Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1870-05-26
LINCOLN. E.


some EreSn AnecOOteS ABOUT Inc
| .'ftsIb6 is Dead PRESIDENT. w il
Correspondence Springfield Republican,
One of Mr. Lincoln Kentucky friends,
for whom he cherished a warm attach
ment, used frequently TO give notes of
Introduction to deserving 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 introduced. So you know
R." said the President, after shaking
hands with them; did he ever tell you
helped him to his wife?' The ladies
knew nothing of it, so the matchmaker
proceeded to give adetailed 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 often
talked politics with him, but as both of
us were Wings the talk was never very
lively. That time TO help b. / tur ned
Democrat, and the old man got so ex-
cited that B-- and the daughter managed
to slip out on the back porch and do
the thing up at once This story, re-
lating 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 fastened,
what has proved an exceedingly happy
marriage. nE
a, 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 al. all hours by grinding music in
front of his residence. "TTl 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 account
of the first announcement of the emanci-
patton proclamation in Cabinet meeting
He said he read it through, and there was
dead silence Presently Mr. Chase
spoke. He said he liked it all but so and
| so, instancing a clause; then some one
else made an objection, and then another,
until all had said something. Then the
President said; Gentlemen, this re-
minds rae of the story of the man who had
been away from home, and when he was
coming back was met by one of the farm
hands, who greeted him after this fashion,
Master, the little pigs are dead, and the
old SOW dead, too, but | didn't like totell
yoUallat onceP Inanswer to some re
marks which were made to him when Mr..
Chase was proposed as candidate for
the Presidency in opposition to himself,
he observed jocosely; "Oh, it don't dis
turb me in the least / think shall run
the better for it. Inever knock horse
fly off one of my horses but / find he goes
the faster for the bite.
The kindness of heart of Mr.. Lincoln
is well known, and his intense abhor-
renee of approving death has been
frequently discussed His Kentucky
friend, who has been mentioned. above as
"B., man of undoubted loyalty |
throughout the war, used frequently to |
come to Washington to make representa- |
tons to the President in regard to court
martial 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 out
line of one of the cases where he inter-
fered successfully. A very young man
living in one of the southern counties of
Kentucky was enticed into the rebel
army. After remaining with it in Ten
nessee a few months he became dis
gusted or weary and managed to make
his way back to his home Soon after
his arrival, some of the military sta
toned in the town heard of his return
and arrested him as a rebel spy, and
after a military trial he was condemned
to be hung. His family were over
whelmed by distress and horror.
A sister Of the young man knew Mrs
B., and concluded to go to her with the
sad story, and ask that her husband
should make representation of the case
to his powerful friend in Washington.
Mrs. B. promised to do all she could,
convinced that the awful death decreed
the young man was undeserved. When
her husbandlcame home from his business
she told him he must go TO Washington at
once to attend 70 this case. He said it.
was impossible, as his business required
his immediate and constant attendance.
ayes, ? she answered, but not when
life is to be saved, and on the next train
Mr.. b. started. When he saw Mr.. Lin
coin, and explained his errand, the lat
ter said, "0h, yes, understand; some
one has been crying toyour good wife and
worked upon your feelings, and You have
come here to work on mine. Mr.. B.
then went more into detail, and assured
the President of his belief in the truth
of the story After some deliberation,
Mr.. Lincoln, evidently scarcely more
than half convinced, but still preferring
TO err on the side Of mercy, replied, " If
a man had more than one life. think
little hanging would not hurt this one,
but after he isonee dead We cannot bring