Questions: 1) What "fairest city" was he referring to? Kansas City? Atlanta? New Orleans? In this paragraph, is Bingham taking a shot at Ewing (which is what I initially had expected the discussion to focus on) or Sherman or someone else?

My understanding it's Kansas City and Major General John M. Schofield. Ewing is actually pictured in the painting on a horse and Senator Lane in redlegs. Bingham was a resident in Kansas City at the time and contemporanous with the war. I beleive the painting was done in 1868 with Bingham in full postwar political swing and mad at the radical republicans.

Question: Who is the woman he is referring to? The landlady caught up in the Booth plot, who Lane reportedly conspired against (prevented her daughter from making a personal appeal for stay of the death penalty)?

I feel this is a shot at Lincoln and company for suspension of Habeas Corpus. Remember US Supreme Court Chief Justice Roger P. Taney (of Maryland) himself had an arrest warrant placed on his head for writing a dissenting opinon about the over reaching power of the executive in suspension of habeas corpus and the institution of marshall law in Missouri and Maryland, effectively overthrowing the duly elected sitting state governments. The lady he refers to is the death of "Lady Justice"

Question: Any ideas on the event refered to in the last sentence (cold-blooded murder of 30)?

I've no clue but perhaps Mr. Nichols or Ross would know.

John R.