Holmes County farmer. [volume] (Millersburg, Ohio) 1857-1926, 1862-11-20
NEW SERIES-VOL.2 .24-NO. 40.

ted States the power to collect the reve-
nue. by armed vessels outside Of the ports,
and Congress had refused to give that
power, III" said, "Congress fails TO
give the necessary power, Mr.. President,
to you to collect the revenue by vessels
outside the ports, how are you to collect
it ?"
"Do you think that you can send a
collector to the port Of Charleston, to
the port Of Savannah, or Of New Orleans,
to collect the revenue there? Is it not
an impossibility, and does your oath bind
you to do thing that is impossible p
As to the forts, that is a matter within
your discretion, sir. You can Withdraw
the troops if You please. You are the
Commander in Chief, and it belongs to
you either to keep them there or to with.
draw them totally and prevent collision
and consequently deadly and ruinous war. 4"
"Well. !" said he, raising himself again,
81 will on y answer you by telling you a
little anecdote which struck mc-excuse
me-" said lie, "a little anecdote which
struck me as yon were going on. 1t is
from Esop's Fables, and doubtless in
your schoolboy days you have read it.
Esop, you know" says he, "illustrates
great principles often by making mute
animals speak and act, and according to
him there was lion once that was des
pertly in love with beautiful lady, aud
the lady became enamored to him and
agreed to marry him, and the old people
were asked for their consent. They were
afraid OF the power Of the lion with his
sharp claws and his tusks, and they said
to him: I'VE can have no objection to SO
respectful parsonage as you. but our
daughter is frail and delicate. and we
hope that you will submit to have your
claws cut off and your tusks drawn be
cause they might do very serious injury
to her. The lion submitted, being very
much in love. His claws were cut of
and his tusks drawn, and they took clubs
then and knocked him on the head
(Laughter.) / replied, | think, about in
substance this-that it was exceedingly
interesting anecdote, and very opropos
but not altogether very satisfactory an.
swer to NE.
we ludI bllllllS
in semi.circle round the President; but
Reeves rose from his chair and, with a
dignity and eloquence | have seldom
heard surpassed in the course Of my life,
he appealed to him. He told him he
was then very old man hat there new
er had been a throb Of his heart that was
not in favor Of the perpetuation of the
,hct l. har ,,,l, ho
and wish to perpetuate it but that he de-
sired to say to him, and said it with o
trembling voice, in order that he might
know, and not say thereafter that he was
fully warned, that he agreed with every
word | had said with regard to the hor-
rors Of this anticipated war, and that il
he did resort to coercion, Virginia would
join the seeding States. NAY, sir" he
said. old as l am, and dearly as l have
loved the Union, in that event go with
all my heart and soul" Hear, hear.
Mr.. Lincoln jumped up from his chair,
as Mr.. Reeves was standing; advanced
one step toward him, and said, "Mr.
Reeves Mr. Reeves If Virginia will
stay in, l will withdraw the troops from
Fort Sumter. Mr.. Reeves stepped back
and said, "Mr. President have no au-
thority to speak for Virginia but if you
do that, It will be one Of the wisest things
you have ever done. Do that, and i've
us guarantees. and | can duly promise
you that whatever influence / possess
shall be extended to promote the Union
and restore it to what it was" -
We then all of RS got up and were stand
ing. He said, "Well, gentlemen, | have
been wondering very much whether, if
Mr.. Douglas or Mr.. Bell had been elected
President, you would have dared to talk
to him as freely as you have to me-"
did not exactly hear the answer, but am
told Mr.. Guthrie answered him in about
this way :-"Mr. President, if Gen.
Washington occupied the seat you will
soon fill, and had it been necessary to
talk to him as we have to you to save
such a Union as this, for one should
talk to him as we have talked to you. -
| Hear, hear.)
There the conversation ended, and the
deputation went away with the impres
sion that war was impossible. They
were, however, soon undeceived. The
President ''entered upon the duties Of his
office with declaration that if there was
a collision it should not be his fault, at
the very time that he was preparing an
armament in New York to reinforce Fort
Sumter" The Confederates then OBJ
served Mr.. Morehead, chose to fire first
in self-defense, and took the fort before
the armament came there.