National Republican. (Washington City (D.C.)) 1872-1888, 1886-07-13
NEW PUBLICATIONS
"REMINISCENCES OF ABRAHAM LINCOLN.
by distinguished men of his time. Collected
md edited by Allen Thorndyge Rice, Q litor
of the North Imericnn RcriciC. New York;
North American Publishing Company, 30
IGlnyette HlnCe. FrOm tho publlshers.

by disllngulshCd men oil MS time, CJllevteu
md edited by Allen Thorndyge Ric9, g litOr
of the North IWericdn RcticlC. New York;
North American Publishing Company, 30
Lafayette Place. From the publishers.
A supremely interesting volume. In size
also remarkable; octave Of 739 pages. Yet
the reader will feel at the last and say II is
too small.
With pleasure, with avldlty superior
to the inspiration which enchanted our
progress through the "Arablan Nights" IN
lifes morning, we have now perused this
varied and glorious history. We lived along
every line. Before our eyes the scenes hal
passed in reality; our ears received the
words of the great actors. Daily through
the rebellion time we saw President Lin
coln Secretaries Stanton and Seward, and
the other civil heroes here menuoned-he.
roes loftier than those Of Mars. They were
restored to our sight Sin their habit as they
lived, ~ even brought back from their mys-
terious dwelling placel the undiscovered
country
That the value OF this work may be lmme-
diately acknowledged, list Of the writer's
whose contributions compose II is present
ed Gen. Ulysses s. Grant, Hon. Ellhu b.
Washburne, ex minister to France; Hon.
George w. Julian, ex-member Of Congress;
Hon. II. Il. Fenton, ex-governor OF New
York; Hon. j. p. Usher, ex.Secretary- of
the Interior; Hon. George s. Boutwell,, ex-
Secretary OF the Treasury; Gen. BENJAMIN
+. Butler, ex-governor OF Massachusetts;
Charles Carlton Coffin, war correspondent
of the Boston Journal; Frederick Douglass,
ex-United States marshal Of the District OF
Columbia; judge Lawrence Weldon,
United States court of claims; Benjamin
Perley Poore, Washington correspondent
of the Boston Jornalj Titan j. Cofey,
United States Assistant Attorney General;
Rev. Henry Ward Beecher, Hon. VIM. ID.
Kelley, member Of Congress; Hon. Cassius
NJ. Clay, ex-minister to Russla Col Robert
c. Ingersoll, A. II. MARYLAND, ex third as
sitant postmaster general; Hon. Schuyler
Colfax, ex-vice president OF the United
States; Hon. Daniel w. voorhees,, United
States senator for Indiana; Hon. Charles
A. Dana, editor "New York Sum" Hon.
John A. Kasson, ex.minlster to Austria
Gen. James b. Fry, Hon. Hugh McCulloch,
ex-secretsry OF the treasury; Hon. Chaun-
cey NJ. Depew, president New YORK Cen
tral railroad; David II. Locke petroleum
V. Nasby), Leonard SWEET, Walt Whitman,
Dom Piatt, L. w. Andrews, James @.
yelling, John Conness, John B. Alley,
senator from Massachusetts,, and Thomas
Hicks, national academician.
Following the articles by these gentlemen
are biographical sketches OF the authors
themselves, and interspersed are their por-
traits. Three likenesses OF Lincoln appear,
one being from q steel plate, and all cor
rect, together with view OF his residence
at Springfield, ILL.,; his earlier home, log
cabin in Illinois, and fac SMILES OF his
letter to Horace Greeley, and OF an account
of his birthplace in his own handwriting.
From the editors introduction We ex-
tract the following characteristic passage:
~ know no better illustration OF the pecu-
liar rapidity with which he (Lincoln) would
pass from one side OF his nature to the
| other than a reminiscence fos winch am
indebted to. Gov. Curtin, OF Pennsylvania,
Who at the time was one OF the leading
l"war governors" He was summoned to
see Lincoln at the white house. On arriv
| ing after midnight from the battlefield OF
| Fredericksburg, where he had been inspect
| ing the wounded and surveying this field
| OF national disaster, Lincoln showed much
anxiety about the wounded, aud asked
many questions about the battle.
"Gov. Curtin replied, 'Mr. President, It
was not battle, 1t was butchery,' and
proceeded TO give graphic description Of
| the scenes he had witnessed. Lincoln was
heart broken at the recital, and soon
| reached state OF nervous excitement bor-
derlng on insanity.
| "Finally, as the governor was leaving the
| TUOUn, went lUTNuIu, Juhlu9 bub
| President by the hand, tenderly expressed
his sympathy for his sorrow. He said,
| Mr.. President, l am deeply touched by
| your sorrow, and at the distress i have
caused you. l have only answered your
| questions. No doubt my impressions have
been colored by the sufrerings have seen.
| trust matters will look brighter when the
official reports come in. would give all
| possess to know how to rescue you from
this terrible war;
| "Lincoln's whole aspect suddenly changed,
and he relieved his mind by telling story.
| "'This reminds me, governor he said,
'of an old farmer out In Illinois that used
to know. He took 1t into bis head to 60 to
hog raising. He sent out to Europe and
imported the finest breed Of hogs he could
buy. The prize hog was put In pen, and
the farmers two mischievous boys-James
and John-were told to be sure not to let
him out. But James, the worse OF the
two, let the brute out next day. The hog
went straight for the boys and drove John
up tree. Then the hog went for the seat
OF James's trowsers, aud the only way the
boy could save himself was by holding on
to the hogs tail. The hog would not give
they had made good many circles around
the tree the boys courage began to give
out, and he shouted to his brother, Il say,
John, come down quick and help me let
this hog gon Now, governor, that is
exactly my case. / wish some one would
come and help me let this hog gop
"Ihis was q striking illustration Of the
sudden transitions to which Lincoln's ma
ture was prone. 1t sought relief in the
most trying situations by recalling som,
parallel incident Of a humorous character
His sense Of humor never tagged. Ever
In his telegraphic correspondence with hi
generals we have instances Of 1t which re
fleet his peculiar vein."
The whole book abounds with brlei
stories, told by Lincoln not merely for tn,
fun they contained, but as expressions ol
his opinions, and as arguments, invariably
conclusive. II is impossible to quote many
OF them without occupying all this day
issue. Yet as we turn back the pages h
laugh again over each, our feeling Ia lik
that Of the sentimental maiden In tn
Spanish song. She had numerous devoted
and desirable lovers, and, puzzled as to
selection, tearfully exclaimed:
"Alas, whatever choice make,
The Others must lose@'
Stlll the following must be copied, q
written by Gen. Grant.
"Just after receiving my commission a
lieutenant general, the President called M
aside to speak to me privately. After
brief reference 10 the military situation, b.
said he thought he could illustrate what b
wanted to say by story, which he relates
as follows; AT one time there was grea
war among the animals, and one side ha,
great difficulty in getting commando
who had sufficient confidence In himself
Finally, they found monkey, by the nam
Of Jocko, who said that he thought h
could command their army II his tail coul,
be made little longer. So they got NOR
tail and spliced II on TO his caudal appen
dage, He looked at II admiringly, aud thel
thought he ought TO have little NOR
still. This was added, and again he callet
heated m dina many tines untiR t6ey % had ~aI cnIle1 ~
Jocko's tail around the room, filling all tn
space. Still he called for more tail, and
there being no other place to coil IL, the,
began wrapping it around his shoulders
He continued his call for more, and the
kept on winding the additional tail abou
him until It's weight broke him down.