The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1881-07-09
SOME ANECDOTES OF LINCOLN

This great Hercules of a man hal =
heart as kind and tender as n woman.
Sterner men thought il weakness. 1t
saddened him to see others suffer, and he
shrunk from inhicting pain. Let me il
lustrate his kindness and tenderness by
one or two incidents, One summers day
walking along the shaded path leading
from the Executive Mansion TO the War
Office. saw tho tall awkward form Of
the President seated on the grass under
a tree. A wounded soldier, seeking back
pay and 4 pension, had met the President
and having recognized him, as his conr-
sci. Lincoln sat down, examined the
papers of the soldier, and told him what
to do. sent him 10 the proper bureau with
a note, which secured prompt attention
After the terribly destructive battles
between Grant and Lee i'll the ilderncHs
of Virginia, after days of dreadful
slaughter, the lines of ambulanceS, con.
veying the wounded from the steamers
on the Potomac to the great field hosplt-
ais on the heights around Washington,
would be continuous-one unbroken line
from the wharf to the hospital. At such
a time have seen the President. III his
carriage. driving slowly along the line,
and he looked like one who had lost the
dearest members of his own family. On
one such occasion, meeting me. he stop
ped and said: Il cannot bear this; this
suffering, this loss of lifc--is dreadtui.
| recalled to him a line from letter he
had years before written To friend.
whose great sorrow he had sought to con
sole. Reminding him Of the incident,
asked him: ''Do you remember writing
to your suffering friend these words
and this too shall pass away, never ie''.
Victory will come
An Atlantic port, in one OF the BRITISH
provinces, was, during the war, great
resort and refuge for blockade.runncrH'
| and large contraband trade was said t"
have been carried on from that port with
the Confederates. Late in the summer
of 1864, while the election OF President
| was pending, Lincoln being a candidate
| the Governor-Generaln OF that province,
with some of the principal officers, visit
ed Washington, and called TO pay ther
respects to the Executive. Mr.. Lhn1o'n
| had been very much annoyed by the IAN
| ure of these officials to enforce, very
| strictly, the rules of neutrality, but he
| treated his guests with great courtesy.
| After pleasant interview, the Governor
abiding to the approaching Presidential
election, said iokingly, but with grin OF
| sarcasm: {" understand, Mr.. President
! everybody votes in this country. If We
| remain until November can we vote?
You remind ne - replied the t're~i-
| dent, "of a connirynian Of youre, green
emigranJ from Ireland. Pat arrived III
| New York on election day. and was per
haps, as eager as your EXcel|ency to vote
early and late and often. So, upon his
| landing at Custle Garden, he fastened 70
the nearest voting place, and, as he ar
preached. the judge who received tie
ballots, inquired, Whom do you want to
vote fora on which side are YOU" foor
Pat was embarrassed. he did know who
were the candidates. He stopped, scratch
ed his head, then, with the readiness 1t
his countrymen, he said:
II am torment the Government, any
how. Tell me, if your Honor phases,
which is the rebellion side, and III tell
YOU how want to vote. In Guild Ireland
Twas always on the rebellion side. and
bv Saint Patrick. Eli stick TO thai same
in America"
"Your Excellency,' said Mr., Lincoln.
would. | should think. not he AL at a
loss on which side TO vote.
The two books he read most were the
Bible and Shakespeare. With them i'''
was familiar. reading and quoting from
them constantly. Next to Shakespeare
among the poets was Burns, with whom
he had hearty sympathy, and upon
whose poetry he wrote a lecture. lie was
extremely fond of ballads, and of simple,
sad and plaintive music.
called one day at the White House i"
introduce two officers of the Union army,
both Swedes. Immediately he began aud
repeated from memory. to the delight Of
his visitors. long ballad, descriptive at
Norwegian scenery, a Morse legend, ami
the adventures of an old NickinG among
the fiords OF the North.
He said he had read the poem i'll news
paper, and the visit of these Swedcs re
called it to his memory.
On the last Sunday of his life, as hc
was sailing up the Potomac, returning /"
Washington from his visit to Richmond,
he read aloud many extracts from Mac-
fbeth, and, among others, the following,
and with a tone and accent so impressive
that, after his death. it was wildly recall
ed by those who heard him:
"Duncan is in his grave
After life's fitful fever, he sleeps we'll;
Treason has done his worst; nor Stee, n"r
poison.
Malice domestic, foreign levy. nothing,
| Can touch him further.
1t is strange that any reader Of LIN
coins speeches and writings should have
had the hardihood to charge him with IN
fidelity, but the charge having been re
peatedy made, reply, in the light 81
facts accessible to all, that no more rev
erent Christian mot excepting Washing
tom ever filled the chair of President
Declarations of his trust in God, his faith
in the efficacy of prayer, peNade his
speeches and writings. From the time
he left Springfield, to his death, he not
only himself continually prayed ior
Divine assistance, but never failed 10 ask
the prayers of others for himself AMI his
country.
His reply to The negroes OF Baltimore,
who in 1864, presented him with beat
j.. tiful Bible as an expression of their love
and gratitude, ought to have silenced all
, who have made such charges. After
thanking them he said: This great book
is the best gift God has given to mar i.
All good from the Savior of the world is
communited through this )ok."
When member Of Congress, knowing
tsoNTnvnp ON TIE EouBFH rAaEl