The Cecil Whig., 1885-07-04
A ERGGADIER GENERAL CHOSEN TOR HIS
NAME.

S':hIl iIS. IC Iiihy dl)tl!ltdtlOiS di'
recommendations were examined anC
discussed. Lincoln finally sad:
"Well, Mr.. Secretary, I concur il
pretty much all you say. The only
point / make is that there has got to be
something done that will be unques-
tionably in the interest of the Dutch
and to that end want Shcmmclfnnig
appointed"
The Secretary replied: "Mr. Presi-
dent, perhaps this Schemel-whats- his.
name is not as highly recommended as
some other German officer"
"No matter about that" said Lin
coin, "hs name will make up for any
difference there may be, and I'll take
the risk of his coming out all right. ,
Then, with a laugh, he repeated, dwell.
ing upon each syllable of the name anc
accenting the last one, "Schem- mel-fn.
mig must be appointed"
There is no purpose here to question
General Schemmelfnnig's merits. The
only object is to show that Lincoln hac
reasons, in addition to Schemmelfn-
nis's recommendations for appointing
him brigadier general.
After l became provost marshal gen.
eral of the United States 1856
the duty Of enrolling and drafting the
national forces required me to see d
great deal of the President. Once wher
| went into his office at the White
House | found a private soldier max
ing a complaint to him. Itwas Sum-
mer afternoon. Lincoln looked tired and
careworn ; but he was listening as pa
tiently as he could to the grievances oi
the obscure member Of the milita1
fUrce known as ''Scott' nine hundred
The man, however, presuming upon
LinColn's good nature, and determined
to make the most of his opportunity:
persisted in re-telling his troubles sew
eral times over. Lincoln finally turned
upon the man and said, in a peremp-
tory tone that ended the interview
Now, my man, so away, go G0,ur! |
cannot meddle in your case. | could
as easily bail out the Potomac River
with teaspoon as attend 10 all the de-
tails Of the army"
y story has long been current that
Lincoln sent an applicant for office
with note to the Secretary of War,
directing that letter of appointment
be prepared for the man to the office
he sought, that the applicant returned
to the President and announced that
Stanton refused to obey the order, that
the President looked disappointed, but
merely expressed his regret at the re-
suit and remarked that he had not
much influence with the Administration
The anecdote has generally been in.
terprcted as meaning that Lincoln
could not control Stanton. The infer,
ence is erroneous. Lincoln, SO far as
| could discover, was in every respect
the actual head of the Administration
and whenever he chose ID do SO he
controlled Stanton as well as all the
other Cabinet ministers. l viii cite
one instance in relation to Stanton.
After compulsory military service
was resorted to, states and district
tried to fill their quotas and save the!
own citizens from being drafted into
the army by voting bountles to bu,
men wherever they could be found
The agent appointed by a county ii
one of the Middle States and supplied
with bounty money learned that some
Confederate prisoners Of war at Chica
90 were about to be released and en-
listed in our army for sci Jice agoins
the Indians in the Northwest. Th
thrifty thought occurred to the agen
to pay these prisoners bounty fo
what they were going todo without an
pay at all, and in return for this pay
ment have them credited as soldier
furnished by his county. Being an ac
quaintance of Lincoln, the agent oil
tained from hin. an order to have tn
men credited as desired. But the Sec
retary Of War refused to have tn
credits allowed. Indignant aid aid fist3} fdis3} !:
pointed, the agent returned to tn
President, who reiterated the order, by
without effect.
LINCOIN'S POWER OVER STANTON.
Then Lincoln went IN person t
Stanton's office, and | was called ther
| by the latter to state the facts in tn
case. Ircported 10 the two high off
Gals, as | had previously done to tn
Secretary alone, that these men a
ready belonged to the United State
being prisoners of war that they coul
not be used against the Confederates
that they had no relation whatever
the county to which it was propose
they should be credited that all TIL
was necessary toward enlistinS them
Our army for Indian service was Il
Governments release of them as pri
oners of war ; that to give them boun
and credit them to a county whic
owed some of It's own men for servil
against the Confederatcs would was
money, and deprive the army opera
ing against a powerful enemy Of tn
number Of men, etc.
Stanton said "Now, Mr.. Presider
those are the facts, and you must ST
that your order cannot be executed
Lincoln sat upon a sofa with his lie:
crossed, and did not say a word un