New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1864-10-31
4 "REMINISCENCES OF DOUGLAS.
an interview between president Lincoln
y;r. Douglas and Geo. AsbGun. in 1867.

The following letter from GEORGE AsHMCN OF
tpr:ngReld. Mass, 70 ISAAC " AEXoLn, Member Of
congress from the Chi ,ago District gives an event IN
Dc lie OF Mr. DOUGLAS:
"SrRNoFlELD. Mass, Oct. IS 1861.
"Cn Sunday. April u. 1861. Washington Ci.y was
tsacd hy the spread o the iu1rnatiO Of the fan OF
Eolf sumter tie news of which ID arrived the night
saf,r Such an event could lot bnt produce profound
feeling al the seat of Government and discussions OF
tte event largely displaced oil theoTdinary Sunday
rooios The course which tie new Administration
would tale was then quite unknown and gave ground
or much snviety For myself felt that the occasion
s-ss one which demanded prompt action aud the cor
fe uppoii 81 She whole prcpo OK tae North; anu that
nis oald he greatly ensured ly pubic declaration
rom Mr.. Dol las Tire friendly personal relations
which bad long exstee 0''%esH US jusi -. IN
'ate in the afternoon decided 20 make
$ on driving to his house, fouGd him
g.lroundoh bv cutie number Of political friends
FbOm he however. so6H DISMISSED, with messy grace
81 suggestion Of the erranS witch I'D bTodgS. me
there. Or interview lasted hOnr G! more, aad IN
BE course OF ii Tue whole nature of his relations 70 ar
LNCu.r ; ADMINISTRATION ana ms dHt! 10 me c"iDI
seTo iury discussed bis first Impulse was decidedly
f5s;uf my purposes. desired him TO 20 with at
tace 20 the President and make declaration OF his
Denomination 10 sustain him in the needinl measures
EhcA the Cxgency Of TIE hour demanded 20 Pr; down
BE Rebellion which had thus LeIcely famed out in
Charleston harbor. well remember his Irst reply:
Mr.. LINCOLN had dealt hardly with me in removing
tome OF my friends from Office, and c0nt Ao" as ne
ANTS r.! advice or aid ay answer was that hr.
LIS( DIN had probably followed democratic preccdcnts
r. making removals; bat That The question now pre-
ssuted rlSe 10 higher dignity than could belong 10
possible party questions ond ;Gat 1t was now III ms
Aii Do,GAss) power u render sucL service 10 us
feGutiy would not only give hIu tile 70 rs LAST
ing gratitude Int wCulc at the samc time show that
n the hour of his courtys need lie ecold tgeaple all
partisan Considerations ard ieSer;nentS under loot
Ale discussion in this vein cOtDued for SONS time ana
resulted in his emphatic declaration that he Would 90
M 60 the P.cs dent and o1rr cordial and earnest
tupport. But shall never FORGET that before ~ was
s.f..1N b. rr r.s.HN ns~rl
ftun and gave tie whole wcgal Of her affect tomato N
luence toward the result which WAS reach Ell. My
carriage was waiting az the dOoi. and n was aih9si
karh when We started for The PresiGo1ts house we
fortunately found Mr. LECoiS alpnc and upon M stnt
ing the GRAND 6n which We h1d come no was inosl
fO.dai in his welcome and in, CI8icy prepared the
NV Tor te conversation wiic. followed. by taxing
from lis drawer aDd reading 20 s tGe drati OF the pro-
slam ton which he had decided to issue, aDdWtich was
given I, Tie country the aeXt uOIn.ne
" A. sool IS the Iea0Hg was enlea' MI. DouSiA,
rose from the chair and sad: MI President j
cordially oOOcur in every woid oi that docIaent except
that instead Of call Tor So en-! 'h'c tlosaHu men
Nonla make il two hundred thousand. Yea do no;
know She dishonest purposes q tse men Ono Rt Dtis
rs vel az 1 doand be then asEed rs LOOK WIN MIN
4; the map which hung st end Of the Presidents
room " here in much de'8 be pointed out the principal
rritegic POINTS which should be AZ once strengthened
Tor The coming contest. Among the most Prominent
ypre Fo-.rc,s Monroe asii.i etun. Harpef's Ferry
End CcirO He enlarged nt lonsIh upon rhe finn, war
ike fDotuc which oGglt 20 be pnisaeG. ana found ~
Mir IlYCoiN IN earnest and grtifcd listener IL would
Be ilD0- .ibc give in detail a The points presented
b. BIZ, md discussed witt tbc Presidents but venture
10 say that 10 two men in the United States parted that
right with q more cordial feeling O. united trend
and patriotic purpose than Mr. LINCOLN anu Lf
GOUCiAs.
A0cr leaving, and while o. our wny homewara,
ssid to NJ DOUGLAS 'You have done etice 70 yon
own reputation and 10 tie Pre- d''. and nc cOrnty
rap.t k1ogs IT, Tho proc.aua ion wl 60 by telegraph
ell over sac country Ia tie i-TI-. aid the account u
this ie-7icw must ~ with H. shan send II ether m
uly OWE language or yours. peter thar you shonld
give yuur own version lie Il once said: DflTe to
xour IuoH ~ WUIA..ss ard IL give u shape We
did ard he wrote Il follow ng. the enal 81 winch
now les before nc lis n8hd writing. 1 copied
II aui .dye an exact cory 10 lie Agent o tAe Assori
eted Press and on the next morn-g II was read an
over thc NOiL. in couplIy with ae Presidents lrCci
C.atiUa, DO great glset.i4 - MS friends ara INC
friends 81 The Government. iie original is sli pre-
t1at' vhoevcs else may have iaca By ihc waysdr IN
the nnur ~ conBsr, = lii from false 5Eetsern,
BIZ u. sias was not Que Cs t.cCI:
o.-pAI,u 20 THE PRTss D. M- roJGLIs. SUNDAY
EVENING. APRIL H. ISL.
Iii NorGs caed President is sveuiug snG tnd a.
frtar he ErsrL; GA -i-c a. - GO
p. f1ace The cy4ttf eHu Wle .at q. -44'
Yaug. ,r rialiefaoy opposed g. TIE AGi-it io4 on
ir- l..es, hr pref .r- o. sultan le -e-rft
Gu al lsqIs fl ioai functions - pfts fFa
t. "a maintain the Gfvrrne est End esi - t.r Ecf-
~ csit 2oicy and fioa.pt 9rion "a, hcc' ~
81 h-14Fas a. auy e2p-u I'd. nen thd neAts' ne
SPosc tte present and futaE' without Te ehes 70 ibo pat
Al i1io- them 20 the memoir O. the man who tbds
threw n,Ji ccnaidcIetVus &c Bds and gave nm
sell y boil, end uurescryediy 20 bis country
GEO. AsIlNrM'
49, .-~'
Es-E. ALABAMA EEzsEGIA TYRE.