, 
 and developed the views held by each at that time. Douglas 
 notwithstanding he was perplexed with the Dred Scott decision, 
 which, in some way, he held himself bound to respect as a judi- 
 cial interpretation of the constitution, although it carried slaves 
 as property, entitled to no less protection than any other property, 
 into the territories against the will of the people, or any law 
 of congress or a territorial legislature to exclude it, and to that 
 extent seemed destructive of the great principle of popular sov' 
 ereignty to which he was so heartily devoted, and which in his 
 party he had at one time nationalized continued boldly to 
 defend his favorite doctrine, and still held the people might ex- 
 clude slavery from the territories by unfriendly legislation. 
 Lincoln, regarding the decision as fixing the status of Dred Scott 
 for the time being, fervently denied that it was a just exposition 
 of the constitution, earnestly denounced it asviolative of human 
 rights, and pledged himself to oppose it as such until a just public 
 sentiment should legally provide the means to> reverse it. He 
 held slavery to be a moral, social and political wrong, and pro- 
 tested against the further spread of it into the territories. At the 
 election which followed, Lincoln received a majority of the 
 popular vote Douglas a majority in the legislature, and was re- 
 elected to the United States-senate for a third term. 
 
 A strange destiny seemed to hang over these two men ; they 
 were once more to be opposed in a contest for earthly honors, for 
 the position of highest usefulness to the truly patriotic for the 
 highest prize within the gift of the American people. Lincoln, 
 fresh from the late contest with Douglas, and, though defeated, 
 occupying higher ground in the public esteem than ever before, 
 now more generally known throughout the country, honored for 
 the dignity of his course and the wonderful abilities he had shown 
 in that debate, was nominated by the republican party in 1860 its 
 candidate for the presidency. 
 
 Douglas, to whom the democratic party was more indebted 
 than to any living man for zeal in defending its principles, and 
 for the wisdom he had shown in finding ground on the slavery
 
 THE GREAT FUNERAL CORTEGE, 
 
 question upon -which it could stand with any hope of success, 
 who had been repeatedly named for president, who was in fact 
 looked upon as the only man entitled to its candidacy, but who 
 at the last moment was forsaken by that branch of it which owed 
 him far more than his more faithful followers of the north, and 
 whose defection closed his chances of an election, faithful to the 
 constitution and the union, became the candidate of the national 
 democracy. I will not dwell for a moment upon the great cam- 
 paign. It is enough to say Lincoln was elected president of the 
 United States. The charmed circle woven by the slave oligarchy 
 around the temple of liberty was broken, and the great advocate 
 of human rights placed at the helm of the enfranchised policy 
 of the future. Douglas, calm and dignified in defeat, awaited the 
 inaugural of the president for his new policy. The moment the 
 address of the president was closed he arose, expressed satis- 
 faction with its tone, and gave promise of a cordial support to all 
 measures looking to the preservation of peace and the perpetua- 
 tion of the union. "I take great- pleasure," he said, in January, 
 1861, "In saying, however, I do not believe that the rights of the 
 south will materially suffer under the administration of Mr. 
 Lincoln." His last utterances in the senate were for the preser- 
 vation of the constitution, the union and the country. At a 
 later day in yonder capitol, in sight of the spot where I now 
 stand, his last words were words of flaming patriotism, his last 
 admonition was to traitors, his last appeal to patriots. "The 
 shortest road to peace lies through the most magnificent and 
 stupendous preparations for war." United in the high resolve to 
 maintain the dignity, the honor and the glory of their country, 
 both fell victims iu the same cause, and both lie buried iu the 
 same state. ^ 
 
 Who of living men shall forget, and when shall history cease 
 to recount the awful circumstances in rapid succession forming 
 all along the horizon of our unoffending country's long career of 
 peace, in the December of 1860 ? One by one states were falling 
 away from the union ; treason, rank and foul, was plying its en- 
 vious arts; passions long pent up were breaking over the re- 
 straints of prudence; the piled clouds of long years of wrath 
 were making ready to burst in torrents of devastation upon a peo- 
 ple uot aroused, and not capable of being aroused for mouths, to
 
 AND THE NATIONAL LINCOLN MONUMENT. 321 
 
 the fatal destiny iu store for them. Congress, as the winter wore 
 away, unable to solve the difficulties, at last gave up all hope of 
 a settlement, and adjourned on the 4th of March, 1861. 
 
 To the administration of the affairs of a nation in such plight, 
 Abraham Lincoln had just been chosen by his grateful country- 
 men. With that large class of men in the west who knew him per- 
 sonally were more familiar with his many qualities for such a trial 
 it was believed he would be equal to the gravity of the situation. 
 The world did not know him so well, and might well enough 
 question his capacity. He knew this and felt it. Lincoln had 
 many advantages to fit him for his great work. He was a man of 
 great personal courage and so moulded by nature as to endure 
 any amount of physical labor.. His habits were unexceptiouably 
 good he indulged in none of the vices of society, sometimes 
 carried to extremes in public men. He had no tastes that were 
 not simple and pure he was born and lived among the common 
 people he was of them, and iu deep sympathy with them he had 
 no wishes.no ambitious, to lead him away from nor to make him for- 
 get their best interests he had seen nothing of the world outside of 
 his native laud, and as he had prospered and grown into distinc- 
 tion under its benign institutions, he loved his country intensely, 
 and wished to see it strengthened and perpetuated. Wholly un- 
 suspecting and most indulgent of views and sentiments opposed 
 to his own, he was slow to believe that men would seriously com- 
 bine and deliberately conspire by force of arms to destroy the 
 union. With the greatest humility and self-abnegation he set 
 out from his home in February, 1861, to enter upon the great 
 work to which he had been dedicated. His own parting words 
 will best express his feelings at that moment: 
 
 " My friends, no one not in my position can realize the sadness 
 I feel at this parting. To this people I owe all that I am. Here 
 I have lived more than a quarter of a century; here my children 
 were born, and here one of them lies buried. I know not hcfw 
 soon I shall see you again. I go to assume a task more difficult 
 than that which has devolved upon any man since the days of 
 Washington. He never could have succeded except for the aid 
 of Divine Providence, upon which at all times he relied. I feel 
 that I cannot succeed without the same Divine blessing which 
 sustained him, and on the same Almighty being I place my re- 
 21
 
 322 THE GREAT FUNERAL CORTEGE, 
 
 Hance for support, and I hope you, my friends, will pray all that I 
 may receive that Divine assistance, without which I cannot sue/ 
 ceed, but with which success is certain. Again I bid you all an 
 affectionate farewell." 
 
 His journey to Washington was one continued ovation. He 
 spoke at many places, but his addresses were all marked by the 
 same sad spirit. At Philadelphia, in Independence Hall, touched 
 by the memory of revolutionary times, and dimly catching a 
 glimpse of his own sad end, he said : 
 
 "All the political sentiments I entertain have been drawn, so 
 far as I have been able to draw them, from the sentiments which 
 originated in and were given to the world from this Hall. I never 
 had a feeling politically that did not spring from the sentiments 
 embodied in the Declaration of Independence. That sentiment 
 it was which gave promise that in due time the weight would be 
 lifted from the shoulders of men. Now, my friends, can this 
 country be saved upon that basis? If it can I will consider my- 
 self one of the happiest men in the world, if I can help to save it. 
 If it cannot be saved upon that principle, it will be truly awful; 
 but if this country cannot be saved without giving up that princi- 
 ple, I was about to say, I would rather be assassinated on the spot 
 than surrender it. I have said nothing but what I am willing to 
 live by, and if it be the pleasure of Almighty God, to die" by. " 
 
 He found the national capital smothered with seditious and 
 treasonable sentiments. 'It was even seriously doubted that he 
 would be peaceably inaugurated. On March 4th he sent forth to 
 an anxious country his inaugural address. It was marked by 
 wisdom, dignity and forebearance. -The whole north accepted it 
 as the emanation of a patriotic heart, and as a just and true ex- 
 position of the constitution and his duty. 
 
 "I hold that in contemplation of universal law, and of the con- 
 stitution, the union of the states is perpetual. I therefore consid- 
 er that in view of the constitution, the union is unbroken, and to 
 the extent of my ability I shall 1 take care that the laws of the 
 union be faithfully executed in all the states. In doing this there 
 need be no blood shed nor violence, unless it be forced upon the 
 national authority. In your hands, my dissatisfied fellow-coun- 
 trymen, and not in mine, are the momentous issues of civil war. 
 The government will not assail you you can have no conflict 
 without being yourselves the aggressors. 'You have no oath
 
 AND THE NATIONAL LINCOLN MONUMENT. 323 
 
 registered in heaven to destroy the government, while I shall 
 have the most solemn one to preserve, protect and defend it. I 
 am loth to close. We are not enemies, but friends. We must not 
 be enemies. Though passion may have strained, it must not 
 break our bond of affection. The mystic chords of memory, 
 stretching from every battle field and patriot grave to every liv- 
 ing heart hearthstone all over this broad laud, will yet swell the 
 chorus of the union, when again touched, as surely they will 
 be, by the better angels of our nature." 
 
 In the light of the intervening and sad experience between 
 that day and this, we now see how fatal the mistake that would 
 not heed such words of warning and hope. No suggestions of 
 amicable settlement, no appeals to love of country, no imploring 
 for peace, could stay the mad current of events. War we must 
 have long, cruel, fratricidal war. 
 
 We shall fail, if any attempt be made to compare his administra- 
 tion with that of any other president. It has no standard of com- 
 parison. The circumstances are in no respect similar, save in 
 the most formal parts. The first and older presidents came to the 
 discharge of their great duties after the close of a war, and the ex- 
 periment of a temporary government between that war and the 
 establishment of a constitutional government, surrounded with 
 .peace and the warm attachments of a people co-operating from 
 all parts of the country in zealous efforts to settle the founda- 
 tion of an empire of free people. Their successors had wars, 
 but they were foreign wars. Save in one instance, there was not 
 even the serious threat of civil war. The thoughts of the great 
 men who preceded him in the office of president of the 
 United States were directed almost wholly to the establishment 
 of good government under a constitution to be interpreted and 
 applied to the multifarious wants and circumstances of a rising 
 agricultural, planting, manufacturing and commercial people; to 
 fixing in the public mind the just relation existing and to continue 
 to exist between the states and the new nation, and to extending 
 and cultivating peaceable and commercial relations with the civ- 
 ilized nations of the earth Those who have succeeded him in the 
 great office, found the country at peace with the world and free 
 from civil war, rebellion or insurrection encumbered, it is true, 
 with dismembered fragments, and poisonous with the smell of
 
 324 THE GREAT FUNERAL CORTEGE, 
 
 civil war and bloodshed, requiring talents of the highest order, 
 and the greatest firmness and prudence, to properly remould them 
 into the union. Tested by the circumstances of either, no stand- 
 ard will be found. 
 
 He entered upon the performance of his duties like one feeling 
 his way amid precipices in the darkness of night. Habitually re- 
 gardful of the rights of all, with a sincere respect for the consti- 
 tution, he would exercise no doubtful power unless absolutely in 
 the interest of the union. His guiding star, his last hope, was the 
 union. When it was believed to be in peril, from whatever 
 cause, he would arrest that cause, aud appeal to the people and 
 to congress to sustain him. He would suspend the writ of habeas 
 corpus, increase the. regular, army, and call out volunteers to pre- 
 serve, if .possible, , the union, and await the approval of congress, 
 which was sure to come. Day by day, as the storm was raging, 
 month by month, as the cause of the union seemed more doubt- 
 ful, he grew and strengthened and expanded, steadily gaining 
 a stronger hold upon the country. Year after year, as his mes- 
 sages were laid before congress, with the mournful statement, 
 "the war still continues," the people, with a never-failing confi- 
 dence in his wisdom, held to his policy, and stood firm in* his 
 support. 
 
 These messages, will stand, as state papers, the test of time and 
 all criticism. His arguments against peaceable and forcible 
 secession, and his admirable and exhaustive reasoning on the 
 whole subject of our domestic troubles, will stand as monuments 
 of intellect, logic and learning, as models of purity and vigor, for 
 all time in American political literature. He became the great cen- 
 tral figure in the mighty panorama of war. All eyes were turned 
 upon him, and he was by no means exempted from the severest 
 criticism, from the bitterest complaints, and from the general 
 discontent, when some fault was discovered or some unexpected ca. 
 lamity overtook the country or our arms. Those who craved 
 peace blamed Lincoln that it did not come ; those who clamored 
 for a more vigorous prosecution of the war, blamed him equally 
 without just cause. When those conflicts of words were raging 
 around him he was usually silent, or if he replied, it was always 
 in good temper, and always with complete effect. In the fall of 
 1863, to a storm of this kind which had been raging for some
 
 AND THE NATIONAL LINCOLN MONUMENT. 325 
 
 time, he replied: "There are those who are dissatisfied with 
 me ; to such I would say : You desire peace, arid you blame me 
 that you do not have it, but how can we obtain it? There are 
 but three conceivable ways. First to suppress the rebellion by 
 force of arms. This I am trying to do are you for it? If you 
 are, so far we are agreed. If you are not for it, a second way is 
 to give up the- union. I am against that are you for it? If you 
 are, you should say so plainly. If you are not for force nor yet 
 for dissolution, there only remains some imaginable compromise. 
 I do not believe any compromise embracing the maintenance of 
 the union is possible. Peace does not appear to be so distant as 
 it did. I hope it will come soon, and come to stay, and so come 
 as to be worth the keeping in all future time. Still, let us not be 
 over sanguine of a speedy, final triumph. Let usbe quite sober ; let 
 us diligently apply the means, never doubting that a just God, 
 in his own good time, will give us the rightful result." 
 
 Deeply impressed with the conviction that he was presiding 
 over a "government of the people, by the people and for the peo 
 pie," and that such government has no safe foundation, except as 
 it shall rest upon the will, the free, outspoken opinion and will of 
 the people, he studied with never ceasing industry not only to find 
 out public opinion, but how also to enlighten and advance it. He 
 was a tower of strength in aiding popular opinion to move for- 
 ward from old to new, from good to better and advanced posi- 
 tions. He listened attentively to the popular voice, and what is 
 more, and now was greatly to his advantage, from long associa- 
 tion with the people, and having had much to do for most of his 
 life in materially aiding in giving direction .to public opinion, he 
 knew how to discriminate between bluster and earnestness be- 
 tween the ceaseless rattle of a vast amount of floating wisdom, 
 the immature suggestions of the meddlesome few, and the more 
 solid convictions of an earnest and patient people taking time to 
 come to just and reasonable conclusion. But once discovered, 
 once known to be honest, reliable and definitely formed public 
 opinion, he gracious!}' and firmly moved forward with it, taking 
 the right step at the right time, in the right direction ; and upon 
 the consummations of his administration, who shall look back 
 and find an error? Therefore it was, his opinions were all pow-
 
 326 THE GEEAT FUNERAL CORTEGE, 
 
 erful with the people, with the congress, and in the deliberations 
 of his cabinet. 
 
 Profoundly absorbed with the great events around him, deeply 
 penetrated with the sufferings of his country, superintending the 
 operations of a million of men on laud and sea, watching with 
 ceaseless vigilance the movements of the enemy, deliberating 
 with his able cabinet, consulting with the generals of his armies 
 and the commanders of his fleets, keeping a constant watch upon 
 our somewhat delicate foreign relations, and ever faithfully weigh- 
 ing the suggestions coming to him from the great body of the peo- 
 ple, he did not descend into the details of administration, and per- 
 haps did not consider it of serious importance who were appoint- 
 ed to subordinate positions in the civil service, or possibly who 
 was sent as minister to a foreign court. Who now shall go carp- 
 ing about the country, and what good shall come of it, intimating 
 that he was of humble origin, without education, unlearned in 
 the philosophy of government and the polite literature of diplo- 
 macy, and that therefore he was not the master of his council? 
 Leaving, and wisely leaving, to the heads of the various depart- 
 ments the management and direction of the ordinary and formal 
 duties of each, which are never unimportant, but in a great civil 
 war of the highest significance, in the higher and graver respon- 
 sibilities of his office, as to what policy should control in meas- 
 ures for the prosecution of the war, the preservation of the union 
 and the emancipation of a-race, it is not true, and therefore ought 
 not to be history, that he was not the leading spirit of his admin 
 istratiou. Jt is altogether true to say, and this without disparage- 
 ment to the distinguished men who composed it respected, hon- 
 ored and loved as they ever will be by a grateful country, that in. 
 his cabinet he was premier and without peer. 
 
 It is but repeating history to state the rebellion was organized 
 and fought upon the idea of founding a confederacy upon the 
 corner stone of human slavery. It was the counter purpose of 
 the friends of the national government to resist the dissolution of 
 the union for this or any other purpose, and to leave the institu- 
 tion of slavery to state control, where it then existed, and to 
 trust to time and the growth of a better sentiment for its final ex- 
 tinction. It was, therefore, alike the cause of the war and the 
 curse of the country. From the first it was an element to be
 
 / AND THE NATIONAL LINCOLN MONUMENT. 327 
 
 dealt with, and in those times, with the views of mail}- of our 
 friends, not yet reconciled upon its many aspects, to be cautiously 
 and wisely dealt with. Lincoln knew this, knew it better than 
 the many earnest and impatient friends of emancipation, and was 
 perhaps better qualified to manage it than any other living man. 
 His views upon the subject were known to the whole country at 
 the time of the inauguration, for they had undergone no change 
 since the election. If the south would remain in the union, he 
 would not disturb the institution in the states. If they would 
 dissolve the union, he would be released from that policy. The 
 war i aging, and the enemy utilizing these very slaves to still more 
 firmly rivet their own chains, those of them escaping from the 
 lines of the enemy or captured in his posts or garrisons were per- 
 mitted to remain inside of ours, and being neither slave or free, 
 to their utter amazement became contrabands. Next they were 
 given employment in subordinate positions wi'h our armies ia 
 the field. The war still raging, and prejudice against these un- 
 happy people measurably giving way, u few were permitted to 
 garrison our forts, and finally, good sense and patriotism, conquer- 
 ing hesitation and doubt, they were regularly enlisted, armed, 
 equipped and mustered into the service of the United States as 
 defenders of the republic. 
 
 That no experiment might remain untried, that no expedient 
 might go untested, early in the war Lincoln favored colonization 
 upon consent of the colored race and of the country to which 
 they might prefer to go. This proving uuexceptable and imprac- 
 ticable, the president next proposed, and with great earnestness 
 urged upon the border states, in the hope that all might ultimately 
 accept the plan, compensated emancipation. But all these 
 schemes and projects failed. One other was waiting, which, in 
 the providence of God, could not fail. The conviction was stead- 
 ily growing in the public mind that it was the true and only one 
 that justice, mercy and fair dealing between man and man de- 
 manded it, and that final success to our arms could not and ought 
 not to come without it. Lincoln, tired of expedients, chastened 
 and strengthened by the woes of his country, patiently awaited 
 the coming of the hour when a divided and hesitating public 
 opinion, united at last upon its justness and expediency, would 
 hail with joy the great deed. Responding to the instincts of his
 
 328 THE GREAT FUNERAL CORTEGE, 
 
 own nature, arrayed in the full development of all the powers 
 that God had given him, with resolution unalterable and purpose 
 irrevocable, he announced to the world his proclamation of eman- 
 cipation. It was "the new birth of freedom." Thenceforward 
 the issue was not doubtful. The last great remedy had been ap- 
 plied. It was the true one. It brought victory to our arms and 
 safety to our country. It falls to the lot of few-men to connec. 
 their names with great events, but here was a great event and 
 a great principle the principle of universal emancipation ; the 
 principle that no man is so low that he should be cut off from 
 freedom and citizenship in a great republic. His name is linked 
 forever with both. 
 
 If history shall become ungrateful and moral obligations cease 
 to respond to the calls ofjustice and patriotism in that race to 
 which he was born, his fame will still be safe. Another race of 
 four millions, with their countless descendants of free-born chil- 
 dren, holding his memory in precious reverence, will sing an- 
 thems of praise and gratitude to his name forever. 
 
 The commencement of his second term as president of the 
 United States, and the close of the rebellion, came closely together. 
 I do not know that the time or the place is fitting for an examin- 
 ation of the course likely to have been taken by him upon the 
 question of what is now known as reconstruction. It* is true to 
 say, from the great hold he had upon the hearts of the people, 
 and their immovable confidence in him a confidence- perhaps 
 enjoyed by no president from Washington down to his own time 
 any plan maturely considered and seriously put forward by Liu- 
 colu would have met with favor, and it is probable would have 
 been adopted by the people. He was a merciful and forgiving 
 man. He promptly ratified the generous terms of surrender 
 dictated to the armies of the rebellion by his humane and victori- 
 ous general. His proclamation of pardon and amnest}', of De- 
 cember, 1863, granted, with restoration of all property rights, the 
 right to vote to all, with certain specified exceptions as to classes, 
 who had been in rebellion, and who would subscribe an oath to 
 support the constitution of the United States and the union 
 thereunder, and faithfully abide by and support all acts of con- 
 gress and proclamations of the president having reference to 
 slaves. This, it must be remembered, was during the war. But
 
 AND THE NATIONAL LINCOLN MONUMENT. 329 
 
 now that pence had come, by surrender and not by compromise, 
 as in 1861, actual rebellion had released him from the policy of 
 leaving slavery to the states, and in time allowed him to move 
 forward to emancipation, so in 1865 compulsory submission would 
 have released him from terms proposed in 1863, and permitted 
 him to move forward to higher and broader grounds. In addition 
 to the two great facts that the circumstances of the white and 
 colored population had, at the close ofthe war. entirely changed, 
 and the glimpses on .several occasions given out of a purpose 
 on his part to favor a most enlightened and liberal policy as to 
 all, so as to reunite the country upon a just and enduring basis, 
 stood the great fact that in 1861 he had said he would rather be 
 assassinated than surrender the sentiment in the Declaration of 
 Independence tbat "all men are created equal." It is not likely 
 at *tb.e close of a contest in which that principle had been saved, 
 and for the first time applied to the whole country, he would 
 have favored any plan which would deny to either those who 
 had laid down their arms against the government, or those who 
 had used them in its preservation, the fullest rights implied and 
 covered by the broad declaration that all men are equal. 
 
