Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1882-03-17
LINCOLN's TENDER HEART.
How He Ordered the Release OF q
Young Confederate Prisoner

LINCOLN'S TENDER HEART.
How He Ordered the Release OF
Young Confederate Prisoner
WASHINGTON, March 1.-THE folio ~
ing interesting letter detailing an inter-
view with President Lincoln during
the war is now for the first time pub
lished:
WASHINGTON, D. c., May, 1866
Ny Dear Colonel. At your request
place on paper an interview, between
myself and the great and good Presi-
dent, Abraham Lincoln. During the
late rebellion there was certain young
soldier, belonging to the confederate
forces, captured by the union army
and placed in Camp Douglas, near
Chicago. An uncle of this young sol
der, but true union man, asked me
to intercede with the President in be-
half of his nephew 1.-THE young soldier
referred to above) for the purpose of
procuring his release from imprison-
ment. A written statement was
made out, giving the name and cir
cumstances under which the young sol
der was captured and, as have stated,
imprisoned in Camp Douglas. With
this written statement / called upon
the President and was introduced to
him through the kindress of the then
Judge Advocate General of the United
States Army, Hon. Joseph Holt, who
had given me this card of introduction.
! When l was ushered into the presence
of Mr.. Lincoln no received me very cor
daily, shook hands with me. and then
gave me chair and babe me be seated.
When / was about to make known the
object of my visit he stopped and said:
81 want first to ask you a question"
and then proceeding to ask it, he
said: Il see on Judge Hollis card
of introduction you have written
these words there he picked up the
card and read what | had written),
Il will not detain you to exceed three
minutes Now, by what authority
do you say you will delay me not
to exceed three minutes?" l re-
piled: "Mr. President, your time is
much occupied, and / wanted you to
feel assured that / did not intend to
bore you long, but would make haste to
transact or make known the object of
my call" He replied: "Oh, then, l
can keep you longer, if l choose" to
which / answered, /" Yes, sir, or get rid
of me much sooner, if you prefer"
He replied again: "Oh, that is all
right, then; did not know but that
there was some authority higher than
mine outside. 1t IS hard to tell these
days who has most power" Then,
after talking to me for time in gen.
hA oely1I L.
business it was about which l wanted
to see him and talk with him. pro-
ceeded to read the written statement,
showing, as stated, the circumstances
of the young soldiers arrest, and giving
also his name, and then told him
what / knew, and all knew of my old
Union friend and of the young soldier,
and why he should be released.
Mr.. Lincoln heard me patiently and
attentively, and then made use of these
remarkable words, and l shall never
forget them: Gaines, suppose you
were in my place, and | was in your
place; and suppose were to come to
you and tell you just what you have
been telling me, and supposed you be-
lieved every word told you to be true,
what would you do?" | replied: "Well,
Mr.. President, in that case | would dis
charge the young man, and let him re-
turn to his aged mother" The presi-
dent then added; "Well, | believe every
word you have told me to be the truth, 2
and, taking up his pen, he Endorsed on
the back of the written statement"
''Lct the young man named within take
the oath of December -, and be dis
charged. A. LINCOLN" He then hand
ed the paper to me, and asked: "Will
that get him out?" and added: eff it
is not sufficient, come back, and
| will get another name or so
added to it, for it is hard to tell
these days who is highest in authority
and influence. [ said to him: "Mr.
President, this order would get him re-
leased if it ever reaches the officer in
charge" To which the president said:
"Well, do you not intend to send it to
that officer?" | told him | would be
glad to do SO. but that Executive order
No. 90 required me to take the paper
to,the war department, and that when
it was once there the honorable secre-
tary of war, Mr.. Stanton, would
pigeonholc it. and that would be the
last Of IT," The president remarked
that there was no such order. re-
piled, Excuse me, Mr. President, but
copy Of it is conspicuously placed
upon my desk, and also another copy
upon the desk of my chief clerk, and
we are aware that its violation would
result seriously to the offending party"
The president remarking, "You would
be dismissed" to which Ireplied, Eyes,
sir; that would be the result"
Then came the most remarkable
part of the whole interview. The pres
ldent called messenger and said: "Tell
Mr.. Hay to send me executive order
No. 80" In a minute the order was in
his hands, and then. after looking over
it carefully, he looked up and observed:
II declare you are right, but declare
| never saw this order before.
well, | will tell you what to do.
Send this order to that officer. and if
he returns it to the secretary of war,
and it results, as you fear, in your dis
mlssal, you will know it first, and in
that event you hand it to me, and will
step over to the war department
with YOU as your attorney, and
| will argue the case for you be-
fore the Secretary" Suffice it to say
| acted upon the suggertion, and in a
very few weeks, or days | might saw. l
learned that the young soldier was re-
leased at once, and had returned to his
home in Kentucky.
My dear Colonel, l have made this
too long; but l could not make it short
er without leaving out too much of an
interview with a great and good man,
whom to know is, in my mind and
opinion. politically speaking, life eter-
nal" Sincerely and truly your friend,
THEoPHILUs GAINES,
Major and Judge Advocate.
\. B.-The words embraced in quo
triton marks in the foregoing remarks
are literally true, and distinctly remem-
bered. T.G.
To Colonel A. II. MARYLAND, Washington City.
THE KINDNESS OF NATuRE.
Nature intended that the art of healing the