The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1885-07-03
What Might Have Been.
AN ENGAGEMENT WITH MR.. LINCOLN
THAT MIGHT HAVE SAVED
HIS LIFE.

lLoNy Dofteb fcttf ftOTHNooePh" " A"N"'l
"Had President Lincoln kept an en-
gagement he made with me he might
perhaps be living STILL" said Mr.. Ran
dali, Of New York, formerly of st.
Louis, the other evening. Mr.. Ran
dali is the father Of Mrs. Garrison and
the conversation took place on the
piazza of her residence here. When
urged to tell the story of how this
could be, he mentioned that during the
lattor part of the winter of 1865 he,
knowing the state of affairs in the part
of Missouri within the rebel lines and
in the adjacent States, where Kirby
Smith, with 10000 men, was only held
in check and kept from making raids
by 10000 men of the Union army,and,
being aware that Kirby Smith and his
men, having had no pay or clothing
issued to them for six months, were
maddened by the knowledge of the
necessities of their wives, children,
mothers and sisters, who were actually
barefooted as we'll as otherwise scant-
lily clothed, thought that he would try
by peaceable means to rid that part of
the country of Smith and his men and
prevent their making any more raids.
This he sought to do by getting per-
mission for Union men to buy their
cotton, which he knew was packed
ready for sale, and permitting the des-
titute Southerners to buy the necessi-
ties of life IN return.
He opened negotiations with Presi.
dent Lincoln at Washington through
"Dick" Yates, who at one time was
Governor of Illinois, and represented
to him the wise policy of adopting the
plan he proposed, for he said there
were no other Confederates in arms in
that part of the country, and he felt
convinced the plan he urged would ef
fectually dispose of Smith and his men,
and that money to buy the necessaries
of life procured by the sale of cotton
and the opportunity given to purchase
such supplies would, he thought, con
vert some of them into good Union
men, while it would induce all to cease
raiding. Sand if you do not buy theil
cotton" Mr. Randall plead, ''they will
burn it as soon as they see Federal
troops approaching to seize it. 1t il
ready alike for sale or for the torch.
He went to see President Lincoln fin
ally himself, and succeeded in convinc
ing him of the wisdom of the proposed
plan and secured the necessary permit
to stock boat with supplies and to
send it and purchasers of cotton to pro
per points on the Mississippi whence
negotiations might be opened for the
purchase of the cotton so much needed
in Northern factories and for the sale
of food and clothing to the starving
ragged Confederates.
All seemed likely to go well,th boat
was duly fitted up and stocked at great
expense and started on her trip, but
unfortunately delays we're made by the
naval officers commanding our squad
ron on the Mississippi and by army Of
ficers guarding posts on land. and the
vessel was not allowed to proceed
Finally, after many attempts to sci
matters right, Mr.. Randall determined
to go TO Washington again, see Mr..
Lincoln, Stanton and Wells aud send
the boat which had already cost large
sum TO its destination. President Lin,
coin first made an appointment to sec
Mr.. Randall at the White House on
Friday evening, April IA, 1865, and
the latter was about to take a train
from New York, whittier he had gone
to Washington to keep the engagement
when he received telegram saying
that the President preferred to post
pone the conversation until Saturday
evening, because he wished TO have
time, when it took place, to talk al
length with Mr.. Randall and on Fri,
day he wished TO go see Laura Keene
in sour American Cousin
So Mr.. Randall started from New
York Friday night 10 keep the engage
ment for Saturday evening, and on
reaching Baltimore next morning was
amazed to find his train under arrest,
the order having been issued to allow
no trains to leave that city in any di-
rection, and was appalled, to learn that
the cause of this was the assassination
of President Lincoln in Washington
the previous night.