 Who shall forget that memorable scene in the city of Richmond, 
 which ought to be cherished and perpetuated forever as part of the 
 history of the closing days of the unhappy strife, where the great 
 and good man his heart swelling with modest pride, leading his lit- 
 tle sou by the hand through the deserted streets of the once proud 
 capital of treason, and beholding once more the flag of his country 
 in place of a strange and usurping one, restored to its rightful do- 
 minion over an undivided union; grateful to Almighty God that 
 in His own good time peace had returned to a divided and sor- 
 rowing people; cheered and animated by the hope of a long 
 future of prosperity and happiness to the country gave assurance 
 to the scattered and remaining few of those who were but yester- 
 day in arms against that flag, as they eagerly gathered about 
 him, of forgiveness and an early restoration to all rights in the 
 old government; and to the humble and long oppressed, rescued 
 from a servitude dishonorable alike to humanity and to that flag, 
 of freedom.and citizenship in the great republic forever! Who 
 shall measure the usefulness of the life of such a man ? and who 
 shall hope to do his memory justice? In the long range and
 
 330 THE GREAT FUNERAL CORTEGE, 
 
 course of time, come what may whether a republic grounded on 
 the immovable foundations of justice and freedom, approved after 
 long experience and ages of human happiness as the best form 
 of human government still standing, or whether a republic, torn 
 irfto factions and rent by the mad ambitions of men, in ruins this 
 monument, an enduring testimonial to the humble life, glori- 
 ous deeds and the shining example of the great citizen and mart3 r r, 
 will stand for the illumination of all men of every clime, nation- 
 ality and condition, who, in search of the highest aims and loftiest 
 purposes of life, shall come to this fountain for inspiration and 
 hope. -Here the humble may take new courage, the proud learn 
 humility, the ambitious that the true way to greatness lies^hrough 
 industry, integrity and patriotism, and all men that only the truly 
 good can be truly great. In no other country under the sun could 
 the obscure boy have found his way through the long succession 
 of mysterious and grave events to such eminence and power; and 
 where and in what land can one be found who wielded power 
 with such grace, humanity and wisdom? The living assign him 
 his proper place in the affections of all men. Posterity, pro- 
 foundly moved by the simplicity of his private life, elevated and 
 enlightened by the purity and splendor of his administration and 
 public services, cannot fail to fix his place amongst those who 
 shall rank highest in their veneration. He has gone to the firma- 
 ment of Washington, and a new light shines down upon his be- 
 loved countrymen from the American constellation. 
 
 And now, by the authority and under the direction of the 
 National Lincoln Monument Association, in the presence of this 
 vast assemblage, who bear testimony to the fact, and under the 
 gracious favor of Almighty God, I dedicate this Monument to the 
 memory of the obscure boy, the honest man, the illustrious 
 statesman, the great liberator, and the martyr President, Abraham 
 Lincoln, and the keeping of time. 
 
 Behold the image of the Man! 
 
 As the closing words fell from the speaker's lips, 
 
 THE STATUE WAS UNVEILED 
 
 By two nuns, of the order of St. Dominic, Mother 
 Josepha and Sister Rachel, from. Jacksonville, who
 
 AND THE NATIONAL LINCOLN MONUMENT. 331 
 
 had been specially invited to perform that duty in 
 consequence of the respect felt for their order by the 
 many soldiers who had witnessed their self-sacrificing 
 labors in the camps and hospitals during the war for 
 the Union. 
 
 As the veil of red and white silk slowly moved 
 down before the statue, the vast multitude stood for a 
 moment in breathless silence, followed by a gentle clap- 
 ping of the hands and a subdued murmur of applause. 
 The choir then sang, " Rest, Spirit, Rest." 
 
 The following 
 
 DEDICATION POEM, 
 BY JAMES JUDSON LORD. 
 
 Of Springfield, Illinois, was* then read by Richard 
 Edwards, LL. D., President of Illinois State Normal 
 University at Bloomington : 
 
 We build not here a temple or a shrine, 
 Nor hero-fane to demigods divine ; 
 Nor to the clouds a superstructure rear 
 For man's ambition or for servile fear. 
 Not to the Dust, but to the Deeds alone 
 A grateful people raise th' historic stone ; 
 For where a patriot lived, or hero fell, 
 The daisied turf would mark the spot as well. 
 
 What though the Pyramids, with apex high, 
 
 Like Alpine peaks cleave Egypt's rainless sky, 
 
 And cast grim shadows o'er a desert land 
 
 Forever blighted by oppression's hand ? 
 
 No patriot zeal their deep foundations laid 
 
 No freeman's hand their darken'd chambers made 
 
 No public weal inspired the heart with love, 
 
 To see their summits tow'ring high above. 
 
 The ruling Pharaoh, proud and gory-stained,
 
 332 THE GREAT FUNERAL CORTEGE, 
 
 With vain ambitions never yet attained ; 
 
 With brow encloutled as his marble throne, 
 
 And heart unyielding as the building stone ; 
 
 Sought with the scourge to make mankind his slaves, 
 
 And heaven's free sunlight darker than their graves. 
 
 His but to will, and theirs to yield and feel, 
 
 Like vermin'd dust beneath his iron heel ; 
 
 Denies all mercy, and all right offends, 
 
 Till on his head th' avenging Plague descends. 
 
 Historic Justice bids the nations know 
 
 That through each land of slaves a Nile of blood shall flow: 
 
 And Vendome Columns, on a people thrust, 
 
 Are, by the people, level'd with the dust. 
 
 Nor stone, nor bronze, can fit memorials yield 
 
 For deeds of valor on the bloody field, 
 
 'Neath war's dark clouds the sturdy volunteer, 
 
 By freedom taught his country to revere, 
 
 Bids home and friends a hasty, sad adieu, 
 
 And treads where dangers all his steps pursue ; 
 
 Finds cold and famine on his dauntless way, 
 
 And with mute patience brooks the long delay, 
 
 Or hears the trumpet, or the thrilling drum 
 
 Peal the long roll that calls: "They come! they come! " 
 
 Then to the front with battling hosts he fiies, 
 
 And lives to triumph-, or for freedom dies. 
 
 Thund'ring amain along the rocky strand, 
 The Ocean claims her honors with the Land. 
 Loud on the gale she chimes the wild refrain, 
 Or with low murmur wails her heroes slain ! 
 In gory hulks, with splinter'd mast and spar, 
 Rocks on her stormy breast the valiant Tar : 
 Lash'd to the mast he gives the high command, 
 Or midst the fight, sinks with the Cumberland.
 
 AND THE NATIONAL LINCOLN MONUMENT. 333 
 
 Beloved banner of the azure sky, 
 
 Thy rightful home where'er thy eagles fly ; 
 
 On thy blue fields the stars of heav'n descend, 
 
 And to our day a purer luster lend. 
 
 O, Righteous God ! who guard'st the right alway, 
 
 And bade Thy peace to come, " and come to stay : " 
 
 And while war's deluge fill'd the land with blood, 
 
 With bow of promise arch'd the crimson flood, 
 
 From fratricidal strife our banner screen, 
 
 And let it float henceforth in skies serene. 
 
 Yet cunning art shall here her triumphs bring, 
 And laurel'd bards their choicest anthems sing. 
 Here, honor'd age sliall bare its wintery brow, 
 And youth to freedom make a Spartan vow. 
 Here, ripen'd manhood from its walks profound, 
 Shall come and halt, as if on hallow'd ground. 
 Here shall the urn with fragrant wreaths be drest, 
 By tender hands the flow'ry tributes prest ; 
 And wending westward, from oppressions far, 
 Shall pilgrims come led by our freedom-star; 
 While bending lowly, as o'er friendly pall, 
 The silent tear from ebon cheeks shall fall. 
 
 Sterile and vain the tributes which we pay 
 It is the Past that consecrates to-day 
 The spot where rests one of the noble few 
 Who saw the right, and dared the right to do. 
 True to himself and to his fellow men, 
 With patient hand he moved the potent pen, 
 Whose inky stream did, like the Red sea's flow, 
 Such bondage break and such a host-o'erthrow! 
 The simple parchment on its fleeting page 
 Bespeaks the import of the better age, 
 When man, for man, no more shall forge the chain, 
 Nor armies tread the shore, nor navies plow the main. 
 Then shall this boon to human freedom given
 
 334 THE GREAT FUNERAL CORTEGE, 
 
 Be fitly deein'd a sacred gift of heaven ; 
 Though of the earth, it is no less divine, 
 Founded on truth it will forever shine, 
 Reflecting rays from heaven's unchanging plan 
 The law of right and brotherhood of man. 
 
 After music by the band, Gen. U. S. Grant, Presi- 
 dent of the United States, was introduced, and deliv- 
 ered the following brief, but for him lengthy, 
 
 ADDRESS. 
 
 Mr. Chairman, Ladies and Gentlemen : 
 
 On an occasion like the present I feel it a duty on my part to 
 bear testimony to the great and good qualities of the patriotic 
 man whose earthly remains rest beneath the monument now being 
 dedicated. It was not my fortune to make the personal acquain- 
 tance of Mr. Lincoln until the last year of the great struggle for 
 national existence. During the three years of doubting and de- 
 spondency among the many patriotic men of the country, Abra- 
 ham Lincoln never for a moment doubted that the final result 
 would be in favor of peace, union, and freedom to every race in 
 this broad land. His faith in an All-wise Providence directing 
 our arms to this final result was the faith of the Christian that 
 his Redeemer liveth. Amidst obloquy, personal abuse, and hate 
 undisguised, and which was given vent to without restraint 
 through the press, upon the stump, and in private circles, he re- 
 mained the same staunch, unyielding servant of the people, never 
 exhibiting a revengeful feeling towards his traducers,but he rather 
 pitied them, and hoped, for their own sake, and the good name 
 of their posterity, that they might desist. For a single moment 
 it did not occur to him that the man Lincoln was being assailed, 
 but that a treasonable spirit one willing to destroy the existence 
 of the freest government the sun ever shone upon, was giving 
 vent to itself upon him as the Chief Executive of the nation, 
 only because he was such Executive. As a lawyer in your midst 
 he would have avoided all this slander for his life was a pure 
 and simple one and no doubt would have been a much happier
 
 AND THE NATIONAL LINCOLN MONUMENT. 335 
 
 man, but who can tell what might have been the fate of the 
 nation but for the pure, unselfish and wise administration of a 
 Lincoln ? 
 
 From March, 1864, to the day when the hand of the assassin 
 opened a grave for Mr. Lincoln, then President of the United 
 States, my personal relations with him were as close and inti- 
 mate as the nature of our respective duties would permit. To 
 know him personally was to love and respect him for his great 
 qualities of heart and head, and for his patience and patriotism. 
 With all his disappointments from failures on the part of 
 those to whom he had intrusted command, and treachery on the 
 part of those who had gained his confidence but to betray it, I 
 never heard him utter a complaint, nor cast a censure for bad 
 conduct or bad faith. It was his nature to find excuses for his 
 adversaries. In his deafh the nation lost its greatest hero. In 
 his death the South lost its most just friend. 
 
 Hon. Henry Wilson, Vice-President of the United 
 States, on being introduced, spoke as follows : 
 
 Mr. Chairman and Fellow-Citizens : 
 
 After listening as we all have to-day to eloquent voices, I am 
 sure that nothing can be added to your gratification. I came 
 from my Eastern home from a sense of public duty and from 
 affection and regard for the memory of Abraham Lincoln, to 
 participate in the services of this day. I thank God that he has 
 spared my life to join with you in paying this tribute to the 
 great man that Illinois gave to the country and the nation gave to 
 the world, and I shall return to my home, regarding it as among 
 the great occasions of my life, and among the blessings of provi 
 dence that I have lived to witness what I have witnessed here to- 
 day ; and to bear my affectionate tribute and my grateful memory 
 to Abraham Lincoln. 
 
 The following is an extract from a speech by Hon. 
 U. F. Linder: 
 
 Fellow Citizens : 
 
 I regret that the snows of 66 winters that have fallen upon my 
 head have extinguished a great deal of my fervor and eloquence,
 
 336 THE GREAT FUNERAL CORTEGE, 
 
 if I ever had any. I am sorry, fellow-citizens, that I have not 
 prepared something short, worthy of the occasion. I am one of 
 the aged men. ******* 
 
 (Turning and pointing to the statue) I served in the Legislature 
 of 1836 with, that venerated man. We didn't always agree in 
 politics, but we always agreed to disagree as friends. I met him 
 in early life, when he first came to the State in 1830, in my own 
 town, Charleston, Coles county, Illinois. He was dressed in 
 plain jeans clothes. I had no idea, then, that he would ever be 
 President of the United States, nor did I believe that there was 
 any man in the State of Illinois, or that there would ever come 
 into the State any man that would be President of the United 
 States. ******** 
 
 Mr. Lincoln and myself to be serious came from the same 
 county, and were born within ten miles of the same place. He 
 came to Indiana and to a wilderness ; I was educated in Ken- 
 tucky, and though mine was not an extensive library, it stood 
 out of reach of anything Lincoln had, and in his presence I con- 
 sidered myself always a learned man. And when I contemplate 
 a boy like that, for I do suppose his breeches were patched 
 at the knees and his arms out at the elbows, starting with his old 
 mother to Indiana, then a forest, and passing on with his step- 
 mother into Illinois, to be a day laborer and a flatboater ; a man 
 way down in the valley of humility, working his way up and 
 on through all the phases of that eventful life, his brave and in- 
 domitable earnestness, fearlessness and honesty never swerving 
 from his honesty finally fighting his way to the Presidency, 
 where we trace him from that humble cabin in Kentucky to 
 yonder monument, where he stands to-day. I say it is a mira- 
 cle fellow-citizens it is a miracle which only a Republican 
 people can work. Merit will always meet its reward, and 
 whenever another Washington shall make his appearance, another 
 monument will go up. Yet that monument, however firm its 
 base may be, the mouldering tooth of time will eat away; but 
 there is another monument dedicated to Lincoln, one built in the 
 memory and with words graven in the hearts of his countrymen, 
 and till the last of them shall cease to live, and the English lan- 
 guage cease to be spoken, that monument shall stand firm and 
 unfailing until Gabriel blows his trump on the morning of the 
 resurrection.
 
 AND THE NATIONAL, LINCOLN MONUMENT. 337 
 
 While Mr. Linder was speaking, Gen. W. T. Sher- 
 man stepped quietly away to look at the sarcophagus 
 and catacomb containing the body of Mr. Lincoln. 
 On being called for he came forward and spoke briefly, 
 from which I make the following extracts: 
 
 I came here with feelings of great devotion, desirous to see 
 and hear all that could be said, and I did listen with intense 
 patience to that most admirable and eloquent speech of our friend, 
 General Oglesby, and I turned and looked at the statme of Lin. 
 coin, when the flag dropped from it, I gazed upon it long and 
 well, because I loved that form most well in life. I can bear him 
 no greater affection than I do. I turned and went with uncle 
 Jesse Dubois to see the spot where his body rests. I also met 
 the artist of the statue, Mead, whom I knew in Florence, Italy, 
 and went with him to various points, and viewed his work. Now 
 therefore, I think I have at last done full justice to the subject, 
 and I have responded promptly to you. If you will have it so, 
 with feelings of kindness for the call to appear in your presence, 
 and if I could add one word or utter one single thought that 
 would add a particle to the fame of Mr. Lincoln, I would say it 
 now; but Mr. Lincoln's writings, his speeches, and his procla- 
 mations all bear the stamp of an honest; fearless, great, good man, 
 and nothing is truer or better than what General Oglesby has 
 said, that " true fame lies solidly only on a pure character and 
 blameless reputation." I believe Mr. Lincoln's fame does so 
 rest as that of Washington, and that it will always be classified 
 side by side with that of Washington. Surely no man ought to 
 hope for a higher fame on the earth, and such fame will be Lin- 
 coln's. 
 
 Mr. Larkin G. Mead, the artist, was called for, and 
 on being introduced to the audience, was greeted with 
 applause. He made his bow as graceful as he could 
 under the circumstances, and retired. 
 
 Hon. Schuyler Colfax, ex-Vice-President of the 
 United States, was called for, and spoke briefly and 
 eloquently, quoting from Mr. Lincoln's words, spoken 
 22
 
 338 THE GREAT FUNERAL CORTEGE. 
 
 on the battle field of Gettysburg, Nov. 19th, 1863, 
 and applied then to Oak Ridge Cemetery. 
 
 Hon. . Forster, M.P., of England, congratulating 
 Gov. Palmer on the success of the arrangements and 
 carrying into execution the dedication exercises, took 
 occasion to say that the most noticeable feature of the 
 assemblage was in the appearance of intelligence, 
 thrift, neatness, health and decorum, and expressed 
 the opinion that it could not be excelled in these re- 
 spects anywhere in the world. Hon. Schuyler Colfax 
 expressed the same views. 
 
 At the conclusion of Mr. Colfax's speech, the dox- 
 ology was sung, and the benediction pronounced by 
 Rev. Albert Hale, of Springfield, which concluded the 
 exercises. 
 
 The procession reformed and returned to the city. 
 The vast multitude gradually melted away, each and 
 all carrying to their homes memories of the day 
 and of the occasion that will be cherished while life 
 endures.
 
 CHAPTER XXX. 
 
 It seems peculiarly appropriate that the dedication 
 services should have been held in connection with a 
 reunion of the surviving; veterans of one of the grand 
 divisions of the army that saved the nation. In the 
 fallen condition of our race, no government, human 
 or divine, has ever commanded respect that was not 
 sustained by force against internal as well as well as 
 external foes. 
 
 Abraham Lincoln, as President of the United 
 States, was Commander-in-Chief of its armies. As 
 such, during the time he was at the head of the nation, 
 he commanded more than one million of citizen sol- 
 diers. War was forced upon the nation with the 
 avowed purpose of destroying it. He was compelled to 
 submit to the dissolution of the Union, or accept war 
 to prevent it. By turning to the engraving of the 
 Moument and studying it, the reader will see that it 
 teaches the lesson that the war was for the preservation 
 ofthe Union. When Lincoln became President, March 
 4, 1861, war was threatened, and he plead with his dis- 
 satisfied fellow-countrymen not to commence hostil- 
 ities, thus holding out the olive branch of peace. The 
 reply was an attack on Fort Sumter, which was equiva- 
 lent to casting the olive branch under foot, as shown in 
 the engraving of the coat of arms. The Statue of Lin- 
 coln placed above all those emblems, with the coat of 
 arms which is emblematic of the constitution of the 
 United States beneath his feet as a pedestal, gave him 
 authority for using the infantry, cavalry, artillery and 
 navy, placed below and around him ; tor holding the
 
 340 THE GREAT FUNERAL CORTEGE, 
 
 States built in the Monument still lower in a per- 
 petual bond of Union. 
 
 It became imperative for him, as a military necessity, 
 to emancipate four millions of slaves, which is indica- 
 ted by the pen in his right hand, and the emancipation 
 proclamation which he had just written, in his left. 
 The broken chain of Slavery, part in the talons of the 
 eagle and part in his beak, indicates that the contest 
 is ended. As the closing scene to all this, the Com- 
 mander-in-Chief dies by a bullet from the hand of a 
 rebel fanatic ; thus dying the death of a soldier as 
 truly as any of the thousands who gave their lives 
 on the field of battle for the preservation of the Un- 
 ion. 
 
 Vice President Dubois, in his address, attests the 
 zeal and fidelity with which all the members of the 
 Association discharged their several duties, but makes 
 special mention of Hon. O.M. Hatch, Secretary of the 
 Association, Hon. James H. Beveridge, Treasurer, and 
 Hon. John T. Stuart, Chairman of the Executive 
 Committee. It is no disparagement to the other 
 members to mention these three as deserving special 
 honor. 
 
 Mr. Hatch has conducted the correspondence of the 
 Association and recorded its transactions for nearly 
 nine years. To have done this in a private business 
 amounting to nearly $200,000, would have commanded 
 a liberal salary, and yet Mr. Hatch has done all this 
 without fee or reward, except the consciousness of 
 having discharged a pleasing but mournful duty. 
 
 Mr. Beveridge has not only faithfully accounted for 
 every dollar that came into his hands, without retain- 
 ing a farthing for his services, but has added to it many 
 thousands in accrued interest. 
 
 The name of John T. Stuart is indissolubly asso- 
 ciated with that of Abraham Lincoln, but the parallel 
 between them has never been drawn that I am aware 
 of. Mr. Stuart was born in 1807, in Fayette county,
 
 AND THE NATIONAL LINCOLN MONUMENT. 341 
 
 near Lexington, the verv richest part of Kentucky 
 of a Scotch-Irish family, distinguished for learning 
 and refinement ; his father having been a professor of 
 languages in Transylvania University, and after that 
 for several years a minister of the gospel in the Pres- 
 byterian church. 
 
 John T. Stuart was educated at Centre College, 
 Danville, Ky., having graduated there in 1826, and 
 after that spent two years studying in the office of his 
 uncle, Judge Breck, in Richmond, Ky. Thus prepared 
 to enter upon the duties of life, he turned his back up- 
 on home and early friends, and pushing his way to 
 the very frontier of civilization in the fall of 1828, 
 hung out his sign as an attorney at law in the little col- 
 lection of log huts, in what was then almost a quag- 
 mire, called Springfield, Sangamon county, Illinois. 
 
 Abraham Lincoln was born in 1809, in Hardin 
 county, ajmostthe poorest part of Kentucky, being in 
 the cavernous limestone region of the Mam moth Cave. 
 He came of a Virginia family also, but the very anti- 
 podes of the Stuarts in education, refinement and so- 
 cial position, being of that class that has, from time 
 immemorial, in all slave States, been denominated 
 "poor whites." He grew up through the pinchings of 
 poverty, without schools or any other elavating social 
 influences, but, like the bee that gathers honey from 
 every flower, he drew knowledge from any and all 
 sources. Unlike Stuart, who chose his theatre of ac- 
 tion and went to work with well matured plans, Lin- 
 coln merely drifted along, snatching the means to sat- 
 isfy the cravings of hunger and to clothe himself in 
 the plainest of homespun, by a day's work here and 
 another there, until he finds himself in the more un- 
 promising village of New Salem, in the same county 
 with Stuart. Not having any regular business, Lin- 
 coln was ready to turn his hand to building a flatboat 
 and running it, doing a day's work at chopping, or
 
 342 THE GREAT FUNERAL CORTEGE, 
 
 farm labor, or acting as a "sort of clerk" in a country 
 store. 
 
 Both being on the verge of civilization, the call for 
 fighting men to repel the savages who were scalping 
 their neighbors, brought these two men together for 
 the first time at what is now Beardstown ; Stuart as 
 Major of a battalion, and Lincoln as Captain of one 
 of his companies. They stood on common ground. 
 There was a foe before them, and both being young 
 and fond of adventure, were intent on meeting him. 
 Danger, and a willingness to face it, made them equal, 
 and they both felt it. The war passed away and they 
 met in the State Legislature, Lincoln for his first, and 
 Stuart for his second term. They roomed together 
 and while taking a morning walk at Vandalia, Lin- 
 coln asked Stuart's advice whether it would be best 
 for him to study law or not. Stuart advised him to 
 commence at once. Lincoln said he was poor and un- 
 able to buy books, and Stuart replied with an offer to 
 loan him all the books he needed, and to act as his 
 preceptor. At the close of the session, Lincoln visited 
 Stuart at Springfield, obtained the books, with the 
 necessary instructions, went to New Salem, twenty- 
 five miles, and commenced the study of law. Two 
 years pass on, and the preceptor offers to take his stu- 
 dent into partnership, which brings Lincoln to 
 Springfield. Three years later, Stuart is elected to 
 Congress and the partnership ceases. 
 
 They both started out Whigs in politics, and con- 
 tinued so until the dissolution of the Whig party, when 
 both, yielding to the force of early associations, formed 
 new political relations; Stuart affiliating with the 
 Democratic party, though never in full sympathy with 
 its principles, and Lincoln aiding in the organization 
 of the Republican party, but this divergence of polit- 
 ical views did not in the least affect their personal 
 friendship.
 
