The Sun.
London, England, 1868-05-14 00:00:00

BEHIND THE SCENES.

Mrs. Elizabeth Keckley has, we will not say
written, but published, a book, " Behind the Scenes,"
which professes to give conversations and events which
took place at the White House, when the Presidential
mansion was occupied by Abraham Lincoln. The re-
puted author states that she was " 30 years a slave and
five years modiste, and friend of Mrs. Abraham Lincoln."
That lady considered her modiste's presence no barrier to
the freest intercourse with her husband, and it is by the
narration of such conversation and scenes that this eman-
cipated slave endeavours to scrape up a few vile dollars.
But even a Keckley can vaguely perceive that she violates
the sanctity of life in thus availing herself of her intimacy
to publish incidents of a strictly private character, and
she feebly attempts in her preface to justify the outrage.
Had Mrs. Lincoln not made herself notorious, such a work
would not have obtained circulation, but through that
lady's imprudence her- modiste has had the oppor-

tunity of selling a considerable amount of trash, and
interspersed many curious scenes which are described.
It was customary for the President to select a lady for a
promenade, and his wife chose her escort from among the
gentlemen that surrounded her, a habit which Mrs. Lin-
coln, who is a rigid stickler for etiquette, broke through,
as Mrs. Keckley thus describes: —" Lizabeth !"—I was
sewing in her room, and she was seated in a comfortable
arm chair—" Lizabeth, I have been thinking over a little
matter. As you are well aware, the President, at every
reception, selects a lady to lead the promenade with him.
Now it occurs to me that this custom is an absurd one.
On such occasions our guests recognize the position of the
President as first of all ; consequently, he takes the lead
in everything. Well, now, if they recognize his posi-
tion they should also recognize mine. I am his wife,
and should lead with him. And yet he offers his arm to
any other lady in the room, making her first with him and
placing me second. The custom is an absurd one, and I
mean to abolish it. The dignity that I owe to my position,
as Mrs. President, demands that I should not hesitate any
longer to act." Mrs. Lincoln kept her word. Ever
after this she either led the promenade with the
President, or the President walked alone or with
a gentleman. The change was much remarked,
but the reason why it was made, I believe,
was never generally known. The following throws some
light on the strange conduct of Mrs. Lincoln, which not
long ago so annoyed and surprised the people. " She
bought the most expensive goods on credit, and in the
summer of 1861 enormous unpaid bills stared her in the
face." She grew very anxious about the election, and had
frequent consultations with "Lizabeth," as she familiarly
called her dressmaker, in regard to political prospects.
"Lizabeth" cheered her with good words, for which Mrs.
Lincoln was very grateful :—" Your view is a plausible
one, Lizabeth, and your confidence gives me new hope. If
he should `,O defeated, I do not know what would become
of us all. To me, to him, there is mom at stake in this
election than he dreams of." " What can you mean, Mrs.
Lincoln ? I do not comprehend." " Simply this. I have
contracted largo debts, of which he knows nothing,
and which he will be unable to pay if he is de-
feated." " What aro your debts, Mrs. Lincoln ?" They
consist chiefly of store bills. I owe altogether about
s27,ooo—the principal portion at Stewart's, in New
York. You understand, Lizabeth, that Mr. Lincoln has
but little idea of the expense of a woman's wardrobe. He
glances at my rich dresses, anti is happy in the belief that
the few hundred dollars I obtain from him supply all my
wants. I must dress in costly materials. The people
scrutinize every article that I wear with critical curiosity.
The very fact of having grown up in the West subjects
me to more searching observation. To keep up appear-
ances I must have money—more than Mr. Lincoln can spare
for me. He is too honest to make a penny outside his
salary; consequently I had, and still have, no alternative
but to run in debt." "And Mr. Lincoln does not even
suspect how much you owe ?" " God, no !"—this was a
favourite expression of hers, "and I would not. have him
suspect. If he knew that his wife was involved to the
extent that she is the knowledge would drive him mad.
He is so sincere and straightforward himself that he is
shocked by the duplicity of others. Ile does not know a
thing about any debts, and I value his happiness, not to
speak of my own, too much to allow him to know any-
thing. This is what troubles me so much. If ho is re-
elected, I can keep him in ignorance of my affairs; but if
he is defeated, then the bills will bo sent in, and he will
•know all ;" and something like a hysterical sob escaped
her. Mrs. Lincoln sometimes feared that the politicians
would get hold of the particulars of her debts, and use
them in the Presidential campaign against her husband ;
and when this thought occurred to her, she was almost
crazy with anxiety and fear. When in one of these ex-
cited moods she would fiercely exclaim :—" Tle Republi-
can politicians must pay my debts. Hundreds of them are
getting immensely rich off the patronage of my husband,
and it is but fair that they should help the out of my
embarrassment. I will make a demand of them, and
when I tell them the facts they cannot refuse to
advance whatever money I require." The descrip-
tion of prominent men is amusing, and sometimes
true. Mrs. Lincoln hated Chase ; selfish was the
word she always used with reference to that great lawyer,
whom Mrs. Stanton says is as " cold as a clam ;" but not-
withstanding, the President continued to confide in Mr.
Chase till the time of his tragic death. Mrs. Lincoln was
especially severe on Seward, always having an unkind
word to say of him. " He cannot ha trusted ; It 3 has no
principle." When the President answered, "You say the
same of Chase ; I would seem be witlyiut a Cabinet if 1
listened to you." " He is worse that Chase," she replied ;
"you will generally find it a safe rule to distrust a disap-
pointed, ambitious politician. It makes me mad to see you
sit still and let that hypocrite, Seward, twine you around
his finger as if you were a skein of thread." The lady
prided herself on her reading of character, and she had no
patience with the frank, confiding nature of the President.
When Andrew Johnson was urged for Military Governor
of Tennessee, Mrs. Lincoln bitterly opposed the appoint-
ment. "Ho is a demagogue," she said, almost fiercely;
"and if you place hint in power, Mr. Lincoln,
mark my words, you will rue it souse day." Mrs.
Lincoln could not tolerate General Grant. e lle
ie 'a; bother," one would often esF, " and is not fit to be at

the head of an army." "But he has been very successful
in the field," argued the President. " Yes, he generally
ma nips to claim a victory, but such a victory ! He loses
two men to thn enemy's one. He has no management,
no regard for life. If the war should continue four
years longer, and he should remain in power, he would
depopulate the North. 1 could fight an army as well my-
self. According to his tactics, there is nothing under the
heavens to do but to march a new line of men up in front
of the rebel breastworks to be shot down as fast as they
can take their position, and keep marching until the
enemy grows tired of the slaughter. Grant, I repeat, is an
obstinate fool and a butcher." "Well, mother, supposing
that we give you command of the army. No doubt you
would do much better than any general that has been
tried." There was a twinkle in the eye, and a ring of
irony in the voice. I have often heard Mrs. Lincoln say
that if Grant should ever be elected President of the
Unit.•d States she would desire to leave the country and
remain absent during his term of office. The book is ad-
vertised by G. W. Carleton and Co. as a tremendous sen-
sation, "Astounding Book of Fact Revelations!" one
volume, 12ino cloth, Illustrated, and Portrait of the
Author, price two dollars.

Professor L'ngfellow is writing another poem.
The new library given by Mr. Peabody to the
town of Georgetown has just been finished.
Mrs. Julia_ Ward Howe read the essay at the last
meeting of the Itad:eal Club i❑ Boston.