CHAPTER VII

B.—PERIOD OF POLITICAL AND SOCIAL DEVELOPMENT

1865-1876
 

1865
 

PRESIDENT LINCOLN is shot by John WiUtes Booth in
Waahington.—A^r.HeraW,Ap 15and 16,1865. Thefuneral
waa hdd in the White Houae on April 18. On April 19, funeral
observances were held In New York, and April 20 was aet apart as a
day of national tasting and humiliation. The funeral cortege left
Washington on the morning of Friday, the 21st, and, after stops at
Bdtiraore, Harrisburg, and Fhiladdphia, arrived at New York on
the raorning of the 24th, enroute to Springfidd, III. The ferry-boat
"Jersey City" transported tbe party across North River, to the
toot of Desbrosses St., and, with the escort of the yth Regiment, a
proceaalon accompanied tbe hearse to the city hdl. The coffin was
placed on a catafalque erected in the wide apace oppoaite the princi¬
pal entrance to the governor'a room. Vlaitora were admitted to the
Park through the gate near tbe register's office; thence passing
through the eastern baseraent door, two abreast; and thence, along
the corridors, to the stairs in the rotunda; thence up the stairs,
turning to the right, passing in front of the catafdque; thence
down and out through the rear door. About 120,000 people thus
paased the body during the 24 hours it remained here. Funerd
obsequies were held on April 25, when a proceasion moved from
the rity hall to the Hudson River R. R. depot. At the cloae ot the
municipd procession, the citizena ot New York held a meeting in
Union Square where Gov. King presided, prayer bring offered by
Rev. Stephen H. Tyng, D. D,, and an oration by Hon. George
Bancroft, with other ceremonies. During the period immediately
preceding and foUowing the ceremonies at New York, the city was
in deep mourning, many private as well aa public buUdings being
draped in black.—The Obsequies of Abraham Lincoln, pub. by order
of the Com. Coun., O 19, 1865; JV. Y. Times, Ap 2s, 1865. Seealso
views and descriptions inHarper's Weekly, IX: 257, 260, 261,275,
278, 284, 2B5, 296, 297. A lithograph about five ft. long, ahowing
the proceaaion, is in the Colt coUection. See dso Pyne catdogue
(1917), itera 173.

Andrew Johnson, vice-president, takes the oath of office as
president.—Rhodea, Hisl. of U. S., V:   150-51.

The consent ot the state Is given to the purchase, by the U. S.,
ot the land bounded by Wdl, WiUiara, and Hanover Sts. aod Ei¬
change Place, together with the exchange building and Improve¬
menta erected thereon, to be uaed as a custom-house.—Laws of
N. Y. (1865), chap. 523.  See Ap 29.

The legislature fixes the corapensation ot membera of the cora¬
raon council at $2,000 a year, effective from Jan. i, of the present
year. This compensation is lo cover "carriage hire and aU other
expenses."—Laws qfN. Y. (1865), chap. 533.

Sixth Ave. between lioth St. and the Hariera River la ordered
widened 25 feet on each side under the supervision of the commia¬
sioners ot Central Park,—Lotui ofN. Y. (1865), chap. 564.

The commissioners ot Central Park are authorised to lay out
streets and avenues north ot 155th St.—Laws afN, Y, {1865), chap.
5%-

The new buildmg of the Nationd Academy of Design, at the
north-west corner of 23d St. and Fourth Ave. (see O 21, 1863), is
formally opened on the occasion of the 40tb annual eihibition.—
Natl. Acad, of Design. Ceremonies on Laying the Cornerstone,
etc (1865). See also L. M. R. K., UI: 957. This building was
occupied until 1898 (q. v.).

The University Club is incorporated.—Latoj ofN. Y. (1865),
chap. 594. It opened headquarters in this year at No. 9 Brevoort
Place.—L. M. R. K., UI:  939,

The merchants' exchange (see 1862) and site are purchased by
the United States for $1,000,000, for a custom-house.—,^nn. Rep;
 

Archt., U. S. Treas. Dept. {1875), 19. Though the
sold the property on July 3, 1899 (q-v.), the custora-
houae reraained here unril 1907 (q. v., O l), when it moved into its
new quarters at the foot of Broadway. See also L. M. R. K., IU:
925.

Parliament, hy unanimous vote, resolves to preaent an address
to Queen Victoria, expressing the "deep Sorrow and Indignation"
with which both houses have learned ot tbe assassination ot Pres.
Lincoln, and to request "that in communicating her own Sentiments
on this deplorable Event to the Governraent ot the United States,
Her Majesty wiU alao be graciously pleaaed to express . . .
their Abhorrence ot the Crime and their sympathy with the Gov¬
ernment and People of the United States."—Han jarJ'l Pari.
Debates, CLXXVUI: 1219-28, 1242-47.

Commissioners are appomted, to act in conjunction with the
comraissioners of Centrd Park, to purchase a plot of ground in the
park and to erect thereon a raonuraent to the raeraory ot Abraham
Lincoln, aU expenses to be defrayed by voluntary contributions.—
Laws OfN. Y. (1865), chap. 656.

Tbe legislature directs the city to complete the Battery exten¬
sion. It tbe work ia not commenced within 30 daya and proaecuted
with despatch, the commissioner ot pilots may continue it or remove
so much ot the work as is an encroachraent on the harbour.—Laws
ofN, Y. (1865), chap. 661.

Benjamin Altraan establishes his business, on the east aide of
Third Ave (at No. 39), between 9th and loth Sts. In the early
70's he removed to Sixth Ave. between 21st and 22d Sta.; In 1876,
the businesa ot B. Altman & Co. was establiahed at the corner of
Siith Ave. and 19th St., and from time to tirae waa eitended until
the entire block front between l8th and 19th Sts. was occupied.
In 1906, the business was raoved to the east side ot Fifth Ave. be¬
tween 34th and 35th Sts., where he built his present atore, after
remoring the ruins of Christ Church (L. M. R, K., HI: 932) at
the 35th St. corner. Later the firm occupied tbe entire block.—
Information aupplled by the company.

Tbe assassination of Pres. Lincoln by Jobn Wilkea Booth
(see Ap 14) was a crushing blow to Booth's brother Edwin, who
writes frora New York, under tbis date, to an intimate friend: "I
have been, by the adrice of ray frienda 'cooped up' since I arrived
here, going out only occasionaUy io the evening. . . , My posi¬
tion is such a deUcate one that I am obliged to use the utmost
caution. Hoats of frienda are stanch and true to me here and in
Boston I fed sate. ... I wish I could see witb other's eyes; aU
my friends assure rae that ray narae shdl be tree and that in a litde
while I may he where I was and what I was; but alas! it looka dark
to me." Later, under date of July 31, he wrote to the aame friend:
"I have no idea when, it ever I sbaU act again. . . . It rests with
ray frienda entirdy. My heart ia against it tor at least a year."
The diaaster seemed the more overwhelming to Booth, for he had
been rejoiring over the end ot the Civil War. Writing frora New
York to a friend, under date of March 10, 1865: "Our newa (no
news now, though) is indeed glorious. I ara happy In it and glory
in it, dthough Southern-born. God grant the end, or rather the
beginning, is now at hand. For when tbe war ceases, we shaU only
have begun to Uve—a nation never to be shaken again, ten times
raore glorious, a miffion times firmer than before." On January 3,
1866, he appeared again on the stage in New York, in the part ot
Hamlet.—Grossman, Edwin Booth Recollections and Letters (N. Y.,
1894), 171-75.

The N. Y. Law J.ibrary is estabUshed by act of the legislature.    1
—Laws ofN. Y, (1865), chap. 722.