River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1885-09-10

Mr.. Charles A. Dana has been writing
some very interesting recollections of
Abraham Lincoln. Mr. Dana was, it
will be remembered, for time Assis-
tant Secretary of War He says;
"a spy whom we employed to report
to us the proceedings of the Con-
federate Government and its agents,
and who passed continually between
Richmond and St. Catharines, report
ing at the War Department upon the
way, had come from Canada and had
put into my hands an autograph dis
patch from Mr.. Clement G, Clay, Jr.,
addressed to Mr.. Benjamin. Of
course the seal was broken and the
paper read Immediately. 1t showed
unequivocally that the Confederate
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. Adams.
IN Vermont Mr. Stanton thought it
necessary that this dispatch should be
retained as a ground of reclamations to
be addressed to the British Govern
ment ltwas on Sunday that it
arrived, and he was confined to his
house by cold. At his directions |
went over to the President and made
an appointment with him to be at the
Secretary's office after church. At IT,,
appointed time he was there, and Z
read the dispatch to them. Mr.. Stanton
stated the reasons why it should be re-
tanned, and before deciding the question
Mr. Lincoln turned to me, saying:
We'll. Dana?' | observed to them that
this was to us a very useful channel of
communication. and that if we stopped
such dispatch as this. it was at the
risk of never obtaining any more in
formation through that means. oh,
said the President, Il think you can
manage that, Capture the messenger,
take the dispatch from him by force,
put him in prison, and then let him
escape. If he has made Benjamin and
CLAY believe 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. Gen. Augnr,
who commanded the district, was
directed to look for a Confederate mes
senger at such a place on the road
Souti4 that evening. The man was
arrested, brought to the War Depart
ment, searched. the paper found upon
him and identified, and he was com
mitted to the Old Capitol Prison. He
made his escape 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. Cath
crimes with his arm in a sling, wounded
by bullet which had passed through
it. his story was believed by Messrs.
CLAW 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
afterward.
.sThe last time / saw MIR. Lincoln to
speak with him was in the afternoon of
the dav of his murder The same
Jacob Thompson was the subject of our
conversation. / had received a report
from the Provost Marshal at Portland,
Me. saying that Mr.. Thompson was to
be in that town that night for the pur-
pose OF taking the steamer for Liver
pool; and what orders had the depart
ment to give? | carried the telegram
to Mr.. Stanton. He said promptly:
Arrest him; but as | was leaving
his room he called me back, adding,
You had better take it over to the Pres
ident 1t was now between 4 and .
o'clock ia the afternoon, and business
at the White House was completed for
the dav. l found Mr.. Lincoln with his
coat off in closet attached to his office
washing his hands. Halo, Dana,
said he as ! opened the door, what is it
now?' Well. sir, | said, here is the
Provost Marshal at Portland, who tele-
graphs that Jacob Thompson is to be
in that town tonight. and inquiries
what orders we have to give. What
does stanton say?' he asked, ARREST
him, / replied Well. ne continued,
drawing lis words. i rather guess not.
When you have an elephant on hand.
and he wants to run away, better let
him run.
This answer carried hack to the
n ar department, anu, hcCoLuln5ift ny
reply was sent TO the Provost Marshal,
That night Mr.. Lincoln was shot, and
in the room adjoining the small cham
Der in which he lay unconscious and
breathing heavily, Mr.. Stanton, the
only member of the Administration who
seemed to retain his self-possession and
undiminished energy, gave all the
orders for hours that seemed necessary
to carry on the Government. / left
him at about 2 o clock in the morning
morning and went to sleep. But
at 5 o'clock Col Pelouse knocked
at my front door. Opening the