New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1885-10-04
LINCOLN AND THE FRIEN DIS.
JUDGE KELLEY ANSWERS MIR. JOHNS ON.
THAT "ISoPPoRrUNE" vIsIr-MR. LINcoLN's |
VIEWS or SLAVERY.

SIR: In THE TRIBUNE of September 6 is'
communication from Mr.. Oliver Johnson which would
have received earlier attention HAD not been enjoying
needed In the heathving Valley Of the Genesee,
and away from books. papers and correspondence 1t
purports correct my of tho Interview of tho
Progressive Friends with Mr.. Lincoln and closes with
tho remark that 4" II TIE TRIBUNE "reminiscences OF
Lincoln are to tase inent form In oar iterdtare
Mr Kecys contribution will need to be carefully OK
Iurgated and reconstructed"
AS THE TRIBUNE has said that much light cannot be
thrown that Important matterMr Lincon's attitude
toward the Abo'itioniss before he emlncipatci tho
sllyos-you will, dou0t not give space in which to
show that 1t IL not but Mr. Johnson, who in
that point. He says | unable to give the name OF
the religious body when tho dcputaon represented aud
could only describe 1t vaguely independent
organization" that it the Penn. ylyania Yearly
Meeting OF Progressive Friends which tho dopnaton
represented that tho object not, hal said, to
present a minute but formal aud solemn memorial to
the President and taat appeared hot to have rccOl
lectod tho name OF single member OF the deputaOn 1t
happens that although tho gentleman who acted as my
amlnuensl5 at tho time [ dictated tho article under
consideration has resided In Virginia for than sixty
days and had before leaving destroyed mach rejected
manuscript in1 among my Iaper5, numVor OF pages
OF his first draft. from OF which quote follows:
It was, believe. during 1892 that there organized
Long wood. Chester Comfy Pennsylvania. religious
society to b. known Progressive Fenis to consist OF
aud no ATTACHED hi CHER Importance 10 purity
OF life aud unsch'h conduct tln to c:ecl AMI do5ma'
rhat the Observance OF the sabbath shoIll bo main
tanned by this sect without ctcci and church without
preacher 2atins-holse ercoted in which hymn
il sung each First Day, after watch earnest m"n ana
women mag deliver to assembled friends communica-
lions questions of duty with which they may believe
themselves 10 havo been charged. Hero the yearly
meeting Of the society hoi in June. the most delight
fu part OF the year in that region OF BEAUTIFUL grass ana
foliage ana flowers. john G. Whittier. Lucrctl Mott
william Lloyd Garrison, WclIcll Phillips, Frederick
Douglass Doctor william Elder, George william CARTS
Henry wilson and OF distinguished L1erashayc
participated In those Thoughtful anniversaries ind
too that named Oliver Johnson tho person who read
the minute to the President; ami aver that [yyidy
remembered the OF for Of tho six whom
he names
Ac Johnson and others may ask why II all this and
much the sulc;t written. did none of
it appear in the article printed The reason was that
tho object Of my paper to present in compliance
with the request Of tho person who invited mo u do tho
work facts Illustrative OF Me- Lincon's chlracer 1t
Is not" said h. for inprc sons OF Ms character. but
for incidents Illustrative thereof that We ask -; and
while I deemed the interview unler consideration an
emincntly ch ,rictrri-tic incident feared that If
printed what | hal dictated tho article might DO re-
garicd a OF Progressive Friends and not
of Nj Llucoln; therefore struck ont what related
solely the Society and IT, members aud his furnished
Mr. johnson ground his concu' oI that my
recollection OF the OCCASION was OF Il very 5ublOhy
kind"
THE INTERVIEW AVD THE REPORT
one fact dIl no, remember; it was tho dry OF tho
montl on which tls interview occIrrc /; but In the
ab,cace Of that k1Owcd ;caud while believing It t. have
been much ,rer in the month, was abin 10 say from
tie President appearance all manner whom We oneted
the 70 in. that tho visit nopporunc The air was
fun OF evil from tIJ P1LL,II aa tho President
hal evidently passed = night OF anxiety" To which
4 IeIa nlf AZ -
dent All not perceive a. thp.s fiuiT VITA him dii.
that isr, was IN uau.dhi OF upieuce IN his man
ner."
