Belmont chronicle. [volume] (St. Clairsville, Ohio) 1855-1973, 1875-06-03
President LincOIn's Widow,

1Hc Syulpdtny 0I the n6tfon which
has been too grudgingly given to the
widow of Abraham Lincoln, will GER
tainly no longer be withheld now that
court of justice has declared her be-
rrft of reason. 1t has long teen kLown
to those nearest to her that her mind
never entirely recovered from the shock
OF the Presidents assassination. 1t
would have been brain of eXtraordin-
ary 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 at her side in perfect
health and strength. Her dress was
stained with his blood. She passed
the long hours of his agony at his ded-
side, refusing 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 wOm-
en-. For the next few weeks it was
doubtful whether she would ever
emerge from the shsdOw OF death in
which she lay. But everything she
did or said in that delirium of despair
was wickedly and shamefully used
against her afterward.
1t was the duty of the country, out of
regard to its own homer and dignity to
provide for her future. This Congress
for years refused to do. Not a cent was
raised for the purpose by public SUBJ
scriptiOn. When ut last Mr.. Sumner
forced bill through Congress giving
her the pitiful pension ofs3 900, it only
passed after malicious and scurriluus
opposition, in the course of which her
enemies quoted every utterance and
act which had proceeded, after her
troubles, from her disordered BRAIN
She was entitled to the gentlest and
most tender consideration from every
decent man. But she was attacked by
Congressman and vilified 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 i'm preventing
her recovery from the great shock
which had shattered her life. The
death of her young boy, whom she
idOliZed, filled up the measure of her
sorrows, and finished the wreck of her
intellectual faculties. AS long as it was
possible, her son, the worthy inheritOr
of his fathers character, bore with a
touching patience and devotion the
Consequences vi tIIfS Duk
it became evident at last that to pre-
vent worse disasters the unfortunate
lady must be put under restraint, and
the proceedings in court were taken,
with which our readers are familiar
The attempt npOn her own life the
next day was q terrible confirmation
of the justice of the decree of the Court.
We are sure that the long delayed SYM
pathies Of the country will attend this
deeply afflicted widow Id the retreat
which has been provided for her, where
a cure for her nalady may be found
which was impossible as long as she re-
mained in contact with the world. We
deem it not intrusive to say, ,also, that
the only surviving son of Mr.. Lincoln
deserves in this calamity the respect
and consideration of every one. He
has borne himself always with ire
proachable dignity and decorum. He
has asked nothing from the country
which Was so deeply indebted to his
father. He has gained an enviable
position in his profession and in society
by his own merit and industry. He is
not u man to give way to misfortune,
however sorely tried. But he ought
not to be left to meet this last afflictiOn
without the assurance of the respect
and good will which his character, no
less than mis- name deserves " Y.
Tribune