A dispatch from
Harrisburg, Pa., to the N. Y. Times, dated Feb. 23, 8 A. M., says:--
Abraham Lincoln, the
President-elect of the
United
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States, is safe in the capital of the nation.
By the admirable arrangement of
General Scott the country has been spared the lasting disgrace, which would have been fastened indelibly upon it, had
Mr. Lincoln been murdered upon his journey thither, as he would have been, had he followed the programme as announced in papers, and gone by the Northern Central railroad to
Baltimore.
On Thursday night after he had retired,
Mr. Lincoln was aroused and informed that a stranger desired to see him on a matter of life or death.
He declined to admit him unless he gave his name, which he at once did. Such prestige did the name carry that while
Mr. Lincoln was yet disrobed, he granted an interview to the caller.
A prolonged conversation elicited the fact, that an organized body of men had determined that
Mr. Lincoln should not be inaugurated, and that he should never leave the city of
Baltimore alive, if, indeed, he ever entered it.
The list of the names of the conspirators presented a most astonishing array of persons high in Southern confidence, and some whose fame is not confined to this country alone.
Statesmen laid the plan, bankers indorsed it, and adventurers were to carry it into effect.
They understood
Mr. Lincoln was to leave
Harrisburg at 9 o'clock this morning by special train, and the idea was, if possible, to throw the cars from the road at some point where they would rush down a steep embankment and destroy in a moment the lives of all on board.
In case of the failure of this project their plan was to surround the carriage on the way from depot to depot in
Baltimore, and assassinate him with dagger or pistol shot.
So authentic was the source from which the information was obtained, that
Mr. Lincoln, after counselling his friends, was compelled to make arrangements which would enable him to subvert the plans of his enemies.
Greatly to the annoyance of the thousands who desired to call on him last night, he declined giving a reception.
The final council was held at 8 o'clock.
Mr. Lincoln did not want to yield, and
Col. Sumner actually cried with indignation; but
Mrs. Lincoln, seconded by
Mr. Judd and
Mr. Lincoln's original informant, insisted upon it, and at 9 o'clock
Mr. Lincoln left on a special train.
He wore a Scotch plaid cap and a very long military cloak, so that he was entirely unrecognizable.
Accompanied by
Superintendent Lewis and one friend, he started, while all the town, with the exception of
Mrs. Lincoln, Col. Sumner,
Mr. Judd, and two reporters, who were sworn to secrecy, supposed him to be asleep.
The telegraph wires were put beyond reach of any one who might desire to use them.
At one o'clock the fact was whispered from one to another, and it soon became the theme of the most excited conversation.
Many thought it a very injudicious move, while others regarded it as a stroke of great merit.
The prevailing feeling excited by
Mr. Lincoln's quiet passage through
Baltimore, was one of relief and of gratification, though expressions of disappointed curiosity were frequently heard.
The injudicious determination of certain political friends of the
President-elect in this city to mark his arrival with a public demonstration, had excited a spirit of stern opposition, which it was feared would manifest itself in acts which, though designed directly to rebuke the ill-advised zeal of the parties referred to, might yet have been misconstrued into a personal affront to the
President-elect, and so have reflected discreditably upon the good repute of
Baltimore.
The action, therefore, of
Mr. Lincoln, in disappointing alike the purposes of his political friends and the public curiosity, was a simple and practical avoidance of what might have been an occasion of disorder and of mortification to all interested in the preservation of the good name of our city.
Ample precautions were adopted to guard against any violation of the public peace.
A large police force was detailed for duty at the depot, and to protect the
President and his suite on their passage through the streets, against the turbulent pressure of the crowds which he experienced in other cities on his route hither; and these measures of
Marshal Kane, even if they had failed to restrain any expression of disapprobation, would certainly have secured
Mr. Lincoln from insult, had such been intended.
On the arrival of the cars and the appearance on the platform of the Baltimore Republican committee, they were received with groans and hootings.
A rush was made at
William E. Beale and
Francis S. Corkran, but they were protected by the police, and neither of them were injured further than knocking their hats over their eyes.
The following was the committee:
William G. Snethen, chairman;
Judge William L. Marshall,
L. Blumenberg, of Gaystreet;
William E. Beale.
Hon. Judge Palmer, of
Frederick, was with the party.
Mrs. Lincoln and her three sons proceeded to the residence of
Col. John S. Gittings, president of the Northern Central railway, at Mount Vernon Square, leaving accepted an invitation tendered to them on their way to this city, so as to relieve them from the crowd and excitement.
They left the cars, we learn, at the junction of Charles-street, where
Mr. Gittings's carriage was in waiting for them, and were in a few minutes enjoying the quiet of his spacious mansion, while crowds were gaping for a sight of them at the depot.
