The Baltimore County union. [volume] (Towsontown, Md.) 1865-1909, 1885-03-07
The President and Omce-seekers.
while the Government steamer wa

While the Government steamer was
taking Admiral Milne, Lord Lyons,
Mr.. Secretary Seward and others some
few days ago to visit Mount Vernon,
the conversation turned upon the Presi-
dent. We need hardly give Lord
Lyons's opinion, since all know he
considers him one of the ablest men of
the age, one who hides under genial
simplicity of manners great frmness of
character and true sublimity of soul
man, in fact, who never loses his self
balance. This view a recent English
writer has taken in discourse the text
of which is Mr.. Lincoln's sans SONct
letter to Hackett the comedian. Every
body also knows that the "Sage of Au-
burn," Seward, has high opinion of
his chief When Lord Lyons had fin
ished his remarks upon the President,
Mr.. Seward says: .Gentlemen, I will
tell you one thing, Mr.. Lincoln never
tells joke for the jokes sake, they are
like the parallels of old-lessons of wis
dom. Let me give you an instance.
When he first came to Washington he
was inundated with office seekers. There
was Jim Lane, Jack Street, Joe Avenue
and Gus Swamp. One day he was par
ticularly afflicted about twenty place
hunters from all parts of the Union had
taken possession of his room with bales
of credentials and self-recommendations
ten miles long. After time the Pres
ident said:
Gentlemen, | must tell you little
story read one day when was mind
ing mudscow in one of the buyous
near the Yazoo. A certain king had a
minister upon whose judgment he al
ways depended, just as l do upon my
friend here" pointing to me, said Sc
ward, blushing.
''Now it happened that one day the
king took it into his head to go hunt
ing, and after summoning his mobiles
and making the necessary preparations,
he summoned the minister and asked
him if it would rain. The minister told
him it would not, and he and his mobiles
departed.
"While journeying along they met
countryman on a jackass. He advised
them to return, 'for, said he, 'it will
certainly rain.' They smiled contempt
uously upon him and passed on. Be-
fore they had gone many miles, how
ever, they had reason to regret not hav-
ing taken the rustic's advice, as heavy
shower coming up, they were drenched
to the skin.
"When, they had returned to the
palace the king reprimanded the minis
ter severely.
81 met countryman, said he, "and
he knows great deal more than you,
for he told me it would rain, whereas
you told me it would not.
"The king then gave him his walking
papers, and sent for the countryman,
who made his appearance.
Tell me, said the king, 'how you
knew it would rain?'
"I didn't know said the rustic,
my jackass told me.
And how, pray, did he tell you7'
asked the king
by pricking up his ears, your ma
jesty,' returned the rustic.
"The king sent the countryman away,
and procuring the jackass of him, put
him (the jackass) in the place the min
lister had filled.
"And here" observed Mr.. Lincoln,
looking very wise, sis where the king
made great mistake" "
How SOP inquired his auditors
eagerly.
!" why. ever since that time said
Mr.. Lincoln, with a grin, 'every jack
ass want an office
Gentlemen, leave your credentials,
and when the war is over you'll hear
from me !''
$50 saying, he turned to me and
said, 'Mr. Seward, let us read these dis
patches from the Emperor of Russia in
Mrs. Lincoln's bedroom, where we
shall be undisturbed-so off we went"