The Indianapolis journal., 1885-06-13
ABRAHAM LINCOLN.

pAoSoiA'
ABRAHAM LINCOLN.
The Election of 1S64-His Treatment Of Con-
feferate Agents.
Charles a. Dana, in New York Tribune.
One side Of this extraordinary character was
illustrated on the evening of election day, in
November. The political struggle had been
most intense, and the interest taken in it both in
the White House and in the War Department
had been almost painful All the power and in
fiuence of the War Department, then something
enormous from the vast expenditures and ex-
tensive relations Of the war, had been employed
to secnre the reelection of M. Lincoln; and
after the arduous toll of the canvass there was
necessarily great suspense of heart until the
result OF voting should be ascertained. went
over to the War Department about half past in
the evening and found the President and Mr..
Stanton together in the Secretarys Office. Gen.
Eckert. who then had charge of the telegraph
department of the War Office, was coming in
continually with kilograms containing election
returns Mr.. Stanton would read them and the
President would look at them and comment
upon them. Presently there came a lull in the
returns and Mr.. Lincoln called me up to place
by his side. Dana" said he, "have you ever
read any the writings of Petroleum " NasbyW
I mo, sir" said, Il have only looked at some Of
them, and they seemed to me funny" s'Well !"
said ne, "let me read you specimen" and, pull
ing out thin, yellow-covered pamphlet from
Stanton viewed this proceeding with great i'm.
patience, as l could see, but Mr.. Lincoln paid
no attention to that He would read page
or story, pause to con new election
telegram, and then oren the book again
and go ahead with new passage Finally Mr.
Chase came in and presently Mr.. Whitelaw Reid
and the reading was interrupted Mr.. Stanton
went to the door and beckoned me into the next
room l shall never forget the fire of his ndig-
nation at what seemed to him disgusting non
co hat ybay,f fh.aca xroftb tboI
lie was thus at issue, when the control of an en-
pire was to be determined by few figures
BROUGHT in by the telegraph, the chief, the man
most deeply concerned, not merely for himself
but for his country, could turn aside to read such
balderdash and to laugh at such frivolous jests,
was to his mind something most repugnant and
damnable. He could not understand, apparent
ly. that it was by the relief which such humor
afforded to the strain of mind under which Lin
coin had so long been living, and to the natural
gloom of a melancholy and desponding tempera
ment-this was Mr. Lincoln's prevailing charac-
teristic-that the balance and sanity of his intel
ligence was maintained and preserved.
Another interesting incident occurs to me. A
spy whom we employed to report to us the pro-
ceedings of the confederate government and it's
agents, and who passed continually between
Richmond and ST. GATHERINGS, reporting at the
War Department upon the way had come in
from Canada and had put into my hands an
autograph dispatch from Mr. Clement c. Clay,
jr., addressed to Mr.. Benjamin. Of course the
seal was broken and the paper was read immedi-
ately 1t showed uneQuiyocally that the con-
federate agents in Canada were making use of
that country as a starting point for warlike
raids which were to be directed against frontier
towns like st. Albans in Vermont. Mr. Stan
ton thought it necessary that this dispatch
should be retained ground of reclamation
to be addressed to the British government. 1t
was on a Sunday that it arrived, and he
was confined to his house by a cold. At his
directions went over to the President and
made an appointment with him to be at the Sec
retary's office after church. At the appointed
time he was there, and l read the dispatch to
them. Mr.. Stanton stated the reasons. why it
should be retained, and before deciding the
question Mr. Lincoln turned to saying We'll
Danap observed to them that this was to us
very useful channel of communication and that
if we stopped such dispatch as this, it was at
the risk of never obtaining any more informa-
tion through that means. "Oh, said the Pres
ident Il think you can manage that Capture
the messenger, take the dispatch from him by
force, put bim in prison, and then let him es-
cape. If he has made Benjamin and Clay be-
leve his lies so far he won't have any difficulty
in telling them new ones that will answer for
this case"
This direction was obeyed. The paper was
sealed up again, and was delivered to its bearer
General Augur, who commanded the District
was directed to look for a confederate messenger
at such place on the road south thaS evening
The man war arrested, brought to the War De
partment, searched the paper found upon him
and identified, and he was committed to the Old
Capitol Prison. He made his escade about week
later, being fired upon by the guard A large
reward for his capture was advertised in
various papers East and West, and when he
reached ST. GATHERINGS with his arm in a sling,
wounded by bullet that had passed through it
his story was believed by Messrs. Clay and Jacob
Thompson; or. at any rate, if they had any
doubts upon the subject, they were not strong
enough to prevent his carrying their messages
afterwards.
. The last time saw Mr. Lincoln to sneak with
him was in the afternoon of the day of his mur
der. The same Jacob Thompson was the subject
of our conversation. l HAD received report
from the provost marsha OF Portland, Me-, say
ing that Mr.. Thompson was 10 lie in that town
that night for the purpose of taking the steamer
for LIVERPOOL; and what orders had the DEPART
ment to give? / carried the telegram to Mr.
Stanton. He said promptly, Arrest him." but
as ! was leaving mis- room, he called me back,
adding, "You had better take it over to the
President" 1t was now between and o'clock
in the afternoon, and business at the White
House was completed for the day. Ifound Mr..
Lincoln with his coat off in closet
attached to his Office washing his hands.
"Halloo Dana said he as I / opened
SIR said. here is the provost marshal of Port
land who telegraphs that Jacob Thompson is to
be in that town tonight and inquiries what or
ders we have to give" What does Stanton
Sdyt uc dsheu. ]IIeSe MIN, fepileu wen,
he continued drawling his words, II rather
guess not. When You have an elephant on hand
and he wants to run away better let him rum
This answer carried back to the War De-
partment and accordingly. no reply was sent to
the provost marshal That night Mr. Lincoln
was shot, and in the room adjoining the small
chamber in which he lay unconscious and
breathing heavily Mr.. Stanton, the only
member of the administration who
seemed to retain his self possession and
undirninished energy, gave all the orders for
hours that seemed necessary to carry on the
government l left him at about o'clock in the
morning, and went home to Sleep But at 5
o'clock Colonel Pelouse knocked at my front
door Opening the window, asked, what is
itp "Mr. Dana" said he, 'Mr Lincoln is dead
and Mr.. Stanton directs you to arrest Jacob
Thompson"
The order was sent to Portland. but Thompson
did not come there. Some years afterwards he
told me that. he had thought it safer to 90 To