In Idaho Territory, Lincoln’s death caused great mourning — and scorn if you were pleased

On May 2, 1865, the Idaho Tri-weekly Statesman published this “Letter from Owyhee: Ruby City, April 28. 1865:

“Mr. Editor: Confirmation of the reported assassination of President Lincoln and Secretary Seward threw our quiet little village into the deepest gloom. Men of all political parties were alike regretful at the fearful and alarming intelligence, no one seeming to divine any motive that could have influenced a deed so dark and damnable. Could the act been done to aid the rebellion? Everybody says no. Was the object to inaugurate civil war in the loyal states? It is the now reasonable theory to believe such was the object… There were several unprincipled and ignorant persons who expressed gratification at the intelligence, thus staining themselves with treason for all time to come. They are not worth notice or I would report them ... flags are now flying at half-mast and houses draped in mourning.”

On May 6, 1865, the Idaho Tri-weekly Statesman published an ”Important Order From Headquarters Department of the Pacific, San Francisco, April 17, 1865: It has come to the knowledge of the Major General Commanding that there have been found within the department persons so utterly infamous as to exult over the assassination of the President. Such persons become virtually accessories after the fact, and will at once be arrested by the Provost Marshal, any officer or member of the police having knowledge of the case. Any paper so offending, or expressing any sympathy in any way whatever will be at once seized and suppressed. By order of General Commanding (Signed) R. C. Drum, Asst. Adj. Gen. Dept. of Pacific.”

Political enemies of the dead president got into trouble elsewhere, too. Jacob Shellhorn, alias Barley Jake, exulted over the assassination of Lincoln when the news was first received in Silver City, Nevada. He was compelled to flee the place, leaving behind about $7,000 worth of property.

Two years earlier, on March 10, 1863, Lincoln had appointed William H. Wallace the governor of Idaho Territory.

Throughout his life, tragically shortened by an assassin’s bullet, Lincoln was quoted for his wisdom and his humor. In his first inaugural address, on March 4, 1861, Lincoln asked: “Why should there not be a patient confidence in the ultimate justice of the people? Is there any better or equal hope in the world?”

In his first annual message to Congress, on Dec. 3, 1861, Lincoln said: “Inasmuch as most good things are produced by labor, it follows that all such things ought to belong to those whose labor produced them. But it has happened in all ages of the world that some have labored, and others, without labor, have enjoyed a larger proportion of the fruits. This is wrong, and should not continue. To secure to each laborer the whole product of his labor as nearly as possible is a worthy object of any good government.”

Lincoln is also remembered for his gift with humor: “If you call a tail a leg, how many legs has a dog? Five? No. Calling a tail a leg don’t make it one.”