Page:Six Months at the White House.djvu/257

250 A couple of well-known New York gentlemen called upon the President one day to solicit a pardon for a man who, while acting as mate of a sailing vessel, had struck one of his men a blow which resulted in his death. Convicted and sentenced for manslaughter, a powerful appeal was made in his behalf, as he had previously borne an excellent character. Giving the facts a hearing, Mr. Lincoln responded:—

"Well, gentlemen, leave your papers, and I will have the Attorney-General, Judge Bates, look them over, and we will see what can be done. Being both of us  'pigeon-hearted'  fellows, the chances are that, if there is any ground whatever for interference, the scoundrel will get off!"

Attorney-General Bates was once remonstrating with the President against the appointment to a judicial position of considerable importance of a western man who, though once on the "bench," was of indifferent reputation as a lawyer.

"Well now, Judge," returned Mr. Lincoln, "I think you are rather too hard on . Besides that, I must tell you, he did me a good turn long ago.  When I took to the law, I was going to court one morning, with some ten or twelve miles of bad road before me, when  overtook me in his wagon.  'Hallo, Lincoln!' said he; 'going to the court-house? come in and I will give you a seat.'  Well, I got in, and  went on reading his papers.  Presently the wagon struck a stump on one side of