 AND THE NATIONAL LINCOLN MONUMENT. 343 
 
 From that to the present time, the history of Lin- 
 coln is known to all the world. While he was serv- 
 ing his first term as President of the United States, 
 Stuart was elected by the Democratic party to repre- 
 sent his district in Congress. This brought them to- 
 gether at the Capital of the nation. There is little 
 doubt that Lincoln, left to the promptings of his own 
 heart, would gladly have conferred office and honors, 
 with their emoluments, on his early friend and bene- 
 factor, but to have tendered them might have been 
 misconstrued. Stuart heartily reciprocated Lincoln's 
 friendship, knowing that his own position was one of 
 self-sacrifice, as he could not conscientiously place 
 himself in a position to expect or receive official pat- 
 ronage. He quietly and conscientiously served out 
 his term in the House of Representatives and re- 
 turned home. 
 
 When the news came that President Lincoln had 
 fallen by the hand of an assassin, there was no more 
 sincere mourner in Springfield than John T. Stuart. 
 As Chairman of a committee appointed at a public 
 meeting of citizens on the day of Mr. Lincoln's death, 
 Mr. Stuart reported a series of resolutions, the princi- 
 pal one of which was a request that the City Council 
 appoint a committee to co-operate with the Governor 
 of the State in bringing the remains of the fallen Pres- 
 ident back to his old home for sepulture. On the 24th 
 of April, Mr. Stuart was one of those named by a 
 public meeting of the citizens to form a National Lin- 
 coln Monument Association. When that body had 
 raised funds, matured plans and commenced the work 
 of building the Monument, Mr. Stuart was selected as 
 one of the Executive Committee, and by his col- 
 leagues, .Buim and Williams, was made Chairman of 
 the same. 
 
 During the time the Monument has been building, 
 he has acted as President of the Springfield City Rail- 
 way Compa.ny, President of the Springfield Watch
 
 344 THE GREAT FUNERAL CORTEGE, 
 
 Company, also as one of the commissioners for build- 
 ing the new State House. He has, for many years, 
 been the senior member of the law firm of Stuart, Ed- 
 wards and Brown, and is now the third oldest practic- 
 ing lawyer in the State. Notwithstanding he has been 
 thus engaged, the building of the Lincoln Monument 
 has been to him so emphatically a labor of love, that, 
 without fee or reward, from the time ground was bro- 
 ken in September, 1869, his vigilant eye has watched 
 every movement connected with the same, entering in- 
 to all the minutia of detail until he saw it completed, 
 and witnessed, in the presence of more than twenty 
 thousand citizens, the unveiling of the bronze imita- 
 tion of his military comrade, legislative colleague, 
 law student and partner, whom he had seen rise to the 
 highest official position on earth, become the emanci- 
 pator of a race, and a martyr in the cause of liberty and 
 good government. That he has witnessed all these 
 changes and been more active than any other man in 
 erecting this Masoleum, the like of which is no 
 where else to be found on the continent of America, 
 must be difficult for him to realize. Stretching like a 
 panorama over so many years of his life, it must seem 
 to him more like some strange vision of the mind than 
 the veritable events of real history. 
 
 The case of Mr. Stuart presents the interesting and 
 extraordinary spectacle of a man who was in success- 
 ful law practice before Abraham Lincoln ever set foot 
 on the prairies of Illinois ; who advised and encour- 
 aged him to the study of law ; witnessed his upward 
 steps until his fame filled the whole civilized world ; 
 now, in the year 1874, nearly ten years after the 
 tragic death of Lincoln, practicing his profession 
 within a stone's throw of where he commenced, and 
 who has not yet reached his three score years and ten, 
 but, still strong in body and mind, is slowly and 
 gracefully descending the sunset slopes of life.
 
 AND THE NATIONAL LINCOLN MONUMENT. 345 
 
 The Executive Committee made a report October 
 28, 1874, showing that the architectural part of the 
 Monument is completed, and every obligation paid. 
 The report was received and approved. On the same 
 day, the Association adopted a resolution appointing 
 J. C. Power, author of this volume, Custodian, and 
 on the 29th of October it was first regularly opened 
 for the reception of visitors. 
 
 The Association now owns nine acres of land in a 
 central and commanding position in Oak Ridge Cem- 
 etery, with right of way to and from it. According to 
 the terms of the charter, the Association terminates 
 its existence May 11, 1885. That gives ample time, 
 and none too much, for completing the groups of 
 Statuary, building a residence for the Custodian, and 
 ornamenting the grounds. At the termination of the 
 charter, the Monument and grounds pass to the care 
 of the State of Illinois, a sacred trust to be transmit- 
 ted to posterity. 
 
 It will thus be seen that the effort to build a Mon- 
 ument to the memory of the Illustrious Patriot, 
 Abraham Lincoln, has proved a grand success. It 
 is a magnificent structure, far surpassing every other 
 work of the kind on the continent of America. In 
 beauty of design it is unique. For all coming time 
 it will be a Shrine at which patriots will delight to 
 renew their vows to Truth, Justice and Liberty.
 
 CHAPTER XXXI. 
 
 OAK EIDGE CEMETERY. 
 
 When Springfield was only a village, four acres of 
 land about half a mile west of the old State House 
 was donated by Elijah lies for a " grave yard/' and a 
 few years later another was laid out immediately west 
 of it, called Hutchinson Cemetery. It consisted of 
 about four acres also, and was regularly laid out. 
 Lots were sold, and considerable eifort made to or- 
 nament the grounds. As the town emerged from its 
 village condition and manifested signs of larger growth, 
 it became evident that some other arrangement should 
 be made for the burial of the dead. With this object 
 in view, Alderman Charles H. Lanphier, on the twenty- 
 eighth of May, 1855, introduced the subject of pur- 
 chasing land for a permanent grave yard outside the 
 city limits. 
 
 After it was decided by the city council to purchase 
 grounds for the purpose designated, two sites were pro- 
 posed, and on bringing the subject of location to a 
 vote, it was found that the aldermen were equally di- 
 vided. Gen. John Cook, then and now of Springfield, 
 was mayor of the city. The position of the aldermen 
 threw the responsibility of giving the casting vote on 
 the mayor. The friends of the successful locality 
 awarded to Mayor Cook the honor of naming the 
 ground, and he called it Oak Ridge Cemetery. On 
 the fourth of June the city received of A. G. Herndon 
 and wife, a deed to a fraction less than seventeen acres 
 of land, for which it paid three hundred and fifty dollars. 
 On the fourteenth of May, 1856, eleven and a half acres
 
 OAK EIDGE CEMETERY. 347 
 
 more were purchased as an addition to the cemetery. 
 At the same time May 14, 1856 an ordinance was 
 passed by the city council prohibiting interments in 
 the old town grave yard, and forbidding the enlarge- 
 ment of any cemetery within half a mile of the city 
 limits, which latter provision could only apply to 
 Hutchinson Cemetery. An additional ordinance was 
 passed at the same time, setting apart the twenty-eight 
 and a half acres as a place of burial for the dead, un- 
 der the name given it by mayor Cook. The cemetery 
 was enclosed with a substantial fence at the expense 
 of the city, and for two or three years it was used as a 
 place of burial for the poor only. There being no 
 sexton, parties dug graves wherever they pleased, of 
 which there was no record preserved. 
 
 On the eighteenth of April, 1858, and from that time, 
 a register has been kept of all the interments. The 
 grounds began to present a more orderly appearance, but 
 it required a great amount of labor to remove the un- 
 der-brush. Up to this time the ground was directly 
 under the control of the city authorities, but it was 
 thought desirable to identify lot owners more closely 
 with it, and- make them, to some extent, responsible 
 for its management. In 1859 the Legislature was ap- 
 plied to for some charter amendments, which were 
 granted, authorizing the city council to elect annually 
 a board of five managers, each one of whom should be 
 a lot owner, and whose duty it should be to take charge 
 of all the funds set apart for the use of the cemetery, 
 and direct all the improvements in the grounds. 
 
 On the nineteenth of March, 1860, the first selection 
 of managers took place, and on the ninth of April the 
 board organized and entered upon the discharge of the 
 duties assigned them. On the twenty-sixth of that month, 
 the board resolved to set apart the twenty-fourth of 
 May for the purpose of consecrating and dedicating 
 the grounds of Oak Ridge Cemetery for the exclusive 
 purpose of a burial place for the dead. The eighth
 
 348 OAK EIDGE CEMETERY. 
 
 day of May, a meeting was held, consisting of the 
 managers, a committee of the city council and the 
 clergymen of the city, to make arrangements for the 
 ceremonies. On the twenty-fourth, a procession was 
 formed and marched to the cemetery, where the exer- 
 cises took place. They consisted of singing, prayer, 
 instrumental music, an oration by the Hon. J. C. 
 Conkling, and the formal dedication by the Hon. G. 
 A. Button, mayor of the city. 
 
 Upon the recommendations of the board of mana- 
 gers, the city continued to make additions to the 
 grounds, so that in 1865 the cemetery consisted of 
 seventy-six and a half acres. Soon after the remains 
 of President Lincoln were deposited in the public 
 vault, May 4, 1865, the city. donated six acres of land, 
 or so much of it as might be thought desirable to oc- 
 cupy, to the National Lincoln Monument Association, 
 and it is upon this ground that the Association has 
 erected the monument. By referring to the map, the 
 form and extent of the grounds may be distinguished 
 by the dark lines a short distance from the monument. 
 It is well to remark here that, although the cemetery 
 contains but seventy-six and a half acres, there are about 
 ninety-seven acres included in the boundaries given on 
 the map, but it is understood that the additions can be 
 made whenever it is thought to be desirable. 
 
 For several years the city council appropriated one 
 thousand dollars annually to be used in improving the 
 grounds, but in 1866 the revenue from the sale of lots 
 was such that it was not thought to be necessary to 
 continue the appropriations. In order to create a per- 
 manent fund to bring in revenue sufficient to keep up 
 the improvements, the board of managers recommended 
 and the city council set apart two thousand dollars, 
 saved from the sale of lots, as a sinking fund, or rather 
 as an endowment fund, and invested it in bonds bear- 
 ing ten per cent, interest. In 1867, another thousand 
 dollars was added, and additions have since been made,
 
 OAK RIDGE CEMETERY. 349 
 
 so that the cemetery fund now amounts to about four 
 thousand dollars. 
 
 The four acre plat occupied by the old grave yard, 
 donated by Elijah lies, reverted to him when it ceased 
 to be used as a place of burial. Mr. lies then deeded 
 it to Springfield in trust for the benefit of Oak Ridge 
 Cemetery. The land is to be divided into lots and 
 sold in the year 1883, and the proceeds of the sales 
 kept as a fund forever, the interest to be used in em- 
 bellishing the grounds of Oak Ridge Cemetery. There 
 is a proviso in the deed favorable to the city purchas- 
 ing the land in a body to be used as a public park, if it 
 should be thought desirable to do so. 
 
 With a view to extinguishing Hutchinson Cemetery, 
 the city, in 1866, commenced giving lots in Oak Ridge 
 in exchange for lots of equal size in Hutchinson Ceme- 
 tery, the lot owners there transferring their lots by 
 deed and receiving deeds in Oak Ridge in return. In 
 this way the city has already received the title to more 
 than half of Hutchinson Cemetery, and the time is 
 not far distant when it will receive it all, and then it 
 will be sold and added to the endowment fund of Oak 
 Ridge. The land in these two old cemeteries amounts 
 to about eight acres, and both are near the new State 
 House, where land is rapidly rising in value. By the 
 time they are to be sold, they will bring such prices as 
 to swell the endowment fund of Oak Ridge to such an 
 amount that the grounds can be ornamented in the 
 very highest style and preserved in that condition. 
 
 The Lincoln Monument grounds being a part of 
 Oak Ridg*e Cemetery, it is proper to state in this place 
 that, in September, 1871, a citizen of Bloomington con- 
 tributed $500, to be used in grading the grounds around 
 the monument. Another contribution for the same pur- 
 pose was made under the following circumstances : 
 
 The Illinois State Sanitary Commission, organized 
 during the war for the suppression of the rebellion, 
 was composed of John P. Reynolds, President ; Col.
 
 350 OAK RIDGE CEMETERY. 
 
 John Williams, Treasurer ; Col. Woods, Robert Irwin, 
 Esq., E. B. Hawley, Esq., and Hon. Wm. Butler. They 
 were all citizens of Springfield at the time, but Mr. 
 Reynolds has removed to Chicago, Col. Woods to 
 Winchester, and Mr. Irwin is deceased. 
 
 In addition to the sanitary work, the commission 
 attended to the collection of the claims of soldiers 
 against the government. At the close of the war, the 
 services of the commission being no longer necessary 
 :n the field, it turned over the claim business in its 
 hands to Col. Woods and Edward J. Eno, now of St. 
 Louis, with the understanding that a certain per cent, 
 of their fees should be paid into the treasury of the 
 commission. By this arrangement the commission was 
 enabled to relieve the wants of many widows and fam- 
 ilies of soldiers, and about the close of the war, it do- 
 nated $5000 to the Soldiers' Orphans' Home at Spring- 
 field, before the State commenced providing for that 
 class of sufferers. 
 
 More funds accumulated, which remained in the 
 treasury until January 1, 1872. At that time it 
 amounted to $2459.83. By a resolution of the com- 
 mission, the whole amount was placed in the treasury 
 of the National Lincoln Monument Association, to be 
 expended in embellishing the grouuds. The resolu- 
 tion contains a proviso that not less than $500 were to 
 be used in erecting a slab or shaft on the monument 
 grounds, which is to contain the names of the Union 
 soldiers buried in Oak Ridge Cemetery. This leaves 
 $1959.83 for ornamenting the grounds. This work is 
 under the superintendence of Mr. Samuel Hood, the 
 warden of the cemetery, who is an experienced landscape 
 gardener. Mr. Hood became sexton or warden of the 
 cemetery in the spring of 1867. His books show the 
 total number of interments from the beginning of the 
 register, in 1858, to the first of January, 1872, to be 
 2134, removals from Hutchinson Cemetery 319, and 
 removals from other places 133, making a total of
 
 OAK RIDGE CEMETERY. 351 
 
 2586. The remains of Governor Ninian Edwards, the 
 first territorial governor of Illinois, were removed from 
 Hutchinson to Oak Ridge, October 30, 1866. Gover- 
 nor William H. Bissell, who died in office in 1860, 
 was buried in Hutchinson Cemetery. A very fine 
 monument, at a cost of $5000 to the State of Illinois, 
 was erected to his memory in Oak Ridge, under the 
 supervision of Hon. Jesse K. Dubois and Hon. O. M. 
 Hatch, who filled the offices of Secretary and Auditor 
 of State while he was Governor. The remains of the 
 Governor and his wife were removed to Oak Ridge, 
 with imposing demonstrations and an oration by Gov- 
 ernor Palmer, May 30, 1871. A fine marble shaft 
 stands in a conspicuous place over the remains of 
 General Isham N. Haynie, who died while he was 
 Adjutant General of Illinois. Twenty-one other Union 
 soldiers are buried in different parts of the grounds. 
 
 Oak Ridge Cemetery is situated near the northwest 
 corner of the city of Springfield, and is one and a half 
 miles due north of the new State House. A deep ra- 
 vine runs from east to west through the cemetery, di- 
 viding it into almost equal parts. The original ceme- 
 tery was altogether north of this ravine, and for that 
 reason the oldest and best improvements are in that 
 part of the grounds. The entrance to the original 
 cemetery is at the east side, from the northern exten- 
 sion of Third street, the gate being just north of the 
 ravine. By consulting the map, the reader will ob- 
 serve that the entrance is by a wide avenue that 
 branches off in various directions so as to extend over 
 all the northern part of the cemetery. The map also 
 shows that the south entrance is nearer the city than 
 that on the east. Funerals, and parties visiting the 
 cemetery in carriages, usually enter at the south gate, 
 while those who wish to visit the monument and other 
 parts of the cemetery on foot go out Fifth street on the 
 City railway, to the railway park, which is seen on the 
 east side of the map.
 
 352 OAK RIDGE CEMETERY. 
 
 Going due west from the east gate, you are soon on 
 the south side of the ravine, which brings you to the 
 receiving tomb, where the remains of Abraham Lin- 
 coln were placed May 4, 1865. It is a solid stone 
 structure, built in the south bank and faces north. 
 About fifty yards southeast of this vault, and about 
 half way to the top of the bluff, stood the tomb w r hich 
 was built for the temporary sepulture of the remains 
 of the President, and in which they rested from De- 
 cember 21, 1865, until September 1871, when they 
 were removed into the monument. After their last 
 removal, the tomb vacated was torn down and the 
 ground where it stood graded down about fifteen feet, 
 as previously stated. The relative position of the re- 
 ceiving vault, the temporary tomb and the monument 
 is all shown on the map. Just east of the monument 
 there is a new avenue, beautifully graded and grav- 
 eled. Following that south leads to the south gate, 
 at the northern extension of Second street, which, at 
 that point, is called Monument avenue. 
 
 For a cemetery so new, and for a city of such lim- 
 ited population, the improvements are unusually good. 
 The grounds, naturally beautiful, have been very much 
 improved by art, and are susceptible of the highest 
 ornamentation. The great attraction that will draw 
 visitors from all parts of the world for all coming 
 time, is the Mausoleum containing the remains of the 
 martyred President.
 
 APPENDIX. 
 
 CHAPTER XXXII. 
 
 The preceding part of this book closed with the 
 dedication of the Monument, and the appointment of 
 a Custodian to open the same for the reception of 
 visitors. 
 
 The Infantry and Naval groups of statuary had been 
 modeled at Florence, Italy, the models transferred to 
 Chicopee, Massachusetts, and the work of casting and 
 finishing was satisfactorily progressing, by the Ames 
 Manufacturing Company. 
 
 Assurances were given by prominent gentlemen in 
 Boston that the money would be raised in that city to 
 pay for the Cavalry group. 
 
 Pennsylvania being the largest iron producing State 
 in the Union, and Pittsburgh the city where the 
 greatest quantity of heavy ordnance was manufactured 
 to be used in suppressing the rebellion, it would have 
 been a fitting recognition of this fact for the commer- 
 cial metropolis of the State to furnish the Artillery 
 group. When the proposition was made by Governor 
 Oglesby. that this should be done, it was heartily 
 acceded to, by some prominent gentlemen in Phila- 
 delphia. 
 
 The National Lincoln Monument Association having 
 been notified that the Naval group of statuary had 
 been completed and was ready for shipment from 
 
 23
 
 854 LINCOLN AND THE MONUMENT. 
 
 Chicopee, Massachusetts, to Springfield, a meeting of 
 the Association was called for November 25, 1875. 
 At that meeting, upon motion of Hon. John T. Stuart, 
 it was, 
 
 Resolved, That the whole matter in relation to the Naval group, 
 as also the settlement, with Mr. Mead for bronze used, is hereby 
 left with the Treasurer and Secretary of this Association, under 
 direction of the Executive Committee. 
 
 Mr. Dubois laid before the Association a photo- 
 graphic copy of a letter written by Mr. Lincoln to 
 Mrs. Eliza P. Gurney. The letter was ordered to be 
 spread upon the records. The circumstances under 
 which it was written gives it a charm that it would not 
 otherwise possess. Among the delegations from 
 religious bodies who visited President Lincoln early 
 in the war to suppress the slaveholders' rebellion, a 
 large number of women belonging to the Society of 
 Friends gave him a call. One of their number, the 
 widow of Joseph John Gurney, a distinguished Quaker 
 preacher, of England, though herself an American, 
 afterwards wrote him a letter. His reply will ever be 
 highly prized, because it contains such emphatic and 
 unequivocal expressions of his belief in the over-ruling 
 providence of God. The following is the letter : 
 
 EXECUTIVE MANSION, 
 WASHINGTON, September 4, 1864. 
 ELIZA P. GURNEY: 
 
 My Esteemed Friend: I have not. forgotten probably never 
 shall forget the very impressive occasion when yourself and 
 friends visited me, on a Sabbath forenoon, two years ago; nor has 
 your kind letter, written nearly a year later, ever been forgotten. 
 In all, it has been your purpose to strengthen my reliance on God. 
 I am much indebted to the good Christian people of this country, for 
 their constant prayers and consolations; and to no one of them more 
 than to yourself. The purposes of the Almighty are perfect, and 
 must prevail; though we erring mortals may fail to accurately per- 
 ceive them in advance. We hoped for a happy termination of this 
 terrible war long before this; but. God knows best, and has ruled 
 otherwise. We shall yet acknowledge His wisdom and our own 
 error therein. Meanwhile we must work earnestly in the best 
 light He gives us, trusting that so working still conduces to the 
 great ends He ordains. Surely, He intends some great good to 
 follow this mighty convulsion, which no mortal could make and 
 no mortal could stay.
 
 LINCOLN AND THE MONUMENT. 355 
 
 Your people, the Friends, have had, and are having a very great 
 trial. On principle and faith, opposed to both war and oppression, 
 they can only practically oppose oppression by war. In this hard 
 dilemma, some have chosen one horn and some the other. For 
 those appealing to me on conscientious grounds, I have done, and 
 shall do, the best I could and can, in my own conscience, under 
 my oath to the law. That you believe this I doubt not; and 
 believing it, I shall still receive, for our country and myself, your 
 earnest prayers to our Father in Heaven. 
 
 Your sincere friend, 
 
 A. LINCOLN. 
 
 The Secretary laid before the Association a com- 
 munication from Mr. J. C. Power, the Custodian of the 
 Monument, in relation to the purchase of the surveying 
 instruments formerly owned and used by Mr. Lincoln, 
 but then owned by a Mr. Bean, of Petersburg, Illinois. 
 This led to the purchase of them for one hundred and 
 seventy-five dollars, the Executive Committee paying 
 seventy-five dollars, and the Custodian one hundred 
 dollars from the receipts at the Monument. The 
 instruments are preserved in Memorial Hall. 
 
 I find the following letter as part of the records of 
 the proceedings of the Association for this meeting, 
 transcribed there, "that its beautiful sentiments may 
 be preserved." For the same reason I insert it here : 
 
 EXECUTIVE MANSION, 
 WASHINGTON, November '21, 1864. 
 
 DEAR MADAM : I have seen in the files of the War Department, 
 a statement of the Adjutant-General of Massachusetts, that you are 
 t he mother of five sons, who died gloriously on the field of battle. 
 I feel how weak and fruitless must be any words of mine, which 
 should attempt to beguile you of the grief of a loss so overwhelm- 
 ing. But I cannot, refrain from tendering you the consolation that 
 may be found in the thanks of the Republic they died to save. I 
 pray that our Heavenly Father may assuage the anguish of your 
 bereavement, and leave you only the cherished memory of the 
 loved and lost, and the solemn pride that must be yours, to have 
 laid so costly a sacrifice upon the altar of Freedom. 
 
