Page:Southern Historical Society Papers volume 29.djvu/90

 74 Southern Historical Society Papers.

Underwood had interpolated a stump speech, lauding the govern- ment of the United States and the beneficence of its administration.

The bail bond, in the usual form of such bonds, was then given, Mr. Greeley signing first. The sureties were Horace Greeley, Au- gustus Schell, Horace F. Clark, Gerrit Smith, and Cornelius Van- derbilt, of New York; Aristides Welsh and David K. Jackman, of Philadelphia; R. Barton Haxall, Isaac Davenport, Abraham War- wick, Gustavus A. Myers, W. W. Crump, James Lyons, John A. Meredith, W. H. Lyons, John Minor Botts, Thomas W. Doswell, James Thomas, Jr., and Thomas R. Price, of Virginia.

When the bond was duly executed the marshal was directed to discharge the prisoner, which was done amid deafening applause.

The streets around the Custom House were crowded with, people awaiting the result. As soon as the decision was announced some one ran to the Main-street window of the Custom House and shouted: ' ' The President is bailed ! " A mighty roar of applause went up from the people below, which was taken up and echoed and re-echoed from street to street and house to house, though, strange to say, a considerable period of time elapsed before the crowd on Bank street were informed of the result; then they joined most heartily in the shouts. A company of United States infantry had been brought up to the door of the Custom House when Mr. Davis was carried in by General Burton. No one has ever yet known what became of them. They vanished in the uproar, doubtless rejoicing that they were relieved of the ignoble functions which had been assigned them as jailors.

Some time elapsed before the bond was signed and the order of release was entered. Then Mr. Davis left the room, and with Mr. O'Conor on one side and Mr. Ould on the other, came out of the Custom House door on Bank square. They were greeted with a sound which was not a cheer or a hurrah, but that fierce yell which was first heard at Manassas, and had been the note of victors at Cold Harbor, at Chancellorsville, the Wilderness, and wherever battle was fiercest. The trio got into an open carriage and drove to the Spotswood Hotel, at the corner of Main and Eighth streets. As they moved amidst the rejoicing crowd, the rebel yell was their only applause, their happiest greeting. It was the outburst from brave men who could thus best give expression to their indignation for what was past and their joy for the present.

As the carriage approached the hotel all sounds ceased, and a deep