The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1867-10-17
MRS. LINCOLN

,.. TToxv she Came 90 be I'm Pecu-
.,.rv Dtmculty-subsoriptiO for Her
RsIisf-A Popular MOvemont on Foot.
panublios are proverbially ungrateful, but
e.,1 IeoDle have been so situated as to appre-
n;o,e in its fullest sense the truth of this stale
hoyisrn as the wife of him for whom a coun-
nv went into mourning, and whose life was
saorifced through his devotion to its hQliest
ambition. When Abraham Lincoln perished
fro,n the wounds inflicted upon him by the
bgIIet of the assassin the whole United States
sbad tears and draped itself in funereal garb
Men moved about with solemn and sorrow
Ful tread, and bore upon their faces the ex-
nression Of the deepest grief. But all this was
selfish; they felt that the country had sus-
So;,od q loss in that that they were aggrieved.
None thought of the widow, left alone in the
Sreat house, over which the deep shadow of
sSndden calamity had settled with fearful pre-
sence. Days passed; she who in the pride
and grandeur of hus bands love and pre-
fareuee had lorded it within these spacious
EaiIs left there ia humble weeds seeking
niace where she might rest and pay the tribute
OF respectable retirement to her husbands
greatness.
II was to be expected that the men whom
he had served and the party which had OBJ
tanned the sacrifice of his life would place the
widow and family of Abraham Lincoln be-
yond the reach OF want, but the spirit of this
partv and their individual character were well
shown in the opposition to proposition to
appropriate the paltry sum accruing to the
deceased in right of the four years term upon
which he had entered. Mrs. Lincoln, indig-
nant at this almost insult offered to the
memory of her husband, left Washington and
proceeded to his adopted State.
Springfield, the former residence of Mr..
Lincoln, had never been favorite spot with
her. consequently, proposal to buy house
in Chicago, in fitting locality, was eagerly
accepted by her, and after short interchange
of ideas she became the purchaser of re-
sidence in the Western metropolis. Great
injustice has been done Mrs. Lincoln in sup
posing that her elevation to the White House
found her unprepared for its duties and unfit
for the assumption of the dignity appertaining
to such high Office. This is certainly mis-
take. Mrs. Lincoln stepped into the position
certainly unexpectedly, but filed it with ease
and grace, and throughout conducted herself
in many trying situations with dignity that
could not be surpassed in one born to rule.
II has been said Of Mrs. Lincoln that she
was extravagant, but this is but another Of
the calumnies uttered against the woman
whose greatest fault perhaps was that she ex-
erted her natural influence over her husband
for the benefit of those whom she thought
were his friends. No doubt she received pre-
sents, but they came to her simply as expres
sions OF courteous attention to the wife of the
nations chief. Upon her retirement to Chi
cago, the excitement attending the obseouies
of the lamented President having subsidized
and her natural grief being somewhat softened
with time, Mrs. Lincoln felt some
modification at her inability to- main
tain the style to which she had become
accustomed in the White House, and which,
no doubt, in true wifely spirit, she deemed
becoming the widow of such man as Abra-
ham Lincoln. That she lived above her means
is not denied; but what woman is there in the
country who, under similar circumstances,
hnTv 4
$4,000 sworn to as her husbands estate,
bnt small portion was within her control
First there were certain liabilities to be re-
leved, and after that the portions accruing to
the children were to be deducted from this
amount, thus leaving her but comparatively
small sum within her personal control.
When Mrs, Lincoln first conceived the idea
of parting with her wearing apparel as means
OF obtaining money, it was with great dithdence
that she engaged in the undertaking. She
first consulted her former m0diSte Mrs. Eliza
beth Reokly, upon whose judgment and dis
cretion she had great reliance. She was very
10th to- part with several articles, albeit they
were useless to her in her reduced condition;
but having resolved on the sacrifice, she oi
course became interested in obtaining the
highest possible price.
Having placed the matter in the hands o.
Mr.. Brady, some correspondence necessarily
Snsued between the parties never intended t.
be emade public, but subsequently obliged to b
published, if only in self-defense. No on
regrets more than Mrs. Lincoln the publicity
that has been given to the efforts that she ha
made to dispose of these superfuous relics c
former greatness; to her they are utterly use
less, and in disposing of them she is but fol
lowing. the example of crowned heads VIII
thus get rid of their outre garments, withou
exciting any curiosity or impertinent CON
ment. She undoubtedly had a right to expeC
that her efforts in this regard would be un1el
stood and appreciated, more particularly b
those whom she had served.
But nothing is more true than the utterant
OF the Scottish bard, "Man's inhumanity
man makes countless thousands mourn.
Those very individuals whom she had bel
served were the last to respond, and week
have elasped since these goods were fir
offered for sale, and as yet they await pu
chaser.
A subscription for Mrs. Lincoln having bee
started, this has been taken advantage of b
her under the painful circumstances in whic
she is placed and Mr.. Brady has been authc
Tized to receive subscriptions for her benefit
1t is certainly belittling the country tha
this lady, to whom full justice has never bee
done because of the rivalry of politician;
should be compelled to appear as a mendicau
before the American public. The widow of
deceased private soldier receives from tn
Government pension equal to one-half tn
pay OF soldier doing duty; then why shoul
the widow OF the Commander-in- Chief OF tn
army and Navy be left to the charity of tn
people ior the means of maintaining positio
becoming her antecedents and dioni1yi ~