Page:The Granite Monthly Volume 10.djvu/51

 Abraham Lincoln.

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��death warrants, and his reprieves and pardons fur- nish a sMhlinio example i-uch as the world had never known. Oiioe Judge Holt, the advocate general, presented a most flagrant case of deser- tiO'i and i'sisted that the culprit be shot. The man had thrown down his gun and run away dur- ing battle. Extenuating circunistanc-'S there were none. The sentence of the court was death. Lin- coln ran his tiusrers through his hair and said, "Well, Judge, I guess I must put this with my le.i cases." "Leg cases!" replied judge Hnlt. "What do you mean by leg cas^s?" "Why, do you se« those papers crowded into those pigeon-holes? 'They are the cases you call by that long title 'Cowardice in the face of the enemy,' bat I call them leg chscs. N'ow I'll put it to you and let vou decide for yourself. If God Almit;hty givts a man a cowardly pair of legs how cau he help running away with them."

Lincoln was always quaint in whatever he did. He could n®t help it. Nothing was ever done for etfect. His peculiarities were not studied, they were inlorn and irrepre-^sible.

In September, 1862, a delegation of Chicago clerirynien called on him to urge the emancipation proclamation. He heard them patiently, an 1 as tht'y were leaving the White House oue of them felt it to be his nuty to make an appeal to the pres- ident's conscience. "I am compelled to say, Mr. Lincoln, that the Divine Master has instructed me to command you, sir, to open the doors of bondage that the slaves may go free." The president at once replied; "It may be as you say, sir, but is it not strange that the only ch^innel though which the D vine Master could send this message was by that roundabout route by that awfully wicked city of ( hicaL'o?"

When the Rebels raided a small detachment of our army, they capture;] a general and twelve army mules On hearing of it, Lincoln instantly replied: "How unfortunate ! I c m till his place in five minutes, but those mules cost us two hundred dollars apiece."

Gen. Frye once found on looking over applica- tions for offices in the army papers dotted with notes and commen's in the president's handwrit- ing, and amongothers, this characteristic one: "On

this day .Mrs. called upon me. She is the

wife of Major, of the reeular army. She

wants her husband made brigadier general She is a saui-y little woman, and I think she will tor- ment me until I do it. A. L."

Now could there be anything more delicious than this?

Once when told that a Union man had been con demned to die, the ch( ice being left to him to be huna or shot, a smile lighted up his sad features, and he said the situation reminded him of a colored Methodist camp-meeting. There was a lirother who responded, "Amen! Bless the Lord!" in a loud voice. The preacher was sweeping the sin ners on both sides into the devil's net. He had drawn a picture of eternal damnation, without a Sivingcliuse, when the unctuous brother leaped up and yelled out, "Bless the Lord! dis nigger takes to the woods !"

As in the present era of reform and honesty, Mr. Lincoln, like Mr Cleveland, was beset with office- seekers. They fairly made him sick. As he lay in the White House prostrated by an attack of small pox, he said to his attend mts, "Tell all the office-seekers to come at once, for now I have Something I can give to all of them."

Tlie re'ations between Lincoln ani Stanton were very c ose, and sometimes exceedingly comical.

Once a committee, having for its object the ex- change of Eastern and W^estern men, repaired t3 the war secretary with the president's order for such a change.

Stanton stamped and emphatically said, "No."

"But we have the president's order," said the chairman.

"Dill Lincoln give you an order of that kind ?"

"He did, sir."

"Then he is a damned fool," said the war secre- tary.

��"Do you mean to say that the president is a damned fool." asked the bewildered spokesman.

"Yes, sir, if he gave you such an crder as that."

Th*" committee returned to the president and re- lated the scene.

"Did Stanton say I was a damned fool," asked Lincoln.

"He did sir," and he repeated it.

After a moment's pause, the president said : "If Staitton said I was a damned fool, then I must he one, tor he is nearly always right and generally says what he means. I will step over and see him."

Lincoln took a memorandum of new stories, and once he stopped the long line at a White House re- ception in order that he udght get the point of a story whi^h he had forgotten. He was not frivo- lous, he was divinely thoughtful, but he had an unconscious humor which gusheil forth at all times and under all circumstances. Nero fi Idled while Rome was burning. Lincoln told fuuny st ries when black clouds of disaster hung over the nation. The Roman was drunk with wine and wi d with passion ; the American was hopeful, calm. The emperor was cruel, vindictive, and debauched ; the prtsi lent was merciful, wise, and pure. Nero was the incarnation of splendid iniquity ; Lincoln was the living interpretation of the sermon on the mount.

SPEECH OF HON. CHARLES H. BURNS.

Mr. Burns's eloquent oration was a superb efFort, for which he was afterward warmly congratulated. He spoke as follows :

Mr. PBESIDEJfT AND GENTLEMEN OPTHE LIN- COLN Club : The people of the United States are approafhing an era in the history of th«ir govern- ment, when every man, and possibly every woman, must become an active working member in some political organizition. The questions to be settled are of such gravity, and so vital to the business, so- cial cmdition, and safety of the repub ic, that all cit zens will be compelled to take a pare in their solution. It may be distasteful : it will neverthe- less be a necessity.

It is impossible to forecast with precision the consequences of the 1 bor agitation and troubles which now beset the land ; but it requires no great discernment to see that a draft is to be made upon the wisdon, intelligence, and vir'ue of all the peo- ple in order to meet and settle these difficulties in a way that shall be just and honorable to all par- ties. They may not become political questions, but they are matters of the highest importance to the people, and require at their hands the most solemn consideration.

We h ive the question of high and low tariff, or no tariff at all, of protection to American in.ius- try, of fiMauce, of taxation, of pensions, and many ether issues which constantly confront the people, and they must be met and controlled by the intelli- gence of the whole country.

Political p irties must meet the saloon question in this country. It cannot be avoided. ;

If any party chooses to ally itself with the liquor saloon power, it must take tlie consequences, fhe inducements to court its assistan e at the present time, it must he admitced, are great, if principle, and honor, and love of home and country, are left out of consideration ; but sooner or later the hand that seeks a marriage with the mistress who em- braces almost every wretch on earth of both high and low degree, will wither as it deserves. The time is coming when the people of this nation will no longer baar with the insolence and havoc of the grog shop.

Three lecades ago the slave power in this land became insolent in its demands, and it wielded an influence that was courtt^d by tije Democratic par- ty. It threatened to call the roll of its sla es be- neath the shadow of Bunker Hill monument. It enacted a law which turned every foot of the soil of the North into a hiintintj-ground tor fleeing humanity. It sought to establish itself in neigh-

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