The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1886-04-16
WHAT MIGHT HAVE BEEN.
An Engagement with DIr. Lincoln That
Might Have Saved His Life.

CLong Branoe Cor. Philadelphia TimesI
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. Randall is tho
father of Mrs. Garrison, and the con
versation 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 latter 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 90, 600
men, was only held in check and kept
from making raids by 60, 900 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 greatly dissatisfied
with jeff Davis and the Confederate
government and we're maddened by the
knowledge of the necessities of their
wives, children, mothers, and sisters,
who were actually barefooted as well as
otherwise scantily 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
their cotton, which he knew was packed
ready for sale, and permitting the desti-
tute southcrners to buy the necessities of
life in return.
He opened negotiations with President
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 pro-
posed, for he said there Wee no other
Confederates in arms in that part of the
country and he felt convinced the plan
he urged would effectually 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, convert some of them into good
Union men, while it would induce all to
cease raiding. ''And if you do not buy
their cotton, Mr.. Randall pleaded, ''they
will burn it as soon as they see Federal
troops approaching to seize it. 1t is
ready alike for sale or for the torch p"
He went to see President Lincoln finally
himself, and succeeded in convincing
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 proper
points on the Mississippi, whence
negotiations minht be opened for the
purchase of 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, the boat
was duly fitted up and stocked at great
expense and started on her trip, but I'M
fortunate delays were made by the
naval officers commanding our squadron
MISSICCJTrOI NV ~
guarding posts on land, and the vessel
was not allowed to proceed Finally,
after many attempts to set matters
right. Mr.. Randall determined to go to
Washington again, see Mr.. Lincoln,
Stanton, and WelleS, and send the boat,
which had already cost a large sum, to
its destination President Lincoln first
made an appointment to see Mr.. Randall
at the White House on Friday evening.
April Il, 1865, and the latter was about
to take train from New York.
whittier he had gone, to Washington, to
keep the engagement, when he received |
a telegram saying that the president !
preferred to postpone the conversation !
until Saturday evening, because he /
wished to have time, when 1T took place, |
to talk at length with Mr.. Randall, and !
on Friday he wished to go and see Laura /
Meme III OuF American OOuSIu
So Mr.. Randall started from New |
Y Ork Friday night to 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 the city in any direc-
ton, and was appalled, to learn that the
cause of this was the assassination of
President Lincoln in Washington the
previous night.