Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1889-02-23
LINCOLN AS AN OFFICE SEEKER.
An Incident Recalled by an Old News.
paper Correspondent.

veteran Washington correspondent. Mr.. E.
L. Stevens, was chatting the other day with
STAR reporter in regard to the deys when he
was an active gatherer of news. Mr.. Stevens
Is brim full OF "reminiscences. Passing along
the other day on 18th street, between E and
streets, and noticing one of the old houses
Mr.. Stevens recalled an incident which he re-
lated to STAR reporter AZ follows:
"From December, 1847, to 1854, was con-
nected with the press as the Washington cor
respondent of western and eastern papers
1t was my custom to make frequent visits to
the rooms on Capitol Hill Of the member who
represented the Cleveland district, where
resided, and in SO doing became acquainted
with member from Illinois, who occupied
joining rooms. Those two members were
quite intimate, compared notes. talked to-
gether, walked together, and discussed the great
questions of the day, and anon the Illinois
member prepared a speech ON the Mexican
war then being waged and read it to his
friend at time when l happened to be
present. / soon after heard him deliver it in
the House, where il was commended as one of
the ablest and best supOn the subject during
that session. This member was an ardent
friend OF Henry Clay and with other whig
members during that session iabored hard TO
make that eminent statesman the nominee of
the wing party in preference to Gen. Taylor.
But they tailed Gen. Taylor was nominated
and elected and some days after his Inaugural
ton, on passing down the Avenue, met the
Illinois member, who had failed of a re-elec-
ton declined, l think. He seemed heartily
glad to see me, and invited me to 60 with him
to rooms that he had taken on 18th street.
After climbing up with him to the northwest
corner room in the fourth story, and being
seated, he informed me that he was candi-
date for the Office Of commissioner of the gen.
eral land Office, and showed me his papers
Thomas Ewing was then Secretary of the In
terror. That department was organized by him.
and there was another candidate from Illinois for
the commissionership, an original Taylor wing.
and during our conversation upon the chances
OF success, / suggested that as the Secretary
was originally for Taylor instead of Clay. he
might select this other candidate in preference
to Clay wing. But this did not deter me in
the least from taking ample notes and giving
them q conspicuous place in my correspond
ence in regard to the application of my friend
call him q friend, for he had always been ex-
ceedingly friendly to me in many ways. His
application was not successful and he returned
to his home, and did not see him again in
this city until 1861, and not then at his old
quarters but upon the east front capitol steps,
where in the presence of thousands of his
countrymen on the 4th Of March of that year,
he took that solemn oath, proclaimed those
noble sentiments, and entered upon a career
which has made the name of Abraham Lincoln
household word among all the civilized ma
tions of the earth-a name that will live when
all the monuments of human greatness and
grandeur have become extinct and crumbled
to dust"