Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1893-11-16
RECOMMENDED eY JEFF DAVIS.
President Lincoln's Strange Appointment
IF q Young sontherner.

IF = Young Southerner.
An interesting aiecdotc Of President
/ Lincoln is told by Mr. G. Eaton Creecy.
/ the well-known lawyer OF this city
/ who was chief of the appointment di-
vision of the treasury department dur
| ing the administration Of President
johnson.
Mr.. Creecy, who was born ia the city
of ViclSsburg, Miss. held the position
of messenger 10 the secretary Of the
/ treasury just prior 10 the close Of the
buchanan administration Being Of an
ambitious turn Of mind he made appli-
cation to President Buchanan TO be APP
pointed from Mississippi as cadet at
large to the military academy at West
Point
His mother who was an ener.-.tic
little southern woman, entered heart
lily into her sons ambition and obtained
the recommendation Of Hon. Ohio r.
Singleton, l.. Q. C. Lamar and other
friends Of her deceased husband in IA
vor Of her sons appointment These
papers were filed, but one very strong
letter from Senator jefferson Davis was
not because il was received Just prior
to the secession Of Mississippi, and Mrs
Creecy did not press her sons applica-
ton
In the fall Of 1861, when the war was
in full blast and number of vacan-
cies existing in the military academy
from the state OF Mississippi. Mrs
Crrecy determined to introduce herself
to President Lincoln and ask him to
appoint her son. She was received very
politely by the president, who listened
kindly and attentively to her When
she had concluded her statement he
said:
Madam, you have the appearance
and bearing of lady, but what evil
dence have that you are not an impOs-
ter2 / have 50 many of that class of
people calling upon me every day that
/ am compelled 10 be very careful; and,
while | do not wish to infer that
doubt you, yet | must have some evil
dence that you are from Mississippi,
and that your family is of standing and
responsibility, before I consider the
application you have made for your
sons appointment
The little lady was wholly discon-
certed ny this unexpected turn of af-
fairs She little dreamed that anyone
would question her truthfulness or her
responsibility. SO she left the presi-
dental presence very much disturbed.
remarking that She did not see how she
would be able TO 90 to Mississippi
through the army lines to get the evil
dence that Mr.. Lincoln required.
A happy thought occurred 70 her dur
ing the evening, and She resurrected
the recommendation of United States
Senator jefferson Davis, and triumph
antly carried it mp 70 President Lincoln
next day He received her with smile.
and said:
"Iknow from your countenance, mad
am. that you have brought the neces
sary evidence"
Yes, Mr.. President" she said, Il
have brought a letter from an old
friend Of my husband, which I think
will satisfy you,' and she handed him
Jefferson Davis letter
For a few seconds the president
seemed unable to state what his opinion
was upon the recommendation, but he
finally said to her:
Madam, the evidence that you have
submitted to me is entirely satisfactory,
and viii appoint your son, but on one
condition, however, and that IS that it
is net 70 be known to anyone but you
and that I did So upon the recon-
mendation of jefferson Davis
The appointment was ordered, but
circumstances occurred soon thereafter
which prevented Mr.. Creecy from ac-
.....L.---. !. LNa.L.i t--.t-... ~