Savannah daily herald. (Savannah, Ga.) 1865-1866, May 19, 1865, Image 1

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SAVANNAH DAILY HERALD. YOL. I—NO. 100. The Savannah Daily Herald MORNING AND EVENING; „ IS PCHLISHEH BY H. W. MASON «Sc CO., At 111 Bat Street, Savannah, Georgia, terms: Per Copy Five Cent*. I Per Hundred -j# &i>. I Per Year $lO 00. j advertising: Two Dollars per Square of Ten Lines for first in ] sertion; One Dollar for each subsequent one. Ad vertisements inserted in the morning, will, if desired, appear in the evening without extra charge. Jo 1? priKting, In every style, neatly and promptly done. NEWS OP THE ASSASSINATION IN ENGLAND. [From the London News, April 2T.] The news of the assassination of Mr. Lin coln, writes our Birmingham correspondent, produced a profound sensation here, and as much of sympathy, consternation aud dis-j may as can be conceived; in fact, as to all ofj these feelings, the sensation was second only to one other calamity which might have] afflicted this nation and the world. It was a] little after twelve o’clock when the first telegram was received announcing this] sad occurrence; this, like all other] bad news, spread rapidly, and in less] than half an hour the Exchange,] where the telegrams were posted, was throng ed with persons, in whose faces was depicted] an expression of the deepest anxiety. Veryl many Were reluctant to believe the news.! and in a state of feverish and eager desire] clung tc4Bie hope that the telegram was some] stock-jobbing trick or fraud for some sinis-j ter purpose, and in these times when sol much is done for the sake of creating a sen-| sation, or for some more unworthy end, it is] no wonder that even the public should at] length have learned to be cautious, aud be] slow to swallow the highly-spiced dishes set| before it. Nearly three hours passed away without the receipt of any confirmation of the first telegram, aud hope was reviving when the full details of the great tragic occurrence, just perpetrated at Washington came to hand. Then there was no face in which grief was not depicted; no sentiment utter ed but that of abhorrence at these foul crimes. 01 the truth of that the American people may rest assured, so far as this town is-eoncerned ; for although there has always been a strong feeling of sympathy here for the Southerners, and never more so than in the lass gigantic efforts of Lee and his band, there is nothing but detestation at the huge murder with which this fratricidal war has just been crowned. The Mayor was in Lon don when this afflicting news was received, but he was immediately telegraphed to by Mr. Alderman llawkes, with the view to some immediate expression in reference to this untoward event by the authorities ot thjs town. ju ,/ . * L. Mr. Henry yan Wert, an American by birth, but resident here for nearly sixty yeai s, aud cipsely connected with the- family oi Washington Irving, heard the sad mews while sitting on the bench as a magistrate ; he too, a strong Northern partisan, came to the Ex change full of grief, reluctant to believe in the terrible story that Abraham Lincoln had been slain in such a crisis of liis country’s history. An Evening with the Assassin Booth. [Correspondence of the Hamilton (Canada) Times. As any information regarding the actions and conversations of the murderer of Pres ideniWncoln, during the last few months of his career, must be of special interest to the public, I have thought proper to furnish yon with a few reminiscences of an evening I spent in his company some few months ago. Since the occurrence of the tragic event I have foreborne any allusion to the facts here stated, either in public or confidentially, al though the announcement of the murder, as sociated w ith the name of Booth, recalled vividly an interview well nigh passed mem ory, and almost every w r ord uttered upon the occasion returned to my mind as fresh as a recollection of yesterday; but now that the misguided and wretched man has met his doom, a statement of the circumstances caD affect nothing nor misdirect the pursuit of justice. On an evening during last fall, I believe in the eariy part of October, I was introduced to J. Wilkes Booth at the St. Lawrence Hall, in Montreal, and indulged in a friendly con test at billiards with him, iu the saloon of that establishment, which was continued to a late hour iu the evening. My opponent seem ed to have been indulging freely iu stimu lants, not appearing to be intoxicated at all, but I remember that the w'andering charac ter of his conversation, and the wild ideas he expressed, struck me at the time as indica ting rather immoderate dissipation and a slight mental derangement or excitement. In the course of the recreation a peculiar .