Daily State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis, Ind.) 1861-1865, 1865-06-02


by Col Chsries @ Haipine. "a The y. 7. citizen
Ia the iall OF ls62. The writer Of this article,
beng then a member ~ the stan Of General Hal
lsck. had frequent occasion TO wait upon our
recently deceased President. both during official
hours and at other times
Once-on what called "a public day.
when M. Lincoln received all applicants Ia their
turn--the writer struck by observing, a. he
passed through the corridor. the heterogeneous
crowd o. men aud women, representing all ranks
and classes. who were gathered in the large wait
ing room outside the Presidential suite OF Offices
Being ushered into the Presidents cha mbers
by Major Henry Hay. the fret thing he saw
Mr. lincoln bowling an elderly lady out Of ,he
toor-the Presidents remarks TO her being. as
she still fingered aud appeared reluctant % 20:
am really very sorry, madame: very sorry.
But your own good sense must tell you that i
am not here To collect small debts. You must
appeal 10 the courts in regular order"
When she gone. Mr.. Lincoln sat down,
crossed bis legs, locked biz hands over bic knees,
and commenced to laugh-ths being his favorite
attitude when much amused.
WIS, odd kinds OF people come in to see
me-" be said, I" and what odd ideas they
have about my Office Would you believe,
Major. that the old lady who has Just left came
in here TO get from order for stopping the
pay of Treasury clerk who owes her a board
bill Of about $40 - Aud the President rocked
himself backward and forward and appeared in
tensely amused
:" She may have come in here a loyal woman"
continued Mr. Liucon +" but IN be bound she
has gone away believing that the worst pictures
of me in the Richmond press only lack truth in
not being half black and bad enough
This lei 10 a somewhat general conversation,
ia which expressed surprise that lie did not
adopt the plan IN force at all military headquar.
ters. under which every applicant 10 see the Gen
eral ommanding bad to be filtered through a
sieve Of o0ccrs-Assistant Adjutaut Generals
and so forth--who allowed none in to take up
r1 the Generals time save such as they were salts
"a fed had business OF sufficient Importance, aud
which could be transacted ia no other manner
than by personal interview
"Of every hundred people Who come 10 sec
h the General Ia Chief daily" explained mot
ten have any sufficient business with him. nor
are they admitted On being shed for what
purpose they de ire him. and stating il, 1t
IL found In nine cases out OF ten, that the bust.
ness properly belongs 10 some one or other OF
.f the subordinate bureaus. Tney then refer
red. ss the case may be. 20 the quartermaster.
cOmmlssary. medical. adlutnt general, or other
departments, with an assurance that-even If
they saw the GenerAl in ChIef-he could DO moth.
M more Tor them than give them the same d.
rection With these points courteously
planned. added, they 90 aWav quite conten
ted"
"Ah. yesl" said Mr Lincoln sravely-and
bis words on this matter are important illus
tratng rule OF biz action. and to some extent,
perhaps. the essentially representative character
OF his mind aud OF his administration. All, yesi
such things 10 very well for you military peo-
pie with your arbitrary rule, aud in your camps:
but the Office OF President is essentially civil
one. and the affair Is very different. For myself,
feel-though the tax on my time is heavy
that no hours of my day are better employed than
those which thus bring me again within the di-
rect contact and atmosphere Of the average Of
our whole people Men moving only in AN oil
cial circle are apt TO become merely Official
not 10 say arbitrary-in their ideas and are
apter aud apter, with each passing day, foI-
get that they only hold power In representative
- capacity. Now this all wrong go into these
promiseuous receptions OF all who claim To have
business With me twice each week and every
applicant for audience has to take his II
waiting 10 be shaved IN BARRIERS shop. Many
OF the matters brought 10 my notice are utterly
frivolous. but others of lese impor
lance, and all serve 10 renew in me clearer and
more vivid image of that great popular assem-
blsge out Of which sprang, and 10 which. at
the end Of two years must return | tell YOU,
Major. he sad-appearng at this time recol-
leet was IN the room. for the former part Of
these remarks had been made with half shut
eyes. fin solHoquy-'' tell yon that call
these receptions my public opinion baths-for |
have but little time to read the papers and gather
public opinion that way-and, though they may
not be pleasant in all their particulars the effect
as a whole. Is renovatng and invgorating to nv
perceptions OF responsibility and duty IL would
never do for President TO have guards with
drawn sAbres at his door. if lac fancied he WERE
or were trying to be, or were assuming 10 be- an
Emperor"
Thi remark about guards with drawn sabrcs
az hrs door called my attention airesh 20 what
had remarked TO myself almost every time /
entered the White House, both then and since;
and TO which had very frequently called the
attention both of Major Hay and General Halleek
the utterly unprotected condition of the Presi-
dents person, and the fact that any ASSASSIN or
maniac. seeking his life. could enter hs presence
without the interference OF single armed
to hold him back The entrance doors. and all
doors on the official side of the building were
open At all hours Of the day and very late into
the evening; aud have many times entered the
mansion and walked up TO the rooms of the two
private secretaries as late as . or 10 O'Clock ~
night. without seeing or being challenged by a
single soul There were. indeed two attendants
--one for the outer door aud the other for the
door Of the official chambers. but these-think
Jog, suppose. that none would call after office
hours save persons who were personally ac.
quanted or had the right of official entrv-were
not untrequently. 'ome-hat remiss IN their
:, II duties
To this fact nov ventureed to call the Presi-
dents attention, saying that 20 me-perhaps
from NV European educaton-it appeared de
hbeTate counting OF danger. even II the country
we're in state OF the proioundest ueace for the
person AZ the heat OF the Nation 20 remain so
unprotected.
Even granting Mr. Lincoln, said chat
no assassns should seek your lite the large
number ct Inmates always an community, and
always larger IN umes Ike these aud the atten
dency which Insanity has 70 strike At shining ob.
lecis, or shoms0Cytr is most talked about.
should lead submit-,o some guard about the
place. aud 10 some permanent officers With the
power and duty OF questioning all ~ho seek TO
enter " To this added bret sketch Of
the ali but innumerable letters and pro
Ject- which we're continually being received AZ
Geueta Halecks headquarters and which he
had one day lauehiugy turned over TO me on
the ground thar nov and thea wrote verse;
4 here are too dangers. therefore. | wound
up by saying, the danger OF deliberate political
assassin sison. sud abe brute violence Of in
sanity
Nr Lincoln bad heard me With a smile hi.
hands still locked soross hi. knees aud hi. BODY
still rocking back anu forth the common indi
cation that be vas amused
Now. n TO political assassination, he said
a. Nh hill ia Rinl rnnrA nonrI. IL -