Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1867-10-05
WASHINGTON. D. c.. SATURDAY. OCTOBER 1867.

Thurlow weed Replies to Mrs. Lincoln.
An abstract Of the statements of Mrs. Lin
coin as to her poverty and the alleged bad
treatment she has received from Secretary
Seward, Thurlow Weed and others, ap-
peared in yesterdays STAR. The New York
Commercial Advertiser Of yesterday afternoon
referring to these developments, says:
1--WE have never approached a question
with half the sorrow that TINS one a awaKeus
To vindicate, shield and protect Heavens best
Gift TO man. is grateful duty, while To even
reprove, and much more to assail a woman, is
painful, and If without perfect justification,
anmanly. t
People have fai,ed to meet the pecuuiary ex.
pectations of MI. Lincoln's widow, it is be.
cause that parsonage failed, during his life and
since his death, ss inspire either me- ritn respect
subjected to the reproach or rest under the i'm.
putation. OF ingrantude. Had Mrs Lincoln.
while In power, borhe herself becomingly, the
suggestion OF . Lincoln Fund, by voluntary
contributions, would have been promptly ne.
sponded to. The national heart was warm. 1t
EushPd out IN liberal ehdowments for Grant
met the appeal in favor of Mrs. Lincoln II it
had not intuitiyely closed and chilled.
ssln her conversations 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 m an, and m ucn less
is he capable of injustice, wrong, or even un-
kindeness to woman.
But we happen 10 -know-tne late Caleb b.
Smith, then Secretary OF the Interior, being
our informant-a fact which incensed Mrs.
Lincoln against Mr.. Seward The President
gave the Prince Napoleon a dinner, for which
Mrs. Lincoln sent to the Secretary OF the lnte-
rior for payment Il bill of some 500. THIS
demand, though wholly illegal, coming from
the Presidents wife, embarrassed the Secre.
tary, 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 them q duplicate
OF , the dinner ss.n a, the White House In fact.
same restaurant, and by his own bill, knew
the cost OF each. For what Mr.. Sc ward paid
$500, Mrs. Lincoln demanded S90l. But
whether three or nine hundred, the claim was
alike illegal, and could not be paid. For this,
however, Mrs. ncoln quarreled with Secre-
taries Smith and Seward. This amount, how.
dener's account, but occasioned scandal,
which respect for Mr. Lincoln measurably
suppressed,
ihongh Mr.. Lincoln left an estate which en-
abled his family to live quite as comfortably
as they had ever lived, Congress and the peo-
pie would have promptly and cheerfully pro.
vided munificentiy for them If Mrs. Lincoln
herself, with every advantage tha. high po-
sition gave her, had made friends or inspired
respect. And this last exhibition proves how
instinctiveiy right the popular estimate OF her
The fac, for which Mrs Lincoln seeks large
publicity, namely, that she received presents
valued at s24 is pregnant and suggestive
one--suggestfSl At least, OF offices and con.
tracts. unless the more charitable construc-
tion is reached through the assumption that
they were expressions Of regard and friend.
ship. 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
foreseep. II our information 10 reliable. eleven
OF Mr.. Lincolns new linen shirts were sold
almost before the remains, which were shroud-
ed in the twelfth had started for that bourne
from whence no traveller rsturns."
Individually, we are obliged to Mrs. Lincoln
for an exprc sion Of her il-wilI. 1t is pleas.
ant to remember that we are always out Of IA
vor in that quarter. And it is equally pleas
an, to remember that we possessed the friend
ship and confidence Of Mr.. Llncoln 10 the last
hour OF his life. with out paying court. others
did. to Mrs. Lincoln. and in spite OF her con-
slant efforts to disturb our relations.
This mortifying revelation will go abroad,
and as is natural, the press of Europe will make
the lost OF II. In deprecating the iugratitude Of
our Government, and the wan. of itbeTalt in
the Amt rican people This consideration alone
constraips us 10 discharge the unpleasant duty
of showing that neither the Government nor
the people are justly obnoxious to these accu-
sattCns.'