, 1865-10-20

Personal Impressions and Hecolke.

k1GEN%
The ladtp<ndent publhhes the following ac1
count By Mr.. Carpenter, Of an, interview be-
tween the President and Robert Dale Owen !:
"Punctual to the appolntment. the hour
found Mr. Owen at the White House. 4 re-
peated SUMMONS ut the heIr brought no re-
sponge, and he at length pushed open the
doer and walked Icfsurely up the stairs to the
reception room. Neither servant nor Sec1e.
.tary was to be seen.- Presently Mr- Lincoln
pnssed through the hall to his office, and oil
was stln again: Looking yainly for servant
to announce his namc, Mr.. Owen finally went
TO the Office door and knocked.
Really" safd he, ttMr. President, I owe
yop m apology. for coming Ia upon you In
th1s unceremouious way !; but I hive for
some % time 2, been waiting The appearance Of
no." wns the good naturcd rcp4x the
boys are all ont tbb morning. fhave been
expecting you Come In and SIT down.
Proceeding directly to the subject he had
on hand, atthe samo time unfolding, mnuu-
script of1argc proportions, Mr. Owen said:
II have PAPER here, Mr. President, have
read to you" ,'
), Mr.. Lincoln glanced at the formidable doc
uuent, {rcally much less yo1umfnous than 1t
appeared, being coarsely .Sritten.' - !,
half uncnpscfonsly relapsfr,g = - q
and expression Of resigna' xM sri
not well be avoided, 6igniE.eu uls readiness to
listen.
The article; was very carefully-prepared
digest Of historical prccedents In relation to
the subject Of amnesty in connection with
treasou and rebellion. Il analyzed English
rutely also the action OF President Washing
ton in reference to Shay's and the subsequent
+'whiskey'' rebellion.
II had read but two or three pages" said
Mr.. Owen, "when Mr. Lincoln assuned an
erect posture, leaning slightly forward, and,
wholly absorbed In the contents Of the mann-
script: Frequently he would break III upon
me with: s.Was that 50 w tsPlease read
that paragraph again. &c. When at length
came to Washinston's proclamation to
those engaged in the y wshiskey r., 5sbellioa, he
ton Issue proclamation Of amnesty?"
Here it is, sir was the reply. We'll, I
never knew that he rejoined; and so on
Upon The conclusion of the manuscript,
Mr; y; Lincoln said: ''hr: Owen, is that for
"CertainIy, SIR" said NJ. O., handing him
the roll. II understood that ron were COZ
side1ing the subject, and thought review Of
this kind might be interesting to gou.''
"There Is q good deal Of hard work in that
document" continued Mr. Lincoln "may l
$+9A. ~" 4VAts W. T&4N fANF0AAAS 49,
about three months; but then have
more leisure for such work than you, Mr.
President"
Mr., Lincoln took the manuscript, and fold
ing 1t up carefully, arose and laid it In the
.*Pigeon- hole" marked TO-" in his desk Re-
turning to his chair, he said: 'sMr. Owen, 1t is
due to you that 1 should say you hare con-
fcrred a very essential service, both upon me
and upon the country. By the preparation Of
this paper. 1t contains that which It was es-
cecdiugly important that should know, hut
which, Il left to myself never should have
known, because l hare not the time neces-
sary for such IN examination Of authoritie, as
review Of this kind involves. And want
to say, secondly, If had the time, could
not hnye done the work 60 wcll Us you hare
done 1t.
This frank and generous ayowal-so unlike
what might have been expected, under SIM
liar circumstances, from most public men-
was exceedingly characteristic Of Ar. Lincoln.