The Cecil Whig., 1885-06-27

stories of those whom the sorrows OF
the war brought to him for relief, and
no braised heart ever came to HIM to
invoke executive clemency or assis-
tance that did not 60 away, if not
healed, at least consoled and grateful
for patient hearing and kindly SYM
pathy.
A PENNSYLVANIA ROMANCE.
In the Spring of 1868. very hand
some and attractive young lady from
Philadelphia came to my office with a
note from friend asking me to assist
her in obtaining ali interview with the
President. Some time before she had
been married to young man who was
a lieutenant in a Pennsylvania regi-
ment. He had been compelled to
leave her the day after the wedding to
rejoin his command in the Army of the
Potomac. After some time he OBJ
tanned leave of absence, returned to
Philadelphia, and started on a brief
honeymoon journey with his bride. A
movement of the army being immi-
nent, the War Department issued a
peremptory order requiring all absent
officers to rejoin their regiments on a
certain day, on penalty of dismissal in
case of disobedience. The bride and
groom, away on their hurried wedding
tour, failed to see the order, and on
their return he was met by a notice of
his dismissal from the service. The
young fellow was completely pros
trated by the disgrace, and his wife
hurried to Washington to get him re-
stored. | obtained for her an inter
view with the President. She told her
story with simple and pathetic elo-
quence, and wound up by saying: "Mr.
Lincoln, won't you help us? l promise
you, if you will restore him, he will be
faithful to his duty" The President
had listened to her with evident SYM
pathy and half amused smile at her
earnestness, and as she closed her ap-
peal he said, with parental kindness
"And you say, my child, that Fred was
compelled to leave you the day after
the wedding? Poor fellow, l don't
wonder at his anxiety to get back, and
if he stayed a little longer than he
ought to have done We'll have to over
look his fault this time. Take this
card to the Secretary of War and he
will restore your husband" She went
to the War Department, saw the Sec
retary, who rebuked her for troubling
the President and dismissed her some
what curtly- AS it happened, on her
way down the War Department stairs,
her hopes chilled by the Secretary's
abrupt manner, she met the President
ascending. He recognized her, and
with a pleasant smile said, "Well, my
dear, have you seen the Secretary?"
eyes, Mr.. Lincoln she replied, "and
he seemed very angry with me for 60
ing to you. Won't you speak to him
for me ?" "Give yourself no trouble, u
said he. "I will see that the order is
issued" And in few days her hus-
band was remanded to his regiment.
l am sorry to add that not long
after he was killed at the battle oil
Gettysburg, thus sealing with his blood
her pledge that he should be faithful
to his duty.
GENERAL BATES OPINION OF LINCOLN
Attorney-general Bates, who was &
Virginian by birth and had many rela
tives in that state, one day heard thai
young Virginian, the son of one o
his old friends, had been captured
across the Potomac, was prisoner o.
war, and was not in good health
Knowing the boys father to be in hi:
heart Union man. MIR. Bates con,
ceived the idea of having the son pa.
rolled and sent home, of course undel
promise not to return to the army. HI
went to see the President and said, "l
have a personal favor to ask. l wan
you to give me prisoner" And he
told him of the case. The Presiden
said: "Bates, l have an almost par
allel case. The son of an old friend o
mine in Illinois ran off and entered tht
rebel army. The young fool has beer
captured, is a prisoner Of war, ane
his old broken-hearted father ha
asked me to send him home promis
ing, of course, to keep him there.
have not seen my way clear to do it
but if you and unite our influence
with this Administration | believe
we can manage it together and maxi
two loyal fathers happy. Let u
make them our prisoners. And hi
did so.
| often heard the Attorney Gen
eral say on his return from impor
tant Cabinet meetings that the NOR
he saw of Mr.. Lincoln the more wa
he impressed with the clearness ane
vigor of his intellect and the breadtl
and sagacity of his views, and h
would add: "He is beyond question
the master mind of the Cabinet
No man could talk with him on pub
lie questions without being strucl
with the singular lucidity of his mine
and the rapidity with which he fast
ened on the essential point.
A day or two after the news cam
of the stopping of the Englisl
steamer Trent by Admiral Wilke
and the torcible capture of Masol
| and S1ide11. the President Walket