“run” drew from him a remark touching my parti ality for the “pockets,” ami thereupon a sud- SBap thought seemed to flash upon bis mind, raising his cue, he continued in a man ner somewhat excited “Do you know r I have got the sharpest play laid out ever done in America ? I can bag the biggest game this side of just remember my address. You'll hear of a double carom one of these days.” I paid little regard to his remarks at the time, supposing them to proceed from the ordinary fallacy of a person in his condition. In the course of the evening some allusion occurred to the Presideniial canvass then progressing iu the United States. Booth seemed to be inspired with great feeling on the subject, and, among other observations, said, “It made damned little difference, head or tail—Abe’s contract was nearly up, and whether re-elected or not he wquld get his goose cooked.” At one time my opponent, iu a jocular turn, clapped nje upon the shoulder, with this remark: “By , Hike your Canadian style; I must post myself in Canuck airs; sot some of us devils may have I to settle there shortly.” These remarks J formed but a small portion of the conversa tion of the evening; but I recall them partic ularly as probably indicating designs then entertained by Booth, and the same which in their execution has so recently startled the world. My impressions of Booth were that he was ABRA HA M JLAJLC OJLN, THE GREAT EMANCIPATOR. a young man of means, given to a gay, rol-e licking life, and that iris nature was not cal-| cnlated to distinguish him beyond the sphere] of a fashionable blade in society. The pho-8 tographs commonly circulated at present ares evidently very correct, as they serve to re-j place his appearance on that evening very] vividly in my mind. We parted at the hole j at the conclusion of our recreation, and 1 did {not meet him afterward; but I well remem-] jber his address, as he suggested, and.believe] [that now I can comprehend the character of [the “double carom” contemplated by my [friendly opponent on that evening, rendered [memorable in my experience at billiards. (From the New York Herald.; JEFF. DAVIS, OF MISSISSIPPI. J Jefferson Davis, who was yesterday a rebel! [with two powerful armies at his back, is to jday a fugitive sßbm justice, with a price set upon his head as an assassin. There is every [probability that he will be captured, tried, condemned and executed. Such an end will be a fitting termination to a life marked by [such crimes as treason and murder. Jeff. Davis was born in the same State (Kentucky) and in the same year (1808) that gave birih to Abrahan Lincoln. Davis! was bone in June, aud was the legitimate! son of James Davis, a noted horse trader, on Hopkinsville, Kentucky. The father fell under suspicion as a horse thief, and was] forced to fly from justice**-- He settled, when; Jeff, was very young, near Vicksburg, Mis sissippi. At the time horse and negro trad ders and horse thieves, when rich, were ad missible to good (Mississippi) societv, aud] old Davis had little difficulty in establishing! in life. He was able a few years after to] send hi3 sou to Kentucky to complete! his education at the Transylvania] University, Lexington. He had in fact be-j SAVANNAH, HA., FRIDAY, MAY it), 1865. B THIS 1 I MONtT M E-N T 1 g * IS INSCRIBED IN THE W I HEARTS OF THE AMERICAN PEOPLE, 1 m AND.OF THE . m Frisiids of Liberty & Humanity Throug-hcut the World, 11 M TO TITE I MEMORY 1 m of M . I ABRAHAM LINCOLN, \ B Sixteenth President of the United States of America, f| £ AUD TJTE GREAT H B Emancipator of Four Millions of a Down-Trodden Race. B B a I He Hied in Washington, outhe Morning o( April 15, ISGS. B B He was Buried in Springfield, 111., Thursday, May 4, 1865, fk I A MARTYR TO HIS COUNTRY, 1 B Falling under the hands of a Traitor Assassin, on the night of the B B 14th day of April, 1865, the 4tli Anniversary of the Beginning of the 1 J GREAT WAR OF REBELLION, | M The Great Republic loved him as its Father, and reverenced him as the 1 B Preserver of- its National Life. B m The oppressed People of all Lands looked up to him as the Anointed ot B B Liberty, and hailed in him the consecrated Leader ot tier L ause. B ■ By his Wisdom, his Prudence, his Steadfast Patience, his lofty Courage and B I his loftier Faith, he saved the Republic from Dissolution; by his Simple ■ Integrity he illustrated the neglected Principles ot its Constitution. 1 The wisdom of his Statemanship was excelled only by its N irtuousness. Exercising a power which surpassed that of Kings, he bore himself always as the Servant of the People, and neveivus their Master. . While Goodness is Beloved, and Great Deeds are Remembered, the World will never cease to Revere the Name and Memory ot “I wish all men to be free.” —ABRAHAM LIN-5 COLN — Washington, Oct. 10, 1864. ! If God wills that this mighty scourge of war con- 1 tinue until all the wealtif piled by the bondman’s two r hundred and fifty years of unrequited toil shall be 2 sunk, and until every drop of blood drawn by the I lash shall be paid by another drawn with the sword | as was said three thousand years ago, so still it must 3 be said, that “ the judgments of the Lord are true and [ righteou3 altogether.” ABRAHAM LINCOLN. 