Fergus County argus. [volume] (Lewistown, Mont.) 1886-1946, 1890-01-23
LINCOLN DID NOT FEAE.
Wha. the Great Man Thought About Assas-
sination.

From the History of Lincoln. now
drawing to a close in the Century, the
following is quoted; "From the very
beginning OF his presidency Mr.. Lincoln
had been constantly subject to the
threat of his enemies and the warnings
OF his friends. The threats came IN
every form; his mail was infested with
brutal and vulgar menace, mostly
anonymous, the proper expression of
vile and cowardly minds. The warn
ings were not less numerous; the vap-
orings of village builies, the extrava-
gances of excited secessionist politi-
clans, even the drolling of practical
jokers, were faithfully reported to him
by Jealous or nervous friends. Most
OF these communications received no
notice. In eases where there seemed n
ground for inquiry it was made. IA
carefully as possible, 10y the pre-l
dent : private secretary and the war
depart ment, but always without sub
stantial result. Warnings that ap-
peared to be most definite, when they
came to Toe examined proved too vague
and confuse for further attent ION.
The president was too intelligent not
to know he was IN some danger. Mad
men frequently made their way to the
very door Of the executive offices. and
sometimes into Mr.. Llncoln's presence.
lie had himself so sane "a mind, and "a
heart so kindly, even to his enemies,
that it was hard for him to believe liz
polit ica hatred So deadly as to lead
to murder. lie would sometimes
laughingly say: Our friends on the
Other side would make nothing 10y ex-
changing me for IIamlin, the vice pres
ident having the reputation OF more
radical views than his chief.
ut was the uprishtness and he kind
ness Of his own heart that made him
slow to believe that any such ignobl,
jury could find place in the hearts OF
men in their right minds. Although
he freely discussed, with the officials
about him the possibilities OF danger,
he always considered them remote, N
is the habit OF men cOnstitutionally
brave, and positively refused to tor
ment himself with precautions for his
own safety. lie would sum the mat
ter mp by saying that both friends and
st rangers must have daily access to
| him in all manner of ways and places;
| his life was therefore in reach of any
one, sane or mad, who was ready to
murder and he hanged for it; that he
could not possibly guard against all
danger unless he were to shut himself
up in an iron box, i'm which condition
he could scarcely perform the duties oi
a president; by the hand of n muir
derer he could die only once; to go in
continual fear would he to die oven
and over. lie therefore went in and
out before the people always unarIned
and generally unattended. lie would
receive hundreds OF visitors IN "a day
his breast bare to pistol or knife. lie
would walk ut midnight, with a singl,
secretary, or alone, from the executive
mansion to the war department and
back. He would ride through tn.
lonely roads OF an uninhabited subui /
from the White House to the Soldiers
| Home in the dusk OF evening, and re-
turn to his work in the morning before
the town was astir. lie was greatly
annoyed when, late in the war, it was
decided that there must be "a guard
stationed at the executive mansion,
and that a squad OF cavalry must ac-
company him on his daily ride-but
he was always reasonable, and yielded
to the best Judgment OF others.
"FOur years oil threats and boast
ings, of alarms that were not founded
and OF plots that came to nothing
thus passed away; but precisely at
the time when the triumph OF the ma
tion over the long instruction seemed
assured, and "A feeling OF peace and Sc
curity was difiused over the country
one OF the conspiracie., not seemingly
more important than the many abort
i've ones, ripened in the sudden heat OF
hatred and despair"