 Yours very sincerely and respectfully, 
 
 A. LINCOLN. 
 To MRS. BIXBY, Boston, Mass. 
 
 Hon. Jesse K. Dubois, Vice-President of the Asso- 
 ciation, died November 22, 1876, and at a meeting of
 
 856 LINCOLN AND THE MONUMENT. 
 
 the Association, November 23, 1876, Hon. Shelby M. 
 Cullom, Governor-elect of the State of Illinois, was 
 chosen to fill the vacancy. 
 
 Judge Charles S. Zane was chosen in place of 
 Thomas J. Dennis, who had removed to Chicago, thus 
 vacating his seat in the Association. 
 
 Hon. Milton Hay was chosen in place of Dr. S. H. 
 Melvin, who had removed to California, thus vacating 
 his seat in the Association. The two latter were 
 chosen November 23, 1876, also.
 
 LINCOLN AND THE MONUMENT. 
 
 357 
 
 NAVAL GEOUP. 
 
 When the Naval group of statuary was completed 
 in the autumn of 1875, it was not shipped direct to 
 Springfield, but was taken to Philadelphia and exhibit- 
 ed at the Centennial Exposition, which was opened 
 July 4, 1876. At the close of the Centennial it was 
 shipped to Springfield, arriving in the spring of 1877. 
 The Naval group represents a scene on the deck of a 
 river gunboat or ship of war. The mortar is poised 
 ready for action, the gunner has rolled up a shell ready
 
 358 
 
 LINCOLN AND THE MONUMENT. 
 
 to put in it; the boy, called in nautical phrase the 
 powder-monkey, climbs to the highest point, and is 
 peering into the distance, he and the gunner believing 
 that they are on the eve of a battle, but the officer in 
 command, having examined the situation through his 
 telescope, and finding that there is no preparation for 
 battle on the part of the enemy, dismisses the subject. 
 
 INFANTRY GROUP. 
 
 The Infantry group was shipped from Chicopee, 
 Massachusetts, direct to Springfield, arriving in the 
 spring of 1877, also. Both groups were placed in posi- 
 tion on the Monument in September, 1877. The
 
 LINCOLN AND THE MONUMENT. 859 
 
 Infantry group represents a body of infantry soldiers 
 with all their arms and baggage, on the march, not 
 in immediate expectation of battle, but they are sup- 
 posed to have been fired upon by an enemy in 
 ambush, and the color-bearer killed. The officer in 
 command raises the flag with one hand, and pointing 
 to the enemy with the other, orders a charge. The pri- 
 vate with the musket, as the representative of the 
 whole line, is in the act of executing the charge. The 
 drummer boy has become excited, lost his cap, thrown 
 away his haversack, and drawn a revolver to take part 
 in the conflict, and then looks as though he was not 
 sure whether to fight or get behind the officer. 
 
 From a letter written by Mr. A. C. Woodworth, Pres- 
 ident of the Ames Manufacturing Company, which was 
 placed on the records of the Monument Association, I 
 learn that the Coat of Arms was cast in 1870, the 
 statue of Lincoln in 1871 and 1872, the Naval group 
 in 1874 and 1875, the Infantry group in 1874 and 187 1), 
 and that the weights of the different pieces are as fol- 
 lows: 
 
 Coat of Arms, - - - . - 284 pounds. 
 
 Statue of Lincoln .... 4,862 " 
 
 Naval Group, .... 7,826 " 
 
 Infantry Group, - 7,609 " 
 
 I also learn from the same letter that the Ames Man- 
 ufacturing Company had received sixty-five old bronze 
 cannon, donated by the United States Government to 
 the National Lincoln Monument Association. 
 
 Weight of guns, - 49,974 pounds. 
 
 Amount used in the statuary, - - 9,261 " 
 
 Balance on hand, Nov. 7, 1876, - 40,713 " 
 
 The efforts in Boston and Philadelphia to raise 
 money to pay for the Cavalry and Artillery groups, 
 proved to be a total failure, principally for want of 
 some influential citizen to lead off in each city, as 
 Governor Morgan had done 'in New York. In order to 
 supply that deficiency, the Legislature of Illinois made 
 an appropriation of twenty-seven thousand dollars for
 
 360 LINCOLN AND THE MONUMENT. 
 
 the purpose, which became a law in May, 1877. May 
 17, 1877, the Lincoln Monument Association, at a 
 special meeting : 
 
 Resolved, That this Association hereby request and direct 
 Larkin G. Me:id, Esq., to proceed without delay, to prepare and 
 construct the Artillery group, as contemplated and specified in the 
 contract with this Association, and draw upon them for one-third 
 of thirteen thousand seven hundred dollars, payable on or before 
 the tenth day of July next. 
 
 Resolved, That the Executive Committee be and they are hereby 
 instructed to make and transmit to Mr. Mead an order for the 
 Cavalry group, at such time as they in their discretion may dic- 
 tate. 
 
 At a meeting of the Association December 11, 1878, 
 Jacob Bunn tendered his resignation as a member of 
 the Executive Committee, and the Hon. J. C. Conkling 
 was appointed to fill the vacancy. 
 
 At the same meeting Governor Shelby M. Cullom was 
 elected Vice-President of the Association. 
 
 A letter from Mr. Mead, dated Florence, Italy, March 
 4, 1879, and directed to the Secretary of the Associa- 
 tion, conveys the intelligence that the models in plaster 
 for the Artillery group were completed and ready for 
 shipment. 
 
 At a meeting of the Association, September 12, 1879, 
 it was 
 
 Resolved, That we hereby request and direct Larkin G. Mead to 
 proceed without delay to prepare the model and cause the construc- 
 tion of the fourth or Cavalry group for the Monument, as specified 
 and contemplated in his contract with the Association, and that he 
 is hereby authorized to draw upon the Treasurer for the sum of 
 four thousand five hundred and sixty-six dollars and sixty-six 
 cents. 
 
 Resolved, That the Secretary is hereby directed to transmit to 
 Mr. Mead a copy of the foregoing resolution. 
 
 The following is the formal order of the Executive 
 Committee : 
 
 SPRINGFIELD, ILL., September 12, 1879. 
 Larkin 0. Mead, Esq., Florence, Italy: 
 
 SIR: We enclose you herewith a copy of a resolution, this day 
 passed by the Lincoln Monument Association.
 
 LINCOLN AND THE MONUMENT. 361 
 
 In obedience to that resolution, and in compliance with the con- 
 tract between the Association and yourself, referred to in said 
 resolution, we, the Executive Committee, give you hereby the formal 
 order to proceed and complete, as soon as practicable, the fourth or 
 Cavalry group. 
 
 You are hereby authorized, in pursuance of said contract, to draw 
 upon the Association for four thousand five hundred and sixty-six 
 dollars and sixty-six cents, the first payment for said group. 
 
 JOHN T. STUART, ^ t 
 
 JAMES C. CONKLINO, V Executive Committee. 
 JOHN WILLIAMS, J 
 
 At a special meeting of the National Lincoln Monu- 
 ment Association, November 16, 1880, the death of two 
 of the members of the Association was announced, 
 namely : 
 
 Orlin H. Miner, died May 27, 1880. 
 
 David L. Phillips, died June 19, 1880. 
 
 Their vacancies have not been filled. 
 
 The Association having been notified that the models 
 for the Artillery and Cavalry groups of statuary had 
 been shipped from Florence, Italy, and arrived at 
 Chicopee, Massachusetts, in October, 1880, and that Mr. 
 Mead had drawn on the Association for the second 
 payment on each, which, according to the contract, was 
 four thousand five hundred and sixty-six dollars and 
 sixty-six cents each, therefore a formal order was 
 passed that the two several drafts be paid. 
 
 At a meeting of the National Lincoln Monument 
 Association, Debember 19, 1881, Hon. John T. Stuart, 
 on the part of the Executive Committee, made a report 
 including various subjects. From that report I make 
 some extracts concerning the Monument grounds. 
 
 It will be remembered that the original grant of land 
 in 1865, from the city of Springfield, to the National 
 Lincoln Monument Association, was about six acres. 
 In October, 1877, the Executive Committee applied to 
 the city council for a modification of the south line of 
 the Monument grounds, to make it conform to the lay 
 of the land, but they did not ask for anything addi- 
 tional. In response to this request, and after having
 
 362 LINCOLN AND THE MONUMENT. 
 
 a committee examine the land and make a report 
 thereon, October 27, 1877, the city council acceded to 
 the request to change the line, by adding about one 
 and one-third acres on the south of the Monument 
 grounds, making a total of about seven and one third 
 acres, for which a deed of conveyance was made, by 
 the proper authorities of the city, to the National 
 Lincoln Monument Association. 
 
 Thfe Citizens' Street Eailway Company having pur- 
 chased eight acres of land immediately west of the 
 Monument, and built a railway to land passengers 
 within less than one hundred yards of the same, there 
 was danger that some of the land belonging to said 
 railway company might be so used as to be objection- 
 able to visitors at the Monument. In order to avert 
 this danger, the' Executive Committee applied to the 
 Boar,d of Directors of the Citizens' Street Eailway 
 Company and received a title deed, September 1, 1880, 
 to one acre or more of said land, for a nominal sum, 
 making it practically a donation. So that now the 
 Monument Association has the title to between eight 
 and nine acres of land. 
 
 Information was before the meeting of December 
 19th that the Artillery group of statuary had been com- 
 pleted and was subject to the orders of the Association. 
 The Secretary was directed to notify Mr. Mead or his 
 agent, Mr. A. D. Shepherd, to have the group for- 
 warded to Springfield. It was shipped at Chicopee, 
 February 4, 1882.
 
 LINCOLN AND THE MONUMENT. 
 
 363 
 
 ARTILLERY GROUP. 
 
 A meeting of the Association was held February 24, 
 1882. The Artillery group having arrived the day 
 before, the draft of Mr. Mead for four thousand five 
 hundred and sixty-six dollars and sixty-six cents, being 
 the last payment on that group, was ordered to be paid. 
 The Executive Committee was authorized to put the 
 group in position without delay. It was accomplished 
 April 13, 1882. The Artillery group represents a sec- 
 tion of artillery in battle. The enemy has succeeded
 
 864 LINCOLN AND THE MONUMENT. 
 
 in directing a shot so well as to dismount the gun. The 
 officer in command escapes unhurt, mounts the wreck 
 of his gun and carriage, and with drawn sword is 
 looking defiance at the approaching enemy, probably 
 a cavalry or infantry charge. The youthful soldier 
 in front seems oblivious to danger from an approach- 
 ing charge, but is horrified at the havoc beneath and 
 around him. It is probably his first battle, and the 
 flying pieces from the gun carriage may have killed 
 and wounded half a dozen of his comrades, which 
 could not be made to appear on the small platform 
 allotted to the group. This would be a sufficient cause 
 for him to feel as his looks would indicate.
 
 LINCOLN AND THE MONUMENT. 
 
 365 
 
 CAVALRY GROUP. 
 
 The model for the Cavalry group was shipped with 
 that of the Artillery, from Florence, Italy, and arrived 
 at Chicopee in October, 1880. The casting and finish- 
 ing is well under way, and will be placed on the mon- 
 ument early in 1883. The Cavalry group consists of 
 two human figures and a horse, and represents a battle 
 scene. The horse, from whose back the rider has just
 
 366 
 
 LINCOLN AND THE MONUMENT. 
 
 fallen, is frantically rearing. The wounded and dying 
 trumpeter, supported by a comrade, involuntarily 
 assumes a prayerful and tragic attitude. The Artillery 
 and Cavalry groups seem to represent defeat; but 
 they are truthful, because it was through many such 
 scenes that the Union cause became victorious. 
 
 The following column on the left contains the names 
 of the original members of the National Lincoln Mon- 
 ument Association. That on the right the present 
 members. Names of deceased members are marked 
 with a star. Names of those chosen to fill the vacan- 
 cies are in the column on the right opposite the 
 names of the deceased ones, and of those who have 
 vacated their seats by removal. Two vacancies are 
 unfilled : 
 
 Gov. R. J. Oglesby, President. 
 
 *Hon. J. K. Cubqis, Vice-Pres't. 
 
 Hon. J. H. Beveridge. Treasurer. 
 
 Hon. O. M. Hatch. Secretary. 
 
 Hon. John T. Stuart, ) 
 
 Col. John Williams, \Ex. Com. 
 
 Jacob Bunn, ) 
 
 Hon. J. C. Conkling, 
 
 Judge S. H. Treat. 
 
 *Hon. Sharon Tyndale. 
 
 Hon. Newton Bateman. 
 
 *Hon. O. H. Miner. 
 
 *Hon. D. L. Phillips. 
 
 T. J. Dennis. 
 
 Dr. S. H. Melvin. 
 
 >Ex. Com. 
 
 Ex-Gov. B. J. Oglesby, Pre.s't. 
 Gov. S. M. Cullom, Vice-Pres't. 
 Hon. J. H. Beveridge, Treasurer. 
 Hon. O. M. Hatch, Secretary. 
 Hon. John T. Stuart, ' 
 Col. John Williams, 
 Hon. J. C. Conkling, 
 Jacob Bunn. 
 Judge S. H. Treat. 
 Ex-Gov. John M. Palmer. 
 Hon. Newton Bateman. 
 
 Judge C. S. Zane. 
 Hon. Milton Hay. 
 
 The above was the status of the membership of the 
 National Lincoln Monument Association when this 
 edition was put in press in June, 1882. 
 
 In the autumn of 1876, P. D. Tyrrell, the chief opera- 
 tive of the United States Secret Service for the district 
 in which Chicago is situated, had his suspicions aroused 
 that a certain drinking saloon in that city was a rendez- 
 vous for counterfeiters. He could not learn anything by 
 going there himself, because some of the men whose 
 presence excited his suspicions knew him personally, 
 and for him to appear would only put them on the 
 alert. In order to obtain the desired information, he 
 employed a young man unknown to those parties, and 
 instructed him in the manner he should proceed to 
 gain their confidence. He was first to convince them
 
 LINCOLN AND THE MONUMENT. 367 
 
 that he was the same kind of man they were, which he 
 did, by gradual approaches, so thoroughly that they 
 revealed to him the fact that they were not only 
 engaged in putting counterfeit money in circulation, 
 but were then preparing for a speculation on a much 
 larger scale. They told him that they expected to 
 steal the remains of President Lincoln from the monu- 
 ment in Springfield, bury them in some secure place, 
 and then disperse, probably leave the United States, 
 and watch the accounts in the newspapers for a favor- 
 able time to enter into negotiations for the return of 
 the body. They expressed the utmost confidence that 
 they could in that way obtain at least two hundred 
 thousand dollars and the release of a celebrated coun- 
 terfeit engraver who is serving a ten years' sentence in 
 the Joliet penitentiary for engraving and printing 
 counterfeit money. Wishing to avail themselves of 
 the remarkable shrewdness of the young man, whose 
 acquaintance they thus were forming, they proposed 
 that if he would join them and* assist, he might have a 
 share in the profits. 
 
 As he had only started out to obtain information 
 about their counterfeiting operations, this discovery 
 was quite startling to him. He made some pretext for 
 time to consider, and at the earliest opportunity 
 reported to the officer who employed him, and asked 
 for instructions. The officer then authorized and 
 instructed him to accede to their proposition, join them 
 and keep with them in every movement and report to 
 him daily or more frequent, as circumstances seemed 
 to indicate. The young man did not lose any time in 
 letting the conspirators know that he would take part 
 with them. After that he was at every meeting of the 
 gang, numbering several others besides the two whose 
 confidence he first gained. It was at length decided 
 that the stealing should be done Tuesday night, 
 November 7, 1876, the night after the day on which 
 the Presidential election was to be held. That time 
 was chosen for the reason that if they were seen out 
 unusually late, each party would be likely to conclude 
 that the other was in search of election news, and in 
 that way they hoped to disarm suspicion.
 
 368 LINCOLN AND THE MONUMENT. 
 
 The two conspirators and the young man who had 
 been sent to ferret out their counterfeiting operations, 
 by which he was led to the discovery of the plot, started 
 from Chicago at nine o'clock on the evening of Novem- 
 ber sixth, by the Chicago, Alton and Saint Louis rail- 
 road. The operative of the Secret Service was kept 
 fully posted, and with two assistants boarded the rear 
 sleeping car of the same train as it moved out of the 
 depot. All parties arrived in Springfield at six o'clock 
 on the morning of November seventh, the train being 
 two hours behind time. The day was spent by the 
 conspirators in perfecting their plans, and by the 
 operative of the Secret Service and his assistants in 
 watching the conspirators and perfecting their plans 
 also. Meanwhile, balloting for President and Vice- 
 President of the United States, was going on over the 
 entire Nation. At five o'clock that afternoon the train 
 brought two other assistant detectives from Chicago, 
 one of them an ex- Chief of the United States Secret 
 Service for the whole Nation. There was not a ray 
 of sunshine reached the earth in Central Illinois that 
 day, and in consequence of the thick clouds, night 
 came on early. About six o'clock the operative of the 
 Secret Service, with four trained detectives, including 
 the ex-Chief, also a reporter for a Chicago paper, 
 approached the Monument, two miles north of the city. 
 They were admitted to Memorial Hall at the south 
 end, by the writer as Custodian of the Monument. 
 The outer door was then locked and the entire party 
 conducted through the back door to a point where 
 lights could not be seen from the outside. There 
 lamps were lighted and one man placed inside against 
 the solid wall, opposite the sarcophagus at the north 
 end of the Monument. He was instructed to remain 
 in that position until he heard sounds as if work was 
 being done on the sarcophagus. In that event he was 
 to find his way back to Memorial Hall lighted lamps 
 having been placed as guides and report to the 
 officers. The five officers and the writer kept their 
 positions, in darkness that could almost be felt, from 
 two and a half to three hours, when footsteps were
 
 LINCOLN AND THE MONUMENT. 369 
 
 heard approaching the outer door, which is closed by 
 two shutters, one of wood and glass, the other of iron 
 rods. Two men appeared, one bearing a lighted bull's 
 eye or dark lantern. They soon found that both doors 
 were locked, and seemed satisfied that there was not 
 any person about the Monument. They then went 
 around to the north end, one hundred and twenty feet 
 distant, and by sawing and filing, broke the padlock to 
 the grated door at the entrance to the Catacomb, and 
 commenced taking the marble sarcophagus to 
 pieces. The man who was placed inside to listen, 
 passed through among the labyrinth of walls to 
 Memorial Hall, and reported that he could hear the 
 conspirators at work on the sarcophagus. For several 
 minutes hurried' and excited whisperings were going 
 on between the five officers in the Hall. The writer 
 was greatly puzzled to know why they did not go out 
 and move upon the enemy at once. It subsequently 
 transpired that the officers never expected to go out on 
 the report of the one who was listening inside. Placing 
 him there was merely an extra precaution that they 
 might know when the work commenced. The young 
 man who had discovered the plot in Chicago, was with 
 the conspirators, under instruction from the operative 
 of the Secret Service who was in the Hall, that he 
 was to remain with the conspirators until the door was 
 forced and they began to work on the sarcophagus. 
 Then he was to go around outside and give a signal at 
 the entrance to Memorial Hall. The officers expected 
 then to leave the Hall, move quickly around to the 
 Catacomb and capture the miscreants at their work. 
 
 It was afterwards learned that when the lock was 
 forced, and before they commenced work on the Sar- 
 cophagus, the conspirators pushed the young man into 
 one corner of the half-circular Catacomb and gave him 
 the lantern to hold. He at once recognized the move- 
 ment to mean that they would shoot him dead, should 
 he attempt to dispose of the light and pass out of the 
 door. Therefore, he could do no less than to hold it 
 until they had taken the marble sarcophagus apart 
 and drawn the wooden and lead coffin, with the body 
 24
 
 370 LINCOLN AND THE MONUMENT. 
 
 partly out, that they might conveniently take it up and 
 carry it away. The conspirators then stepped outside 
 and started the young man off for a horse and wagon 
 to haul the body away, they agreeing to remain at the 
 door until his return. He had not secured a team, but 
 made them believe he had one at the east gate. He 
 started in that direction, as though he was going for 
 the team, but the night was cloudy and exceedingly 
 dark, and as soon as he passed from their sight he 
 turned to the right, ran to the door of Memorial Hall 
 and gave the signal agreed upon. The officers went 
 quickly around, expecting to capture the conspirators, 
 but they had escaped. They were too shrewd to re- 
 main at the door of the Catacomb, lest others might be 
 looking for them, and so withdrew about thirty-five 
 yards from the Monument, and lay down by a small 
 oak tree, from which they saw the officers enter the 
 Catacomb, and heard their exclamations of disappoint- 
 ment. They afterwards told the young man that 
 they then thought it would be more prudent for 
 them to make their escape. For ten days the 
 conspirators could not be found. At the end 
 of that time, the young man having retained their 
 confidence, informed the officers that the two were 
 together at the same drinking place where he entered 
 into the scheme with them. The officers entered 
 the saloon, one or two at a time, until they were in suf- 
 ficient force to overpower and handcuff them in a few 
 seconds. They were brought to Springfield, tried and 
 sent to the penitentiary for one year. Only one year, 
 because there was no law in Illinois that made it a 
 penitentiary offense to steal a dead body. A law was 
 enacted and approved May 21, 1879, which came in 
 force July first of the same year, under which a party 
 convicted of the crime is subject to a penalty of not 
 less than one nor more than ten years in the peni- 
 tentiary. 
 
 I have thus given a bare recital of the main points 
 in a case that created the greatest excitement and
 
 LINCOLN AND THE MONUMENT. 371 
 
 indignation at the time. A full account of the event 
 and all the incidents preceding, and that have grown 
 from it, would read like a romance from the dark ages. 
 It will, probably, be written and published separately 
 at some future time. 
 
 There are persons who oppose the policy of requir- 
 ing a small fee from each visitor on their first entrance 
 to the Monument. The city of London or the English 
 government might defray the expense of showing vis- 
 itors through the Tower of London, but every one has 
 to pay. The Brock monument at Queenston, Canada, 
 can be entered only on the payment of a shilling. The 
 Washington monument, at Baltimore, was built by the 
 State of Maryland, but each visitor pays. The Bunker 
 Hill monument might be made free by the State of 
 Messachusetts or city of Boston, but all visitors pay. 
 The tomb of Washington can only be reached by the 
 payment of one dollar to a steamboat, and it cannot 
 land at the wharf except under a contract to pay twenty- 
 five cents to the Mount Vernon Ladies' Association for 
 each visitor. Many of us cannot visit the Tower of 
 London, nor Bunker Hill, nor Mount Vernon, not 
 because of the admittance fee, but the expense of time 
 and travel. Eequiring a fee is the best possible police 
 regulation. Those who pay seldom violate rules. It 
 is those who do not pay that trespass most upon 
 forbidden ground. The State of Illinois has appropri- 
 ated in all $82,000 to the Lincoln Monument. Let 
 her continue to keep it in repair, and ornament the 
 grounds. For each one of her citizens who visit it 
 annually, five hundred and ninety-nine stay at home. 
 It would not be just to require those who stay at home 
 to pay the expense of the one who travels. If so, why 
 not include his hotel bills and railroad fare ? If the 
 Custodian cannot interest the people so as to collect 
 sufficient funds to defray the expense, he is not the 
 man for the place. If the people are not sufficiently 
 interested to contribute, it should be taken as evidence 
 that it was time to close its doors.
 
