New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1885-06-28
ABRAHAM LINCOLN.
o,n or HIMSELF, LEADER OF OTHERS.

~vp,srrc ANECDOTES OF THE WAR PkEeiDENi'
Copyright, 1880.
,,.sorcb do not remember to have seen Lincoln
a., ,he day of his first Inauguration as President,
trew him through my father. Pioneers from
Tontucky to Illinois, they were friends from an
.orlv period. Lincoln was private IN the volui-
,.sr forces commanded by my father In the BLACK
Ill War of 1872 He was always man OF
.ota among his associates, in the Indian campaign
.s we'll rs In subsequent political campaigns, espe-
,;allv in the contest with Douglas for the United
states Senate My father was an ardent personal
and political friend of Douglas and in his circle IL
was looked upon as presumptuous and ridiculous
tors Aben Lincoln to competewith the Little Giant
for the Senate of the United. States. The contest
roved that the so-called ra-splitter was the real
liant and led to his selection for the head OF the
new party at Chicago in the summer of 1860, and
IN his election to the Presidency in the following
autumn.
Lincoln and his Illinois competitor Stephen A.
Douglas formed striking contrast. The latter
was low in stature rotund in figure, with a snort
neck big bullet-head. and chubby race. his
Ilps were forced into the fixed smile characteristic
of the popular and we'll satisfied public man OF
period when political success depended.largeiy upon
what man said, how he said it, and how he ap.
oeared in personal intercourse with the peoples ana
not rs now much upon what newspapers say vi
him and for him. Lincoln was tall and thlh his
long bones were united by large joints, ana NO had
n long neck and angular face ana head' MANY
lkenesses represent his face well enough pu' non'
that have ever seen do Justice to the awkwai"o''
and unsninliness of his figure. His feet hangi"s
loosely TO his ankles were prominent oOJects put
h;s hands were more conspicuous even than his feet
due perhaps to the fact deuteronomy at times coh
nsIled him to clothe them in white kid gloves.
which ALWAYS fitted loosely Both In the helght Oh
conversation and in the depth of reflection his mana
now and then ran or supported his headgNihs
his hair habitually disordered aspect. never
saw him when he appeared to me anything p"e
great man, and very ugly one. His expression III
repose was sad and dull but his ever recurring
bnmor. at short intervals, flashed forth with the
brilliancy of an electric light. never observed o1
two well define expressions in his countenance;
ono that of pure. thoughtful, honest man, ali
sorbed by a sense of duty and responsibility; the
other that of humorist full of fun that he could
NOT keen il all in. His power of analysis was won
derful He strengthened every case nc stated ana
no anecdote or Joke lost force or elect from MS
telling He invariably carried the listener with MN
to the very climax, and when that was reached III
relating a humorous story he laughed all over Ills
large mouth assumed an unexpected ana coinicai
shane. the skin on bis nose gathered into wrinkles,
and his small eyes, though partly closed, emitted
infectious rays of fun 1t was not only the aptncss
of his stories but his way of telling them and his
own unfeirned enjoyment that gave them zest even
among the gravest men and upon the most serious
occasions. Nevertheless, Lincoln-a good listener
was not q cool convcIsationalist. When lie
talked he told story or argued case. but IL
should be remembered that during the entire iour
wears of his Presidency, from the spring OF lSel
until his death in April 1865, civil war prevailed.
II bore heaviest upon him. and his mind was bent
daily hourly even. upon the weghty matters oil ms
b;ch office so that as he might have expressed it,
bo was either lifting with all his might at the butt
end of the log or sitting 1T whiting, for rest
and recreation.
Lincoln was as nearly master. of himself as it is
possbe for "a man clothed with great authority and
engaged in tue affairs of public life to become lie
had no bad habits, aud If no was not wholly free
from the passions of human mature, it is quitc GER
Tain that passion but rarely if ever governed his &C
tion. IL he waited from the straight course OF
Justice il was usually from indulgence for tue minor
saults or weaknesses of his fellow mon. observed
mt one craving that he could not overcome; that
Vas for a second term of the Presidency. He was
Sy conscious Of the GRIP this desire had upon him,
md once seid in the way OF apology for it, no man
snows what that gnaicinJ is till he has had it,"
During the spring of 1861 was in charge of the
appointment branch of the Advertisements De-
)artment. Upon one occasion whom was at the
White House in the course of duty, the President,
n charge of the appointment Office. have here n
iusbel basketfu of applications for Offices In the
Ar,ny I have tried to examine them all, but they
have increased rapidly that have got behind
and may have neglected so ne / will send them all
20 your Office Overhaul them lay those that re-
suire further action before the Secretary of War
and fill. the others The bushel-basketful OF ap
plications aud were overhauled. They were
5otted with notes, comments and queries by the
I'M ain of nappr-WliCl i handed BACK
70 the President with the remark that supposed
ne would not care to have it placed upon the
official fes-bore memorandum in his own hand
writing as follows: I" On this day Mrs. called
mon mo- She is the wife of Major - of the reg
Mar army. She wants her husband made a Brig
adler General. She is n saucy little woman, and
think she will torment me till have to do IT, A.
L. 1t was not long before that little. womans hus-
band was appointed Brigadier-Gcneral
At a later date heard a conversation between
Lincoln and Stanton in relation to the selection of
Brigadier-G Generals. The many applications and
recommendations were examined and discussed.
Lincoln finally said aWell, Mr.. Secretary. i con-
eur i'm pretty much all you say. The only point
make Is that there has got to be something done
chat will be unauestonably in the interest OF the
Dutch. and to that end want Schimmelpfennig APP
pointed" The Secretary replied: Mr. President
perhaps this Schi mmel- acknowledgements not as
highly recommended as 0ome other herman ohiccr'
sNo matter about that" said Lncoln " his name
will mako up.for any difference there may be, and
III take the risk of his coming out all right" Then
with laugh he repeated, dwelling upon each syl-
liable of the name and accenting the last one.
@Schim- mel pfen-nig, must be appointed"
,,After / became Provost MarshalGeneral of the
United Statcs-March, 1868 -the duty of enrolling
and draftnc the National forces required me to see
q great deal Of the President. Once when went