8 March 4, 1865. ,comc so popular through the influence of* [his money and popular manners as to be :i able to secure for his hopeful progeny an ap t 'pointinent to West Point, which young Jetf.J [entered at sixteen, forming part of the gradn-j sating class ot 1828. He.graduated near the* [foot of the*class, and was . commissioned in] [the First infantry as brevet second lieuten-j Sant, the lowest rafik that could be given; ■him. He was sent to Florida, and served, [very creditably with Zach. Taylor, in the. [Black Hawk war, for which he got a com |mission as first lieutenant in the First Dra-i fgoons. In 1832 lie offended General Taylor iby running away with and marrying his, IdaHghtcr, and the old General never iecog-1 Inizcd Davis until they happened to meet on! Ithe battle field of Buena Vista, Mexico. In §18:3.5 Davis, having resigned his commission,: ■settled near Vicksburg, and entered upon the [arena of politics, in which lie was so far sue-: icessful as to be elected to the lower House Sos Congress. 1$ When the Mexican war broke out Davis 'raised and commanded the F ! rst regiment of jt.Mississippi rifles. The only significant lea-, ature in his career was the fact that he de ■clined a United States commission as briga-; [dier-general of volunteers, on the ground [that"such an appointment by the federal! [Executive was a violation of State rights ; y He re-entered political lisp in 1847. having [been appointed by the Governor of Missis-’ fsippi to till the vacancy in the United States: [Senate caused by the death of Mr. Speight..] j At. the ensuing election,, in JB4S, lie was! Selected to fill the term expiring in 1851. On] [liis return to Mississippi he became the State, (rights candidate for Governor, but was de-5 ffovted by “Little Fidget”. Foote, Ims life-| [time enemy, who is now lying in Ludlow*, [street jail in this city. About the same time! [he stumped the State for the purpose of ad-8 prorating the repudiation of the State debt,! f ind was subsequently honored as the origi-l Inator and prime mover of that great swin-l Idle. In 1853 he was calied by Pierce to a! [seat in his Cabinet, as Secretary of War. lu] 11857 be was re-elected United States Senator] [from Miss., which he held until his resigna tion (January, 1801), on the secession of his [state. He was chosen Provisional President [of the rebel confederation of States, Februa j Spy 4, 1861 ; was inaugurated February 22, 1 1 861, and re-elected iu 1862 for the term of! isix years, for Only half of which time he it ill, gbe permitted to act. His administration ot ithe affairs of the rebellious States has been f marked by no great brilliancy or judgment. |fle has has been the Marplot of almost every lone of the rebel campaigns, and has don ■ ■more by his obstinacy, envy, jealousy and, ginalice to destroy the unity and effectiveness] iof his government and its armies than any! Bother of its leaders. If (he confederacy had loossessed a leader less obstinate in the pur §suit. of bad plans, less envious of the tame olj jgiiis subordinates, and less quarrelsome gene-j Erally, it might,have existed a few months! | lo "vhat evidence the government has of the] leompiieieity ot Davis ... the conspiracy tor ft hi * fis«asdnaUon of Mr. Lincoln has not >et| Iheenßivulge* Davis is not a whit too good] |,r too wise to engage in any similar infamous] lor hopeless undertaking. j j,,ff lost all his cash, for his own soldiers] [stole it away from him. | Ford’s Theatre is still under lock and key,] [and guarded by soldieis. j The number of assassins, who are, it isj [said, certainly to suffer death, is 23, ' # PRICE. 5 CENTS THE REBEL RAM “STONE XV AM.”! IN AMERICAN WATERS—A DKSCRIP. TION OF HER. This much-talked of Marine monster arrived at Nassau, N. P , from Spain on May Ctb. We find the following description of her in the New York Herald. I believe the fact of her having been built in France, and gating into possession of the rebels, via Denmark, is generally known, as well as the great at tenth n she excited at Ferrol and Corunna in Spain. How she eluded our fleet iu those waters, aud made her passage unmolested to the American oast, lam unable to say ; but ceitain it is acre she is, and presents, in my opinion, the most formidable rebel war ship that our gov ernment has yet had to deal with. The Stonewall is a trifle more than two hunched feet in length over all, and has thirty-three feet breadth of beam. She Haws, with two hundred tons of coal on board, sixteen feet six inches aft, and twelve feet forward She is plated with three and a half inch iron, backed inside with about three feet of teak or African oak, supported >y diagonnj iron braces of great strength, uto which the bolts are securely fastened. Inside this again is a second plating, I should chink