The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1890-10-14
a NEW ANEoDorE OF LINCOLN.
The Way He Found Relief When De-
pressed
Erom Hnrner,l for -.

and won on the ground stated by Thaddeu'
Stevens in the opening sentence OF hi'
speech: This bill is measure Of necessity,
not of choice" The act had been passed and
approved. We could issue S15O,OOO,O 900 il
currency at once. $50.O00,0OO would pay the
demand notes. leaving sl0OOOO.OOO 20 pay
our soldiers and carry on the war for some
months to come.
We had also gained our first military sue
cess. Grant had captured Forts Henry and
Donelson ana was pushing for Nashville.
The clouds seemed to be breaking away,
and the future 10 look more hopeful
/ was, therefore, surprised when, one af-
ternoon late in February, 1862, President
Lincoln entered the registers room with as
sad a look as | ever saw upon his careWorn
face. He dropped YEARLY into seat he
bad previously chosen, and, after short
silence, exclaimed:
"What have YOU TO say about this legal
tender actl Here is committee of great
financiers from the great cities. who say
that, by approving this act, l have
! wrecked the country. They know all about
it-Or they are mistaken.
"You have done nothing of the Kind"
| said "The time for argument has passed.
! Legal tender Is inevitable. The gentlemen
you mention have made it necessity.
| The people would take our notes without
\ the legal tender clause. The banks and the
copperheads will not We cannot risk the
cou try IN their hands You have followed
your own good judgment in signing the
act The people will sustain you and Score
tary Chase and congress"
81 do not see that l arm exclusively re-
sponsible." he continued. 81 say to these
gentlemen, Go to Secretary Chase; he is
managing the finance They persist, and
have argued me almost blind. an worse
Off than St Paul He was in a straight be-
twixt two. / am in a straight betwixt
twenty, and they are bankers and finan-
ciers."
You are right In signing the act" l
said; that point has passed debate"
Now, that is just where my mind is
troubled" he continued 1--WE owe lot Of
money which we cannot pay: we have got
to run in debt still deeper. Our creditors
think we are honest and will pay in the
future. They will take our notes, but they
want small notes which they can use among
themselves. So far l see no objection, but
| do not like to say TO creditor you shall
accept in payment of your debt something
that was not money when IL was contracted
That doesn't seem honest, and | do not be-
lieve the constitution sanctions dishonesty
mo more do l." ] replied. 81 do not
claim that legal tender can he upheld as an
abstract right under the constitution. But
self-preservation is right higher than the
constitution. We are warranted in making
any sacrifice of property or political right
to save the union. Gold and silver are
beyond our reach; our soldiers must be paid
and fed and clothed We can issue treas
ury notes and circulate them as currency
1t is right and honest that we should
give them the quality of legal tender,
provided we return to specie as soon as the
necessity has passed. / have watched the
debates in congress. have read the opinion
of your attorney general. There are those
who hint and suggest that legal tender is
provided for in the constitution. | have
read no speech in which that right is
broadly asserted. | believe it safer Co de-
fend our position on the ground of ne
cessity.n
a understand that is Chase's ground.
though he does not put it so strongly. We
shall see. We will wait to hear from the
country districts, from the people,"
He again relapsed into silence, which ]
did not interrupt. Then he said, "When
the old monks had tired themselves out in
| fighting the devil, did they not have places
| called retrentsF'
They did, l answered, Though 1 m
derstand they were for spiritual rather than
| bodily recuperatiOn."
II think of making this office one Of my
| retreats" he said. at is so quiet and rest
| full here. Do you never get discouraged"
81 shall be delig tied to have YOU" l said
| ignoring his ques, ion. 81 only wish could
say Of it. as Father Prout sang of the
| Groves of Barney"
There's gravel walks there for speculation,
And conversation in sweet solitude.
''Tel me moro of that ballad" he ex
claimed cheerily. ~ like it's jingle. Wha
an Irish conceit that conversation in
sweet solitude
81 fear | cannot. | must send you tn
book. | only remember,
There's statues gracing ibis noble place in
All heather goddesses so fair,
| Bold Neptune. Plutarch and Nicodaymus,
A-standing naked in the open air.
81 must have that book Tonight, - b,
said. "a good Irish bull is medicine for tn
| blues"
He left the office actually to the SCUM,
of his own musical laugh. He sent for tn
book-a copy of Crofton Croker's "Popula
Songs of Ireland" 1t is before me now
priceless almost, when | remember that
once gave Abraham Lincoln some pleasure
some respite from his cares.
This story may possibly be regarded a
trivial, but it tends to show with what in
tense earnesSnesS the President bore hi
grave responsibilities, and that he seize
upon an amusing story or volume because
diverted him for the moment, and strength
eued rather tnan weakened his capacity 10
his graver duties. l think it tends also :
illustrate the simple honesty of hi
mind. Had Mr.. Lincoln been pre-
served to the republic do not believe tina
the question of legal tender would hav
been carried into the supreme court of ia
United States The weight Of his Influence
never so powerful as on the day of his death
would have been thrown in favor of con
ssenciGg tho retirement * sae iagaI tecae
notes at the close oe tie var and the se5ur
10 specie payment at the earliest date cor
sistent with prudence and discretion.
NEW COTTON pICRnR