One fellow in the crowd at Calvert station, who was known as a violent Republican, had his hat knocked off a dozen time by the rowdies.--
Baltimore American.
At 15 minutes to one o'clock a mighty heaving and surging in the multitude at the north entrance of the depot, proclaimed some fresh excitement, and in a few moments the
York accommodation train entered the depot, followed by an excited crowd, which mistook it for the special train of the
President-elect and suite.
As soon as the train stopped, the crowd leaped upon the platforms, and mounted to the tops of the cars like so many monkeys, until like a hive of bees they swarmed upon them-shouting, hallooing, and making all manner of noises.
The officers in charge of the train appeared, and the crowd, discovering their error, recoiled, a little chop-fallen, but prepared for another excitement.
After it became apparent to the multitude that the
President-elect had indeed escaped their attentions, they turned about to bestow them upon such of his humbler constituents as they recognized in their midst.
These attentions were exhibited in
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a system of crowding and squeezing exceedingly unpleasant to those upon whose persons the “pressure” was brought to bear.
* * * * * * *
Had we any respect for
Mr. Lincoln, official or personal, as a man, or as
President-elect of the
United States, his career and speeches on his way to the seat of government would have cruelly impaired it; but the final escapade by which he reached the capital would have utterly demolished it, and overwhelmed us with mortification.
As it is, no sentiment of respect of whatever sort with regard to the man suffers violence on our part, at any thing he may do. He might have entered Willard's Hotel with a “head spring” and a “summersault,” and the clown's merry greeting to
Gen. Scott, “Here we are!”
and we should care nothing about it personally.
We do not believe the Presidency can ever be more degraded by any of his successors, than it has been by him, even before his inauguration; and so, for aught we care, he may go to the full extent of his wretched comicalities.
We have only too much cause to fear that such a man, and such advisers as he has, may prove capable of infinitely more mischief than folly when invested with power.
A lunatic is only dangerous when armed and turned loose; but only imagine a lunatic invested with authority over a sane people and armed with weapons of offense and defence.
What sort of a fate can we anticipate for a people so situated?
And when we reflect that fanaticism is infested with like fears, suspicions, impulses, follies, flights of daring and
flights of cowardice common to lunacy itself, and to which it is akin, what sort of a future can we anticipate under the presidency of
Abraham Lincoln?--
Baltimore Sun.
Some of
Mr. Lincoln's friends having heard that a conspiracy existed to assassinate him on his way to
Washington, set on foot an investigation of the matter.
For this purpose they employed a detective of great experience, who was engaged at
Baltimore in the business some three weeks prior to
Mr. Lincoln's expected arrival there, employing both men and women to assist him. Shortly after coming to
Baltimore, the detective discovered a combination of men banded together under a solemn oath to assassinate the
President elect.
The leader of the conspirators was an Italian refugee, a barber, well known in
Baltimore, who assumed the name of
Orsini, as indicative of the part he was to perform.
The assistants employed by the detective, who, like himself, were strangers in
Baltimore City, by assuming to be secessionists from
Louisiana and other seceding States, gained the confidence of some of the conspirators, and were intrusted with their plans.
It was arranged in case
Mr. Lincoln should pass safely over the railroad to Baltimoro, that the conspirators should mingle with the crowd which might surround his carriage, and by pretending to be his friends, be enabled to approach his person, when, upon a signal from their leader, some of them would shoot at
Mr. Lincoln with their pistols, and others would throw into his carriage hand-grenades filled with detonating powder, similar to those used in the attempted assassination of
the Emperor Louis Napoleon.
It was intended that in the confusion which should result from this attack, the assailants should escape to a vessel which was waiting in the harbor to receive them, and be carried to
Mobile, in the seceding
State of Alabama.
Upon
Mr. Lincoln's arrival in
Philadelphia upon Thursday, the 21st of February, the detective visited
Philadelphia, and submitted to certain friends of the
President-elect, the information he had collected as to the conspirators and their plans.
An interview was immediately arranged between
Mr. Lincoln and the detective.
The interview took place in
Mr. Lincoln's room, in the
Continental Hotel, where he was staying during his visit in
Philadelphia.
Mr. Lincoln, having heard the officer's statement, informed him that he had promised to raise the
American flag on Independence Hall on the next morning — the morning of the Anniversary of
Washington's Birthday — and that he had accepted the invitation of the
Pennsylvania Legislature to be publicly received by that body in the afternoon of the same day. “Both of these engagements,” said he, with emphasis, “I will keep if it costs me my life.
If, however, after I shall have concluded these engagements, you can take me in safety to
Washington, I will place myself at your disposal, and authorize you to make such arrangements as you may deem proper for that purpose.”
On the next day, in the morning,
Mr. Lincoln performed to ceremony of raising the
American flag on Independence Hall, in
Philadelphia, according to his promise, and arrived at
Harrisburg on the afternoon of the same day, where he was formally welcomed by the
Pennsylvania Legislature.
