Herald and tribune. [volume] (Jonesborough, Tenn.) 1869-current, 1886-11-04
ABRAHAM uNcolws KINDNESS.
The Only President Who would Examine
tho Real Wants Of she People.

aAbraham Lincoln,s said Judge
Kelley, of Pennsylvania, who is the
"a ,er.of ihe IIoussi Z representatives.,
was the most patient man in the de-
tails of life l ever saw. He was the
only President we ever had, and prob
ably ever will have, who knew nothing
of the common autocracy Of public
life. 1 remember an incident in con-
nection with the war which illustrates
what l am trying to say. It is not
proper for me to use names, but the
story goes: 1t was at that early period
in the rebellion when suspects and con-
spirators were being arrested and i'm
prisoned by the wholesale. A letter
written upon printed sheet of paper,
giving the business of a prominent
firm of merchants in New York and
containing incenliary language toward
the Union, found its way into the
hands of Government official in the
South. The declarations were penned
by a travelling man, who represented
the firm mentioned in the letter-head.
The result was the arrest of the prinei.
pal member of that firm on the charge
OF conspiracy against the Government.
The letter was signed in such a way as
to not make it perfectly clear who the
author was, and, of course, suspicion
bore heavily upon the firm mentioned.
He is man well kin%hfn New York
to-day. Men we've lield in prison at
that time on the slighteft suspicion, in
fact, more slight than this one. The
wife of the merchant came to friend
of mine in New York immediately
after the arrest of the husband, and re-
quested him to communicate with
President Lincoln the fact that her hus-
band had been arrested for something
for which he was in no way responsible.
My friend addressed Il note to the Presi-
dent, telling him that the man under
arrest was not guilty of the misde-
meanor even in collateral or the most
remote way. The wife came to Wash
ins,on; it was II o'clock when she ar
rived. At the depot she told the cab
man to drive to the White House. The
driver expostulated with her, and told
her that it was of no use to call at the
White House at such 4 late hour of the
night. She said it madame difference,
she wanted to see Mr.. Lincoln, and that
he must drive her Immediately to the
Executive Mansion Wi'1j she present.
ed Lerself at the snirartStp the White
House it was mi,,rishG1Everything
was quiet. The con,on Of fpolice, very
stmmy at that til :, tugy out in full
force. TAey wouid nj listen at first to
her entreaties to be admitted to the
White House. FinsilE sA prevailed
upon one of the Offices 10 take the let
ter Of introduction she had to President
Lincoln, who was then asleep. A min
ute after the President had been
awakened his voice was heard in the
corridor on the upper floor He had
the letter in his hand, and tae tremor
upon it indicated his feeling. is
80 Mis.--7--, this case demands imme-
diate action, said Mr. Lincoln; If you
will take my arm, we will 60 immedi-
a.ely to Secretary Stantou.' Across the
lots at rapid pace went the President
and the lady. Stanton was aroused
from his slumbers, shown the letter by
b the President and requested to release
the prisoner. lie wrote dispatch and
handed it to Mr.. Lincoln, and said he
would attend to the matter further in
the morning. ss
/" Like a lackey boy, the President,
with the lady, started toward the down
town hotels. 1t was o'clock in the
merning, Washington was filled with
lreyolutionists and would-be assassins,
yet Mr., Lincoln never faltered and
seemed not to compyeTeduhis danger.
Waen he arrived ut the Liasel. with the
lady on his arm, he toil her to go to
her room, sleep soupdly rIara to New
York in the morning, and ihlt her hus-
band would meet her on the dock. The
lady could not believe ii, but Mr.. Lin
coin assured herthat s..c'i sould be the
case, The President t]it4l went to the
telegraph office, iled tllS y. "ssage, which
demanded the mcondAfl@l release Of
the prisoner, and returned 10 the White
House alone. Sure enetsh', when the
lady alighted from thesf .f,cs at New
York the next day her he band was
there to embrace her Lanl Inclined to
believe the millenni'm win come before
We sl;all hive ano,aer President who
would do sut.l an act rs this"