fofcnce wcrc given to the Society. its representa-
ilvos by my NJ tho word minute inscI Of memorial
II wa. the rc.lt OF conscientious eOr on my par; 10 u'e
tue appropriate word Hiltins between te.tm onls =,
IL .nu.iA auI communication, wont 10 tho ohca oi a
number QiIkor lawyer, anl toiling urm that hal
prepared q IAqor on the Progressive Fdeni, ut tho
Waits House. asked for the proper word 10 use In do
,oribiug th, scroll waIoh too views formally OK
pressed by tho Yearly M,ot,ns worr ompo he'll WAS
toll. that FrcuIly parlAuc5 re uieeI o. Tia,
word minute "A, tho representative, hal bU.n, 70 the
President certified inmate thu, IncnDsil! IA the
word, prc,eut.h nAt been formally aiJptcl by the
Society
have not li Ia, Mr johnson says Soon t. thinkihai
tie visit wat Lid say was that It
W., iu1ppprt,nc Shch now ali tha. containing ~
tue IA ,rll dIIl dret utnIjn 70 the President that
"a, Progressive FrtllB regarded hm as fAii1css 10
pr,l &C.. hc IN ,is whsn sScu; tho Presidential ols,, it
COZ ii not nave DcrI Otherwise than oh,nh' to him
Sir johnson wiu ririjn ms iDt saying. "a d. with
entire that hscyo him To have be,u tho author
Of tho report to TRIBUNE winch no cites against me
VITA 80 much o,nal-n'e. Ito WAS an experienced news
paper man. and hat previously gwen TuE IHHuNL thc
benefit ut ctptoncr and tuihty aud thor" - hhuhd
ant oylonco Ia tho OFT Tat MAS prepared ~ ono OF
tho delegates among wlDm lac was the oniy newspaper
man: and /; la oxAminiug tbs columns OF IA. TKBCNL
for the extract ho Jtol rs hal r'tI IN tcosF'h'
from Washington aud the vicinity OF McCcllan's head
uurcr, for tho week when Terminated with the day on
which the report appeared. ho would have wondered that
tho President could nave given ear u anything that ala
not rtltr to tho imminent business O the Jdr In thls
sense tho memorial OF tao Progressive irienl' te'lhS
him what bl,sslus, would Immediately no" from -
Proclamation OF nhuciplton and that Ia default OF
the Issue OF such proclu nation the Frenl' had fcar-
l reason 10 apprccul that blood Will coatiauc 10 hOH'
and fierce discussions abound, AMI ClImuea TO IN
crease cry Jul imonts 10 DO poured out uht tue
work OF national destruction IL cOasunmItci beyond
hopo OF recovery coid not fan 70 hIyo bc'n rcs
by MIN rs inopportuno aud impertin iut to t> Godr
WAS rlIE VISIT " o-FoRrCNE!
Tho examination Of the ctlu nus OF rIG TRIBUNE for
th.t single week a ,ud hlyo romlndil NJ JJlnDn tIa
the Battle OF Fair OAKS hal been fodgIt anl have shown
him that with an oppressive suu nor temperature pre-
ylllins our sick AMI wolnlol soldiers from that and
other Held, restoring IN the sun hr1uhd "h't "'it
hayo been cJnfJr tro quarters Tor hospNN' III INC
nj It Of green field, aud under the shido OF unbrAseois
trees which because tho property belonged 10 CJhtd
crate oieor loutouant los. was guarded ashnt them
and tho medical stab OF the army by Union soldiers ana
that whom to escape OF the Violent snnn'r gusts
that oharcjezo that mIlarla portion OF or country
Dlun Bon Wade and party OF senators sJd5ht sheltof
undsr the toji Of broad portcos Or what In the
South called tho galleries OF hluAdflCus h'h''on
bAyonets In tho hands OF Union soldiers ropeIod them
The property belonged to rebel whO WAS Jncn serving
rs an officer In the Confederate army and loyal cltlLdh
could not be almittol within tho cncloslro eIon Tor
shelter from passing simmer CAST Whoh tho
Senatorial party found General sumner who was III IN
mediate command, and oOmphnod 10 him OF tue OK uS-
ton OF our mon b. compelling Thorn to protect the prop
I'm