Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1885-07-10

RELATED in the New York Sunday Tribune by Gen.
James b, Fry, Provost Marshal TO enforce the En-
rollment Act of 1853
Upon one occasion the governor Of a state
came to my office bristling with complaints in
relation to the number Of troops required
from his state, the details for drafting the
men, and the plan Of compulsory service in
general. / found it impossible to satisfy his
demands, aud accompanied him to the Secre-
tary of Wars office, whence, after a stormy
interview with Stanton, he went alone to press
his ultimstum upon the highest authority.
After l had waited anxiOusly for some hours,
expecting important orders or decisions from
the President, or at least summons to the
White House for explanation the governor
returned, and said with pleasant smile that
he was going home by the next train, and
merely dropped in cn Tontt to say good-by
Neither the business he came upon nor his
interview with the President was alluded to.
AS soon as I could soc Lincoln / said Mr..
President, am very anxious to learn how you
disposed of Governor -. He went to
your office from the War Department in a
towering rage. suppose you found it neces-
sary TO make large concessions TO him, m he
returned from you entirely satisfied
''Oh, no, he replied 81 did not concede
anything. You know how that Illinois farm
or managed the big log that lay in the middle
OF his field To the inquiries OF his neigh
bors one Sunday he announced that he had
got rid OF tho big log Got rid Of it, said
they, how did you do 1t? II was too big TO
haul out, too knotty 10 split, and too wet and
soggy to burn what did you do ? Well,
now, boys, replied the farmer, If you won't
diyulgo the secret I'll tell you how | got rid
of it-I pL0uQAed around 10 p Now" said
Lincoln, don't tell anyb body, but that's the
way got rid of Governor -. IpLOugh
cd arOuHd him, but it took me three mortal
hours 10 do it, and was afraid every minute
he'd see what l was at. !"
Lincoln was good judge OF men aud
quickly learned the peculiar traits of charac-
ter in those he had 10 deal with. | recall an
anecdote by which he pointed out marked
trait in one Of our northern governors. This
governor was earnest, able, and untiring in
keeping up the war spirit in his state aud in
raising aud equipping troops but he always
wanted his own way, and i'll brooked the re-
slraints imposed by the necessity of conform
ing TO general system. Though devoted to
the cause, he was ut times oyerbearing and
exacting in his intercourse with the general
government. Upon one occasion he com
planned aud protested more bitterly than usu
al, and warned those in authority that the ex
eeutiOn OF their orders In his state would be
beset by difficulties and dangers. The tone
of his dispatches gave rise to an apprehen-
sion lhht DO hlBht not cooperate lully III tue
enterprise in hand. The Secretary Of War
therefore laid the dispatches before the Pres
idant for advice or instructions They did
not disturb Lincoln in the leastin fact, they
rather amused him. After reading all the pa
pers he said in a cheerful and reassuring tone
Never mind, never mind those dispatches
don't mean anything. just go right ahead
The governor is like boy l saw once at the
launching OF a ship. When everything was
ready they picked out a boy and sent him un-
der the ship TO knock away the trigger and
let her go. At the critical moment every
thing depended ON the boy. He had to do
the job we'll by direct, vigorous blow, aud
then lie fiat and keep still while the ship slid
over him. The boy did everything right, but
he yelled As il no was beinG murdered from
the time he got under the keel until he got
out thought the hide was all aeraped of
his back, but he wasn't hurt at all. The mas
ter OF the yard told me that this bOy.was al
ways chosen for that job, that he did his work
we'll and never had been hurt, but that hs al
ways squealed in that way. That's just the
way with Governor -. Make up your
minds that he is not hurt, and that he is do