The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1891-07-10
P; cannot interfere about platform. Con-

T.; cannot interfere 0D0ut platform. con-
ventioa must Judge for itself.
Il went to see Mr.. Lincoln, personally,
however. There are always men who say
the presidential candidates prefer this man
or that. and they do 1t without the slight
est authority. IL was so in this campaign.
1t was current that Andrew Johnson was
Mr. Lincoln's choice. and 1t was my bust
ness to find out whether it was or not. We
were, beyond all measure. for MT. Lincoln
first, last and for ali If he desired
Mr.. johnson he would have been our
choice, but he did not. As the dispatch in-
dictates. Mr.. Lincoln was particularly anx-
lous not to make known his preferences on
the question of his associate on the ticket.
But that he had a preference / positively
know.
After my interview with him ] was as
positive that Hannibal Hamlin was his
favorite as l am that / I'm alive to-day.
Although be had not told me directly. he
had given me this to understand. The fact
IS further proven by the action of the en-
tire Illinois delegation. which was q unit
for Mr.. Hamlin, and, as L stated before, We
were at his service in the matter. We had
bright prospects OF nominating Mr. LIN
coins choice until Horace Maynard. after
ward minister to Spain. made his speech
for Andrew johnson. He spoke so pathet-
lcally of the sufferings OF the people OF the
South during those terrible years which
had passed. and the nobleness of Mr. john
son, that it fired up the entire convention.
Simon Cameron, who had been for Hamlin,
1 believe. was influenced by this speech,
with many others, and he turned over to
Johnson. This elected the man who was
afterward impeached. Mr.. Hamlin, / be-
lIeve. was Lincoln's choice because he was
loyal and faithful. These were his prOmi-
nent characteristics. He was. perhaps. not
one of the brightest men active In the poll
tics of that day. but he was reliable. and
Lincoln knew it.
"Yes,n continued Mr.. Cook, those were
days in the history of our country worth
speaking OF. l never think of it except
with a smile how we had to tight to esta6-
lish Abraham Lincoln's capacity and abil-
ity. Think of IL! knew Mr.. Lincoln init
mately. You can publish that as gospel
truth, not as b raggadocio. / have 10 non
sensIcai opinions about him, and yet l firm
ly believe that Mr.. Lincoln would have de-
yeloped into q colossal figure in the worlds
history had he lived. He was absorbing
and developing. beyond all possibility OF
conception TO the careless squanderer OF
life. HIS early years had been devoid of
opportunity, and he so much appreciated
mis- position to develop that it is scarcely
possible to imagine what he would have
become had he lived. Even his faults were
virtues to the people at large.
Il remember sitting in q room in the
White House with him upon one occasion
when Judge Holt. of the Bureau of Mill
tary Justice, entered with u lot of court
martial papers which he wanted MI. Lin
coin to sign. They were the death war
rants of men who had been tried and con-
vIcted of great cOwardice. Judge Holt
stated that he had examined the papers.
and if the testimony was true the men GER
tainly were guilty of gross cOwardice. as in
some cases they had been the cause of
stampeding entire regiments. The officers
are clamOring to have these men shot,
Judge Holt continued. They maintain
that they cannot preserve discipline unless
stringent measures are enforced to punish
such criminal conduct MIR. Lincoln arose
from his chair and began to walk the
floor. After he had crossed and recrOssed
several times he stopped before Judge
Holt. and in that falsetto voice in which
he spoke when excited, said:
when the bullets begin to fly around them,
will find their legs running away with
| them in spite of anything they can do, and
you want me to shoot men for doing thist 1
won't do it! l won't do ltv
"A number of years afterwards / met
Judge Holt and asked him what had be-
come of the death warrants. They were
| never slgned,' said the Judge. Il put them
In a desk. and 1 believe they weEe after
ward destroyed
Lincoln was constantly accused Of a
aaetS of decision. lie Kept Mr.. stanton. for
instance, in q continual white foam with
! evaporation On this account. Even this
| fault proved a virtue. After We had fought
tor q considerable time, l went to him and
reasoned with hin to add 100. coo black men
TO our force by issuing the Emancipation
! Proclamation. / was not the only man who
wished it issued long before it was. Mr..
Maynard and others were fully as hot
headed about it as L. Mr.. Lincoln, how
ever. cav the time to do il, and it is my
opinion that he did it just at the right
time. His predisposition to be kind was
deep and real. l know him to nave walked
to Georgetown from Washington often to
make sure that q pardon he had dispatched
from the executive mansion had really been