about an inch in thickness. This structure extends up to the plankshear and waterways, which are of heavy oak. Above that comes an iron bulwark, bullet-proof, aud made to fall inboard on hinges, in such a way as to preseut no obstruction in action. These bulwarks are about five feet high. The steamer is brig rigged, with bright lower masts; short mastheads, aud spars painted alack. She has only a small boom for a lowsprit, which rigs out through an iron neck, without stays or supports of any kind. To this the lore and foretopmast stays set up. She carries topgallant sails, main and toretopmast staysails and forestaysail. Her square sails are all new and of light canvass, of French make. The masts have but slight rake, scarcely more than that of her smoke stack, which is a “telescope,” and made to lescend entirely out of sight into the hull of the ship. Viewed from a little distance she presents rather an awkward, ungainly appearauce, owing to the peculiarity of her build. She trims by the stem when in good sailing con litiou ; is (minted black from the water-line op, and rides lightly and easily on the swell, considering her unwieldly build and great weight of material. lam thus particular iu describing the appearance of the ship, as she probably will be in some request among opr cruisers from this time forward. The Stonewall is armed with three guns— two seventy-two pounders in her after and one three hundred pounder in the forward turret. These turrets are of Alrican oak, stationary, and about eighteen inches In thickness, with a plating of iron one and fhree-quatfter inches. There are five open ings or port4filte&, to reach which we are told, the gtTns'cduld be turned by of fourteen men with great celerity, and mat, in fact, they could be served as easily and jtiickly as howitzers. The great gun in the forward turrets is served by eighteen men— the entire crew of the steamer, officers and men, amounting to about seventy, but twen ty mole are to be shipped. Within the turrets arc racks of cutlasses, firearms, <fcc., probably for repelling boarders. The three guns are marked “Sir William Armstrong,” in large raised letters. An old sea dog who was with us felt sure that they were not of English manufacture, but had been so marked for some special purpose. I think, however, that they are undoubtedly Armstrong guns. They are not black, like American great guns, but streaked like the surface of a stub-and-twist shot gun. They ire kept beautifully polished, and, indeed, the whole ship has the appearance of being under rigid and perfect discipline. Every part of her is neat and cleanly, and all the rules of the best regulated naval vessels are observed. But the most formidable feature of ttye Stonewall is the ram which forms her bow under water, and which projects about twen ty feet beyond the bluff of the bows. As we stood on the forward turret we looked direct ly down upon this instrument. The bows of the steamer, which are iron-plated, slope in sensibly down to the water’s edge, and gradually disappear away forward under water in a huge round-backed point, sharpen ed and curved as it descends under the water [line, and presenting a sharp steel edge to the [object of her attack. |We are told that this does not sensibly affect |the speed or maneuvering qualities of the [ship, serving rather as an improved cutwater [and easing her motions in a head beat sea. ■Directly above is a porthole, towards which, ■the big gun was pointed; and on butting |an antagonist, this gun is always shell load led and fired directly ahead, thus breaking in ■the side of a ship under water and crushing lat close range a two hundred and fifty pound Bshell into her simultaneously. The shot and ■shell of the big gun are elongated or conical, Sand claimed to be the most destructive yet ■invented. This ram is made smooth, so that fjupon hitting a ship she can instantly with idraiv, retreat a short distance, and repeat the iassauit. This she is expected to be easily ■able to do by her double propellers, which, lit is said, will back her almost as rapidly as ir,hey can drive her ahead, and serve the addi jtioual purpose of turning her around almost lon her heel, by propelling with one and re iversing with the other. She has also two ■keels which add greatly to her strength.— Ishe has four boilers and engines, with an [aggregate power of nearlysix hundred horses. [The disposition of the magazine, coal bunk [ers, provision and store roomfy does not [materially differ from that ol‘ other vessels of [her character, being of course arranged with [reference to economy of space and the en igmas and boilers. Altogether, below she is [a curious sight, and displays great construc giive ingenuity. I Several costly yachts are uponjthe stocks tin New Yolk, each of which will cost from I&oO.QOO «to $ GO,OOO. Capt. Loper of Phila [delphia, is having one built in that city which [will cost $65,000.