Buchanan County bulletin. [volume] (Independence, Iowa) 1869-1891, 1877-11-09
A FRESH STORY OF LINCOLN.
How He Came to Remark, al Have Very
Little Influence With This Administra-
fiOn.

A FRESH SIOkI OF LlNCOLN.
How He Came to Remark, "I Have Very
Little Influence with This Administers.
tion.
Washington Letter to Chicago Tribune
The recent death of Il. L. Stanton
son of the great War Secretary, has re-
vived some "reminiscences of his father
Among them is new version of the orr
gin OF Lincolns noted declaration, II
have no influence with this administra-
ton" The following is the story as re-
lated by one who claims to have been an
eyewitness:
1t was in the summer Of 1862. The
army of the Cumberland was inactive in
its campaign. Gen. Mitchell, of Kansas
then an active soldier in the army of the
Cumberland, came to Washington to
seek the promotion of captain to the
position Of Major in the quartermaster'
department, there having been vacan-
cy created by death. The captain whose
promotion he sought was man of fine
abilities. Upon arriving here, General
Mitchell went directly to the office OF
Secretary Stanton. Mitchell was a sol
dier who had obtained distinction in the
war. He found Stanton resting his mas
sive form upon the desk in the war Of
fee, which has now become historical
There was gloom upon his stern face
He had evidently been troubled by some
of the complications of the great war
the entire responsibilities of which he
seemed to consider were placed upon
his shoulders. Stanton heard General
I oto hr< hoL oh Il,
been notified of the death of the major
whose place Gen. Mitchell sought to fill
The War Secretary brusquely replied to
Mitchell that provision had already been
made to fill the vacancy. Gen. Mitchell
Immediately retired to reinforce himself
with greater influence than the simple
petition he had of the officers of the
corps in which he was stationed.
Gen. Mitchell proceeded directly to
the Office of the President. Mr.. Lincoln
heard his story, and endorsed his peti-
tion with these words: 'The Secretary
Of War will make the appointment in
accordance with the within request
Gen. Mitchell, accompanied by the then
Senator Pomeroy, who was at that time
at the height of his political influence
returned to the war departmo Mt. At the
door of the war Office they were met by
bluff old Ben Wade, who returned to the
Secretary with them, feeling curious
perhaps, to see how Stanton would act
in obeying the orders of his superior
Wade's curiosity soon afterward assum-
ed very different complexion. In the
presence of these three gentlemen, the
petition of the army officers for the pro-
motion desired by Gen Mitchell, with
the endorsement of the President there
on, was presented to Stanton without
any comment. Stanton quietly read the
petition and the endorsement, and then
deliberately tore the petition into shreds
which he deposited in the waste basket
The three gentlemen were astonished at
what seemed to them, and might very
properly have appeared to anybody, an
act of stupendous impudence. The only
comment that Secretary Stanton made
consisted in the words uttered in quiet
tone, with his large eyes closed some
what behind his spectacles THE ap-
pointment will not be made"
The three gentlemen retired speech
less with rage and astonishment. Mr.
Stanton was man much after Ben
Wade's heart. This act of Stanton's
had aroused the old man s wrath and sci
loose tongue which, in its theological
expression, does not always strictly fol
low ecclesiastical euphemism. A sar
donic grin played about the grimly mo-
bile features of old Ben Wade's face
He clutched his hands as if the sturdy
neck of the rebellious secretary was
within his vigorous grasp. Wade STROBE
to the front, and told his companions to
follow, muttering: "We will see about
this" General Mitchell was then lame
from recent wound, and with Pomeroy
who was already puffy from rapidly de
veloped obesity, naturally fell behind
Wade could not wait, and strobe on
driving his tough oaken cane into the
ground, and blurting out oaths as a
rocket leaves sparks in its trail. The
two Kansas gentlemen might have i'm
agined that they were following some
Plutonic Herald The distance between
the war department and White House is
not great. At the threshold of the eX-
ecutive mansion the irate Ben turned
and, shaking his cane at the less swift
companions, shouted, "Come on" The
twain naturally hastened their steps, fol
they feared that the heated representa-
tions of Mr., Wade might be less respect
full to Mr.. Stanton than they would be
beneficial to their cause
They arrived at the antc-room of tho
Presidents Office just in time to heal
old Ben blurt out; what sort of ;
- - clerk do you keep over at the
war department." Wade fairly trem
bled with rage at what he regarded the
indignity to the Presidential authority
Mr.. Lincoln coolly asked the reason fol-
the energetic inquiry. Wade told the
story in his emphatic way, how the peti
tion had been respectfully presented
how the clerk in the war office ha(
read the Presidents instructions, anC
had then torn the whole document into
pieces. The President listened to the
story with much apparent nervousness
and great agitation was manifest on his
face as the recital proceeded. After
pacing the floor few moments he turn
ed to the gentlemen and said: ''Th.
truth is, gentlemen, | have very little
influence with this administration"
That is the true story of this histori
cal statement of Lincoln's as told by al
eyewitness. The President, without fur
ther comment, then told the gentlemen
to call the next morning, and he woulC
see what could be done. They called
The President handed Gen. Mitchell al
official paper, saying, "There is the ap
pointment of your friend to the position
of Major in the quartermaster's depart
ment." No further explanation was of
fered by the President. The nature O
the interview with his war secretar.
was never made public, but the act o
the President shows that he had, il
fact, some little influence with his ad
ministration.
A Terrible Indian Killer.
Bismarck Cd. IT, Tribune.
The man who has been in the Blacl
Hills and returned is big gun at the
village drug store, and feels called upol
to tell the truth when narrating his ad