 372 LINCOLN AND THE MONUMENT. 
 
 CHAPTER XXXIII. 
 
 When Eobert Burns wrote : 
 
 "Oh, wnd some power the gifiie gie us 
 To see oursel's as ithers see us;" 
 
 he expressed in his quaint way what every person feels 
 who desires to improve mentally and morally. There 
 are, unfortunately, many shams in the world ; persons 
 who do not wish to improve, but to appear better or 
 more wise or'more learned than they are. They aim 
 to deceive, but as a rule deceive themselves more than 
 all others. The most effectual cure for such persons 
 is ridicule, but should they bring upon themselves 
 open and pointed rebuke, they are little deserving of 
 sympathy. But the shams in society may be likened 
 to the tares among the wheat, and all must grow until 
 the great harvest. It is refreshing to know that there 
 is pure wheat, that the highest style of Christian ladies 
 and gentlemen are not at all rare. In this chapter I 
 shall treat of all sorts, as part of my experience here. 
 Mark Twain, in his inimitable book, "The Innocents 
 Abroad," has made the guides, conductors and custo- 
 dians of places where pilgrimages are made in Europe, 
 the laughing stock of the English speaking people all 
 over the world. If .the guides and custodians could be 
 heard, they would doubtless turn the tables, and give 
 us such a record of the doings of Americans traveling 
 in Europe, on suddenly acquired wealth, as would 
 make us ashamed of our countrymen and country- 
 women. To a limited extent the position of Custodian 
 here is one of the very best for studying human nature, 
 therefore, I propose, as far as my experience goes, to 
 relate the story of the guides.
 
 LINCOLN AND THE MONUMENT. 373 
 
 My conflicts here to maintain my rights and self- 
 respect have not been with the every day common peo- 
 ple, nor with those who are denominated roughs, but it 
 has been with those who by the advantages of school- 
 ing, I will not say education, for it is possible to be 
 very extensively schooled, and not educated, :and 
 wealth, ought to be more scrupulous in respecting the 
 rights of others not so highly favored. But there is so 
 much of the first Adam in us all that men and women, 
 even professing Christians, take advantage of those very 
 favors to tyrannize over others. The fact that a man 
 or woman is a professing Christian should be conclu- 
 sive evidence that he or she is a gentleman or a lady, 
 but my experience here is that the profession is of 
 itself very slender evidence. The actions of some I 
 have encountered here fully explain to my mind why 
 we so frequently hear of the coarse vulgarity of Amer- 
 icans traveling abroad. 
 
 I regard the National Lincoln Monument as the 
 grandest school of patriotism on the continent, or in 
 the world, and worth an hundred-fold more than all it 
 costs, to the American people. It has been a great 
 source of pleasure to me to impart its lessons to all 
 men and women, high and low, rich and poor, who 
 visit it from patriotic motives. But for those of either 
 sex who, by their words or actions forfeit all claim to 
 respect, I have no mercy, and the more intense the dis- 
 like of such shams for me, the more I feel honored. 
 
 When I took charge of the Monument, a set of rules 
 and regulations were prepared by the Executive Com- 
 mittee, and, a printed copy placed at each of the three 
 entrances, that all might take notice thereof and 
 govern themselves accordingly. The main points in the 
 rules are, that I am to show all parts of the Monu- 
 ment, and give all the information about it to such 
 visitors as desire it, and in order to defray the expense 
 I am to collect from each visitor who goes inside, the 
 sum of twenty-five cents. The first thing that sur- 
 prised 'me was the great number of persons who would 
 go around with me and seem charmed with my outside
 
 374 LINCOLN AND THE MONUMENT. 
 
 descriptions, and when it came to paying the small fee 
 would suddenly find themselves so limited for time 
 that they could not go any further. 
 
 I call to mind an incident of this kind. A woman 
 who occupies a prominent position in society and mis- 
 sionary meetings, and whose husband is reputed to be 
 worth more than a hundred thousand dollars, rode up 
 in her carriage with a lady friend, both richly dressed. 
 They followed me as I showed another party around 
 on the Terrace and into the Catacomb, asking more 
 questions than all the others. When we came to 
 Memorial Hall, pausing at the entrance to collect the 
 small fee, they suddenly became too limited for time 
 to go inside and at once started for their carriage. 
 The weather was warm and I used only a grated door 
 with a screen before it. When I reached the back 
 part of the Hall', several minutes later, the door 
 became darkened and I stepped quickly around the 
 screen to drive away what I supposed was a lot of boys 
 filling the. space, and behold my two nice ladies who 
 were so limited for time, had returned, each with an 
 ear close to the grating, in a listening attitude ! 
 
 A merchant came with two ladies. Knowing that 
 he understood the rules with reference to paying, I 
 readily admitted them. After giving a moment's 
 attention to visitors who had previously entered, I 
 returned to him, and said : "I suppose you under- 
 stand the rule requiring a small contribution from 
 each visitor who enters here ?" Springing up on his 
 toes, assuming an air of defiance, and with a most 
 contemptuous manner, be said: "If I choose to." 
 Putting my face almost touching his, I replied, "Sir, 
 if you do not choose to comply with the rules when you 
 come here, get out of that door as quick as you can, 
 and never enter it again while I am here." He went 
 out on the double quick and never has entered it since. 
 
 I prepared a descriptive pamphlet of the Monument 
 to sell for twenty-five cents. So many objected to pay-
 
 LINCOLN AND THE MONUMENT. 375 
 
 ing a fee, that I conceived the brilliant idea of pleasing 
 everybody by taking one fee, conducting them through 
 and giving a pamphlet to each one, thus giving double 
 the value for their money. I was soon informed that 
 a newspaper man was going to annihilate me because 
 I compelled each visitor to buy a book as a condition 
 of admittance to the Monument. In order to make 
 his article unanswerable he went to a member of the 
 Monument Association for some strong points, when 
 he found I had authority for collecting all the money I 
 did without giving the pamphlet. The article never 
 appeared, but whenever the writer of it comes in con- 
 tact with me, I always think I can see his hair turning 
 the wrong way, but perhaps as to the latter part my 
 imagination is somewhat vivid. 
 
 There were those who claimed to be of so much dis- 
 tinction as to ignore me, and if they could gain admit- 
 tance, would undertake to do the talking themselves. 
 One woman high in church, society, and official circles, 
 of fine presence and always richly dressed, .practiced 
 this upon me two or three times. I saw her approach- 
 ing one day accompanied by two distinguished divines. 
 She signified her desire to enter Memorial Hall, did 
 not make the slightest pretense of introducing or 
 placing her friends in my care, but the moment she 
 entered the Hall began to talk about the objects of 
 interest, not so much to give information concerning 
 them as to say in each alternate sentence something 
 of what she had seen in Europe. I walked up by the 
 side of the visitors, quietly saying that I was the Cus- 
 todian, and as she commenced a description, I began 
 talking about the same article, and thoroughly under- 
 standing the subject as it is my duty to do, I talked so 
 much faster and more to the purpose than she could, 
 caused her to turn abruptly to another article. I fol- 
 lowed as quickly and soon drowned her voice, being 
 very careful to preserve a gentlemanly demeanor. 
 She soon abandoned the contest, and ever after 
 left me to entertain her friends in my own way. 
 I am not under the necessity of drawing on my imagin-
 
 376 LINCOLN AND THE MONUMENT. 
 
 ation, but these are actual occurrences, and many 
 more similar to them might be given. I choose only 
 such as have the wealth to travel in Europe and make 
 the name American a by-word. 
 
 Of all the classes of people who visit the Monument, 
 there are none who afford me more pleasure, by their 
 outspoken loyalty to the principles for which Lincoln 
 died, and sympathetic interest in all that pertains to 
 his life and death, than the Methodists, both lay and 
 clerical. In the autumn of 1875, the annual meeting 
 of Illinois Conference was held in Springfield. Before 
 the business of the conference commenced many of 
 the delegates visited the Monument, and, of course, 
 spoke of it to those still arriving. That was previous 
 to the attempt to rob the tomb. On the second or 
 third day a company of about twenty came and 
 expressed a desire to obtain all the information they 
 could. I took them to the Catacomb and explained 
 the situation there, showed where the bodies of the 
 children lay, and the location of the crypts prepared 
 for the living members of the family. I then con- 
 ducted them to the Terrace and explained that the 
 names of the States were so arranged as to represent 
 a bond of union, took them to the best point from 
 which to view the statue of Lincoln, then went to the 
 south front and summed up the lesson of patriotism 
 in the whole combination, and after that a few minutes 
 were devoted to those who wished to ascend the 
 Obelisk. 
 
 The whole party was then conducted to Memorial 
 Hall, where a running explanation was given of the 
 relics on the walls and the tables. I then opened a 
 book and gave an opportunity for those who desired 
 to register their names, and took advantage of their 
 being thus occupied for a brief respite from the con- 
 tinuous talking. I did not then, as I do now, take the 
 contributions at the door, and had not said a word 
 about money, although I knew from some remarks on 
 their part that they understood there was a regulation 
 requiring it, and that they had probably read the same
 
 LINCOLN AND THE MONUMENT. 377 
 
 as there is a copy of the regulations kept at each door. 
 While some were writing and others looking at this 
 and that relic, one of the ministers approached me 
 with a pleasant smile and said : "We ought to license 
 you to preach while we are here. So good a talker 
 snould certainly be a preacher." This attracted the 
 attention of others and quite a number of them 
 gathered around me. Eeflecting a moment, I replied : 
 "Gentlemen, you are better judges of my qualifica- 
 tions for a Methodist preacher than I am, and per- 
 haps you would like to have a test," at the same time 
 removing my hat and holding it out with both hands, 
 added the words : " Suppose we take up a collection." 
 The shout of laughter that followed showed that they 
 appreciated the hit, and each man brought forth his 
 pocket book. As they threw in the twenty-five cent 
 postal currency silver change not having arrived 
 since the war accompanied their contributions with 
 such remarks as "That will do." "That test cannot be 
 excelled." "That will carry you through." "Come 
 on, we will license you," etc., etc. 
 
 Near the close of the same meeting of Conference, 
 Bishop Ames made a visit, accompanied by Eev. Dr. 
 Edwards, of the Northwestern Christian Advocate. 
 When I was explaining that the three blank ashlars 
 on the east side in the cordon of States, were put in to 
 make it more symmetrical, because thirty-seven was 
 an awkward number to build in, Doctor Edwards said 
 quickly, put on the letters U. S. A., United States of 
 America. 
 
 After that I frequently alluded to the suggestion of 
 Dr. Edwards, and found that it met with almost uni- 
 versal approval. Quite a ludicrous incident, however, 
 once occurred in connection with it. About the time 
 General Grant was being talked of for a third Presi- 
 dential term, I was explaining to a company of seven 
 or eight, and when I spoke of the probability of those 
 letters being put on, one of the company became very 
 much excited, and accompanied his demonstrations 
 with some violent expletives, which quite surprised
 
 378 LINCOLN AND THE MONUMENT. 
 
 myself and his fellow visitors. A little further on it 
 was discovered that the man had misunderstood me. 
 He thought I said U. S. Gr., and at once interpreted it to 
 mean that we were going to put Grant's initials on 
 Lincoln's Monument. 
 
 On another occasion, an incident of quite a different 
 character occurred, in connection with the arrange- 
 ment of the initials of the States. I was explaining to 
 a company of preachers not Methodists. One of 
 them, a doctor of divinity, with a lofty wave of the 
 hand and a pompous air, said : "We do not want to 
 hear anything about that, we know all about the 
 States," and started on as though he expected to take 
 me and all the company with him, asked what was to 
 go on the next pedestal. I stepped back, reclined 
 against the balustrade and said nothing. The Doctor 
 looked back, called to me to come on, saying we want 
 to know about these things. I said, "Very well, sir, 
 go on ; you have no use for me." He insisted that I 
 should go on, and I positively refused to have anything 
 more to do with him, assuring him that I knew my 
 business as well as he did his own. The other minis- 
 ters and some ladies were all anxious to hear, and the 
 Doctor beginning to realize the awkwardness of the sit- 
 uation, changed his whole demeanor, saying he really 
 desired to obtain the information, and would not inter- 
 rupt me again. After a few more passes, mixed with 
 a little asperity on both sides, he became quite genial, 
 and by the time we got through, the whole party were 
 in the best of humor. I doubt if the thought ever 
 occurred to the good Doctor, what he would have done if 
 I had gone to hear him conduct religious services, and 
 he had commenced by reading the Ten Command- 
 ments, and I had told him I did not want to hear that, 
 I knew all about it. 
 
 On one occasion, when a party of seven or eight 
 persons, who had ascended the Obelisk, were coming 
 down, I saw a well-dressed lady and gentleman stand- 
 ing at the most favorable point, and looking at the
 
 LINCOLN AND THE MOMUNENT. 379 
 
 statue of the President. I approached them, and 
 asked if they desired to be shown around and through 
 the monument. Neither made any reply, and I was 
 about repeating the question, when I became aware 
 that the lady was tossing her handkerchief almost in 
 my face. I looked at her inquiringly, and saw that 
 her bosom was heaving, and her eyes, steadily fixed on 
 the statue of Lincoln, seemed almost ready to send 
 forth a flood of tears. Just then her husband said in 
 a low tone, "She does not wish you to speak." Always 
 entertaining the most profound respect for feelings too 
 deep for utterance, as I have time after time witnessed 
 them here, I quietly withdrew. A few minutes later I 
 made the announcement that all who desired could go 
 with me into Memorial Hall. Those who had been in the 
 Obelisk went with me, and after about ten minutes spent 
 there we were in the act of going out, in order to visit, 
 the Catacomb, when the couple I had left on the Ter- 
 race appeared at the door of the Hall. Reminding 
 them that there was a small contribution required, the 
 gentleman handed me the money. At the same time 
 the lady said, "Give him the money, but we do not 
 want to hear another word." She seemed surprised 
 at finding so many objects of interest there, and made 
 remarks inquiringly as though the information from 
 me would be acceptable, notwithstanding I had 
 been distinctly told not to talk. I never permit myself 
 to be catechised under any such circumstances, and the 
 only direct question and answer I remember was when 
 she asked : "Where does all the money collected here 
 go to ?" The reply was equally abrupt : "It goes into 
 my pocket, Madam ! " They soon passed out, and re- 
 garding the show of deep feeling as a mere sham, I gave 
 them no further attention, and in a short time they 
 departed, without entering either the Catacomb or 
 Obelisk. 
 
 Something like three months passed, when, on a very 
 warm morning, I was superintending some work on the 
 grounds, I saw two ladies ascend the steps to the Ter- 
 race and take a seat over Memorial Hall, in front of 
 the statue of Lincoln. I went up and inquired if they
 
 380 LINCOLN AND THE MONUMENT. 
 
 were visiting the monument for the first time. One of 
 them, pointing to the other, said : "It is the first time 
 for her, but I have been here before." I looked and 
 recognized my friend with whom I had parted so un- 
 ceremoniously a few months previous. There was no 
 time lost in giving me to understand that she had come 
 to have it out with me. I shall not attempt to report 
 verbatim, for all the stenographers in the State could 
 not have done that ; but will let the reader imagine a 
 section of Dante's Inferno, the Aurora Borealis, and a 
 tropical cyclone, with their electric coruscations and 
 deep reverberations, all in one, and each part doing its 
 utmost for about five minutes, as the best description 
 I can give of what followed. I had no time to look 
 up, but I think Lincoln's statue must have laughed at 
 the ludicrous scene. When we were becoming ex- 
 hausted, she demanded admittance to both places she 
 had paid for, but failed to gain at her former visit. 
 "Very well, madam, you shall have it ; not because 
 you demand it in the way you have, but because I 
 admit every person who has paid once. I first conducted 
 them to the Obelisk and then to the Catacomb. Look- 
 ing at some withered flowers on the Sarcophagus, she 
 said to the other lady that she would like very much 
 to take something from there. Overhearing it, I said, 
 "Help yourself, madam." "0," she said. "I meant 
 something living ; something that will grow." I then 
 placed a small pot-plant before her, and said, "take 
 that." She looked at me in amazement, and then said, 
 "Mr. Power, I have been too hard on you." The battle 
 was over. I then conducted them to Memorial Hall, 
 which she seemed to enjoy with redoubled interest. 
 In there I handed her a copy of the second edition of 
 this book, and told her I was the author of it. She 
 seemed still more surprised. Gradually the whole 
 secret of her actions came out. She had been told 
 before her first visit, by some person possessed of the 
 spirit of the Evil One, the absurd story that I had 
 once been a servant of Lincoln's, that I was in the 
 position I am as an act of charity, that all my talk 
 was mere nonsense, that I could not give her any
 
 LINCOLN AND THE MONUMENT. 381 
 
 information worth listening to, and that she would 
 do well to treat me accordingly. It did not prove 
 successful, and I venture to say that in all her 
 European travels for she was a lady of refinement 
 and culture and had traveled extensively she had 
 not a more valuable, and, in the end, a more pleasant 
 experience, for we parted the best of friends. 
 
 Of all the classes of people who visit the monument, 
 there are none more gentlemanly and lady like than 
 the members of the theatrical profession. I have 
 never known an actor nor an actress to be rude or 
 boorish here. An actor may bear evidence of having 
 "tarried long at the wine when it is red," but he never 
 fails to be a gentleman while here, and all, both male 
 and female, manifest the highest respect, amounting 
 almost to reverence for anything associated with the 
 memory of Lincoln. Their respectful demeanor may 
 be influenced by his having received his death wound 
 in a theater, but there is another reason why they 
 shou Id and dp make themselves generally agreeable. 
 Their profession is a life-long effort to please, which 
 brings immediate returns. Herein their example 
 might be adopted by many professing Christians with 
 much farther reaching results. 
 
 On a pleasant day in January, 1880, hearing foot" 
 steps on that part of the Terrace over Memorial HalL 
 I went out, and, ascending the steps, found a very intel- 
 ligent-looking gentleman quietly studying the statue of 
 Lincoln. When I asked him if he was taking his first 
 look at the Monument, at the same time informing him 
 that I was the Custodian and would render him any 
 service desired, he failed to show the slightest signs of 
 recognition. Leaving him to his meditations, I waited 
 his pleasure, and finally, without taking his eyes from 
 the plain, homely face, he said : 
 
 "I have been an infidel all my life, but I was just 
 wondering if it could be, that that great heart is 
 dead."
 
 382 LINCOLN AND THE MONUMENT. 
 
 I thought the best reply would be to leave him to 
 his thoughts until he was ready to hear and see all, 
 which he did with an intelligent interest such as those 
 can best do who have fought for the preservation of 
 liberty, for I found that he had been an officer in the 
 Union army. 
 
 Of all professions, there is none the privileges of 
 which are so mercilessly abused as that of the news- 
 paper reporter. I have been in the profession and can 
 truthfully say that I never wrote a sentence about any 
 man that I would not have preferred to speak in his 
 hearing, and at the same time look him in the eye. 
 If this rule was strictly observed, there would be little 
 cause for heart burnings from correspondents. But 
 there is a class of guerrillas who crowd into the ranks 
 of decent men, and with brazen affrontery claim every 
 courtesy. Having received them, they have no more 
 scruples than the cowardly and treacherous Cossack, 
 and often stab in the back those who have treated 
 them most kindly. Many of this kind find it convenient 
 to get off some insipid attempts at wit at the expense of 
 the Custodian, but I seldom notice them. I rather 
 like a little contest occasionally with one who is 
 able and willing, in a gentlemanly way, to give and 
 receive hard blows. A single specimen of that kind will 
 be sufficient. In April, 1880, "The Woman's Presbyte- 
 rian Board of Missions for the Northwest," com- 
 posed of about six hundred delegates, held their 
 annual meeting in Springfield. This naturally drew 
 representatives of Presbyterian newspapers and other 
 parties identified with the interests of the church. 
 The meeting lasted more than a week, and during that 
 time many of the lady delegates visited the Monu- 
 ment in small companies, but at the close of the meet- 
 ing, and as a farewell to Springfield, they came to it 
 something like an avalanche. Memorial Hall was 
 soon crowded until it was barely possible to move 
 around. It is oval in form with a ceiling supported 
 by dome-groined arches, making the very worst form 
 for acoustics. If two persons talk in it at the same
 
 LINCOLN AND THE MONUMENT. 883 
 
 time, neither can be understood. In order to save 
 time and talking, my custom is to go rapidly over the 
 entire list of articles, saying but a few words about 
 each one, occupying from three to five minutes and 
 parrying all attempts at catechising until I have gone 
 the rounds. On this particular occasion fully seven- 
 eighths of the ladies were desirous of obtaining the 
 information I was endeavoring to impart. But about 
 one-eighth of them were deaf to every appeal from 
 me, and to all entreaties from the other ladies, and 
 talk they would. I had never experienced the like 
 before, and if I could have passed out unobserved, I 
 think now I would have done so and ran away, but in 
 sheer desperation I determined to out-talk them. Just 
 at this time, when it would seem as though bedlam was 
 holding high carnival, Doctor W. C. Gray, of Chicago, 
 managing editor of the Interior, then personally un- 
 known to me, appeared at the door and was admitted. 
 We will take an editorial in his paper as a report of 
 the scene, although there is a very strong impression 
 in Springfield that a woman wrote it, but, as an act of 
 chivalry, the Doctor accepted the responsibility. It 
 appeared in the paper of May 6, 1880. 
 
 "The Lincoln Monument is situate in a cemetery which has 
 unusual natural beauty, with its fine, smoothly shapen hills and 
 deep ravines. The emblematic groups representing the army and 
 navy are in place, and together with the great statue of the eman- 
 cipator, are noble works of the sculptor's art. The Monument is 
 worthy of all the commendations given it for massiveness, harmo- 
 nious design and imposing effect. It has been criticised, of course, 
 that being the way to demonstrate one's superior artistic knowl- 
 edge, and the more perfect the object criticised, the finer critical 
 acumen it shows. 
 
