The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1866-09-14
LITERATURE.
REVIEW OF NEW BOOKS.


work of Mr.. Carpenters, as he had ample OPP
portunity by personal contact for compiling
full and spicy record Of the daily life OF the
lamented Lincoln. In some respects he has
fulfilled our expectations, and in some he has
failed. We are led to believe that Mr.. Car
penter was not in near so intimate personal
relations with the President as newspaper
paragraphs had caused us to believe. Nor is
il natural that stranger should be admitted
into the secret councils of the Executive
upon no recommendation but desire to
paint picture. In fact, Mr. Carpenter ac-
knowledges that he got but a glimpse OF a
Cabinet session, and that, as a general rule he
restricted himself to his own apartment. He
would lead us to think that bis picture was
the work of inspiration, as he conceived of how
the Cabinet ought to have sat in conformity
to a geometric theory of their anti-slavery
enthusiasm, and he tells us that his concep-
tions turned out to be literally correct. Pro-
baby Mr.. Carpenter is endowed with second
sight.
The work is vast compilation of anec-
dotes, many of them old, some of them neW,and
a very large proportion of them were detailed
by Mr.. Carpenter from hearsay, and not from
personal contact with his Excellency. Wher-
ever he has come across an anecdote he has
cut it out and put it away, and we have GER
tainly very pleasant but q decidedly uDre-
liable work as the fruits Of his toll. No new
light is thrown on Mr.. Lincoln's character,
but many of the stories are so good as to de-
serve, and will repay, attention.
We will give few extracts in order to
illustrate the style Of the book
The 25th of April, Burnside's command
marched through Washington, on the way from
Annapolis, to reinforce the Army of the Poto
mac. The President reviewed. the troops from
the top OF the eastern pOruco at Wilard's Hotel,
standing with uncovered head while the entire
thirty thousand men filed through Fourteenth
street. OF course the passage OF so large body
of troops through the City-preSaging as it did
the opening OF the campaign drew out nume-
rOus concourse of spectators, and the coming
movement was everywhere the absorbing topic
OF conversation. Early in the evening, Cover
nor Curtin, OF Pennsylvania. with friend, came
into the Presidents Office AS he sat down he
referred to the fine appearance of Burnside's
men; saying, with much emphasis, "Mr. Presi-
dent If there is in the world one man more than
another worthy of profound respect, it is the
volunteer citizen soldier.n To this MIR. Lincoln
assented, in quiet way-the peculiar dreami-
ness of expression so remarkable at times steal
ing over his face as his mind reverted to the
thousands whose, ,lives had been so freely offered
upon the altar Of their country, and the myriad
homes represented by the thronging columns of
the days review, in so many of which there was
hencetorth to be weary watching and waiting
for footsteps which would return no more.
l took this opportunity to get at the truth
concerning newspaper story which went the
rounds year or two previous, purporting to be
an account OF meeting of the loyal Governors
In Washington, early in the war. 1t was stated
that the President laid the condition of the
nnh n rAn1 l,o
White House, and anXiously awaited the result
An oppressive silence followed. Curtin was re-
presented as having been standing looking out
of one of the windows drumming unconscously
addressing him personally, aid:-"Andy, what
is Pennsylvania going TO do ?" Turning around
Curtin replied:-"She is going to send twenty
thousand men to start with, and will double it,
If necessary" "This noble response" QUOTED
from memory "overwhelmed the President,
and lifted the dead weight which seemed to
have paralyzed all present"
l repeated this account substantially as here
given; but both parties smiled and shook their
heads. ut is pity to spoil so good a story"
replied the President; 'but, unfortunately there
is not word of truth in 1t. / believe the only
conyocation of Governors that has taken place
during the war;" he added, looking at Curtin,
Twas that at Altoona-was it not?n
Subsequently the two gentlemen proposed to
visit my room and Mr.. Lincoln accompanied
them. Sitting down under the chandelier ON
the edge OF the long table, which ran the whole
length OF the apartment, swinging back and
forth his long legs, passing his hand occasion
ally over his brow and through his rough hair
lhls appearance and manner come back to me
most vividly, as 1 wTite), he listened abstract
edly to my brief explanation of the design OF the
picture. When ceased, he took up the record
in his own way "You see, Curtin" said he, ~
was brought to the conclusion that there was no
lodging this negro question any longer. We
had reached the point where it seemed that we
must avail ourselves of this element, or in all
probability go under" He then went over the
circumstances attending the step, in much the
same language he had used upon the occasion
OF my first interview with him. Governor Cur
tin remarked that the impression prevailed in
some quarters that Secretary Seward opposed
the policy. "That is not true" replied Mr.. Lin
coin; ''he advised postponement at the first meet
ing, which seemed to me sound. 1t was Stewards
persistence which resulted IN the insertion oi
the word maintain which feared, under the
circumstances, was promising more than it was
quite probable we could carry out"
The bill empowering the Secretary of the
Treasury to sell the surplus gold had recently
passed, and Mr.. Chase was then IN New York,
giving his attention personally to the expert
ment. Governor Curtin referred to this saving
Il see by the quotations that Chase's movement
mas already knocked gold down several PEI
cent" This gave occasion for the strongest eX
preston ever heard fall from the lips of Mr.
LINCOLN. Knotting his face in the intensity o
his ieenng, ne said:-"Curtin, what do you thinl
OF those fellows in Wall street, who are gam
bling IN gold at such time as this ?" "The,
are a set OF sharks" returned Curtin, "For M
part,n continued the President, bringing hi
cenched hand down upon the table II wis
every one Of them had his deoilish head shot off!
On the morning of Mr.. Lincoln's arrival i,
Washington, just before his Inauguration, it vii
be remembered that the Peace Convention wa
in session, Among those who were earliest I