The Portland daily press., 1865-05-15
Monday Morning, May Is, 1866.
Abraham Lincoln.

I'll Abraham Lincoln. IL
Mr.. F. B. Carpenter. the artist who painted
the picture Of "The Signers Of the Emancipa-
tion Proclamation" contributes to the Inde-
pendent his Personal Impressions of Mr.
Lincoln" embocying some interesting remin-
iscences, which we copy below:
Mr.. LINcoLN's SADNESS.
1t has been the business of my life, as you
know, to- study the human face, and say
now, as have repeatedly said to friends, Mr..
Lincoln had the saddest face j ever painted
During some of the dark days of last spring
and summer saw him at times when his
careworn, troubled appearance was enough to
bring tears, of sympathy into the eyes OF bis
m0sl violent enemies. recall particularly
one day, when having occasion to pass
through the main hall OF the domestic apart
ments, found him all alone, pacing up and
down narrow passage, his hands behind
him, his head bent forward upon his breast,
heavy black rings under his eyes, showing
sleepless nights-altogether such picture Of
the effects OF weighty cares and responsible
ties as never had seen. FfN
And yet he always had kind word and
almost always genial smile, and it was his
way frequently to relieve himself at such
times by some harmless pleasantly. / reeol-
lect an incident told me by one of the most
radical members Of the last Congress- 1t
was during the darkest days of 1862 he
called upon the President early one morning,
Just after the news of disaster. 1t was a
time OF great anxiety, If not ,despondency.-
Mr.. Lincoln commenced telling some tri1ing
incident, which the Congressman was in no
mood tojhear. He rose to his feet and said,
"Mr. President, did not come here this
morning to hear stories; it is too serious q
ire fla flo 6saar ro1
Mr.. Lincoln's face, who exclaimed, "a,
sit down; | respect you as an earnest, sincere
man. You cannot be more anxious than /
am constantly, and say toryou now, that
were it not for this occasional vent, should
die e!" fi sl00#i t1t
st.-.s "a HIS SYMPATHY. 8F 81
A large number of those whom he saw eve
ry Cay, came with appeals to his feelings in
reference to relatives and friends in c0nfine-
ment and under sentence of death. 1t was a
constant marvel to me that, with all his other
cares and duties, he could give SO much time
and be so patient with this multitude. / have
known him to sit for hours patiently listening
to details of domestic troubles from poor peo-
pie, much of it, of course, irrelevant, careful
ly sitting the facts and manifesting as much
anxiety to do exactly right as in matters Of
the greatest interest. Poorly, clad people
were more4ikely to get good hearing than
those who came in silks and velvets. No man
was ever turned away from his door because
of poverty. If he erred, it was sure to be on
the side of mercy. 1t was one of his most
painful tasks TO coufirm sentence of death.
/ recollect the case of a somewhat noted reb
ell prisoner, who had been condemned to death,
l believe, as a spy. a strong application had
been made to have his sentence commuted.-
While this was pending, he attempted to es-
cape from confinement, and was shot by the
sentinel on guard. Although he richly de-
served DEATH Mr.. Lincoln told Judge Holt In
my presence that sit was great relief to him
that the man took his fats into his own
hands,"
If the slightest occasion existed for show
ing clemency he was sure to improve it.
Judge Bates, in the same conversation re-
ferred to above, said that he had often told
the President thatgfhe was hardly ct to be in
trusted with the pardoning power" why,
said the Judge, i"he can scarcely turn away
from the application (if it touches his feelingsl
Of a man, and the ears of awoman are sure
to overcome him."
A PARDON ~ aea
tt uching instance of his kindness of
heart occurred quite recently, and was told
me incidentally by one of the servants. A
poor woman from Philadelphia had been wait
ing, with babyin her arms, for three days, to
see the President. Her husband had furnish
ed 3 substitute for the army, but sometime af-
terwards was one day made intoxicated by
some companions, and in this state induced
to enlist. Soon after he reached the army he
deserted, thinking that, as he had provided q
substitute, the Government were not entitled
to his services. Returning home, he was, of
course, arrested, tried, convicted and sentenc
ed to be shot. The sentence was, to be exc
cuted on Saturday. fsltAaiA&A3 -eksfK9 -
On Monday his wife left her home with her
baby, to endeavor to see the President. Said
old Daniel. "She had been waiting here three
days, and there was no chance for her to get
in. Late in the afternoon ofsthe third day,
the President was going through the back
tea or take some rest" This passage way
has lately been constructed, and shuts the per-
son passing entirely out of view OF the occu-
pants of the ante-room.) son his way through
he heard little baby cry. He instantly went
back to his office and rang the bell. Daniel,
said he, lis there woman with baby In the
ante roomp 1 said there was, and If he
would allow meto say it, i thought it was a
case be ought to see; for it was a matter OF
life and death. Said he, Send her to me at
one" She went In, told her story, and the
President pardoned her husband. As the
woman came out from his presence, her ewes
were lifted and her lips moving in prayer, the
tears streaming down her cheeks" Said Dan
iel: 81 went upto her and pulling her shawl
SAID, Madtm, IL was the DaOy that dld III"
A TOUCHING INCIDENT.
Another touching incident occurred, 1 be-
lieve, the same week. A woman in faded
shawl and hood, somewhat advanced In life,
at length was admitted in her turn, TO the
President. Her husband aud her three sons.
all she had in the world, enlisted. Her hus-
band been killed, and she had come to ask the
President to release to her the Oldest son. -
Being satisfied of the truthfulness of her
story he said, Certainly, if her prop was ta-
ken away she was justly entitled to one of her
bovs.n He Immediately wrote an order for
the discharge of the young man. The poor
woman thanked him very gratefully aud went
away. On reaching the army she found that
this son had been In a recent engagement
was wounded and taken to the hospital. She
found the hospital, but the boy was dead, OF
died while there. The surgeon In charge
made memorandum of the facts upon the
back of the Presidents order, and almost
broken-hearted, the poor woman found hel
way back again into his presence.
He was much affected by her appearance
and story, and said, ~ know what you wish
me to donnow, and shall do it without your
asking. | shall release to you your second
son." s. aislg aas
Upon this he took mp his pen and commenc.
ed writing, the poor woman stood BY his side
the tears running down her face, and passed
her hand softly over his head, stroking bis
rough hair, as l have seen a fond mother dc
TO son. BY the time he had finished writ
ing, his ownsheart and eyes were full. He
handed her the paper. "Now,'''sa he, syou
have one, and I one OF the other two left
That Is no more than right She took the
paper. and reverently placing her hand again
uDOn his head the tea rs still unon her oh eoks