Abilene weekly reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1888-1935, 1889-03-14
SOLDIERS DEPARTMENT,
LINCOLN'S KINDNESS.
A Hitherto Unpublished Anecdote OF tn
Great War President.

A Hitherto unpublished Anecdote Of the
Great War President
In the early fifties, when the marvel
Gus future of Mr.. Lincoln was perhaps
as little dreamed of by himself as antic-
ipated by his friends, he practiced law
in the courts here. The late General
William F. Thornton was perhaps the
most widely known and influential man
in Central Illinois He was Kentuck-
ian of the old-fashioned hospitable sort,
and from time to time all the celebrities
OF that day were entertained at the
Thornton mansion, among them Mr.
Lincoln and his great opponent Mr.
Douglas. Judge Anthony Thornton,
nephew OF the General, often met Mr..
Lincoln there, and, though politically
opposed to him, was great admirer of
him personally and became intimate
with him.
One of General Thornton's daugh-
ters married a Texas planter named
Marshall Bayse, and when the war be-
tween the North and South occurred,
two of the latter's sons-Neff and New
ton Bayse- espoused the cause of their
section and went into the Confederate
army. In the latter part of 1868 both
OF the boys were captured by the Fed
erals and sent North as prisoners of
war. Out of money and scant of cloth
ing, the two felt the rigors of North
ern climate, and communicated with
their grandfather, asking him for as
sistance, which he was anxious to rem
der. But it happened that about this
time Secretary Stanton, owing to like
measures on the part of the Confederate
authorities, had issued stringent orders
in regard to granting special favors to
the men in gray. Judge Thornton had
long been acquainted with Mr.. Usher.
Mr.. Lincoln's Secretary of the Interior,
but he had little faith in being more
successful than others who had tried
and failed to get favors OF this charac-
ter. He wrote to Secretary Usher and
asked that one of the Generals two
sons-Tom or Will-might be permit
ted to visit their cousins and give them
such help as was deemed necessary and
right
The letter was received by the Sec
retary just as he was on the point of
attending a meeting of the Cabinet At
the close of the conference Secretary
Usher took the letter from his pocket
and made known its contents to Secre-
tary Stanton, naming the Thorntons.
President Lincoln. who still sat at the
table, overheard the conversation be-
tween the two and quietly asked for a
repetition of the names.
'Will or Tom Thornton of Illinois,"
repeated the Secretary.
Addressing himself to the stern Sec
retary of War, Mr.. Lincoln said:
'.Mr. Stanton, you need give yourself
no trouble in regard to this matter; l
will settle it,; and, turning to Usher,
he continued: 81 knew these boys when
they were not more than knee high"
Then, turning to the table, he picked
up blank card and wrote something
like this:
To the Contmaadant of Any Military Prison to
Whom This May Be Presented: Permit the
bearer Tom or Will Thornton, to visit any mill
tary prison in the United States and do for his
friends whatever his good judgment may die
tate. A. LINCOLN
Handing this to the Secretary, he
said: .'Send this to Judge Thornton
with my compliments.
A few days later the Bayse boys were
visited and their wants supplied so far
as money would do it, and from that
day until his death General Thornton
would brook no criticism in his pres
ence of Mr.. Lincoln or his policy. -
Shelbyville Qll.) Cor. Chicago Tribune.