Cleveland morning leader. [volume] (Cleveland [Ohio]) 1854-1865, 1865-04-27
A Reminiseence of LineOIn's COnyer.
satiOn.

A "Reminiscences of LineOIn's COnver-
satiOn.
[Correspondsuce Of the New Yo,k Evening Post !
In addition to what is stated in my note
published in your issue of Tuesday, of the
circumstances attending Mr.. LincOln's re-
citsl to me of the poem entitled, "Oh, why
should the spirit Of mortal be proud ?" I
should have mentioned the following in
cident, but writing hastily at the table of
a friend, could not recall the exact lines
1 wished to quote. After we had discussed
for brief time the merit of the poem re
ferred TO above, Mr.. Lincoln said: "There
are some quaint queer verses, written,
think, by Oliver Wendell Holmes, called
The Last Leaf one of which is to me in
expressibly touching" He then repeated,
also from memory, the poem. The verse
he referred to occurs in about the middle
of the poem, and is this:
"The mossy ms b'cs rest
On the fps hich he has pr, sssd
In Their bloom.
And the nam-S he loved to hear
have been carv, d for many year
On the tcmb."
As he finished this verse, he said in his
emphatic way "For pure pathOs, in my
Judgment, there is nothing finer than those
six lines in the English language
The World, in an able article on Mr..
Lincoln on Monday, says: "He lacked taste
and sensibility," though the writer does not
consider this an imperiection in his chsrsc-
ter l think the instances l have given
YOU indicate that he was not wanting in
either of these attributes, though In the
trying snd momentous period of his sd
ministrstive life their expression may have
been confined TO the privileged few, ad-
mitted to the inner circle of fellowship with
him.
While I am writing am reminded OF
q conversation that took place between us
about this time, which may be of interest
to your readers, in view of the terrible
calamity which has overtaken the nation
A late number of the Tribune (this was
the last of March, 1864 contained full
account of an elaborate conspiracy, matur.
ed in Richmond, either TO ssssssinate OF
abduet the person Of the President. Five
hundred or thousand men we're said TO bC
sworn to accomplish the deed. Severs
days subsequent to its publication 1 asked
MI. Lincoln if he had seen the statement
He said he had not, nor even heard Of if.
then, At his request, gave him the de-
tails. We were walking together a. the
time, and remember di tinctly the con-
versation. After 1 had concluded, be
smiled incredulously, SAID: "Well, even il
do not see what the rebels would gain
by either killing or getting possession o
me. am but a single individual, and j
would not help their cause or make tht
least difference in progress of the war
Everything would go right on just tn,
same. Soon after l was nominated 3
Chicago" he continued, 1 began to re
ceive letters threatening my life. Theirs
one or two made me a little uncomfOrt
able, but came st length to leokfor reg
ular instalment Of this kind of correspond
ence in every weeks mail, and up to insu
gurstion day was in the constant receip
of such letters, and it is no uncommon
thing even TO receive them now; but the
have ceased to give me any apprehension.
1 expressed some surprise at this; but b
replied in his peculiar way, "Tnere
nothing like getting used TO things
Alas that the patton should to-day be sit
ting under the shadow ofthe great crime
the contamination of those very threats
which he had come to regard so lightly.
Very truly, yours
F. B. CARPENTER.