Idaho semi-weekly world. (Idaho City, Boise County, Idaho Territory) 1867-1868, 1867-10-30
THE MRS. LINCOLN SCANDAL.


facts connected with the conduct of Mrs Abra-
ham Lincoln, in putting valuable presents
(Which had been received while her husband
occupied the Executive Chair at WashingtOn(
in the hands Of q commission merchant in New
York, for sale, and extracts from letters writ
ten by herself in reference to the pressing ne
cessities" which forced her to the sale Of these
presents. In one letter she severely reflected
on Thurlow Weed, Secretary Seward, and
other prominent Republicans Weed has come
back in the following damaging, merciless style..
He says:
We never approached a questions with half
the sorrow that this one aWakens To vindi-
cate, shield and protect Heavens best gift to
man." is grateful duty, while to even reprove,
and much more to assail woman, and if with
out perfect justification, unmanly
If the American Congress, or the Americans
people, have failed to meet the pecuniary ex-
pectatiOns of Mr.. LincOln's widow. it is be-
cause that parsonage failed, during his life and
since his death, to inspire either with respect
or confidence. They should not therefore, be-
subjected to the reprOach, on rest under the.
imputatiOn of ingratitude. Had Mrs. Lincoln,
while in power, borne herself bec0minglF, the
suggestion of Lincoln Fund, by voluntary
contributions, would have been promptly res
p0nded to.
| In her conversation Mrs Lincoln is repre-
sented as bitterly denOuncing Secretary Sew
ard, for which, of course, there is no warrant
or excuse, for he wrongs no man, and much
less is he capable of injustice, wrong, or even
unkindness, to woman.
But we happen to know-the late Caleb b.
Smith, then Secretary of the Interior, being
1,,fo 90
Lincoln against Mr.. Seward The President
gave the Prince Napoleon dinner for which
Mrs. Lincoln sent to the Secretary of the In
terror, for payment, bill of some 5000. This
demand, though wholly illegal, coming from the
| Presidents wife, embarrassed the Secretary
who called upon the Secretary of State for ad--
vice, where he learned that Mr.. Seward had
also dined the Prince, having the same number
of guests, and giving him a duplicate of the
dinner at the White House. In fact Mr.. Sew
ard ordered both dinners from the same res
taurant, and by his own bill knew the cost Of
each. For what Mr.. Seward paid $500, Mrs.
Lincoln demanded 5000. But whether three
or nine hundred dollars, the claim was alike
| illegal and could not be paid. For this, how
ever, Mrs. Lincoln, quarreled with Secretaries
Smith and Seward. This amount was subse--
quently covered up in gardner's account, but
occasioned scandal, which respect for Mr. Lin
coin measurably suppressed
| The fact for which Mrs. Lincoln seeks large
publicity, namely, that she received presents
valued at $4,000, is pregnant and suggestive
e-suggestive, at least, of Offices and con-
tracts, unless the more charitable construction
is reached through the assumption that they
were the expressions of regard and friendship.
But it is not known that the wife of any other
President, however estimable, was so loaded
with shawls, laces, furs, diamonds, rings, &c.
Mrs. Lincoln's propensity to sell things was
manifested early, and before any necessity was
foreseen. If our information is reliable, eleven
Of Mr.. Lincoln's new linen shirts were sold al
most before the remains, which were shrouded
in the twelfth, had started for that " bourne
from whence no traveller returns"
But the Springfield (Ill) Journal, Radical
organ, exposes the apparent misrepresentation
which Mrs. Lincoln has committed in alleging
that she was obliged to sell the rich presents in
question in order to- comfortably subsst. 1t
presents the following transcript of the oath
fled by Judge Davis, the Administrator Of the
estate of Abraham Lincoln, upon taking out
letters of administration
STATE OF ILLINOIS,
Sangamon County.
! David Davis being duly sworn depOses and
says that Abraham Lincoln, late Of the county
| of SangamOn and State of Illinois, is dead. and
that he died on or about the 14th day OF April
A. d. 1865, intestate, as it is said, and that his
estate will probably amount to the sum OF $751;
| 900; that said Abraham Lincoln left, at tho
time of his decease, Mary Lincoln, his widow,
and Robert T. Lincoln and Thomas Lincoln.
his children.
! (Signed,) DAVID DAVIS.
| Subscribed and sworn to before me, this 14th
day of June, A. d. 1865.
lSigned,) N w. MATTHEW, Clerk.
The Journal also publishes a transcript of
the inventory of the estate, filed November 49,.
1866, in the office Of the County Clerk of San,
CANON county, by Judge Davis, which shows
that Mr.. Lincoln died possessed of U. S. Bonds.
Treasury Warrants and other u. S, securities
Of the value of $79;482 7O-al Of which wers.
drawing interest,-and also personal notes.,
real estate anG other property to the amount
of about $4,000 more. And the Journal adds:
The above figures speak for themselves To
be added to them, however, is the S25, 900
which was appropriated by the last Congress
on account of Mr.. LincOln's salary, making al
together the total value of the personal estate.
to be about one hundred and ton thousand dOH
lars, to say nothing Of the real estate described
in the schedule- above. So that the statement
made in the Kord that Mr.. Lincoln saved
nothing and left B0thinQ from his salary. and