New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1888-05-26
LINCOLN, HANfLIN AND BROWNLOW
THE PARSONS SON LET'S SOME LIGHT uPox THE

MICRO BLOOD" STORY.
To the Editor Of The Tribune.
Sir: To supply the extraordinary demand for incl
dents about Mr.. Lincoln, the inventors have bcep
busily at work for years They write out imaginary
interviews by all sorts OF people, and garnsh them
with all sorts Of ancitul anecdotes Ny attention has
Gently been called OF these enterprsing infer-
viewers who wrote article for The North Amen-
Review which, with "reminiscences by various
persons, has since been published In book form under
the title Of "reminiscences OF Abraham Lincoln The
writer, Thomas Hix portrait painter, describing
visit to Mr. Lincoln at his residence IN Springfield IN
1860, after his nomination, says: On the ohce wall
was hanging a very dark photograph, with . hight
background, and his guest from the East said sec
photograph OF you there, pointing to the on the
wall but It does not appear to have any sun In it,
Mo- said Mr. Lincoln, with hts peculiar smile, Par.
son Brownlow says am Niger and II he had judged
alone from that picture, he would have had soma
ground for his assertion.'s
Now, ask space In The Tribune to say that this
statement is not true. Mr.. Lincoln could not have
made the remark because my father never uttered q
word of dsparagement Of Mr.. Lincoln at any time.
On the contrary he had known him by character years
before the war as an old Wing and National man.
and respected him SUCH and during the whole OF
the campaign preceding the secession movement no
urged upon the people of Tennessee reason why
they should not resort TO secession that MI Lincoln
was such man, and that the South would suffer no
detriment from IT II 1t did naugurate upon tho
Government In his public speeches in Tennessee I'm
1850 my father. while advocating the election OF
John Bell on all occasions declared that he preferred
the election of Lincoln TO Breckenridge In a word.
his such to attract the attention of Mr.
Lincoln. who. in grateful recognition. wrote him
friendly note after the election In 1860.
Probably Mr. Hix did not intend to inisrepresent,
but the error he had fallen into may be explained in
this way. AS far back as 1853 a statement went tho
Maine, had African blood in his veins It was pub
In the soa It
less, IN the fact that Mr. Hamlin is very dark
ho " oSd watch 70 Ss Hn =
add that the statement the late eminent Whis
mOcracy' ana the one as 10 the venerable and dstn.
grished Republican statesman Of Maine published In
the southern press had no other foundation than that
given. When my father was tellI his nelghbors IN
Tennessee that the election OF Lincoln and Hamin
no cause for secession his opponents twtted him
before, Referring to this, Mr.. Lincoln may havo
told Mr. Xix. while discussing the photograph, thas
part negro, and II he were to Judge alone from that
picture, he would have some ground for asserting
the same Of myself"
It ls now popular and fashionable for everybody to
eeulogize Mr. Lncoin's character My father had =
discussion with Senator Douglas in 1858; and at all
times during the war to the extent OF his ability
and influence. he cordially suppored MS Admlnisr&
ton when some Republican politicians OF tho
North untriendly to It. After the war
he a member OF the Committee on Pen
sions in the United States Senate when Mr..
Sumner introduced bill to give Mrs. Lincoln
a pension OF $1,000 per snnum. On that COM
mttee were seven Republicans and two Democrats,
Mr. Edmunds. Of Yer lIont, being the chairman NY
father the only Republican member OF the com-
mttee Of Southern BIRTH and he was the only man
the committee who voted for the passage OF Mr..
Summers bill. which he did most heartily. Years
afterward when IL demonstrated that public sent
ment demanded the passage OF the bill, Mrs Lincoln
received her pension. JOHN B. BROWNLOW.
Washington d. c., May 10, 1885,