 "There is a gentleman in charge of the Monument whom they 
 call the Custodian. On leaving the scene, one of the missionary 
 ladies suggested that for the sake of brevity he should be called 
 simply Mr. Cus. The eloquence of Mr. Custodian is wonderful. He 
 addresses visitors in a lofty, uninterrupted Demosthenian strain, 
 from the time they arrive until they depart. It is not a good place 
 to rest, not even if one were dead. Within the Monument is a fine 
 marble-lined apartment, in which are numerous relics of the 
 departed letters of sympathy and mourning over his death froin 
 the governments and magnates of the world. Conspicuous in a 
 glass case are a pair of dilapidated gaiter shoes. We looked on
 
 384 LINCOLN AND THE MONUMENT. 
 
 them with veneration doubtless the shoes which he wore on the 
 night of his assassination. A lady in a sympathetic and low tone 
 ventured to say as much, whereupon the loud voice of Mr. Cus-todiaii 
 was heard commanding silence. A party of us started for the 
 grating door, but found it pad-locked. It was evident that the 
 orator had us. He had cut off retreat from the very muzzle of his 
 double-shotted oratorical columbiad; so we went back to look at the 
 shoes. In due time he approached that part of his subject. 'These 
 shoes,' he said impressively, 'are the shoes worn by the thief who 
 tried to steal the body of Abraham Lincoln.' Women, you know, 
 are irrepressibly curious likewise logical. So up spoke 
 a meek-eyed missionary, and said, ' If you got the shoes, 
 how did it happen that you did not get the thief?' 
 Mr. Cus we insist on giving him his full title todian, 
 withered her with the sage remark, 'I will explain that, 
 madam, when I come to it.' So we had been paying homage to the 
 foot-furniture of afoot-pad! Another effort was made to get out, 
 when Mr. Cus we never did believe in nick-names, even for the 
 sake of brevity todian was at the exit, and in a mild, sweet voice, 
 in beautiful contrast with his oratorical style, said, 'Twenty-five 
 cents each, if you please were you not aware that there was an 
 admission fee?' We were not aware. 'If you please,' was a figure 
 of speech. It was not the pleasure that we were to pay for. 
 Twenty-five cents might have been a protective tariff as an admis- 
 sion fee, but as a fee for getting out, there is no other way in which 
 that small sum can be invested so as to secure more pleasure. Mr. 
 Cus we adhere to his full title todian, receives this fee 'for his 
 support,' we understand. It is a modest price for the stentorian 
 power exhausted in earning it. But perhaps it is not fair to meas- 
 ure Mr. Custodian's corn in our half-bushel. He really has a fine 
 reputation as an orator. Audiences of ladies and gentlemen hang 
 upon his lips like bees on the under side of the leaf just before 
 swarming time. Amid such daily triumphs, he can look down 
 upon his critics with lofty indifference, and smile as he thinks of 
 the pad-locked door. 
 
 "Springfield is a very pleasant city, and is worthy of its sug- 
 gestive name. It. is a city of beautiful homes, located in broad 
 grounds and on wide streets. It is so abundantly shaded by fine 
 old trees as to be largely hidden from view, from any elevated point 
 of observation. The houses are clean and fresh looking; the 
 lawns are neat and not guadily over-decorated. The universal 
 neatness reminds one of Saratoga. There is the greatest variety in 
 the architecture of the residences a mingling of the solid-comfort 
 style of building, which marks the colder climate of the more 
 northern cities, with the verandahs and porches of the warmer 
 latitudes. In hotels, it has not much to boast. One of them, sur- 
 named the 'Inter-Ocean,' was disowned by the representative of 
 that aristocratic paper. The new State House well, we must not 
 criticise it, unless we are willing to suffer the displeasure of all
 
 LINCOLN AND THE MONUMENT. 385 
 
 loyal Springfielders. It is not complete. The great portico awaits 
 an appropriation before it can be in place. It will greatly add to 
 the symmetry of the whole work." 
 
 I received the paper containing the article the same 
 day it was published, but did not open it until my 
 attention was called to the subject. I nursed my wrath 
 an hour or two, and if I had attempted to answer 
 during that time would, doubtless, have given cause to 
 suspect that the play upon my title as Custodian was 
 not far wrong. Becoming more cool, I reflected that 
 the best way to vanquish an assailant is to turn the 
 laugh on him. Following that line, the reader will 
 judge of my success. The Doctor had the Christian 
 manliness and spirit of fair-play, not only to publish 
 my reply, but to add an appreciative postcript, all of 
 which appeared in the Interior of May 20th, of which 
 the following is a copy : 
 
 MEMORIAL HALL, NATIONAL LINCOLN "I 
 MONUMENT, May 8, 1880. J 
 
 DEAR DOCTOR : How could you? Here I have been, lo, these many 
 years, reading The Interior, and thinking how happy I would be to 
 meet and take you by the hand, and you have come and gone, and 
 I never knew when I met you, and would not have known except for 
 the sting you thrust back in your paper of the 6th instant. Then, 
 to think, Doctor, how you slurred us all over, in speaking of the 
 Illinois Capitol, as though we Springfielders claimed it all for our- 
 selves. True, we have been sufficiently blackmailed on account of 
 it to justify us in claiming it, but we do not. 
 
 Then, you say: "In hotels it has not much to boast." Doctor, 
 where were your eyes, your ears, to say nothing of your palate? 
 Did you, or did you not learn of the palatial Leland, where may be 
 found luxurious rooms, and tables loaded with a bill of fare good 
 enough for a pope, emperor, king, president, yourself, or any other 
 man. Then you pass the Revere, St. Nicholas, and other good 
 houses, and pounce upon a third-class boarding-house, not recog- 
 nized at all by citizens of Springfield as a hotel, and name that as 
 your only specimen of capitoliati hotels. 
 
 Doctor, only think of your report of a visit to this Monument. I 
 am here under direction of an association of fifteen gentlemen, any 
 one of whom is the peer of yourself in integrity and gentlemanly 
 deportment. They are organized under the laws of the State of 
 Illinois. I make monthly reports to that Association, and at any 
 hour am subject to their supervision or removal. In the absence of 
 prescribed orders, I exercise my own judgment, and have never 
 been censured by them for disobedience, or any other cause, so that 
 
 25
 
 386 LINCOLN AND THE MONUMENT. 
 
 it is reasonable to presume my transactions are satisfactory to them. 
 The probability is that you have traveled sufficiently to know that 
 there is something to pay at all places similar to this. At the 
 Washington monument in Baltimore, you would have to pay fifteen 
 cents; at Bunker Hill twenty cents; at Mount Vernon, one dollar 
 to the steamboat, that takes you there, twenty-five cents of which 
 goes to the Ladies' Association having it in charge, and you can 
 not gain access to it in any other way. Then, if you were to cross 
 the Atlantic and visit the Tower of London, you would not only 
 have a fee to pay, but would be compelled to tarry in a waiting- 
 room until a certain number of visitors arrived, and have doors 
 locked after yju wherever you went. If you did not know all that, 
 you certainly can read, and the rules by which I am governed are 
 plainly printed and put up at each of the three doors. If you did 
 not intend to comply with them, you ought to have remained out- 
 side. If you did, why snarl at the pad-lock, which is only intended 
 as a matter of economy, in the absence of sufficient income to 
 defray the expense of a dnor-heeper. I trust, Doctor, that you may 
 never be on the wrong side of any worse pad-lock than you found 
 here! It would be a pleasure to me, Doctor, even though it were 
 something of a torture to you, if I could make you realize how 
 many pleasant things you overlooked, about which you might have 
 written, and the best, you could do was to find a pretext to swear, 
 and then lay the suggestion of the thought to a woman. You said 
 a lady, but a lady never swears. Adam could not have done worse 
 than that. When detected in a wrong act, he only skulked behind 
 Eve, and whined out to the Lord, "The woman whom thou gavest to 
 be with me, she gave me of the tree and I di 1 eat." 
 
 Doctor, you speak of my lofty eloquence. I was constrained to 
 employ the altitudinous variety in self-defense. How could I have 
 risen above the din of twenty or more female voices in any other 
 way? In imagination I hear you say, why talk at all? Let each 
 one look for him or herself. I have tried that to my heart's con- 
 tent. With such a company as you saw, there would be silence for 
 about one-tenth of the time there was in heaven on a certain occa- 
 sion we read of, and then more questions than ten men could answer in 
 an hour, and all expected to be answered by one man in five 
 minutes. That is the reason why I require silence until I get 
 through. The great mass of people come here to learn the most 
 they can in the shortest time. If there are many who wish to hear 
 and one or two who do not, I sometimes have occasion to show that 
 one or two the door, and insist that they shall go out or keep silent, 
 just as you would do in any service you was expected to be respon- 
 sible for. It is said that order is heaven's first law. If I can not 
 preserve it here, I prefer being thrust out myself. I aim to pre- 
 serve order because it is right of itself, and in my own self-defense. 
 I have been acting in self-defense all my life. ' I am writing this 
 article in self-defense.
 
 LINCOLN AND THE MONUMENT. 387 
 
 One of my weaknesses from boyhood has been sleeping in church. 
 I was compelled to do it in self-defense. Perhaps you ask, how ? 
 For fifteen years or more, I was required to attend services one 
 Saturday and Sunday in each month, at a genuine, simon-pure, old- 
 fashioned, Hardshell Baptist church, in the State of Kentucky. 
 Such a church was never known to exist north of the Ohio river, 
 and I doubt if it can exist in the South much longer. During all 
 that fifteen years I sat under the same sermon, from the same man, 
 Rev. Joel M. It was full three hours long, all in that blessed tone 
 so dear to the heart of the elder sisters of his congregation. It 
 made no difference whether his text was in Genesis or Revelation, 
 the sermon was always the same, with the exception of a sentence 
 or two at the opening and closing. It abounded in stereotyped 
 phrases, such as "mourning like a dove," and "chattering like a 
 swallow," accompanied with tones and gestures as though he was 
 trying to imitate the birds. These long sittings were more than 
 my youthful flesh could endure, hence it became absolutely neces- 
 sary, as a means of self-dense, for me to wear away part of the 
 time in sleep. I never realize so fully at any other time, that I am 
 a monument of mercy, as when thinking of that sermon, arid how 
 I survived it. But it was not. all evil. There was one redeeming fea- 
 ture in it, the benefit of which I am enjoying to the present time. I 
 used to preach that same sermon on odd Sundays to congregations 
 of boys and negroes, assembled behind barns and under shade trees, 
 and that is the way I acquired that Demosthenian eloquence which 
 you so much admire. 
 
 [*Alt,hough the habit of sleeping in church was acquired 
 strictly in self-defense, it, has sometimes proved to be quite annoy- 
 ing. After marriage, myself and wife became members of a Pres- 
 byterian church less than one hundred miles from Cincinnati, and 
 at one time made our home in the family of the pastor, Rev. L. R. B. 
 He could not fail to observe my weakness, and would occasionally 
 remind me of it. I would retort by saying that it was his duty to 
 preach such sermons as would keep me awake. He would usually 
 speak my name as though it had a plural termination, which it has 
 not. The seating in the church was promiscuous, consequently 
 upon one very warm day, I found myself under the necessity of 
 occupying quite a conspicuous place in front of the pulpit. It 
 required unusual exertions to retain an upright position, but I did 
 not become so sound asleep as to prevent my knowing when the 
 minister closed his sermon, opened his hymn book and read dis- 
 tinctly from one of Dr. Watts' good old hymns, 
 
 "My drowsy powers, why sleep ye so? 
 
 Awake my sluggish soul; 
 Nothing has half thy work to do, 
 
 Yet nothing's half so dull." 
 
 * That part in brackets never appeared in the Interior, having 
 been voluntarily withdrawn after being sent to the office, in order to 
 abbreviate the article.
 
 388 LINCOLN AND THE MONUMENT. 
 
 By the time the reading of the first verse was done, I was 
 thoroughly aroused, and felt as though all eyes were upon me, but pre- 
 served a respectful demeanor. We walked home together, but the 
 events of the morning were not alluded to until all were seated at 
 the dinner table. Assuming a serious expression of countenance, 
 for I really thought he had selected that hymn as applicable to my 
 case, I said: 'Brother B., I think I have just cause to complain of 
 you.' 'Why so?' said he with an inquiring look. 'Because, sir, 
 you to-day took occasion to point out my infirmities publicly, when 
 you could just as well have done it privately.' With a puzzled 
 expression of countenance he said: 'I do not understand you, 
 please explain.' 'Well, sir, at the close of. your sermon this morn- 
 ing, seeing I had been asleep as usual, you could not wait until 
 our arrival at home to reprove me, but under pretense of reading a 
 hymn called aloud: 
 
 'My drowsy Powers, why sleep ye so?' 
 
 I then found that the selection of that hymn was entirely 
 unpremediated on his part, and, therefore, will not attempt to 
 describe what ensued, but any allusion to the subject after that, 
 was sure to provoke the most unbounded mirth.] 
 
 One thing I want distinctly understood, I have thus far, acted in 
 self-defense, but now I assume the aggressive, become a missionary, 
 and if I can prevent it no other person shall suffer as I have done. 
 As long as I preach my sermon here, neither man, woman, nor child 
 shall ever sleep under it, until they are dead, and then I shall do 
 my utmost to prevent their bodies being carried away by vandal 
 hands. J. C. POWER, Custodian. 
 
 P. S. We did not make anything by stirring up Bro. Power. 
 However soundly he may have slept under his Hardshell pastor, it 
 is evidently not easy to catch him napping now. G. 
 
 The affair was so ludicrous that it attracted some 
 attention, and I received a number of letters of con- 
 gratulation. I will quote from three of them, from as 
 many different States, the two first are from Presbyte- 
 rian ministers of my acquaintance : 
 
 J. C. Power: 
 
 MY DEAR SIR "I congratulate you on your answer to the 
 Interior. It was first-rate good sense ten times better than if you 
 had clawed it. It was, moreover, Christian good sense. I shall 
 vote for you to stay at the Monument." G. H. F. 
 
 Bro. Power: 
 
 "Previous to receiving. the papers which you had the kindness to 
 send me, I read your letter to our Bro. G., and said to myself, Dr. 
 XJ. has met more than his match, now that he has awakened my
 
 LINCOLN AND THE MONUMENT. 389 
 
 'brother, J. C. Power. 1 shall pin my vote with Bro. F.'s to con- 
 tinue you in a position where, I feel fully persuaded, the right 
 man is in the right place. It is certainly a favorable school in 
 which to study men and manners. May your bow abide in 
 strength." Kind salutations, etc., 
 
 W. L. T. 
 J. C. Power : 
 
 "This, from one whom you do not know, and whose humble 
 position in life will ever render him one of the 'great unknown,' 
 is addressed to you, to tender you thanks for your efforts to enter- 
 tain and interest those who visit the Lincoln Monument, of which 
 you are Custodian. The attention paid by you to an aged relative 
 while visiting the Monument, rendered the visit instructive and 
 entertaining. He remembers Springfield as a pleasant place to 
 visit, chiefly from the polite and considerate attention received 
 from you while visiting the Monument. This is written because of 
 an unjust criticism against you, which I noticed in a late Chicago 
 paper." 
 
 It is not in a spirit of egotism, but strictly in self- 
 defense, that I give two more specimens, in order to 
 show how people feel and act who come with an honest 
 desire to be entertained and edified. A lady-corres- 
 pondent of the Detroit Evening News, closes a long and 
 very carefully written letter with these words : 
 
 "It only remains to acknowledge the indebtedness of the writer 
 for the information here given, to the intelligent, courteous and 
 genial Custodian of the Monument, Mr. John Carroll Power, whose 
 thorough knowledge of the duties of his position is only equaled by 
 the fidelity, the readiness and the grace with which he discharges 
 them." 
 
 Another, a lady correspondent of the Cincinnati 
 Commercial, says : 
 
 "It is with no feeling of horror or gloom that I stand beside this 
 Coffin. Everything is so sweet and clean and pure. The gray- 
 haired man at my side has such friendly eyes, and is so kindly and 
 pleasant. He has in his hand the keys that hold a Nation's price- 
 less dead. Yet so gentle is he that I lay my hand unrebuked on 
 the rich casket, while he tells me stories of the dead, and I tumble 
 the perfumed blossoms in more sightly garlands over the lid. * * * 
 How far away George and Martha Washington are from life, barred 
 in their unwept, undecked tomb at Mount Vernon. We press our 
 faces against the barred door. We wish we could brush away the 
 litter of twigs that the sparrows have carried in. We would like 
 to put a red rose above the fair Mistress Washington, but we cannot 
 reach her. Lincoln's coffin we can stand by, we can touch, we can 
 bend over, we can decorate. He is nearer, we are not shut away 
 by bars. He is yet our neighbor and friend."
 
 390 LINCOLN AND THE MONUMENT. 
 
 CHAPTER XXXIY. 
 
 Some points in the history of the Emancipation 
 Proclamation may not be generally known, and I have 
 given the matter sufficient attention to obtain the most 
 essential facts. September 22, 1862, President Lincoln 
 issued his preliminary Emancipation Proclamation, 
 giving notice that unless certain conditions were com- 
 plied with in less than one hundred days, he would 
 issue a proclamation declaring freedom to the slaves 
 in certain States and parts of States, then in rebellion 
 against the authority of the United States. The final 
 Emancipation Proclamation was issued January 1, 
 1863, by which more than three millions of slaves 
 were liberated. At the instance of the ladies about 
 to open a fair in Chicago for the sanitary commission, 
 Hon. Isaac N. Arnold, then a member of Congress 
 from Chicago, addressed a note to President Lincoln 
 asking him to give them the original draft of the 
 proclamation, that they might dispose of it with the 
 understanding that it be deposited with the Historical 
 Society of Chicago. Mr. Lincoln replied : 
 
 EXECUTIVE MANSION, 
 WASHINGTON, October 26, 1863. 
 
 Ladies having in charge the Northwestern Fair for the Sanitary Com- 
 mission, Chicago, Illinois: 
 
 According to the request made in your behalf, the original draft 
 of the Emancipation Proclamation is herewith inclosed. The formal 
 words at the top, and the conclusion, except the signature, you 
 perceive are not in my handwriting. They were written at the 
 State Department, by whom, I know not. The printed part was 
 cut from a copy of the preliminary proclamation, and pasted on 
 merely to save writing. I had some desire to retain the paper, but if 
 it shall contribute to the relief or comfort of the soldiers, that ivill be 
 better. Your obedient servant, 
 
 A. LINCOLN.
 
 LINCOLN AND THE MONUMENT. 391 
 
 Having written to Mr. Arnold to ascertain who pur- 
 chased it, and the amount realized by the ladies, I 
 received a letter from him dated Chicago, March 4, , 
 1882, from which the following is a quotation : 
 
 "At the Sanitary Fair it was purchased by THOMAS B. BRYAN, 
 of Chicago, who paid into the treasury of the Fair for it the sura 
 of $3,000. Afterwards it was deposited in the Chicago Historical 
 Society, and burned in the great fire, October 9, 1871." 
 
 I wrote again to Mr. Arnold, calling his attention to 
 an article in the Century Magazine for December, 1881, 
 by the distinguished artist, Mr. Leonard W. Volk, of 
 Chicago, on the Lincoln life mask, and how it was 
 made. Mr. Volk had made a statue of Stephen A. 
 Douglas, and when he measured the height of Lincoln, 
 said to him .- 
 
 "You are just twelve inches taller than Judge 
 Douglas, that is just six feet and one inch." 
 
 I next quoted the last paragraph from a fac simile 
 before me, of Mr. Lincoln's autobiography, written in 
 1859, at the request of Hon. Jesse W. Fell, of Blooming- 
 ton, Illinois, who retains the original. It reads as 
 follows : 
 
 "If any personal description of me is thought desirable, it may 
 be said. I am in height, six feet four inches, nearly, lean in flesh, 
 weighing on an average one hundred and eighty pounds, dark 
 complexion, with coarse, black hair, and gray eyes, no other marks 
 or brands recollected." Yours very truly, 
 
 HON. J. W. FELL. A. LINCOLN. 
 
 I pointed out the discrepancy of the three inches 
 and said that I preferred Mr. Lincoln's fac simile to 
 Mr. Volk's memory, and asked Mr. Arnold if he could 
 endorse me in the event of my making the same state- 
 ment to the publishers of the Century Magazine. He 
 replied : 
 
 CHICAQO, March 10, 1882. 
 J. C. Power: 
 
 DEAR SIR "Mr. Volk is mistaken. Mr. Lincoln was six feet 
 four inches. I will with pleasure endorse your and his 
 Lincoln's statement to that effect." ISAAC N. ARNOLD. 
 
 As there has been frequent mention of how Mr. 
 Lincoln came to cultivate whiskers, I deem it of 
 sufficient interest to give a brief account of it.
 
 392 LINCOLN AND THE MONUMENT. 
 
 Through the courtesy of Hon. George W. Patterson, 
 of Westfield, New York, I was, in 1878, placed in 
 correspondence with the "little girl" who suggested to 
 Mr. Lincoln that he would look better if he would 
 permit his beard to grow. I learned that her maiden 
 name was Grace Bedell, but she had, "after the 
 manner of womankind," changed it to Billings, and 
 that her home was in Delphos, Kansas. She was 
 then visiting relatives in her native State. I wrote to 
 Mrs. Billings asking her to give me, in her own 
 language, an account of the circumstances connected 
 with her having made the suggestion. The following 
 is her well written reply : 
 
 ALBION, N. Y., October 2, 1878. 
 Mr. J. C. Power : 
 
 Your favor of September nineteenth is before me, and I will with 
 pleasure comply with your request, as far as the lapse of years and 
 consequent forgetfulness will allow. It is indeed true, as you 
 observe, that any incident connected with the life of this great and 
 good man will always be of interest to the American people, and 
 you have my permission to make use of this, should you consider 
 it of sufficient importance. We were at that time residing at 
 Westfield, New York. My father, who was a staunch Republican, 
 brought one day to me, who followed in his footsteps and was a 
 zealous champion of Mr. Lincoln, a picture of Lincoln and 
 Hamlin, one of those coarse, exaggerated, so-called likenesses, 
 which it seems to be the fate of our long-suffering people to have 
 thrust upon them in such contests. 
 
 Those were days when every word or incident, however trivial, 
 connected with the opposing candidates, was read and weighed as 
 if heavy with import. So the personal appearance of the two men 
 was discussed, and undoubtedly the low jeers and unworthy com- 
 parisons so current at the time, are as fresh in your mind as my 
 own. You are familiar with Mr. Lincoln's physiognomy, and 
 remember the high forehead over those sadly pathetic eyes, the 
 angular lower face, with the deep cut lines about the mouth. As I 
 regarded the picture, I said to my mother: "He would look better 
 if he wore whiskers, and I mean to write and tell him so." She 
 laughingly assented, and I proceeded to give him my name, age, 
 place of residence, my views as to his fitness for the Presidency 
 opinion of his personal appearance, and that I thought it would be 
 much improved if he would cultivate whiskers, adding as an 
 inducement, that if he would, I would try and coax my two 
 Democratic brothers to cast their votes for him. In my heart of 
 hearts I feared that this rather free criticism might give offense, 
 and so tried to soften the blow, a born diplomatist, you see, by
 
 LINCOLN AND THE MONUMENT. 393 
 
 assuring him that I thought the rail-fence around his picture 
 looked real pretty, and ended by asking him if he had not time to 
 answer my letter, to allow his little girl to reply for him. I 
 remember well one particular, the address. It burns within my 
 memory yet : 
 
 'HoN. ABRAHAM LINCOLN, ESQ.' 
 
 When -I confided to a sister that 1 had written to Mr. Lincoln, 
 she expressed a doubt as to whether I had addressed it correctly. 
 To prove that I had, and that she might trust the evidence of 
 things seen, I re-wrote the address and handed it to her for 
 inspection. I was laughed at until I was speedily reduced to a 
 more "umble" frame of mind than Dickens' Uriah Heep ever 
 dreamed of. 
 
