Bellows Falls times. [volume] (Bellows Falls, Vt.) 1856-1965, 1870-07-22
New Anecdotes of President Lin
coin.


of the martyr President:
Soon after the war began, while call
ing on Mrs. Speed, of Louisville, Ky,
mother of Mr.. James Speed, ex-Attor-
ney General, l noticed cabinet-sized
photograph of Mr.. Lincoln hanging in
the parlor. Beneath the photograph
was written, "To Mrs. Martha Speed, |
from which / received an Oxford Bible
thirty years ago" 1t was signed "Abra-
ham Lincoln, President of the United
States" and en- inquiry, Mrs. Speed told
me that it was sent to her almost imme-
diataly after his Inauguration.
Writing of this suggests many little
anecdotes connected with this great and
good man, which heard at the time of
their occurrence from intimate friends
of his own, some if not all of which, so
far as | can learn have never been pub
lished. One of Mr.. Lincoln's Kentucky
friends, for whom he cherished warm
attachment, used frequently to give notes
of introduction to persons who wished to
see the President, whether on business or
simply to pay their respects to him in a
visit of courtesy. To notes from this
friend he always paid special attention.
On one occasion two ladies were thus in
troduced. ESQ., you know B" said
the President, after shaking hands with
them did he ever tell you l helped
him to his wife?" The ladies knew moth
ing of it, SO the matchmaker proceeded
to give detailed account of the affair
in his liveliest manner. "You see," he
said, "B-- never could get chance
to pop the question because the lady's
father was always in the room, so at
last told him I'd manage it for him,
and the next time he called | went with
him. | knew the old man we'll and of
ten talked politics with him, but as both
of US were wings the talk was never very
lively. That time, to help B, l turn
ed democrat, and the old man got SO ex-
cited that B and the daughter man
aged to slip out on the back porch and
do the thing up at once"
Once during the second year of the
war it was said that a certain foreign
Minister complained to the President OF
a man with hand organ, who disturbed
him at all hours by grinding music in
front of his residence CPL tell you
what to do" said Mr.. Lincoln, "speak
to Stanton about it and tell him to send
Baker after the man. Baker will steal
the organ and throw its owner into the
Old Capitol and you'll never be troubled
with his noise again" This referred
jestingly to the many complaints of ar.
bitrary arrests being made in this city
and the Baker mentioned was the well
known chief of the corps of detectives
Mr.. Lincoln gave the following &C
count of the announcement of the eman
cipation proclamation in Cabinet meeting
, He said he read it through, and ther'
was dead silence. Presently Mr. Chas
spoke. He said he liked all but so ant
so, instancing clause; then some on,
: else made an objection, and then anoth
) er, until all had said something. Thel
! the President said Gentlemen, this re
minds me of the story of the man wh
: had been away from home, and when h
7 was coming back was met by one of tn
, farm hands, who greeted him after thi
fashion; Master, the little pigs ar
9 dead, and the old sow's dead, too, but
/ didn't like to tell you all at once" Il
answer to some remarks which wer
f made to him when Mr.. Chase was pre-
a posed as candidate for the Presidepc
: in opposition to himself, he observed jo
e cosely, "Oh, it don't disturb me in tn
} least. | think shall run the better 70
t it. | never knock horse-fy off one {
5 my horses; find he goes faster for tn
Y bite"
: The kindness of heart Of Mr.. Lincol
r is we'll known, and his intense abhol
5 renee of approving death has been FRI
Y quently discussed. His Kentucky frien
IS who has been mentioned above as B,
n man of undoubted loyalty throughor
= the war, used frequently to come
J. Washington to make representations
# the President in regard to courts-marti'
/. or other decisions where mercy for II
IS condemned man could be obtained onl
,e from the Chief Magistrate, and where
< thought such clemency deserved. L
? rarely failed to obtain reprieve, an
n the following gives an outline of one
the cases where he interfered successful
". A very young man, living in one
T. the southern counties, of Kentucky, W
of enticed into the rebel army. After l
IL naming with it in Tennessee few mont
er he became disgusted or weary and ma
L L.,