After the reception, he retired to his hotel, the
Jones House, and withdrew with a few confidential friends to a private apartment.
Here he remained until nearly 6 o'clock in the evening, when, in company with
Col. Lamon, he quietly entered a carriage without observation, and was driven to the Pennsylvania Railroad, where a special train for
Philadelphia was waiting for him. Simultaneously with his departure from
Harrisburg, the telegraph wires were cut, so that his departure, if it should become known, might not be communicated at a distance.
The special train arrived in
Philadelphia at 10 3/4 o'clock at night.
Here he was met by the detective, who had a carriage in readiness into which the party entered, and were driven to the depot of the Philadelphia, Wilmington and Baltimore Railroad.
They did not reach the depot until 11 1/4 o'clock; but, fortunately for them, the regular train, the hour of which for starting was eleven, had been delayed.
The party then took berths in the sleeping car, and without change of cars, passed directly through to
Washington, where they arrived at the usual hour, 6 1/2 o'clock, on the morning of Saturday the 23d.
Mr. Lincoln wore no disguise whatever, but journeyed in an ordinary travelling dress.
It is proper to state here that, prior to
Mr. Lincoln's arrival in
Philadelphia,
Gen. Scott and
Senator Seward, in
Washington, had been apprised, from independent sources, that imminent danger threatened
Mr. Lincoln in case he should publicly pass through
Baltimore; and accordingly a special messenger,
Mr. Frederick W. Seward, a son of
Senator Seward, was despatched to
Philadelphia, to urge
Mr. Lincoln to come direct to
Washington, in a quiet manner.
The messenger arrived in
Philadelphia late on Thursday night, and had an interview with
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the
President-elect, immediately subsequent to his interview with the detective.
He was informed that
Mr. Lincoln would arrive by the early train on Saturday morning, and, in accordance with this information,
Mr. Washburn, member of Congress from
Illinois, awaited the
President-elect at the depot in
Washington, whence he was taken in a carriage to Willard's Hotel, where
Senator Seward stood ready to receive him.
The detective travelled with
Mr. Lincoln under the name of
E. J. Allen, which name was registered with the
President-elect's on the book at Willard's Hotel.
Being a well-known individual, he was speedily recognized, and suspicion naturally arose that he had been instrumental in exposing the plot which caused
Mr. Lincoln's hurried journey.
It was deemed prudent that he should leave
Washington two days after his arrival, although he had intended to remain and witness the ceremonies of inauguration.
The friends of
Mr. Lincoln do not question the loyalty and hospitality of the people of
Maryland, but they were aware that a few disaffected citizens who sympathized warmly with the Secessionists, were determined to frustrate, at all hazards, the inauguration of the
President-elect, even at the cost of his life.
The characters and pursuits of the conspirators were various.
Some of them were impelled by a fanatical zeal which they termed patriotism, and they justified their acts by the example of
Brutus, in ridding his country of a tyrant.
One of them was accustomed to recite passages put into the mouth of the character of
Brutus, in
Shakspeare's play of “
Julius Caesar.”
Others were stimulated by the offer of pecuniary reward.
These, it was observed, staid away from their usual places of work for several weeks prior to the intended assault.
Although their circumstances had previously rendered them dependent on their daily labor for support, they were during this time abundantly supplied with money, which they squandered in bar-rooms and disreputable places.
After the discovery of the plot, a strict watch was kept by the agents of detection over the movements of the conspirators, and efficient measures were adopted to guard against any attack which they might meditate upon the
President-elect until he was installed in office.
Mr. Lincoln's family left
Harrisburg for
Baltimore, on their way to
Washington, in the special train intended for him. And as, before starting, a message announcing
Mr. Lincoln's departure and arrival at
Washington had been telegraphed to Baltimore over the wires, which had been repaired that morning, the passage through
Baltimore was safely effected.
The remark of
Mr. Lincoln, during the ceremony of raising the flag on Independence Hall on Friday morning, that he would assert his principles on his inauguration, although he were to be assassinated on the spot, had evident reference to the communication made to him by the detective on the night preceding.
The names of the conspirators will not at present be divulged.
But they are in possession of responsible parties, including the
President.
The number originally ascertained to be banded together for the assassination of
Mr. Lincoln was twenty; but the number of those who were fully apprised of the details of the plot became daily smaller as the time for executing it drew near.
Some of the women employed by the detective went to serve as waiters, seamstresses, &c., in the families of the conspirators, and a record was regularly kept of what was said and done to further their enterprise.
A record was also kept by the detective of their deliberations in secret conclave, but, for sufficient reasons, it is withheld for the present from publication.
The detective and his agents regularly contributed money to pay the expenses of the conspiracy.--
Albany Evening Journal.
