The Opelousas journal. [volume] (Opelousas, La.) 1868-1878, 1873-07-05
The One Friend
From the New York Ielgnr.l

ttfOm tl6 new 4OfK beugeT.I
The following will be new to our
readers. We get the facts from q PURGE
which we know to be trustworthy.
President Lincoln, ON one of his early
morning walks, while Mcclellan, with
the Army of the Potomac, was on the
Chickahominy, dropped in at the War
Office, and found the Secretary, as
usual, up to his ears in business. Tele-
grams were thick upon his desk, and
important reports from subOrdinates
nodded kindly and sat down..
AS it CHANGED, Mr.. Lincoln had seated
himself by a small table upon which
was a pile of papers held together by a
sp~riQg-clasp. He had seen too many
papers of that description not to know
what they were. They were petitions
for Otfice-some as long as a COrn-Law"
petition, and signed by the whole VOt-
ing force Of q district,-Others with not
more than one or two hundred names,-
while others had come with fewer, and
with still fewer, signers. Some we've
signed by Governors, eX-GOvernOrs, and
Members of Congress, and others had
only recommendations. of military he
rOes of fame and renOWn.
The office asked for was a valuable
one. The former incumbent had been
transferred to an important post in the
West by Gen. Halleck, and a special
detail by the Secretary had since been
doing the duties appertaining to the
vacant Office. Mr.. Lincoln took the
applications from their clasp, and looked
them over. His face heightened, and
his lips frightened, as his gaze became
lost in the wilderness OF names opened
before him.
"STANTON,n said he, "What are you
selected your man for the placeW
Selected" cried the Secretary, push
ing away a lot of papers from before
him, and facing about. Chow is a man
going to select? Look at the list of
applicants, and look at the hosts of
sponsors. Just at this moment | don't
want to offend anybody ~needlessly. !
am obliged to offend enough any way
"Here's a man royalty recommended
said Mr.. Lincoln, holding up an applica-
tion of great length, and bearing the
signatures of men mighty in the politi-
cal arena. "This man ought to be
worthy"
"Look further, Mr.. President, and
you will find that petition thrown in
the shade entirely"
Mercy" exclaimed the President
He had taken hold of a petition which
had unfOlded itself to the floor.
eco On,-go On,-yOu11 find more OF
the same sort" said the Secretary.
The President Overhauled the heap
and near the bottom he came across {
simple petition, bearing only the sigma
ture of the applicant.
"Poor fellow! Here must be a MAJ
without friends. Not one to speak
word in his favor. And how simply
he asks for the situatiOn-as though i
were the Office of pedagogue in a from
tier school. Do you know the MANI"
The Secretary took the petition ant
looked at it.
YES he said. "He brought tn,
petition with his own hand. He wa
introduced to you last evening, at Sew
ards"
remember" said Mr.. Lincoln, witt
a frightening look. The plainl,
dressed, quiet youth, who had hi
mother with him ?" Yes"
"Say, Stanton, do you think him fl
for the placer
81 do, certainly
"Then, as he seems SO entirely friend
less among the multitude who hay
friends without number, | will be hi
friend. He shall have one at least"
And President Lincoln took a pc
and placed his strong autograph upo
the margin of the young mans petition
We need hardly add that the yOun
man thus befriended received the az
pOintment. We may add, howeve:
that he proved himself a most worth
recipient of the good Presidents favol