The weekly pioneer and Democrat. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn. Territory) 1855-1865, 1862-11-21

itlSO dlluucu W tilc ldCt Ci!ttG uc was a. I'LL
nOrity President, and suggested that, being
the President of the whole Union, he
should have some respect for the opinion
of the majority.
MR.. LINCOLN A LITTLE SENTATIVE.
He at once rather briskly said: elf he
was minority President he was not the
first, and that at all events he had obtain
ed more votes than we could muster for
any other man." / think, as near as |
can recollect, those are about his Identical
words.
Gov. Morehead said he did not mean to
recall to him that he was a minority Pres
ident, but simply that he was President of
the whole people. Gen. Donovan then
interposed and presented three alternative
propositions:
"First, that he might remain perfectly
idle and passive, and let the disintegration
of the states 60 on as it had gone on; SEQ
ond, give guarantees such as were asked,
and bring the whole power of his admin
istration to bear in obtaining those guar
an,ees: or, third, resort to coercion and
attempt to force the seeding states into
obedience.
Gov. Morehead says he then appealed to
him as he never appealed to any other
man, that he would not resort to coercion.
Mr.. Lincoln asked if by coercion was
meant the collection of revenue, and the
taking back of the forts belonging to the
United States. Gov. Morehead said that
was the only coercion he could constitu-
tionally resort to.
MR.. LINCOLN TKLLs STORY.
He had placed himself in chair with
rounds in it, with his feet upon the highest
round-a long, lanky man, with very large
side whiskers, with his elbows upon his
knees, and his hands upon the sides of
his face, in an attitude of listening, and
when he would speak he would drop his
hands and raise his head. Dropping his
hands and raising his head, he said he
would tell me little anecdote which had
happened when he first came to the bar.
An old man, he said, had applied to him
to bring a suit, and made capital case,
as he thought, but when the case was de-
tailed before the jury it was the worst case
that he had ever listened to, and while the
evidence was going on the old man came
listening to the evidence himself, and whis
pered in his ear, "Guv it up" Laughter
"Now," said he, "Governor, wouldn't
this be 'guvn' it up?'" 1 assure, you Mr.
Chairman, don't present it in any light
different from that in which it actually oc-
curred-none whatever l said to him,
"Mr. President, it may be said that it
would be 'guvn' it up but hadn't you
better 'guvn' it up without bloodshed
than drench this land with blood, and
then have to 'guv it up?'"
Mr.. Lincoln then asked what he was to
do with his oath of Office. Gov. More
head advised him to getEaround it by hav-
ing Congress fail to give the necessary
power of carrying it out! If Congress
failed to vote supplies and reinforcements,
he, as COMMANDMENTS Chief, could consis-
tently withdraw his troops and war ves-
sells from southern ports, and thus avoid
a collision!
SWELL" said he, raising himself again,
will only answer you by telling you a
little anecdote which struck me-excuse
me-" says he, "a little anecdote which
struck me as you 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 principles
often by making mute animals speak and
act, and according TO him there was a lion
once that was desperately in love with a
beautiful lady, and he courted the lady,
aud the lady became enamorcd of him AMI
agreed to mar. lin, az i.t 81 people
were asked for their consent. They were
afraid of the power of the lion, with his
long and sharp claws and his tusks, and
they said to him: We can have no objec-
ton to SO respectable q parsonage as You,
but our daughter is fral 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 Oft and
his tusks drawn, and they took clubs then
and knocked him on the head" Laugh
tSl. ISIhtco, 1 tHliik. tDouO Nv SuD-
stance this--that it was an exceedingly in
teresting anecdote, and very 0p.Opcs, but
not altogether a satisfactory answer to me.
Governor Morehead said he again ap-
pealed to Mr.. Lincoln ':not to drench the
land in blood" and Mr. Rives joined in the
appeal with great fervor and eloquence.
Mr.. Rives concluded his appeal with a
threat
that if he did resort to coercion, Virgin
ia would leave the Union and join the Sc
ceding States s'Nay, SIR said he, cold
as l am, and dearly as l have loved this
Union, in that event 60, with all my
heart and soul"
Mr.. LINCOLN WANTS VIRGINIA TO STAY.
Mr. Lincoln jumped up from the chair as
bfr. Rives was standing, advanced one step
toward him and said, "Mr. Rives, Mr..
Rives, if Virginia will stay l will withdraw
the troops from Fort Sumter" Mr. Rives
stepped back and said ''Mr. President, I
have no authority to speak for Virginia. l
am one of the humblest of her sons but
If you do that, it will be one of the wisest
thJnp, hot No hot