Wichita eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1886-1890, 1886-09-14
A Beautiful Story Showing tho Self-De-
NAL of President Lincoln tor the Advxn-
tage of Another.

.
Abraham Lincoln" said Judge
Kelley, of Pennsylvania, who is the
father of the House of Rep. esentatives,
"waS the most patient man in the de-
tails Of life l ever saw. He was the
only President we have ever had. and
probably ever will have. who knew
nothing of the common autOcracy OF
public life. He was the Only man we
ever tad at tie White House who would
go b ,ck of the wishes OF persons anu ex-
anime their real wants.
Il remember an incident in connec-
ton with the war which illustrates what
l am trying to say. 1t is not proper
for me to use names, bat the story
goes:
1t was at that early period in the
rebellion when suspects and cOnspira-
tors were being arrested and imprisoned
by the Wholesale A letter written on a
printe sheet of paper, giving the bust
ness of n prominent firm + merchants
in New York and containing incendiary
language towards the Union found its
way into the hands OF Government
official in the South.
1.-The declarations were penned by
travelling an, who represented the
| firm mentioned IN the letter head.
1.-The result vas the arrest of the
| principal member of that firm On the
charge of conspiracy against the Gov
eminent. The letter was signed in such
q way as to not make it perfectly clear
who the au, hor was, and, OF course, sus.
picion bore heavily on the firm men,
toned. He is man we'll known in New
York to-day.
MEN were held liz prison at tina.
time on the slightest suspicion-sus-
picion, in fact. more slight than this
one
1.-The wife of the merchant came to a
friend of mine in New YORK immediately
after the arrest OF the husband AMI re-
uuested him to communicate with
the President, telling him that the
man under arrest was not guilty OF the
| miSdemeanOr even in collateral or the
most remote way.
IS The wife came here ;itwas IL o'clock
at night when she arrived. At the
depot she told the ca bman TO drive to
| the Waite House. The driver expos
tulated with her, and told her that it
was of no use to call at the White
| House at such late hour of the night.
She said it made no difference, she
wanted to see Mr.. Lincoln, and that he
must drive her Immediately to the EX-
ecutive Mansion.
"When she presented herself at the
entrance to the White House it was mid
night Everything was quiet. The
Gordon of police. very stormy at
that time, turned out in full force.
| They would not listen at first to her en-
treaties to be admitted to the White
House
- Firally. she prevailed on one Of the
officers to take the letter of introduction
she had to President Lincoln, who was
then asleep.
a minute after the President had
been awakened his voice was heard in
the corridor on the upper floor. He held
the letter in his hand, and the tremor
upon it indicated his feeling.
80 Mrs. -, this case demands i'm
mediate action, said Mr. Lin DIN. II
you will take my arm, We will go inn
mediately to Secretary Stanton. Across
| the lots at a rapid pace went the Presi-
dent and the lady.
Stanton was aroused from his slum.
bers, shown the letter by the President.
and requested to release the prisoner.
He VT t. dispatch ana LanIiea i, to
Mr.. Lincoln. aid said he would az: end
to the mat er fur her In the morni u.
Like q lackey boy, the resident,
wi! the lady, started toward the down
| town hotels.
II WIS o'clock in the morning.
Wa Eingion was filed with revolution
lists and uUl i-be ASA sins, yet Mr..
Lincal,, never !aliered, and seemed not
TO eomprehea his danger.
= When he arrived at the hotel, with
the a.V Oh Is arm. he told her to go to
her com. sleep soundly, return TO New
! York IL The morning, and lii I her hus-
band womb meet her on ,hr oea. The
lady eou.i not believe it, but Mr.. LIN
coin assured her that such would be the
| c,.e.
The President then went 10 the
.cs.e.rap1 Office. filed the message,
wh.ca delnanded the unconditional re-
lea e al "a, prison L, and returned to
the Whlte House alone. Sire enough,
wheA tne lazy alighted from the ferry at
| New York the next day her husband was
there 10 ,:nurace her.
II am inclined to believe the mill
lennium VIII come before We shall have
another President who would do such an
Ri A M rieaD