Fairhaven herald. [volume] (Fairhaven, Wash.) 1890-????, 1891-05-19

Inns gaze if he might be permitted tc
light his match upon that sole. OF course
the favor was granted with a smile
and thereupon Mr. Hamiin struck his
match, or rather two, for the first
failed him, upon the shoe sole of this
stranger He seemed little amused
at the incident, but when he afterward
learned that it was no other than
the ex-vice president of the United States
Hannibal Hamlin, whose name rang
throughout the country with that of Lin
coin in 1861, this gentleman said that he
should preserve that shoe as an interesting
and yet amusing memento of the simplicity
of this great man.
After Mr.. Hamlin had lighted his cigar
he sat for some moments looking out of
the window and asked some questions
| about the country. We had just passed
| Hartford, and some points of interest were
| shown TO him, aud then he said; Hartford
is the home Of Gen. Hawley, and it ought
| to be proud of it. | have watched Gen.
| Hawley's career, both in the field and in
congress, and know him personally very
well, and regard him as one of the ablest
men of the generation. He is not only an
able man, but he is a most charming and
delightful one"
asked Mr. Hamlin if he was present at
the national convention which nominated
] Gen. Grant, of which Hawley was presi-
dent He said that he was not. The last
convention he attended was that of 1860;
and then for several moments the old gen
tleman pulled somewhat vigorously at his
cigar, and though he gazed out of the win
dow, yet his gaze was the vacant look Of
one who is absorbed in recoffections No
doubt he was thinking of the stirring
scenes at Chicago, perhaps of the magnih-
cent manner in which William NJ. Evarts,
who appeared at that convention as the
friend of William 1t. Seward, arose after Mr..
Lincoln had received votes enough to Homi-
nate him, and with impressive Oratory
moved 10 make the nomination unanimous,
although be knew that the hearts of the
friends Of Seward were heavy with disap-
pointment Something that Mr.. Hamlin
said later indicated that this recollection
was in his mind,
There had been some controversy in one
or two publications some years ago about
the committee which informed Mr.. Ham
lin of his nomination for vice president,
and asked him about it. He seemed to
be at first not entirely clear in his own
mind, but he at last said: YES, remem-
Der now; the committee brought me my
formal notification at my boarding house
in Washington. Judge Kelly was of that
committee, but | do not at this moment
remember who the others were. The com
mittee did not come to me in Bangor. !
recollect the incident now very we'll"
asked the ex-vice president if he had
ever heard the story of what happened
when the same committee notified Mr..
Lincoln of his nomination, and he seemed
anxious to know what the anecdote was. l
said that Judge Kelly had told me that
after the formalities between the commit
tee and Mr.. Lincoln had ended, in Mr. Lin
coins parlor in Springfield, Lincoln stood
for some moments looking at Judge Kelly,
who was a very tall man. This embarrass-
ed the Judge little, the more especially as
he had only once before met Mr.. Lincoln.
He did not know what was in Lincoln's
mind, but at last the tall rail splitter said
Judge, have been looking at you be-
cause you are about the tailest man
that | ever saw from the east, and have
been wondering who rs the taller, you or |.
Let's measure" And so Lincoln made
Kelly stand up back TO back with him,
while the other members Of the committee
stood aghast at this remarkable perform
ance.
Mr.. Hamlin was greatly interested in
this anecdote, and he said, "Why, should
say that Kelly was not quite 80 tall as Lin
coin, although he was one of the tallest
men ever met in my public experience"
| told him that Mr.. Kelly said he was
about an inch shorter than Lincoln. Mr.
Hamlin unused for some moments over
this anecdote His eyes twinkled and
there was Just a suggestion of a smile
upon his lips, and he said at last that he
had no doubt the anecdote was true, as it
was quite characteristic of Mr. Lincoln's
simplicity and plain and homely ways.
The conversation here became quite spir-
tied, aud turned upon men of ability whom
Mr.. Hamlin had known. Ii was of course
a rather disjointed and disconnected con-
versation, such as would occur informally
between gentlemen in a smoking compart-
ment of al express train, but will try to
gather into some regularity of statement
! the more important and interesting things
which Mr.. Hamiin said. 1t was suggested
to him that Mr. Charles A Dana, who was
assistant secretary of war, had declared
that William Pitt Fessenden was in some
respects the ablest man of his generation
who served in congress, and that that was
also the opinion of Mr.. Lincoln,
Mr.. Hamlin removed his cigar and
seemed for an instant to be trying to frame
in his mind brief characterization Of Mr.
Fessenden. He at last said: THAT opinion
is about correct, think. Fessenden's abil-
| ity was extraordinary; his purity of char
aeter was very great, and he is sure
to be remembered. Yet | think ia the
state Of Maine there is, OF used to be,
an impression that as a statesman on
! financial questions, profound thinker and
brilliant executive when the subject is that
of finances, which is after all the great
] subject for governmental consideration
/ George Evans is regarded as an ADLER
man even than Fessenden. Evans was OF
an earlier day, however, and his service in
public life was briefer Yet Mr.. Evans
/ framed and carried through congress the
/ great tariff of 1s42-one which was in its
/ day as important as any later tariff, and
was regarded by men OF all parties as an
extraordinarily able financial determine
/ ton. Evans was one of the greatest mer
this country has ever produced"
Mr.. Hamlin said that he himself entered
/ Congress at the time when Mr.. Evans wa
in the zenith of his fame, within a veal
OF half a century ago, He afterTard en-
/ tered the ssnata Iasked him IL there v-pr,