New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1885-03-22

tents He said in reply Well. we won't Jump tha'
di,cb until we come to it," and then after pause
he added, al must run the machine az iinu W.
take no credit to myself for this power OF prophecy
only said, what every one acquainted WIN 'no
Southern people knew. and the wonder ID tha' MI
Lincoln should have been 30 blind to the coming
storm
The epigrammatc force of his expressions was
remarkable for the singular purity OF his "oius'
What be. said was so original that reuaceu "uoi
of il to writing at the time. One of these was TINS
ON secession If our Southern friends are right in
| their claim the trainers of the Government care
fny planned the rot that threatens their WORK
with destruction II one State has the right. at
will. to Withdraw, certainly a, majority nave .he
right and we have the result given us OF the ol'o'
being able to force out state. That IS logical
We remained at Springfield several days. and then
accoompaIed the President-elect on his invita'ion
to Chicago The invitation was SO pressing tha'
believed Mr.. Lincoln intended calling ueherai
Schenck to his Cabinet. | am still OF TINS opinioh'
and attributed the change to certain low ihtrsue'
hatched at Chicago by the newy-createu poii'c'ahS
| of that locality who saw in the coming ADMINISTERS
| ton opportunities for plumber that Robert L.
Sebencks known probity would have blasted.
| Subseouent TO the supper we had gatherings ut
Mr. Lincoln's old law office. and ut the politcai
headonarters mt which men only formed the COM
pany and before those good honest citizens VINO
fairly worshpped their distinguished neighoor' MI.
Lincoln gave way to his natural bent lot 1uh ah'i
told very amusing Stories always III quaint iilustra
ton of the subject under discussion. no one OF whch
will bear printing. They were coarse ana were
saved from vulgarity only by being so strangely III
pont and told not for the sake Of the telling as IL
he. enjoyed the stories themselves nut that thcy
were as have said. so quantity Illustrative
bo Cabinet
called to discuss the Emancipation Proclamation,
by reading Artemus Ward who called for come
song on the bloody battlefield, was the same man
who could guide with clear mind and iron hand the
diplomacy that kept off the fatal interference Oh
Europe while conducting at home the most horrible
of all civil wars that ever afflicted people. iie
reached with ease the highest and the lowest level
and on the very field that he slamed with rbald
song he left a record of eloquence never reached by
human lips before
There is a popular belief that Abraham Lincoln
was of so kind and forgiving nature that his
renter impulses interfered with his duty In proof
of this attention is called to the fact that through
all the war he never permitted man to be shot for
desertion The belief is erroneous. There never
lived a man who could say "no' with easier
facility and abide by his saying with more hrm
ness. than President Lincoln. His good-natnred
manner misead the common mind Ii covered as
firm n character as nature ever clad with human
aesh and doubt whether Mr.. Lincoln had at all a
kind forgvng nature. Such traits are not common
to successful leaders They. like Hannibal, melt
their way through rocks with hot vinegar. not
boney And that good natured way more generally
covers a selfish than q generous disposition. Men
instinctivey find it easier to glide comfortably
through life with a round. oily. elastic exterior,
than in an angular, h,rd one. Such give way In
trines and hold their own adversely in all the more
serious sacrifices of self to the good or comfort OF
Others If one doubts what here assert. let such
turn and study the hard, angular coarse face OF
this great man. Nature gave that rs an indi-
cation of tender. yielding disposition. Nor had
his habits of life in any respect softened its hard
lines HazlItt tells us, with truth. that while we
may control tho voice. and discipline the manner.
the face is beyond command. Day and night,
waking and asleep. character is being traced
there TO be read by all men who care TO make tho
face study 1t is common, for example, for the
President to be iii continual trouble over supposed
promises to office seekers Mr. Lincoln had none OF
this He would refuse 50 clearly and positively
that il left no doubt and hope. and yet in such
pleasant manner that tho applicant left with no Ill
feeling In his disappointment heard Secretary
Seward say in this connection. that President
Lincoln had cunning that was genius" As iof
his steady refusal to sanction tho death penalty IN
cases OF desertion there far more policy in the
course than kind feeling To assert the contrary
ia Tn detract from Lincon's force of character rs
| well as intellect. AS Secretary Chase said at the
time. such kindness to the criminal is cruelty to
| the army for 1t encourages the bad to leave the
brave and patriotic unsupported" The fact is that
our war President not lost in his high adn'ira-
| ton of Brigaders and Maior-Gencrals. and had
positive dislike for their methods and the despotism
| On which an army 10 based lie knew that he was
dependent on volunteers for soldiers. and 10 force
ON such the stern discipline OF the regular army was
to render the service unpopular. Ana II pleased
| fountain OF honor, in this direction.
| OF President Lincoln's high sense of justice or
F Preyion ls to ReS invasion Of
| of which reached Washington IN advance OF that
suicidal movement on the part tof the Conlederatos
| General Halleck issued one of his nOucOnmlttal
| orders to General Schenck, then in command at
Baltimore advising the concentration of our troops
| at Harper's Ferry. This referred especially 10
| General Milroy's 10000 men at Winchester was
sent. as Chief of stan, to look. into Mroys condi-
| ton and empowered to let hm remain or order hm
| hack as might see tit. Winchester fortified
| place was q military blunder. 1t covered nothing
| while a force there was III constant peril 1 had
| learned enough in the service to know that sub
ordinate should take no chances, and | ordered
| Milroy back to Harpers Ferry. General Schenck.
| at Milroy's earnest request, c0uhternianded my
| order ana three days alter Milroy found himself
| surrounded by Lees entire army. The gallant old
| soldier cut his way out, with his entire command
! OF course there was heavy loss OF material. For
| this Milroy was put under arrest by Secretary
| stanton and concentrated by Ilaeck. Milroy
shielded himse Ii behind Schencks order that the
| court convened really trying my General with
| out the advantages given him, rs defendant, of
| being heard in his defence. General Schcnck was
| summoned TO appear, and instead OF appearing drew
mn protest that he directed me not only To take to
the President hut read to him. fearing the protest
| would be pigeon holed for consideration when CON
| sideratiou would be too late. IL was late in the
aftei noon. and riding to the White House, was
| told the President could DO found at the War
| Department. | met him coming out and delivered
| nv message. "Iet the protest" said the
| President as we walked toward the Executive
| Mansion "General Schenck ordered me- Mr. Pres
| dent. to read 1t to you" "Wel | can read" he
.caso, cd sb,rnlv aud he was (,eueraJ