Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1870-03-02
A Story about Lincoln.
HOW MR.. STANTON PREVENTED HIM FROM
COMMITTING SUICIDE

k.
COMMITTING SUICIDE.
The Philadelphia Post publishes some
"reminiscences of the late Mr.. Stanton,
among which is the following:
Mr. Lincoln was very sensitive of the
critising of the newspaper press, believing
it, as he asserted, the true voice of the peo-
Pile The failures of Mcdowell and Nc
Clellan and Burnside, and Pope with the
army of the Potomac, and the accompany
ing criticisms of the newspapers, had al
most crazed him. Time and again he
would free himself from the White House,
and seek Mr. Stanton's little Office, the
only place in Washington, he often re-
marked, where he was free from bOres. He
often talked to Mr.. Stanton of resigning or
pressing on Congress the propriety of Civ
ing control of the army and navy to mill
tary men. 1t was during this period that
he conceived the idea of putting Hooker in
command of the Army of the Potomac,
and have him make an effort for success.
From the time that Hooker began to
march until the smoke of battle had cleared
from the fatal field of Charlottesville, he
scarcely knew what 1t was to sleep 1t
will be remembered the fight lasted three
days. During the first two days it looked
as if Hooker was about to accomplish what
so many had failed to do, but on the third
day the usual half-hour dispatches began
to make matters look worse. That whole
day Mr.. Lincoln was miserable. He ate
nothing, and would see no one but Mr..
S.~nton. AS it grew dark the dispatches
ceased coming altogether. The President
walked froh the White House TO the War
Department and anxiousiy inquired for
Hooker. The night was dark and stormy
about as mean a night as was ever ex-
perienced in Washington. About : O'Clock
the President closed his visit to the War
Department. An hour afterward a dis
patch of an indefinite character was re-
ceived, aud Mr. Stanton hurried with it to
the White House He found Mr.. Lincoln
walking the room, and as he entered, the
agonizing appearance of the man so terri
fed him that it was with difficulty he
could speak. Mr.. Lincoln walked to him
like wild man, and seizing the dispatch
from his hand, read it, and simply re-
marked, d" Stanton, there's hope yet - At
Mr. Stanton's solicitation he accompanied
him to the War Department, where they
agreed to spend the time together until
something definite was heard from Hooker.
For four hours the longest and most weari-
some of his life, said Mr.. Stanton, they
waited before the dispatch announcing the
retreat of Hooker was received. When
Mr.. Lincoln read it, he threw up his hands
and exclaimed, " My God Stanton. our
cause is lost. We arc ruined. we are
ruined, and such a fearful loss of life. NV
God, this is more than | can endure" He
stood trembling like leaf, his face of
CHASTITY hue, the perspiration rolling from
his brow. He put on his hat and coat, and
began pacing the floor. For five minutes
he was silent, and then turning to Stanton,
he said, 4" If am not about early to-mor-
row don't feel alarmed Defeated again,
and so many killed. What 1riH the peo-
pie say ?' As he made the remark, he
went to open the door to 20 out His
action alarmed MIR. Stanton, and he stopped
him and entreated him to return that they
might talk and act like men. With diff
Guilty he had him return, and Mr. Stanton
began to try to cheer him. He finally got
him to assent to retire to bed, and leave
for the army together next morning
which they did. Lincoln afterward told
Mr.. Stanton that when he spoke to him
about not being alarmed if he was not
about the next morning, he had fully made
up his. mind to go to the Potomac and
drown himself. Mr.. Stanton said he
thought all the time he contemplated sui
eide, and never felt so frightened in his
/ lifetime.