The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1882-03-26
PRESIDENT LINCOLN.
How He Spared an Old Friend.

Il
Was doomed by g court-martial tc
suffer the extreme penalty. The
sentence had been approved by Gen.
Hurlbut, then in command. The
time appointed for execution was
but three days of, when a little
woman, throbbing like q wild bird
in the hands OF its osptor. arrived
in Washington with q letter to
Congressman VOORHEES,. She was
the daughter of the man standing IN
the shadow of death. Her mission
was TO see the president. Mr..
Voorhees,, deeply moved by the
weman's story and distress, suf-
fered scarcely a moment to elapse
before calling with her on Senator
Hendricks. The plan hastily sug-
costing itself to him was to have
the two senators from indiana, OF
whom the late Henry s. Lane was
senior, conduct the woman, who was
pleading for fsther's life, to Mr.
Lincoln. The three presented
themselves to Mr.. Lane, Who,
after making some preparations 10
Join the escort. asked: "What is the
charge against your father ?" HE
attempted to carry quinine to the
enemy" "If that is the case, !"
answered Mr.. Lane, 'ethe verdict
is correct, and 1 cannot inter-
fere."
Hope seemed to depart from the
woman, and she looked as If she
were in the presence of death. At
this point Mrs. Lane entered the
room. sit will not do" said that
lady, addressing her husband, 'this
woman has come to see the presi-
dent, and it is your duty to con-
duct her," He surrendered, TOOK a
deep interest, and the party started
for the executive mansion, where it
was at once admitted, and found Mr..
Lincoln disengsged.
Mr.. Hendricks, who only remem-
bered the lady as ga little woman"
introduced her, but she, having
never seen a president before,
seemed TO have lost her speech. "Y on
will perhaps remember her father.
He once lived in Springfield. I"
eyes" answered Mr.. Lincoln. II
remember him we'll. On one occs
sion farmer came to my Office, and,
taking me tor that gentleman,
insisted, You must come out and
preach again next Sunday. Your
Last sermon did great good, and was
thought the hest We ever heard. l
rather liked being called a Methodist
preacher, and did not br esk the
deIusion. Oh, yes. l remember him
we'll, and there was some resem-
bIance between us." "she brings
you terrible news from that man to
day. He is to be shot ~ ITO be
shoi?" Here Mr.. Hendricks wished
the little woman to speak but cha
was involuntarilY dumb. '5he
brings statement of the case to you,
| believe"
Taxing the five closely written
pages of iooIscap, Me- Lincoln SET
tied back into the chair, and folding
bis legs in the manner that has go
often been described, proceeded 10
read il aloud, but to himself The
reading was a study of the case. For
some minutes he must have forgot
ten the Government. the army and
everything. so ompletely was he ab-
sorbed in the paper. This con-
cluded, he looked up and around
the room, when his eyes, falling
upon the little woman. rested for a
moment. Soon he spoke: Your
father shall not be shot I" The
great weight of dread and agony
these words lifted from the little
woman, and the expression Of glad
ness that beamed from her face, like
June morning when the world
looks as though there had never
been a war and that 1T contained
no grave, no pencil could depict.
81 guess" continued Mr.. Lincoln
partly as if communing with him.
self, II had better telegraph Hurl-
but-yes, I'll telegraph Harlbut at
once" and then he proceeded to
write the message. This was slow,
careful work. but concluding it he
said: 81 reckon that will do" Then
reading it aloud he continued: eyes,
that will do" In response to a bell
secretary appeared. "Take this
message" said Mr.. Lincoln in the
commanding tone of q President,
"and send it quickly; remain at the
Office until it gets through; see that
it is answered, and that I am in
formed" Thus briefly was this
duty made obligatory upon the Sec
rotary, and the Executive mind was
1t rest. Mr.. Hendricks has forgot
ten what became of tbs other pro-
ois. out be remembers after having
risen to depart, of reseating himself
and the talk that for some moments
followed. Mr.. Lincoln laughed
about the article of quinine, and did
lot think taking it across the lines
IN of1ense meriting death. Hell
NEW the country about Memphis; it
vas malarial, and FIFE without
luinihe was almost impossible. He
houphk IL hardly proper to put down |