The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1875-05-28
Editorial in Trbune-DOubtless by John Hay,
formerly Private Secretary to Mr.. Lincoln
President LincOln's Widow.
An Appeal for sympathy In Her Behalf

The sympathy of the nation, which has been
too grudgingly given to the widow of Abraham
Lincoln, will certainly no longer be withheld
now that a court of justice has declared her be-
reft of reason. 1t has long been Bnswn to
those nearest to her that her mind never en-
tirely recovered from the shock of the presi-
dents assassination. 1t would have been
brain of extraordinary force which could have
withstood that night of horrors. Her husband,
to whom, in spite of all gossip to the contrary.
she was devotedly attached, was shot down ae
her side in perfect health and strength Her
dress was stained with his blood. She passed
the long hours of his agony at his bedside. re-
fusing to believe the sentence OF his surgeons,
and, in the morning, when all was over, she
confronted loss such as has been experienced
by few women. For the next few weeks lt
was doubtful whether she would ever emerge
from the shadow of death in which she lay.
But everything she did or said in that delirium
OF despair was wickedly and shameiully used
against her afterward
1t was the duty of the country, out Of regard
to its own honor and dignity, to provide for her
future. This Congress for years refused to do.
Not a cent was raised for the purpose by pub
lie subscription. When at last Mr.. Sumner
forced bill through Congress giving her the
pitiful pension of S3000 it only passed after
malicious and scurrilous opposition, in the
course of which her enemies quoted every ut
terance and act which had proceeded. after her
troubles, from her disordered brain. She was
W ReutlcSt anu LuOob IouucI JUL
sideration from every decent man. But she
was attacked by congressman and vlified by
portion of the press, as if she had been an able
bodied politician, courting votes and criticism.
There is no doubt that this treatment had its
effect in preventing her recovery from the
great shock which had shattered her life. The
death of young boy. whom she idolized, filed
up the measure of her SORROWS, and finished
the wreck of her intellectual faculties. As
long as it was possible, her son. the worthy in
heritor of his fathers character, bore with
touching patience and devotion the
consequences of this misfortune. But
it became evident at last, that, to
prevent worse disasters, the unfortun ate
lady must be put under restraint, and the pro-
ceediDgs in court were taken, with which our
readers are familiar The attempt upon her
own life, the next day, was terrible confrma-
tion of the justice of the decree of the court.
We are sureA that the long delayed sympathles
of the country will attend this deeply afflicted
widow to the retreat which has been provided
for her, where a cure for her malady may be
found which was impossible as long as she
remained in contact with the world. We deem
it not intrusive to say also, that the only sur
viving son of Mr.. Lincoln deserves in this
calamity the respect and consideration of every
proachabe dignity and decorum. He has
asked nothing from the country which was SO
deeply indebted to his father. He has gained
an enviabe position in his profession and in
society by his own merit and industry. He is
not man to give way to misfortune, however
sorely tried, But he ought not to be left to
meet this last atfiction without the assurance
pf the respect and goodwill which his charac-
ler, Ho io1~ shan his name, deserves.