Probably the last official act of President Lincoln’s life was the
signing of the commission reappointing Alvin Saunders Governor of
Nebraska.
“I saw Mr. Lincoln regarding the matter,” said Governor Saunders, “and
he told me to go home; that he would attend to it all right. I left
Washington on the morning of the 14th, and while en route the news
of the assassination on the evening of the same day reached me. I
immediately wired back to find out what had become of my commission,
and was told that the room had not been opened. When it was opened, the
document was found lying on the desk.
“Mr. Lincoln signed it just before leaving for the theater that fatal
evening, and left it lying there, unfolded.
“A note was found below the document as follows: ‘Rather a lengthy
commission, bestowing upon Mr. Alvin Saunders the official authority of
Governor of the Territory of Nebraska.’ Then came Lincoln’s signature,
which, with one exception, that of a penciled message on the back of a
card sent up by a friend as Mr. Lincoln was dressing for the theater,
was the very last signature of the martyred President.”