 His anxiety at that time must have been intense. The din of 
 political strife, with its malice, threats and rumors of war, all the 
 fore-runners of that day, not far distant when the "land should be 
 red with judgments," when good men prayed, "Give us grace to 
 keep our faith, and patience ; wherefore should we leap on one 
 hand into fratricidal fight, or on the other yield eternal right." 
 But amid all the care and turmoil of his life, he still found time to 
 answer the letter of a child. How this simple act shows the gentle, 
 humorous side of the man's nature. In very truth he was a 
 gentle-man, and the world will not soon see his like again. I am 
 also obliged to depend upon my memory for Mr. Lincoln's reply, 
 for although the original is still in my possession, it is at my 
 home in Delphos, Kansas. I think, however, I can give it to you 
 verbatim, as I have read it many times : 
 
 SPRINGFIELD, ILL., Oct. 19, I860. 
 Miss Grace Bedell : 
 
 MY DEAR LITTLE Miss : Your very agreeable letter of the 
 fifteenth is received. I regret the necessity of saying I have no 
 daughter. I have three sons ; one seventeen, one nine, and one 
 seven years of age. They, with their mother, constitute my whole 
 family. As to the whiskers, having never worn any, do you not. 
 think people would call it a piece of silly affectation if I should 
 begin it now ? 
 
 Your very sincere well-wisher, 
 
 A. LINCOLN. 
 
 Nevertheless, my suggestion was not despised as you are aware, 
 nor was the circumstance forgotten, as after his election, he 
 inquired of Hon. G. W. Patterson, who accompanied him on his 
 trip from Springfield to Washington, and whose residence was also 
 nt Westfield, if he knew a family bearing the name of Bedell. Mr. 
 Patterson replying in the affirmative, Mr. Lincoln said that he had 
 received a letter from a little girl, "advising me to wear whiskers, 
 as she thought it would improve my looks, and you see I have fol- 
 lowed her suggestion." He said further, that the character of the 
 letter was so unlike many which he was daily receiving, some
 
 394 LINCOLN AND THE MONUMENT. 
 
 asking for office, and many threatening assassination, should he 
 be elected, that it was a relief and pleasure to receive it. When 
 the train reached Westfield, Mr. Lincoln made a short speech from 
 the platform of the car, saying that he had a little correspondent 
 at Westfield, called Grace Bedell, and if she were present, he would 
 like to see her. I was present, but the crowd was so great that I 
 had neither seen nor heard the speaker, but a friend helped me 
 forward, and Mr. Lincoln stepped down to the platform where I 
 stood, shook hands with and kissed me, saying as he touched his 
 beard, "You see I let t.hese whiskers grow for you, Grace," shook 
 my hand again cordially and re-entered the car; and that was the 
 first and last I ever saw of this hero and mart.yr. 
 
 That he did not, forget me, I received occasional assurances, 
 though small would have been the wonder had I been forgotten in 
 those dreadful years which followed years of bloodshed and 
 mourning, when 
 
 " Fields of duty opened wide, 
 
 Where all his powers 
 
 Were tasked, the eager steps to guide, 
 
 Of millions on a path untried, 
 
 When the slave was ours !" 
 
 Veiy truly yours, 
 
 GRACE BEDELL BILLINGS. 
 
 Grace Bedell was less than thirteen years of age 
 when she wrote to Mr. Lincoln. At my request she 
 sent his letter to me, that I might have it photographed. 
 I noticed that it was blurred, and upon inquiry was 
 informed that when she received it, the weather was 
 quite cold and a light snow falling. In her eager desire 
 to read it, as she walked home with it open, some of 
 the snow fell on it, and wherever it touched left its 
 mark. She failed to tell me whether she induced her 
 Democratic brothers to vote for Mr. Lincoln or not. 
 
 The personal magnetism of Mr. Lincoln was such as 
 to put every one in his presence at ease and on good 
 terms with themselves. Evidences of this are found to 
 an almost ludicrous extent through central Illinois. 
 Nearly every man, who ever saw and exchanged a few 
 words with him, seems to want it understood that 
 they were on very intimate terms, emphasizing the 
 words italicised. Base ball had not been invented, or 
 at most was not considered our National game at the 
 time of his nomination for President, but to hear the
 
 LINCOLN AND THE MONUMENT. 395 
 
 statements of men who claim to have been playing 
 "hand ball" with him when he received the news of his 
 nomination, one would think that not only the city of 
 Springfield, but all of Sangamon county, were assem- 
 bled for a grand tournament of that game. Even the 
 women and children tell about their husbands, fathers 
 and brothers being engaged in the play with him when 
 the news came. This grew monotonous with me, and 
 I adopted the ruse of pretending to keep a record, and 
 when a considerable number of visitors were at the 
 Monument, and one of them would begin with the air 
 of a man who thought himself fully as great as Lin- 
 coln, to tell that he was playing hand ball with him 
 when the news of his nomination arrived, I would 
 take a scrap of paper and pencil, and making a note, 
 would carelessly remark that he was the nineteen 
 hundred and twenty-seventh, or some other incredible 
 number, who were playing with Lincoln on that 
 memorable occasion. The visitor would generally 
 lose his interest in the subject, and now I seldom hear 
 of any person who makes such a claim. But the 
 unkindest cut of all, to these boasters, comes from 
 T. W. S. Kidd, the "Crier of the Court," when Lincoln 
 practiced law in Springfield. He writes : 
 
 "It has been said that Mr. Lincoln was engaged in playing ball 
 when the dispatch was handed him announcing his nomination to 
 the Presidency in I860, at Chicago, by the Republican party. This is 
 a great, mistake. Mr. Lincoln was as fully aware of what was 
 going on that day as any man in Springfield. It would argue an 
 apathy in regard to passing events never characterizing Abraham 
 Lincoln, in anything political or professional. He was what the 
 world would style a well posted man on nearly every subject 
 claiming attention from public men particularly, and in a matter 
 of such moment to him, and one upon which he had exchanged 
 views with nearly every prominent delegate to the convention 
 from this State, either in person or by letter, that it is out of the 
 range of the probable to presume for a moment that he was play- 
 ing ball or in any other way treating the matter with the 
 indifference which some have endeavored to picture in this story. 
 Allow me right here to diverge a little to give the true history of 
 Mr. Lincoln's whereabouts when receiving the news. He had been 
 in the telegraph office, at that time on the north side of the square, 
 awaiting dispatches, and had quietly endured the suspense until 
 the convention had begun to take the ballot. He then left the office
 
 396 LINCOLN AND THE MONUMENT. 
 
 and walked to the store door of Smith, Wickersham & Co., west of 
 the square. While standing there talking of what he had already 
 learned, a shout was heard and footsteps were also heard, coining 
 down the stairway of the telegraph office. This was taken up 
 until cheer after cheer was heard all along the north side, and a 
 messenger came running to him announcing the news. In a few 
 minutes a hundred people had gathered around him cheering, 
 while some wanted to know the particulars, others wanted to 
 congratulate him. He wanted to get out of the crowd, and 
 remarking in a loud voice to those around him, 'Well, there is a 
 little woman who will be interested in this news, and I will go 
 home and tell her,' started for home." 
 
 After the attempt to steal the remains of President 
 Lincoln, November 7, 1876, Gen. J. N. Beece, G. S. 
 Dana and the writer, became impressed with the 
 importance of having some kind of an organization 
 for the purpose of observing in an appropriate manner 
 the anniversaries of his birth and death. Circum- 
 stances connected with that outrage upon civilization, 
 kept the matter alive in our minds, and finally we 
 three determined to act. In view of the fact that we 
 are at the former home and tomb of Lincoln, to and 
 from which all thoughts on his life, public services and 
 death, naturally converge and radiate, and that we 
 might at some time be entrusted with valuable 
 property, it was necessary that we should be clothed 
 with legal forms. The writer had it in mind that it 
 would express a pleasing and patriotic sentiment to 
 have thirteen members, corresponding with the 
 number of the original States of the Union, but being 
 desirous that the other two should take an equal 
 part in selecting those whom we would invite to join 
 us, the organization was effected with nine, and the 
 number remains unchanged. We might just as easily 
 have had fifty or one hundred, but we think the smaller 
 number will be more efficient. The following is taken 
 from our records : 
 
 On the twelfth day of February, 1830, the seventy- 
 first anniversary of the birth of Abraham Lincoln, at 
 a meeting in Memorial Hall of the National Lincoln 
 Monument, the Lincoln Guard of Honor was organized 
 and a certificate of incorporation issued the next day 
 as follows :
 
 LINCOLN AND THE MONUMENT. 397 
 
 STATE OF ILLINOIS, DEPARTMENT OF STATE, "> 
 GEORGE H. HARLOW, SECRETARY OF STATE, j 
 
 To all whom these presents shall come, greeting : 
 
 WHEREAS, A certificate duly signed and acknowledged, having 
 been filed in the office of the Secretary of State, on the thirteenth 
 day of February, A. D. 1880, for the organization of the Lincoln 
 Guard of Honor under and in accordance with the provisions of 
 "An act concerning corporations," approved April 18, 1872, and in 
 force July 1, 1872, a tcopy of which certificate is hereto attached: 
 
 Now, therefore, I, George H. Harlow, Secretary of State of the 
 State of Illinois, by virtue of the powers and duties vested in me 
 by law, do hereby certify that the said, the Lincoln Guard of 
 Honor, is a legally organized corporation under the laws of this 
 State. 
 
 lu testimony whereof, I hereto set my hand, and cause to be 
 affixed the great seal of State. Done at the City of Springfield, 
 this thirteenth day of February, in the year of our Lord One 
 Thousand Eight Hundred and Eighty, and of the Independence of 
 the United States, the One Hundred and Fourth. ' 
 
 The original incorporators are J. C. Power, J. N. 
 Eeece, G. S. Dana, James F. McNeill, J. P. Lindley, 
 Edward S. Johnson, Horace Chapin, N. B. Wiggins 
 and Clinton L. Conkling, of whom G. S. Dana, is 
 President ; J. N. Eeece, Vice-President ; J. F. McNeill, 
 Treasurer, and J. C. Power, Secretary. 
 
 There is on the Pacific coast a voluntary society 
 called the Lincoln Guard of Honor. It holds memorial 
 services at different points on the Lincoln anniver- 
 saries. The central point is San Francisco. The 
 members of it take the most lively interest in every- 
 thing transpiring about the tomb of Lincoln. After 
 the attempt to steal his body in 1876, Mr. Edwin A. 
 Sherman, who is the head of the movement on the 
 Pacific, and is a cousin of Gen. W. T. Sherman, wrote 
 a sonnet in honor of, and sent it with a beautiful 
 testimonial to, the Custodian of the Monument. It is 
 fully appreciated, but so highly complimentary that he 
 pleads modesty for not publishing it here, as it would 
 seem egotistical to do so. Eecently the Custo- 
 dian received a valuable testimonial from the same 
 source, in the form of a collar, of the richest red, 
 white and blue silk, lined with crimson satin. 
 Gold fringe is pendant from all parts of it, and
 
 398 LINCOLN AND THE MONUMENT. 
 
 the entire surface is covered with patriotic emblems 
 in gold. Accompanying the collar came a ring 
 of massive gold. On the outside, in addition to 
 cabalistic letters, the sun, and all-seeing eye ; 57, the 
 number they gave him in their local society, is inclosed 
 in a triangle ; 21, the number of Illinois in the Union, 
 is in a five pointed star ; 13, the number of the original 
 States, 38, the present number, and 56 the number of 
 the signers to the Declaration of Independence, and the 
 number of the years of Lincoln at the time of his 
 death, are each enclosed in a circle. Inside : "To 
 Sup. Gust. G. G. C. John C. Power, Springfield, 111. 
 From his California Fraters." 
 
 The Lincoln Guard of Honor of Springfield, being 
 legally organized, has for its objects the raising of a 
 fund with which to purchase and keep in repair the 
 former home of President Lincoln ; to open it under 
 suitable regulations to visitors, and to hold the 
 premises in trust for the people. It also proposes to 
 hold memorial services upon suitable anniversary 
 occasions, and to collect and .preserve mementoes of 
 his life and death. 
 
 The first memorial service was held at the door of 
 the Catacomb of the National Lincoln Monument, 
 April 15, 1880, beginning at seven o'clock and twenty- 
 two minutes in the morning, corresponding with the 
 time President Lincoln breathed his last, President 
 Dana, of the Lincoln Guard of Honor, acting as 
 master of ceremonies. 
 
 The services consisted of prayer by Eev. James A. 
 Heed, of the First Presbyterian Church ; singing by 
 the Young Men's Christian Association Quintette 
 Club Messrs. S. T. Church, Edward A. Wills, Frank 
 M. Wills, Frank L. Fuller and B. F. Euth, Jr.; 
 reading of Lincoln's farewell address to the people of 
 Springfield, by Eev. Albert Hale, the oldest clergyman 
 in Springfield ; reading of Lincoln's letter to Eliza P. 
 Gurney, by . J. C. Power, Secretary of the Lincoln 
 Guard of Honor; singing; reading of Lincoln's 
 second inaugural address, by C. L. Conkling, a 
 member of the Guard of Honor; voluntary addresses
 
 LINCOLN AND THE MONUMENT. 399 
 
 by Rev. W. B. Affleck and Governor Cullom, and the 
 reading of Lincoln's favorite poem, "0, why should 
 the spirit of mortal be proud," by Mrs. E. 8. John- 
 son, wife of a member of the Guard of Honor ; and 
 the benediction, by Rev. J. H. Noble, of the First 
 Methodist Church. 
 
 The following is the very brief, spirited and highly 
 appropriate address of Rev. W. B. Affleck, of York, 
 England : 
 
 "The sorrow and sympathy of the Guards of Honor, citizens, 
 admiring friends, and of the many strangers whose cheeks are 
 moistened with tears, who are assembled here on this momentously 
 solemn occasion, leads me to repeat an ancient though appropriate 
 question, " Is there no balm in Gilead, is there no physician 
 there? Why then is the hurt of my people not healed? 
 
 Why, aye, why ? Because no such wound as we are gathered 
 here to commemorate was ever before inflicted, and no hurt was 
 ever before so universally felt. In Abraham Lincoln's death 
 humanity lost a loyal and beneficent representative, the oppressed 
 colored race its champion, emancipator, and this great Nation its 
 political and patriotic savior. He had love too ardent, sympathies 
 too deep, a soul too large, a heart too tender nd a mission too 
 Catholic and comprehensive for any other country but this limit- 
 less and liberty-loving 
 
 " Land of the free 
 
 And home of the brave." 
 
 His great achievements inspired hope in the poorest of the poor. 
 His honesty placed merchandise and law on a higher plane. His 
 becoming and uniform humanity gave worthy example to the rich 
 and the great. His willing and industrious hand gave dignity 
 to honest toil. His graceful carriage and kindly demeanor under 
 highest honors gave a lesson to all rulers, and his noble life, 
 crowned with a martyr's death, gave testimony to a witnessing 
 world that it is greater and diviner to die in a good cause, than to 
 live and see a Nation's liberties sacrificed. For 
 
 "Whether on the scaffold high, 
 Or in the battle's van ; 
 The fittest place for man to die 
 Is, when he dies for fellow man." 
 
 In this country's future the pure life of " Lincoln the Good," 
 will inspire a spirit, of Christian chivalry in tens of thousands of 
 America's stalwart sons, arid will give them a certainty that 
 
 " Freedom's battles once begun, 
 Bequeathed from bleeding sire to son, 
 Though baffled oft are always won."
 
 400 LINCOLN AND THE MONUMENT. 
 
 Guards of Honor May God bless you for organizing to guard 
 the fair fame and the good name of honest Abraham Lincoln. 
 Yours is a sacred trust. This is a fine Monument. Its sparkling 
 granite making it imperishable but fitly symbolizes the enduring 
 loyalty of our own Lincoln to truth, goodness and God. 
 
 In England we teach our children to love its Cromwell. In 
 Scotland they teach their children to love its Wallace. In Ireland 
 they teach their children to love its Daniel O'Connell. In Switzer- 
 land they teach their children to love its Winkelreid. In Italy 
 they teach their children to love its Garibaldi. In America, 
 humanity's refuge and freedom's hope and home, teach, oh, teach 
 your children to love, ever love, its Washington the Securer, 
 and Lincoln the Conservator, of a Nation united, prosperous and 
 free. 
 
 "Then heart to heart 
 And hand to hand 
 Bound together let us stand; 
 Storms are gathering 
 O'er the land, 
 Many friends are gone. 
 Still we never are alone, 
 Still the battle must be won, 
 Still we bravely march right on 
 Right on right on !" 
 
 Mr. Affleck's address was neither the first nor the 
 last, and when the benediction was pronounced, the 
 universal verdict was that the first effort to hold 
 memorial services on the anniversary of the death of 
 President Lincoln, was a most gratifying success. 
 
 The second memorial service was held at the same 
 place and hour on the morning of April 15, 1881, 
 President Dana of the Lincoln Guard of Honor again 
 acting as master of ceremonies. It consisted of prayer 
 by Eev. F. D. Eickerson of the Central Baptist 
 Church ; singing by the Young Men's Christian 
 Association chorus ; address by Eev. J. M. Sturtevant, 
 D. D., ex-President of Illinois College ; introductory 
 address and reading of Lincoln's Gettysburg speech 
 by Eev. T. A. Parker, of the First M. E. Church, 
 Springfield ; address by Gen. H. H. Thomas, Speaker 
 of the Illinois House of Eepresentatives, then in 
 session; address and reading by Clinton L. Conkling, 
 a member of the Lincoln Guard of Honor ; address 
 by Eev. W. B. Affleck, who had participated in similar 
 services the year before at the same place. The ser-
 
 LINCOLN AND THE MONUMENT. 401 
 
 vices closed by singing, " The Roll Call on High," and 
 prayer and benediction by Rev. Roswell 0. Post, pastor 
 of the Congregational Church, Springfield. 
 
 The exercises were exceedingly interesting in every 
 part, but the address of the venerable Doctor Sturte- 
 vant was a resume of a life-long acquaintance with 
 his suject, and was studded with the richest gems of 
 thought and oratory from beginning to end. No mere 
 extracts could do it justice. The Guard of Honor hold 
 it in reserve, expecting to publish it on some future 
 occasion. Excepting that the weather was so cold and 
 cloudy, the second memorial service was equally suc- 
 cessful with the first, and the Lincoln Guard of Honor 
 received words of commendation and encourgement 
 on all sides. 
 
 The third memorial service was held at the monu- 
 ment, at half-past two o'clock, on the afternoon of 
 April 15, 1882. The hour was thus changed in order 
 to have the benefit of the warmer afternoon, for all 
 our services have been held in the open air and for 
 the greater convenience of the people. President 
 Dana, of the Lincoln Guard of Honor, for the third 
 time conducting the services. The members of the 
 Guard on all public occasions are distinguished by a 
 neat badge worn on the left lapel. The services con- 
 sisted of prayer by Eev. D. S. Johnson, D. D., of the 
 Second Presbytern Church, Springfield; singing by 
 the Double Quartette, Mr. George A. Sanders, Con- 
 ductor, Miss Julia E. Holcomb, Mrs. W. L. Barlow, 
 Miss Lulu Hibbs, Mrs. James F. McNeill, Mr. H. F. 
 Velde, Mr. Fred Wilms, Mr. Harry M. Snape ; Miss 
 Minnie Goodwin, Organist ; address by Shelby M. 
 Cullom, Governor of the State of Illinois; reading 
 reminiscences, extracts from a temperance address by 
 Lincoln, an eulogy on him by an ex-Confederate 
 soldier, by J. C. Power; singing; address by Hon. 
 James A. Connolly, United States District Attorney ; 
 recitation by Mrs. Edward S. Johnson; singing, 
 "America;" and prayer and benediction, by Rev. W. 
 S. Matthew, of the Second Methodist Church. 
 26
 
 402 LINCOLN AND THE MONUMENT. 
 
 Governor Cullom has been one of the speakers at 
 each of the three memorial services, and the last with 
 him is always the best. Mr. Connolly's address was 
 patriotic, eloquent, and clothed in the most beautiful 
 and polished language. It was listened to with the 
 closest attention from the beginning to its close. 
 
 The Lincoln Guard of Honor keeps a carefully 
 prepared copy of every utterance at these memorial 
 services, and expects in time to publish them. 
 
 "Desiring to extend these services throughout the 
 land, and to secure the cooperation of all patriotic 
 citizens in its most laudable undertakings, this 
 organization, regarding itself merely as a standing 
 committee of the people, has provided for the admission 
 of honorary members, and has procured finely 
 engraved certificates of such membership. These 
 certificates are printed upon fine paper, about fourteen 
 by seventeen inches, and contain a medallion portrait 
 of Abraham Lincoln, and correct views of his former 
 residence in Springfield, and of the Monument 
 beneath which lie his remains. Any person, upon the 
 payment of five dollars or upwards, can become an 
 honorary member, and receive one of these certificates, 
 showing the name of the donor and the amount of his 
 gift ; which certificate will be signed by the officers of 
 the organization, under its corporate seal. The 
 Lincoln Guard of Honor, therefore, appeals to all who 
 are in sympathy with its purposes, to assist in their 
 accomplishment by enrolling themselves as honorary 
 members, and lending their influence to the attain- 
 ment of its plans. Neither personal nor mercenary 
 interests are to be subserved, but the only object is to 
 commemorate, in a fitting manner, the example and 
 virtues of the immortal Lincoln." 
 
 The author being the Secretary of the organization 
 and Custodian of the monument, takes the liberty to 
 insert here his readings of the reminiscences, as part 
 of the memorial service April 15. 1882. That part in 
 brackets was not read : 
 
 LADIES AND GENTLEMEN : The Lincoln Guard of Honor regard 
 themselves merely as a standing committee to arrange for and con- 
 duct these Memorial Services. We are not a band of orators, but
 
 LINCOLN AND THE MONUMENT. 403 
 
 we propose to press into our service the best talent and patriotism 
 we can find, that we may properly observe what we regard an 
 important occasion. At the same time, however, we think it best 
 that, some one of our number should take part in the exercises of 
 the hour, and the lot this time falls to me. 
 
 On the morning of March 6, 1879, a company of ladies, compos- 
 ing a committee of the Woman's Christian Temperance Union, under 
 the leadership of the President of the Union, Miss Frances E. Willard, 
 visited the National Lincoln Monument, and held a prayer-meeting 
 on the Terrace, under the shadow of the statue of Lincoln. 
 
 As many of them had never visited the Monument before, I, at 
 the close of the meeting, invited all into Memorial Hall. In 
 explaining to them the circumstances under which the bust of Mr. 
 Lincoln was taken, I showed them a cast of his right hand, and in 
 giving an account of the manner in which Mr. Volk, the artist, 
 obtained it, incidentally remarked that it was a cast of the hand 
 that afterwards untied the hardest knot we ever had in this 
 country, alluding, of course, to the writing of the Emancipation 
 Proclamation. After a momentary silence, seemingly to divine 
 my meaning, one of the ladies said: 'We understand you; 
 slavery was a very hard knot, but it was only local. Whisky is a 
 much worse one, for it is everywhere, no family is safe, we are 
 trying to untie that." This impressed me as putting the question 
 with great force. The ladies went from Memorial Hall direct to 
 the State Capitol, and presented to the Legislature of Illinois, their 
 great petition, supported by a hundred thousand names, asking for 
 Home Protection, by giving the ballot to women, where -the 
 manufacture arid sale of intoxicating drinks is the question. In 
 view of later developments, their action in coming to Lincoln's 
 tomb to pray for the success of the cause of temperance, was more 
 appropriate than they at the time knew. 
 
