Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1890-01-17

From the History of Lincoln" now
drawing to a close in The Century, we
quote the following: From the very be
ginning of his Presidency Mr.. Lincoln had
been constantly subject to the threats of
his enemies and the warnings of his friends.
The threats came III every form; his mail
was infected with brutal and vulgar
menace, mostly anonymous, the proper ex-
preston of vile and cowardly minds. The
warnings were not less numerous; the
vapOrings of village bullies, the extrava-
gance of excited secessionist politicians,
even the drolling of practical Jokers were
faithfully reported to him 10y Jealous or
nervous friends. Most of these communi-
cations received no notice. In cases where
there seemed ground for inquiry it was
made, as carefully as possible, 10y the
Presidents S private secretary and by the
War Department, but always without sub
stantial result. Warnings that appeared
TO be most definite, when they came to be
examined proved too vague and confused
for further attention. The President was
too intelligent not to know he was in some
danger. Madmen frequently made their
way to the very door of the Executive
offices and sometimes into Mr.. Lincoln s
presence. He had himself so sane mind,
and heart so kindly even to his enemies,
thai it was hard for him to believe in
political hatred 50 deadly as TO lead TO
murder He would sometimes laughingly
gay, Our friends on the other side would
make nothing by exchanging me for Ham
lin, the Vice-P President having the repu-
tation of more radical views than his
chief
1T was the uprightness and kindliness
of his own heart that made him 50 slow TO
believe that any such ignOble fury could
find place III the hearts Of men in their
right minds Although he freely discussed
with the officials about him the possibili
ties Of danger, he always considered them
tionally brave, and positively refused TO
torment himself with precautions for his
own safety He would sum up the matter
by saying that both friends and strangers
must have daily access to him in all man
ner of ways and places; his wife was there
fore in reach Of anyone. sane or mad who
was ready to murder and be hanged for 1t;
that he could not possibly guard against
all danger unless he were to shut himself
up in an iron box, in Hhich condition he
could scarcely perform the duties Of
President by the hand Of a murderer he
could die only once; to go continually IN
fear would be to die over and over. lie
therefore went in and out before the peo-
pie, always unarmed, generally unattend-
ed. He would receive hundreds of visitors
in day, his breast bare to pistol or knife.
He would walk at midnight. with secre-
tary or alone. from the Executive Mansion
TO the War Department, and back. be
would ride through the lonely roads of an
uninhabited suburb from the White House
to the Soldiers Home in the dusk of eve
ming, and return TO his work in the morn
ing before the town was astir. He was
greatly annoyed when, late in the war, it
was decided that there must be guard
stationed at the Executive Mansion and
that squad Of cavalry must accompany
him on his daily ride-but he was always
reasonable and yielded to the best judg-
ment of others.
-Four years Of threats and boastings, OF
alarms that were not founded. and of
plots that came to nothing, thus passed
away; but precisely at the time wnen the
triumph of the nation over the long insur-
rection seemed assured. and a feeling of
peace and security was diffused over the
country, one Of fhe conspiracies, not seem
ingly more important than the many
abortiye ones, ripened in the sudden heat
Of hatred and despair.