The weekly herald. [volume] (Cleveland, Tenn.) 1876-1888, 1878-01-10
CLEVELAND, TENN, JANUARY 10, 1875

standing first on one foot and then on
the other, patiently enduring the mar
tyrdom he is daily subjected to, asked (:
"Shall / put up pattern off this
piece for you?"
She scarcely deigned to look around
as she answered:
"No, guess not, dOn'tneed dress
now, anyhow, and guess I'll wait un-
til winter and get something heavier"
The Administration of Abraham Lincoln
The failure of Grant to take Rich
mond, after his bloody overland march
and the great sacrifices which had been
made to reach it, was discouraging.
The President, borne down with the
anxiety and labor of recruiting, rein
forcing, and supplying the army, which
was doing so little, in inspiring the
country, disappointed in his expecta-
tions of military success, in warding off
the blows of radical friends, and in re-
conciling political differences among
his supporters, many of whom were OPP
posing instead Of strengthening and
and supporting his measures, began to
feel that the Democrats would be likely
to succeed in the political campaign
that was then progressing.
Entering his Office on one of these
days, when it was evident that McClel-
Ian was to be nominated by the Demo-
Gratis, when reverses prevailed, when
affairs were dark, and many friends on
whom he felt the Government ought to
be enabled to rely were desponding-
some of them, like Greeley, proposing
impracticable schemes, and not very
creditable terms for peace, and others
were complaining because more un-
relenting course was not pursued
when the Democrats were assailing him
for arbitrary measures, and both Dem
ocrats and radicals were accusing him
of asurpatiOns and holding him, not the
military commander, accountable for
our slaughtered cOuntrymen and slow
progress in suppressing the rebellion,
he handed me sealed envelope with
request that / would write my name
across the back of it. One or two
members of the Cabinet had already
done so. In handing it to me he re-
marked that he would not then inform
me fthe contents of the paper enclosed,
had no explanation to make, but that he
had a purpose, and at some future day
should be informed of it, and be pres
ent when the seal was broken. Some
three months later, after the election
had terminated, all the Cabinet being
present, he brought out this sealed doc
ument, which he opened and read. 1t
was as follows:
EXECUTIVE MANSION,
WASHINGTON, August %, lS64.l
This morning, as for some days past,
it seems exceedingly probable that this
Administration will not be reelected. |
Then it will be my duty to cooperate
with the President elect so as to save
the Union between the election and the
as he will have secured his
election on such grounds that he cannot
possibly save it afterward.
A. LINCOLN.
Mr.. Lincoln had, after his election in
1860, and preceding his Inauguration in
1861, when the great secession storm
which threatened the Union was i'm
pending, and States and sections were
to resist the Government, re-
ceived no word of encouragement, no
counsel, no generous support
from the retiring administration. He
felt that neglect of himself and the ap-
parent disregard of the public welfare.
and remembering it, he was determined
that General Mcclellan, who from the
then indications, would be nominated
and elected, should, in that event, re-
ceive his willing assistance and that of
the Administration to preserve the
Union, though chosen by men who op-
posed him and his efforts in the national
GALAXY.