Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1892-03-06

same evening, and the result was that Cur
tins visit to the war Office was indefinitely
postponed and Stanton died without having
received the thanks that Curtin had in
tended for him. Soon after the war was
over, however, Stanton seemed to have
Justly appreciated Curtin, as he wrote him
a voluntary and most affect:onate letter. re-
viewing the great work he had done as Gov
ernor Of Pennsylvania, thanking him for
his patriotism and fidelity, and offering
full apology for anything that he might
have done to give him unpleasant recollec-
tions
Proposed to Support q Democrat.
Lincoln played most conspicuous part
in Curtin's second nomination and re.elec-
tion. So profoundly was Curtin impressed
with the necessity of uniting all parties in
the support of the war for the suppression
Of the Rebellion that he was the first man
to suggest his own retirement from the Of
fee of Governor, if the Democrats would
present the name of General William B.
Franklin, gallant Pennsylvania Demo
cratic soldier. 1 was present when Curtin
first made this suggestion to a number of his
friends, and he made it with degree of
earnestness that impressed everyone. He
said that it was vastly more important to
thus unite the whole Democratic party
Will tuc hcpuDllcduS Oh III uOucst "dI
platform than that any party or any indi-
vidual should win political success.
Of Curtin's denomination there was no
doubt whatever if he permitted his name to
be used, and it became merely a question
how he could retire gracefully. Entrusted
with this mission, acting entirely upon my
own judgment, went to Washington, called
upon Colonel Forney and told him my mis-
sion. I said: "Senator Cameron will desire
the retirement of Curtin because he is his
enemy: desire it because 1 am his friend;
may we not cooperate in bringing it about?"
Cameron was sent for; the matter was pre-
sented to him, and he at once said, with some
asperity, that 'Curtin should be got rid OF. "
1 suggested that if Lincoln would tender to
Curtin foreign mission, in view of his
broken health, it would solve the difficulty
and enable Curtin to retire
Forced Into the Campaign.
To this Cameron agreed, and within half
an hour thereafter we startled Lincoln by
appearing before him together, accompanied
by Forney. Lincoln closed the conference
by suggesting that as it seemed to be my
affair, should call to see him in the morn
ing. did so, when Lincoln handed me the
following autograph letter, rendering Curtin
a frst-class mission to be accepted at the
close of his Gubernatorial term:
WASHINGTON, April l3, 1868.
Hon. Andrew G.sCurtin:
MY DDAR SIR-If, after the expiration of
your present term as Governor Of Pennsyl-
vania, shall continue in Office here, and
you shall desire to go abroad, you can do so
with one of the frst-class missions. Yours
truly, ABRAHAM LINCOLN.
This letter delivered to Curtin. The
announcement was at once made to the As
sociated Press that foreign mission had
been rendered to Curtin; that he had signi-
fed his acceptance of it, and that he would
not be a candidate for denomination for
Governor The popular demand for Cur
TINS denomination came with such emphasis
from every section of the State that within
q few weeks after his declination he was
compelled to accept the candidacy, and he
was nominated IN Pittsburg by an over
whelming majority on the first ballot, and
after one Of the most desperate contests
ever known in the State was reelected by
over 49, 900 majority, even with his soldiers
interest in that struggle, and his congratu-
lations to Curtin upon his re re-election were
repeated for several days and often as
quaint as they were sincere. The secret Of
Curtin's reelection In 1868 was the devo-
tion of the Pennsylvania soldiers to him and
his cause.
Tho Appeal Of Two Children.
1t was on Thanksgiving Day of 1868 that
Curtin first conceived the idea of State pro-
vision for the care and education of tho
orphans of our fallen soldiers. While on
his way in Harrisburg to hear DR.. Robin
sons Thanksgiving sermon, he was met by
two shivering and starving children, who
piteously appealed to him to relieve them
of their distress, saying that their father
had been killed on the Peninsula and that
their mother was broken in health by her
efforts to provide for them. He was 40
deeply impressed and his sympathies so
keenly aroused by the children that he
heard little of the eloquent sermon.
Such WAS the beginning Of the Soldiers
Orphans Schools which have lasted now for
nearly 80 years; which have educated thou
sands and thousands of the war orphans of
the State, and are still performing that
humane mission to the few yet in our midst.
In this sublime benefcence to the helpless
children Of our heroes, Pennsylvania stands
single and alone among the loyal States, and
there has not been class Of orphans In any
school In Psnnsylvanis that has not lisped
the name Of Curtin with affectionate rev.
erence. A. x. MCCLUREv