Shepherdstown register. [volume] (Shepherdstown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1849-1955, 1877-09-29

time to stand ON ceremony so l shall
90 10 him at once and ascertain, if pos
sible, his opinion of the policy OF such
a movement as yours at this particular
juncture and, perhaps" l added, as
1 turned to leave him, "Mr. Lincoln
may not be so infexible as you are in
this matter, aud can be induced to exert
his influence to stop it in the Senate If
too late to do so in the House"
eyes, that's likely" was his lacouic
rejoinder, qualified by an incredulous
laugh.
THE PRESIDENT. ELECT.
On my way to the cloak room stop
ped to speak to two of my colleagues,
Messrs. Thomas S. Bocock and Muscoe
r. II. Garnett, who were standing TO-
gether In the area outside the bar OF the
House. Mentioning my purpose to SEQ
Mr.. Lincoln and the object of the visit,
| requested them, if Stanton should call
up the bill in my absence, 10 do me the
favor 10 filibuSter on it until | could get
back to record my vote against it,which
they promised to do; | on my part
promising to report to them the partic-
ulars of my proposed interview. 1t was
about 4 o'clock in the afternoon when |
left the capitol, and driving rapidly 10
WilIards, where the President-elect had
a suite of rooms fronting the avenue,
the first person | met on reaching the
hotel was an old acquaintance from the
county of Berkeley, Virginia, Colonel
Ward II. Lamon, Mr.. Lincoln's law
partner and cOmpagnon de uoydge from
Springfield TO Washington, who, on
learning my wishes, kindly undertook
to ascertain if Mr.. Lincoln, whom he
had just left alone, would see me. He
soon came down with an invitation to
walk upstairs, and as | did so, accom-
panied by the colonel, | noticed that
The corridors were strictly guarded by
policemen-an unnecessary out natural
precaution under the circumstances of
apprehension and excitement that then
prevailed in Washington.
GA being introduced, Mr.. Lincoln
greeted me with great kindness and cor
diality. "Im glad to see you, said he;
always glad TO see an Old Line Wing,
Sit down"
"Apologizing for disturbing him, |
said: "Iye no doubt that the unusual
demands now made on your time and
energies require you to have more rest
than is likely to be allowed you here by
the public; but my visit is not one OF
conventional formality or idle curiosity,
as | come upon an important matter
now pending III the House, and there
fore, trust that | am not trespassing too
far on your courtesy in calling this even
ing"
''Not a bit of it, he replied; not a
bit. I'm really glad you have come,
and wish that more of you Southern
gentlemen would call and see me, as
these are times when there should be Z
full, fair and frank interchange of senti
ment and suggestion among all who
have the good Of the country at heart
SO draw up your chair and tell NE
what's going on in the House to-day"
Thus encouraged, showing him a copy
of Stantons Force bill, / called his at
tention to some OF its extraordinary tea
lures, and to the fact that it was "brist.
ling all over with war" | spoke OF the
angry feeling it had excited in Congress
and of the painful anxieteS it had caus-
ed throughout Virginia; how it had de
moralized the members Of her State
convention, and was frustrating the pat
riotic efforts of her conservative citizens
TO keep her from seeding. | told him
also how determined the friends of the
measure were 20 force it through the
House that evening, and how much
reason there was TO fear that its passage
would do irreparable injury to the cause
of the Union. consequently, Mr.. Lin
coin" said |. 81 have ventured to come
to you to tell You frankly what think
OF the policy Of this bilI-to ask your
opinion of it, and to invoke your inau-
euce in having it defeated.
TIE UNION, TIE CONSTITUTION, AND THE
While l was making these remarks
Mr.. Lincoln listened to me with patient
politeuess, and when / paused for a re-
ply, lie said: 'You must allow me the
Yankee privilege Of answering your
questions by first asking few myself.
During the late Presidential canvass
were you not Chairman of the National
Executive Committee of the party that
supported Bell and Everett!
"Yes," said |, ''ot the Constitutional
Union party
"The campaign motto or platform Of
which" he continued, twas '1he Uni9n,
the Constitution, and enforcement o
the iaWS?'"
at was" I replied, "and I think that
it was not only the brietest, but about
the best and most comprehensive plat
form that could have been adopted for
that canvass.
"And you still stand by it, Of course?"
said he.
81 certainly do, was my reply.
"Then," he remarked, "!here is no
reason why we should not be of the
same mind in this emergency, if | un-
derstand the meaning of your platform.
How do you yourself interpret it,"
ats meaning" | answered, sis obvi
Gus. 1t has nothing hidden it-noth-
ing more than meets the eye. We 60
for qhe UniOa' as our fathers made it
to be shield Of protection over our