Daily Ohio statesman. [volume] (Columbus, Ohio) 1855-1870, 1862-11-08

SfPNDSh yOug bhiu W uIus Wlt1
all the zeal and energy of which was master
endeavored to prevent your election, not be-
cause had any personal feelings of enmity 10.
ward ycu, but because believed that II would
lead !" the very result We now witnesa. On.
poaed you, sir, but you are my President; you
nave been elected according to tho forms of the
people OF the United States, aHd think that
some little deference is due TO the opinions OF
those who constitute che majority, accordidp Ia
the vote that had been polled, of I,IO0 900 men
In the United States He at once rather brifkly
said, If ne was minority President, he was
not the first, and that, at all events, be had OBJ.
tained more votes than we could muster for any
otner man. responded at once to him, thst
dla not Intend to recall to him that he was a
minority President, but simply to announce the
broad fact that he was the President, not OF
tne men VINO voted for him, but Of the whole
people OF the United States General d Jnoyan
here in'erposed and preseuted three alternative
propositions to him. First. that he might re-
man perfectly idle and passive sud let the dis
indignation OF the States go On as II had gone
90; second, give guarantees such 9 we're asked
anu oriag the whole power Of his adm mnistra.
uoh 10 Dear In obtaining those guaranteee; or
toir !, resort to coercion, aud Gttemp. to ioros
the geceding States into obedience.
When the conversation had sackeped littlo
ventured to appeal to him, in manner 10
which never appealed to any othe, man, and
never expect TO do again. | said that as 10 the
last proposition desired to cay one word; that
trusted and prayed ia. God that be would not
resort to coercion; that If he did, lhe history OF
MIA administration would be written in blood,
ana all the waters of the Atlantic Ocean could
never wash il from his hands. (Hear, hear,
and appiause.) He asked me what would do,
and II meant by coercion the collecting of the
revenue and the taking back Of he forts which
ho eaid belonged to the United States7 replied
that that was the only mode ia which it as
possible that he could under the Constitution
resort to coercion-by an attempt to collect the
revenue and to take back the forts. He had
placed himseli in a chair with rounds 10 it, with
his feet upon the highest round-a long, lanky
man, with very large eide whiskers, with bis
elbows upon his knees and his hands upon the
sidee Of his face, in listening attitude, and
when he would speak drops his hands and raiset
his head. Dropping his hands and lising hi
head, he said ne would tell me little sneedot,
which had happened when he first came to th,
bar.
An old man, be said, had applied to him Ia
DflD2 suit, and made out capital case az be
thought, but when the evidence was detailed
DN'S'S ~ Wnp tuG WUtek case tUAL he
had ever listened to, and whilet the evidence
waS going on the old man came listening to the
evidence himself, and whispered 10 his ear,
"Guv it up" (Laughter) NOV" said he,
"Governor, wouldn't this be guvin' il up7" /
said to him, "Mr President, Il may be said that
1t would be 'guyin it up but hadn't you better
'guv 1t up without bloodshed than drench this
land with blood, and then have to 'Ruv it up7' {"
(Applause.) He ssid that he had sworn to sec
the lave faithfully executed, and addressing
himself 70 me, he said, III would like to know
from you what am TO do with my oath of of.
hcef" said to him that he had taken q sol.
emn cath to sec the laws faithfully executed
out that Congress was then in session, and 40.
plication had been made to Congress 10 give to
the President of the United States the power
to collect the revenue by armed vessels outside
OF the ports, and Congress had refused to give
that power. eff" said, Congress fails %
give the necessary power, Mr.. President, to YOU
To collect the revenue by vessels outside the
ports, how are you to collectit7"
"Do you think that you can send collector
70 the port CT Charleston, to the port of Savan.
nah, or Of New Orleans, to collect the revenue
there? Is IL not an impossbility, and does
your oath bind you to do thing that is impos.
siolef As to the forts. that is a matter within
your discretion, cir You Can withdraw the
troops, If you please. You are the Command
Chief, and 1t belongs TO yuu either to keep
Them there or TO withdraw them totally and
prevent collision, and consequently deadly
and ruinous war" "Well," said he, raising
himself again, 81 will only answer you by
telling you a little alecdote which struck me
excuse me-" said be, "a little snecdote
which struck me as you we're Igoing on, IL is
from Esop's Fables, and doubtless In youl
schoolboy days you have read it. E1op, YOU
know" says he, illustrates great principles
often by making mute animals speak and act
and according to him there was lion once sha al
was desperately In love with beautiful lady
aud he courted the lady, and the lady became
enamored OF him aud agreed to marry him, and
the old people were seked for their CONSENT
They were afraid Of the power OF the lion with
his sharp claws and bis tusks, and they said K
MIN, I'VE can have no objection to 30 respect
able parsonage as you, but cur daughter 4
frail ana delicate, and We hope that you viii
submit to have your claws cut Of and your tuskl
drawn, because they might do very serious in
jury to ter.' The lion submitted, being yer,
much in love. His claws were cat off and hit
tusks drawn, and they took clubs then and
knocked him on the head" (Lsuphter)
replied, think, about in substance this-tha
II was an exceedingly interesting anecdo.e, ant
very dpTcpOs, but not altogether very satisfac
tory answer to me.
We had before that conVersed sitting in Z
semi Gle round the President; but Mr.. Reeves
rose from his chair, and, with dignity and al
eioquence have seldom heard surpassed in th,
course OF my life, he appealed to him. He tolt
him ne was then very old man; that ther,
never had been throb Of his heart that wa
not in favor OF the perpetuaton of the Union
that ne came there with hope aud wish /,
perpetuate IL, and that all his efforts har
been exerted In endeavorlng to procure sucl
guarantees as would perpelusto it; but ths
ne desired to say to him, and he said IL will
q trembling voice, in order that be nigh
know, and not say thereafter that he wa
fully warned, that he agreed with every wort
had said with regard to the horrors OF this an
tcipated war, and that II he did resort to coer
cioD, Virginia would join the seeding States
Nay, cir" he said, "old 40 am, and dearl
as have loved this Union, In that event I &C
with all my heart and soul" (Hear, hear.)
Mr.. Lincoln jumped up from his chair, a
Mr.. Reeves was standing; advanced one ste
toward him, and said, "Mr. Reeves! Mr.
Reeves! II Virginia will stay in, will with
draw the troops from Fort Sumter" Mr.
Reeves stepped back and said, "Mr. President
l have no authority to speak for Virginia; bu
II you do that, it will be one Of the wises
things you have ever done. Do that, and civ
US guarantees, and can duly promise you thA
whatever influence possess shall be exef.e
to promote the Union and to restore it TO wha
1t was" We then oil of us got up and wer
standing He said, "Well, gentlemen, hav
been wondering very much whether, if Mr.
Douglas or Mr.. Bell had been elected Presi
dent, you would have dared to talk to him a
freely as you have TO me-" did not exacil
hear the answer, but am told Mr.. Guthri
Ana WaPad him in ahnuk thia D..