 The full copy of an address on Temperance, delivered by 
 Abraham Lincoln, in Springfield, Illinois, February twenty-second, 
 eighteen hundred and forty-two, under the auspices of the Spring- 
 field Washingtonian Temperance Society, has recently been brought 
 to light. Previous to that time he had served three terms in the 
 lower house of the Legislature of Illinois. During those terms, he 
 was remarkable for speaking little and listening much. If news- 
 paper reporters had been as numerous then as they are now, there 
 is lit.tle doubt that many wise sayings of Mr. Lincoln would have 
 been preserved, that are now forever lost. I have not examined 
 the subject myself, but a friend who has, informs me that this is 
 the first speech by him that was ever printed. It appeared March 
 26, 1842, in the Sangamo Journal, of which the present Illinois 
 State Journal is the successor. 
 
 At the time this address was delivered, prohibition of the 
 manufacture and sale of intoxicating* drinks, by legal enactment, 
 was never mentioned, and perhaps, never thought of. Moral 
 suasion was the only means by which the Washingtonians expected
 
 404 LINCOLN AND THE MONUMENT. 
 
 to achieve victory. All of Mr. Lincoln's arguments were based 
 upon these principles. The wonderful faculty and spirit of fair- 
 ness he always manifested, in first arguing every case from the 
 standpoint of his opponent, was fully developed in this address. 
 He first looked at the subject as seen by the manufacturer, the 
 dram-seller and the dram-drinker. He drew parallels between the 
 movement by the American colonies for political freedom which 
 achieved its first great victory in 1776, and the Washingtonian 
 Temperance movement, then in its infancy, battling for moral free- 
 dom. With a prophetic eye, he looked forward to the time when 
 there would neither be a slave nor a drunkard on the earth; and 
 of the proud position our own land would occupy as the birth- 
 place and cradle of both revolutions. It may reasonably be pre- 
 sumed that Mr. Lincoln did not expect to live to see the consum- 
 mation of either; but he did live to strike the death blow of one of 
 these gigantic evils, thus writing his name so high upon the scroll 
 of fame that it will never be effaced while time endures. Let us 
 hope that the man or woman for it ought to die by the hand of her 
 who has suffered most by it is now living who will strike the 
 death blow to the other great enemy of mankind. 
 
 Talk about slavery and polygamy as the twin relics of 
 barbarism! They were, and are circumscribed in their limits. 
 Intemperance has no limits, and consequently towers high above 
 them both ; no, it does not reach in that direction but sinks so 
 deep below as to fill, if it were possible, the bottomless pit with 
 the souls of its victims. I will now present Mr. Lincoln's views 
 on the then pending temperance revolution in his own words: 
 
 ["But if it be true, as I have insisted, that those who have 
 suffered by intemperance personally, and have reformed, are the 
 most powerful and efficient instruments to push the reformation to 
 ultimate success, it does not follow that those who have not suffered 
 have no part left them to perform. Whether or not the world 
 would be vastly benefitted by a total and final banishment from it 
 of all intoxicating drinks, seems to me not now an open question. 
 Three-fourths of mankind confess the affirmative with their 
 tongues, and, I believe, all the rest acknowledge it in their hearts. 
 ' Ought any, then, to refuse their aid in doing what the good of 
 the whole demands? Shall he who cannot do much, be for that 
 reason excused if he do nothing? But, says one, what good can I 
 do by signing the pledge? I never drink, even without signing. 
 This question has been asked and answered more than a million 
 times. Let it be answered once more. For the man suddenly, 
 or in any other way, to break off from the use of drams, who has 
 indulged in them for a long course of years, and until his appetite 
 for them has grown ten or a hundred fold stronger, and more 
 craving than any natural appetite can be, requires a most powerful 
 moral effort. In such an undertaking he needs every moral sup- 
 port and influence that can possibly be brought to his aid and 
 thrown around him. And not, only so* but every moral prop should
 
 LINCOLN ANT) THE MONUMENT. 405 
 
 be taken from whatever argument, might rise in his mind to lure 
 him to his backsliding. When he casts his eyes around him, he 
 should be able to see all that he respects, all that he admires, all 
 that he loves, kindly and anxiously pointing him onward, and 
 none beckoning him back to his former miserable wallowing in the 
 mire. 
 
 "But it is said by some that men will think and act for them- 
 selves; that none will disuse spirits or anything else because his 
 neighbors do; and that moral influence is not that powerful engine 
 contended for. Let us examine this. Let me ask the man who 
 could maintain this position most stiffly, what compensation he 
 would accept to go to Church some Sunday and sit during the 
 sermon with his wife's bonnet upon his head ? Not a trifle, I'll 
 venture. And why not? There would be nothing irreligious in it, 
 nothing immoral, nothing uncomfortable then why not? Is it not 
 because there would be something egregiously unfashionable in it? 
 Then it is the influence of fashion ; and what is the influence of 
 fashion but the influence that other people's actions have on our 
 own actions the strong inclination each of us feels to do as we 
 see all our neighbors do? Nor is the influence of fashion confined 
 to any particular thing or class of things. It is just as strong on 
 one subject as another. Let us make it as unfashionable to with- 
 hold our names from the temperance pledge, as for husbands to 
 wear their wives' bonnets to Church, and instances will be just as 
 rare in the one case as the other. But, say some, we are no 
 drunkards and we shall not acknowledge ourselves such by joining 
 a reformed drunkards society, whatever our influence might he. 
 
 "Surely, no Christian will adhere to this objection. If they 
 believe, as they profess, that Omnipotence condescended to take on 
 himself the form of sinful man, and as such, to die an ignominous 
 death for their sakes, surely they will not refuse submission to the 
 infinitely lesser condescension for the the temporal, and perhaps 
 eternal, salvation of a large, erring and unfortunate class of their 
 fellow creatures. Nor is the condescension very great. In my 
 judgment, such of us as have never fallen victims, have been 
 spared more from the absence of appetite than from any mental or 
 moral superiority over those who have. Indeed, I believe, if we 
 take the habitual drunkards as a class, their heads and their hearts 
 will bear an advantageous comparison with those of any other 
 class. There seems ever to have been a proneness in the brilliant, 
 and warm-blooded, to fall into the vice, the demon of intemper- 
 ance ever seems to have delighted in sucking the blood of genius 
 and of generosity. What one of us but can call to mind some 
 relative, more promising in youth than all his fellows, who has 
 fallen a sacrifice to his rapacity? He ever seems to have gone 
 forth like the Egyptian angel of death, commissioned to slay, if 
 not the first, the fairest born of every family. Shall he now be 
 arrested in his desolating career? In that arrest, all can give aid 
 that will ; and who shall be excused that can, and will not? Far
 
 406 LINCOLN AND THE MONUMENT. 
 
 around as human breath has ever blown, he keeps our fathers, our 
 brothers, our sons, and our friends prostrate in the chains of moral 
 death. To all the living, everywhere, we cry : Come, sound the 
 moral trump, that these may rise and stand up an exceeding great 
 army. Come from the four winds, breath! and breathe upon 
 these slain, that they may live."] 
 
 " If the relative grandeur of revolutions shall be estimated by 
 the great amount of human misery they alleviate, and the small 
 amount they inflict, then, indeed, will this be the grandest the 
 world shall ever have seen. Of our political revolution of 1776, 
 we are all justly proud. It has given us a degree of political free- 
 dom far exceeding that of any other nation of the earth. In it 
 the world has found a solution of the long mooted problem as to 
 the capability of man to govern himself. In it was the germ 
 which has vegetated, and still is to grow and expand into the 
 universal liberty of mankind. But with all these glorious results, 
 past, present, and to come, it had its evils, too. It breathed forth 
 famine, swam in blood, and rode in fire ; and long, long after, the 
 orphan's cry, and the widow's wail continued to break the sad silence 
 that ensued. These were the price, the inevitable price, paid for 
 the blessings jj, bought. 
 
 "Turn, now, to the temperance revolution. In it we shall find a 
 stronger bondage broken, a viler slavery manumitted, a greater 
 tyrant deposed. In it more of want supplied, more disease healed, 
 more sorrow assuaged, By it no orphans starving, none injured 
 in interest; even the dram-maker and dram-seller will have glided 
 into other occupations so gradually, as never to have felt the 
 change, and will stand ready to join all others in the universal 
 song of gladness. And what a noble ally is this to the cause of 
 political freedom. With such an aid, its march cannot, fail to be on 
 and on, till every son of earth shall drink in rich fruition the sor- 
 row-quenching draughts of perfect liberty. Happy day, when, all 
 appetites controlled, all passions subdued, all matter subjected; 
 mind, all-conquering mind, shall live and move, the monarch of 
 the world. Glorious consummation! Hail, fall of fury I Reign of 
 reason, all hail !" 
 
 Mr. Lincoln did not make any allusion to the day they were 
 observing; except in the closing paragraph: 
 
 "This is the one hundred and tenth anniversary of the birthday 
 of Washington. We are met to celebrate this day. Washington 
 is the mightiest name of earth long since mightiest in the cause 
 of civil liberty, still mightiest in moral reformation. On that 
 name a eulogy is expected. It cannot be. To add brightness to 
 the sun, or glory to the name of Washington, , is alike impossible. 
 Let none attempt it. In solemn awe pronounce the name, and in 
 its naked, deathless splendor, leave it shining on." 
 
 In the subject eulogized, the words spoken, and the reverential 
 bearing of the orator, in which he was too modest to call his utter- 
 ances by their proper title, this eulogy is unique. Could Lincoln
 
 LINCOLN AND THE MONUMENT. 407 
 
 have looked down through the dark clouds, the surging billows, and 
 the lights and shades of almost forty years, he might have heard, 
 which I almost think he did. at his own tomb, words of equal 
 grandeur, from a source apparently as humble, and far more sur- 
 prising, when we consider the relation of the parties to each other. 
 
 About two years ago, just as I was dismissing a party of visitors 
 from the door of the Catacomb, a very plain, modest looking man 
 of middle age, approached and^said he had come to see and learn all 
 he could about the Monument and Lincoln. I proceeded in my 
 usual way, when visitors are much interested, and completed my 
 explanations on the Terrace, in front of the statue of the Presi- 
 dent. From the general bearing of the visitor, I should have taken 
 him for a son of an original New England Abolitionist. When I 
 left off speaking, he remained, and seemed reluctant to take his 
 eyes from the statue. After several minutes spent in silent medi- 
 tation, he astonished me by saying substantially: 
 
 "I was a soldier in the Confederate army, and spent four years 
 doing my utmost to defeat all that Abraham Lincoln was trying to 
 accomplish. He succeeded, and I have no regrets on that account." 
 
 The visitor then assumed a tragic attitude, and raising his right 
 hand towards the statue, said, with deliberation and emphasis : 
 
 " He was an infinitely greater man than George Washington ever 
 was." . 
 
 With his eyes still fixed on the statue, and as though his 
 whole soul was in his words, he continued: 
 
 "Washington had no difficulty in determining who were his 
 friends and who were not. His enemies were principally on the 
 water, on the other side of it, or officers and soldiers. sent here to 
 enforce the mandates of a tyrant. His friends were his neighbors, 
 who, in addition to their struggles for existence in a new country, 
 were oppressed by taxation without representation. The line was 
 clearly drawn from the beginning. 
 
 . " With Lincoln it was different. His enemies were in every 
 department of the government. They filled the civil offices; they 
 commanded his skeleton of an army ; they trod the decks of his 
 ships, such as they were. Where they could with immunity be 
 open, they were bold and outspoken; where it was policy they 
 were more wily, complaisant and cautious. It required two years, 
 or half his first term, to learn who were friends and who were ene- 
 mies ; but he was equal to the emergency. And through it all a 
 little child could approach him with perfect confidence; but the 
 most wily statesman could not swerve him a hair's breadth from 
 what he believed to be right!'' 
 
 The Presbyterian church is governed by four judica- 
 tories or church courts : the Session, the Presbytery, 
 the Synod, and the General Assembly. . It is strictly a 
 representative government, in which the majority
 
 408 LINCOLN AND THE MONUMENT. 
 
 rules. Some of the leading minds, in achieving our 
 independence, both as soldiers and statesmen, are 
 known to have been members of, and officers in, the 
 Presbyterian church. It is claimed, with a reasonable 
 probability of its truthfulness, that it served, to a con- 
 siderable extent, as a model to the framers of our own 
 National government. 
 
 During our Revolutionary period, but three of those 
 courts existed in the colonies. The highest was styled 
 the Synod of New York and Philadelphia. That Synod 
 was divided into four Synods, and the Presbyteries 
 composing those four Synods, in 1789, organized the 
 General Assembly of the Presbyterian Church in the 
 United States of America. Notwithstanding the 
 divisions and re-unions that have taken place, the 
 great body of Presbyterians in the United States, who 
 are the descendants and successors of those represented 
 in the first General Assembly, compose the Presby- 
 terian church represented in the ninety-fourth General 
 Assembly of the Presbyterian church in the United 
 States of America, which convened in Springfield, 111., 
 in May, 1882. 
 
 Before the General Assembly settled down to work it 
 became evident that the commissioners and others in 
 attendance would visit the Lincoln Monument in such 
 numbers as to render it impossible for all to register 
 their names there. In order to obviate this difficulty, 
 blanks were prepared, of uniform size with the pages 
 of the register, so that by removing an equal number 
 of sheets they will be inserted and form part of the 
 register. Columns were prepared with suitable head- 
 ings, for the name, postoffice, and State of each com- 
 missioner, whether a minister or ruling elder, and the 
 Presbytery he represents. These blanks were placed 
 on the desk of the clerk of the General Assembly, and 
 attention called to them by the Moderator. The names 
 of nearly all the commissioners are enrolled. A beau- 
 tifully printed title page reads : 
 
 "Autograph roll of the Commissioners composing the General 
 Assembly of the Presbyterian Church, in the United States of 
 Americn, to be deposited in Memorial Hall, National Lincoln Mon- 
 ument, as a memento of their ninety-fourth annual session, held
 
 LINCOLN AND THE MONUMENT. 409 
 
 in the city which was once the home of our martyred President, 
 Abraham Lincoln. Convened, May 18, 1882 ; adjourned, May 29, 
 1882. Springfield, Illinois." 
 
 The next page reads : 
 
 Rev. Herrick Johnson, D. D., Moderator of the Presbyterian General 
 
 Assembly, now in annual session : 
 
 DEAR SIR: This is done with the approval of the Executive Com- 
 mittee of the National Lincoln Monument Association, consisting 
 of Hon. John T. Stuart, Col. John Williams and Hon. James C. 
 Conkling. 
 
 As much would be done in connection with any other 
 church court of national extent, should it assemble in 
 Springfield, but this being a Presbyterian affair, the 
 writer takes the liberty, without their knowledge, of 
 saying who the members of the Executive Committee 
 are: 
 
 Mr. Stuart was the preceptor, and afterwards the 
 law partner, of Abraham Lincoln. He is tlje son of a 
 Presbyterian minister, and is a regular attendant of 
 the First Presbyterian Church, where Mr. Lincoln 
 worshipped. 
 
 Mr. Williams is a member of the same church. 
 
 Mr. Conkling is a ruling elder in the Second Presby- 
 terian Church of Springfield. 
 
 It may not be out of place to mention in this con- 
 nection, as a coincidence, that your humble servant 
 has served more than twenty years as a ruling elder 
 in the Presbyterian church. 
 
 J. C. POWER, Custodian. 
 MEMORIAL HALL, NATIONAL LINCOLN MONUMENT, 
 SPRINGFIELD, ILLINOIS, MAY 24, 1882. 
 
 Upon the invitation of the Executive Committee, the 
 members of the General Assembly visited the Monu- 
 ment on the afternoon of Saturday, May 27th, and 
 were welcomed by the Hon. James C. Conkling, in the 
 following well chosen words : 
 
 " The Lincoln Monument Association have thought it due to the 
 patriotic attitude which has heretofore been assumed by the General 
 Assembly of the Presbyterian Church of the United States of 
 America, that they should be invited while here in the city of 
 Springfield, to visit the tomb of our martyred President, Abraham
 
 410 LINCOLN AND THE MONUMENT. 
 
 Lincoln, and they have, therefore, extended an invitation to you to 
 be here on this occasion, in order that we may listen to some of 
 those same patriotic utterances to which many of us have hereto- 
 fore listened during the darkest period of our country's peril. 
 And to this end, we have invited some of your number to make a 
 few remarks on this occasion, and I therefore now introduce Dr. 
 Herrick Johnson," who spoke as follows: 
 
 "Gathered here to-day at the tomb of our first martyr President, 
 it befits the place and the hour that we recall his death, catch, if 
 possible, his inner spirit, and enter anew into the meaning of his 
 sacrifice. We did well to rear this cenotaph* to his memory, and 
 to weave amaranths for the brow of the beloved dead. Forever- 
 more sacred will be this Monument that entombs him. * * * * 
 But what of the dead to the living? We shall build better than 
 monumental marble to his memory, if we build the meaning of his 
 spirif. and the meaning of his martyrdom into our hearts and lives. 
 Let us emphasize, for one thing, a central truth of our holy religion 
 that it is only by a crucified Redeemer salvation cometh. Apostles 
 are stoned, prophets are sawn asunder 
 
 " Knowledge by suffering entereth, 
 
 And life is perfected by death.' 
 
 "In looking over the field of strife, it seems as if men planted 
 each new truth with blood, and shed much to set some truths. But 
 in the end truth is set in hearts and homes, societies and States, 
 and the fruitage is glorious. Is it too much to say that the plant of 
 universal emancipation in all this land for the negro, was worth 
 even the blood of Lincoln? Is it too much to say that even through 
 that baptism of suffering and sorrow, which culminated in his- 
 death, the spirit of glory and of God nestled down upon this 
 Nation, and we were left the richer for the baptism? Let us thank 
 God to-day, that though 
 
 ' Careless seems the Great Avenger, 
 
 And history's pages but record 
 
 One death grapple in the darkness, 
 
 'Twixt old systems and the Word; 
 
 Truth forever on the scaffold, 
 
 Wrong forever on the throne, 
 
 Yet that scaffold sways the future ; ^ 
 
 And behind the dim unknown 
 
 Standeth God within the shadow, 
 
 Keeping watch above His own.' 
 
 "Here in this hallowed spot let us make room in our hearts fora 
 larger and sweeter charity. Abraham Lincoln's heart was full of 
 it. When the spirit of hate and passion murdered him, it mur- 
 dered mercy. The calm, patient, often weary, but ever kindly and 
 
 *The use of this w'ord would imply that he had been led, erro- 
 neously, to believe that the body was not in the Monument.
 
 LINCOLN AND THE MONUMENT. 411 
 
 gentle soul, how he did plead with his wayward countrymen ! 
 What gentleness was in all his speeches! With what brooding 
 tenderness did he watch over his great trust! His tears were bot- 
 tled, his prayers were registered, his love has conquered, his pro- 
 phetic vision must have caught the glory of this glad hour, as he 
 said, 'The mystic chords of memory, stretching from every battle- 
 field and patriot grave to every living heart and hearthstone, all 
 over this broad land, will yet swell the chorus of the Union, when 
 again touched, as surely they will be, by the better angels of our 
 nature.' The hands of those better angels, hidden from mortal 
 eyes, have struck the last chorus. We listen here in the hush of 
 this holy hour, to the music of their vibration, and, blessed be God, 
 our dear dissevered, and so long alienated, Presbyterian church 
 takes step with the country to th music that finds its heavenly 
 expression and inspiration in the thirteenth chapter of first Cor- 
 rinthians. Let us go from this tomb praying to be bathed more 
 and more in the spirit of Christ's love and sacrifice, and to be 
 moulded more and more into the image of his divine passion." 
 
 Some of the colored commissioners and others were 
 prepared to speak, but the approaching rainstorm pre- 
 vented carrying out the programme. There was a few 
 words by Governor Cullom, a prayer by Rev. Dr. Hat- 
 field, the singing of the doxology, and the benediction 
 by Rev. W. H. Roberts, all of which I omit, and give 
 only the brief address of Rev. E. P. Humphrey, D. D., 
 of Louisville, Kentucky : 
 
 "I know of no reason why I should be expected to speak, except 
 the fact that I represent, in our General Assembly, the region in 
 which Mr. Lincoln was born. The Presbytery I represent covers the 
 region^n which is the little town, near which Mi^ Lincoln began life 
 in the world. 'Except a corn of wheat fall into the ground it abidetb. 
 alone, but if it die it bringeth forth much fruit.' And it will, per- 
 haps, occur in the course of years, or of ages, as they revolve, that 
 the death of this man, under the circumstances, has been of advan- 
 tage to the world, stimulating people, who love liberty, to sacrifice 
 themselves, if necessary, upon its altar, and inducing them to 
 declare that this government shall be preserved as a government 
 of the people, from the people, and for the people. If this man had 
 survived to this time, and had come out of his primitive dwelling 
 into the city now, he would have found here representatives of a 
 people who are governed, substantially, by the same great rules 
 which prevailed in the constitution of our country. There is, as 
 you know, such a resemblance between the constitution and the 
 government of this church and the constitution and government of 
 the country, that it would seem the one was specially indebted to 
 the other, though not from the people, but from Christ, it is of the 
 people and for the people.
 
 412 LINCOLN AND THE MONUMENT. 
 
 Now, let me suggest, also, that it becomes us as citizens of this 
 country likewise, because we are not only subjects of the church 
 of Christ, ministers and working elders, but citizens, to cherish 
 the memory of this man in the work before us, and see to it that 
 the great, principles of liberty and philanthropy, for which he lived 
 and died, are made permanent and eternal. I cannot continue 
 these remarks, as I observe the rain is beginning to fall, but we are 
 willing, even in the rain, to meditate a moment on these things. 
 Astronomers tell us that from the most distant star in our system, 
 light would require hundreds of years to travel to our earth. If, 
 now, one of these stars should be blotted out, the light from it 
 would still be coming down, long after the star had disappeared. 
 So the light of this man's example shines upon the world, and will 
 continue to shine, and shine upon the whole land and the whole 
 earth, for ages and ages after his death after even this Monument 
 shall, in the course of years, decay and crumble, the example of 
 that man and the light that flows from his example, will be per- 
 petually falling upon the world. I feel as if my heart and mind 
 and body were full of the' electric 'fire of liberty, and I seem a 
 stronger, and I hope a better, man for having stood in this place, 
 and for having communed with a heart and thought so pure, so 
 simple and yet so grand, so near and natural, he seems yours and 
 mine as we stand here together upon this sacred spot."