The Portland daily press., 1867-10-07

EXTRAORDINARY LETTERS FROM Mrs. LIN
the advent of lady who calls herself Mrs
Clarke, but who, in reality, is the widow of
Abraham Lincoln. She is there for the pur-
pose of disposing of some of the property which
came into her possession when she was mis-
tress of the White House. Inlone of her let
tiers to Mr.. Brady, who is her agent for dispos-
ing of her goods, she says .......,.
could not re1inquish my attachment for the
party to which my husband belonged and in
whose cause his precious life was sacrificed,
Weed, Raymond and Seward, who nominally
belong to it, and who, to accomplish their pur-
poses, would drag it down to the lowest deg
radiation. The late President thorough
~ detested these men, and he had become full
1y aware before his death of their treachery
In another letter she says in reply to an in
timation that the newspapers may make CAPT
tai against the Republican party out of the
property: Il +, ,,......., ....s.
In the cause of this party and for universal
freedom my beloved husbands precious life
was sacrificed, nor for the world would / do
anything to injure the cause. l. am, as ever
anxious for its success, Notwithstanding the
very men for whom my noble husband did
so much, unhesitatingly deprived me of all
d
ditien. The necessities of life are upon me ur-
gent and imperative, and am scarcely remoy-
ed from wantso different from the lot nv
loving and devoted husband would have as
signed me-and find myself left to struggle
for myself.
Mrs. Lincoln says that though her goods
are worth $4,000 she will take $4,000 for
them in five-twenties and nothing less. They
are for the most part presents from friends,
and Mrs. Lincoln parts with them, as she saws,
only from the most urgent necessity But the
New York Times asserts that they are pres
ents received from parties in return COR poIiti-
cal fayors, and that unless those parties come
forward and redeem them, Every damaging
revelations will be made"
Mr.. Weed does not meet the as pensions upon
his character with any degree of suavity. He
publishes Mrs. Lincoln's letters in his paper,
the Commercial Advertiser, and then goes on
in most bitter and ungallant attack upon
that lady, heading his article, "Mendacity-
Rapacious and Shameless" He says:
We have never approached q question with
half the sorrow that this one awakens To
vIndlcate, shield and protect "Heavens best
glft to man is grateful duty, while to even
reprove and much more to assail woman is
painful, and il without perfect justification,
American People, have failed to meet the pe-
cuniary expectations OF Mr.. LiHcon's Widow
u Is because that parsonage failed, during his
life and since his death, to inspire either with
respect or confidence; They should not there
fore, be subjected to the reproach, or rest I'M
der the lmputation of ingrattude. l t
Mrs. Lincoln's propensity to sell things was
manifested early and before any necessity was
foreseen. Ii our intormationb be reliable, eleven
OF Mr. Lincoln's new linen shirts We're sold al
most before the remains which were shrouded
in death had started for that bourne from which
no traveller returns. Individually we are
Obliged to Mrs Lincoln for an expression of
her i'll will. 1t is pleasant to remember that
we were always ont of favor in that quarter.
ana IL Is equally pleasant to remember that we
possessed the friendship and confidence of Mr..
Lincoln to the last hour of his life, without
paying court, as others did, to Mrs. Lincoln,
ana IN spite OF her constant efforts to disturb
our relations. But we happen to know (tha
late Caleb b. Smith, then Secretary of the In
terror, being our infnrmant) a fact which in
censed Mrs. Lincoln against Mr.. Seward. The
PRESIDENT gave Prince Napoleon dinner for
which Mrs Lincoln sent to the Secretary of
the Interior for payment bill of some 5000
This demand, though wholly illegal. cominp |
from the Presidents wife embarras sed the Sec,
rotary, who called upon the Secretary of State
for advice, when he learned that Secretary
Seward had also dined the Prince. having the
same number of guests and giving them du-
pncate OF the dinner at the White House. In
TACT, Mr.. Seward ordered both dinners from the
same restaurant and by his own bill knew the
cost OF each For what Mr.. Seward paid $500,
Mrs. Lincoln demanded 5000 But whether
MOO on $500, the claim was alike illegal and |
gould not be paid. For this, however, Mrs.
Ilncoln quarrelled with Secretaries Smith and
Seward. This amount was however, SUISSE
quentiv covered up in gardeners account
A former w Washington resident, now in this
city, states that Mr. Hammond, who kept
restaurant in Washington, was the purchaser
OF the above mentioned shirts and boosted of
the purchase. 4i17l lr.ie4n 55I1-7l :