Buchanan County bulletin. [volume] (Independence, Iowa) 1869-1891, 1870-06-03

question because the lady's father was al.
ways in the room; SO at last | told him Ia
manage it for HIM, and the next time he
called went with him. l knew the old
man well and often talked politics with him,
but as both of US were wings the talk was
never very lively. That time to help B
l turned Democrat, and the old man got so
excited that Band the daughter man
aged to slip out on the back porch and do
the thing up at once" This story, relating
an occurrence dating back some twenty odd
years, the teller seemed to enjoy as much
as at the time when his temporary change
of politics hastened, what has proved, an
exceedingly happy marriage.
Once during the second year of the war
it was said that certain foreign minister
complained to the President of man with
a hand organ who disturbed him at all hours
by grinding music in front Of his residence.
"I'l tell you what to do," said Mr.. Lincoln,
"speak to Stanton about it AID 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 arbitrary arrests be.
ing made in this city and the Baker men
toned was the well known chief of the corps
Of detectives.
Mr.. Lincoln gave the following account
of the first announcement of the emancpa-
ton proclamation in cabinet meeting. He
said he read it through and there was dead
silence. Presently Mr.. Chase spoke. He
said he liked all but so and so, instancing
a clause, then some one else made an OBJ
lection, and then another, until all had said
something. Then the President said, "Gen-
tlemen, this reminds me Of the story of the
man who had been away from home, and
when he was coming back was met BY one
of his farm hands who greeted him after
this fashion: "Mas:er, the little pigs are
dead, and the cid sow's dead too, but |
didn't like to tell you all at once In an
swer 10 some remarks which were made to
him when Mr. Chase was proposed as a
candidate for the presidency in opposition
to himself, he observed loosely, ooh it don't
disturb me in the least. think / shall run
the better for it. l never knock horseAy
off one of my horses; find he goes faster
for the bite"
The kindness Of heart of Mr. Lincoln is
well known and his intense abhorrence OF
approving death has been frequently dis
cussed. His Kentucky friend who has been
mentioned above as "B, man of undoubt.
ed loyalty throughout the war, used fire..
quently to come to Washington to make
representations to the President in regard
to cour,s,mar,ial or other decisions where
mercy for the condemned man could be OBJ
tained only from the chief magistrate and
where he thought such clemency deserved
He rarely failed to obtain reprieve. and
| the following gives an outline of one of the
cases where he interfered successfully. A
very young man living in one of the south.
ern counties Of Kentucky was enticed into
the rebel army. After remaining With i,
in Tennessee few months he became dis.
gusted or weary and managed to make his
way back to his home. Soon after his arri'
val, some of the military stationed in the
town heard Of his return and arrested him
as rebel spy, and ai.er military trial he
was condemned to be hung. His family
were overwhelmed by distress and horror.
A sister of the young man knew Mrs. B.
and concluded to 60 to her with the sad sto-
~ and ask that her husband should make
representation of the case to his powerful
friend in Washington. Mrs. B. promised
to do all she coul :, convinced that the aw-
tul death decrecd the young man was unde-
served. When her husband came home
from his business she told him he must 90
to Washington at once to attend to this
case. He said i, was impossible, as his
business required his immediate and con.
slant attendance. "Yes," she answered,
''but not when life is to be saved and in
the next train Mr.. B. started. When he
saw Mr.. Lincoln and explained his errand,
the latter said, "Oh yes, understand, some
one has been crying to your good wife and
worked upon her feelings and you have
come here - work on mine" Mr.. B. then
went more into detail and assured the Pres
ident of his BELIEF in the truth of the story.
After some delberation Mr. Lincoln eyi-
IDENTIFY scarcely more than half convinced,
but still perferring to err on the side of mer-
cy, replied, "If man had more than one
life think a little hanging would not hurt
not bring him back, no matter how sorry We
may be, SO he shall be pardoned''; ard a re-
prieve was given on the spot.
Many are the like instances which could
be given of similar cases, many of which it
must be admitted, really demanded in the
name not only of justice, but also to secure
public safety, that a man proven q spy
should te shot or hung, when the same ten
derness of heart irterfered to save life. The
story sometimes went that the life of the
one had been saved at the expense of the
loss of the lives of many. 1t was said that
it was a spy pardoned by Mr.. Lincoln w&o
gave the information which led to the hor-
rible death Of Col. Uric Dahlgren. But
the sympathetic nature which sometimes
erred through the weakness produced by its
own truth and intensity, was well under
stood and never condemned by those who
knew the man best. Here in Washington
it was not an affair of hearsay the plying
heart made itself felt, and its influence was
potent even when silent. Here Mr.. Lincoln
was truly mourned, not simply as martyr
in Just cause but as a beloved friend.
None who had ever come in contact with
could fail to be convinced of his integrity
or remain unimpressed by his gentle char
acteristics. Many had been indebted to
him for some kindness, all had recognized
his willingness to mitigate, so far as poss-
bic, the horrors of war. The cry which
went up from the city on that sad 18th of
April was for man deeply and earnestly
loved and honored.
Mr. Lincoln and Roger A. Pryor.
The most characteristic incident durin g
my intercourse with Mr.. Lincoln was the
following, aud have often related it as H.