St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1894-06-17

then that Governor Curtin met him for the
first time. He addressed the State Legisa-
ture in the afternoon and later held public
reception. CATER the reception" says
Governor Curtin, 'a private conference was
held in the paflor Of the hotel at which the
presidential party was stopping. There were
present beside the President, N. B. Judd,
Ward H. Lamon, Judge David Davis, Colonel
E. V. Sumner, and one or two more of those
who were travelling with the President. N.
B. Judd told us that from two different
sources-Allen G. Pinkerton in the first and
party of New York detectives in the second
instance-information had been received of n
plot to assassinate the President during his
passage through Baltimore, and to guard
against danger it had been arranged that the
President should return on special train to
Philadelphia that evening. and take the
night express on the Philadelphia. Whining
ton and Baltimore Railroad, thus throwing
the consprators, who expected him to go to
Washington over the Northern Central Rail-
road, off the scent.
Encouraged by the Rresidnnt's cool and
collected bearing, at first discouraged the
idea of a secret journey, advising the Presi-
dent-elect to travel by daylight, volunteering
to so with him In person. But when full and
convincing proof Of the plot was laid before
us by Mr.. Judd, knowing that the assassina-
ton of the head OF the Government would
bring national ruin, instantly changed my
mind and joined in devising means to secure
his safety. In the evening public dinner
was given the President, and at its close I
invited him to go and spend the night at my
house. He accepted the invitation, and to
allay suspicious, all members of his party but
Colonel Lamon were left behind at the hotel.
We were at once driven in closed carriage
to the outskirts of the city, where special
train, consisting of an engine, tender and
passenger car, was standing, l stood on the
street crossing until saw them enter the car
and then went home. The wires between
Harrisburg and Washington, and between the
former city and Philadelphia, had already
been cut to prevent any news of his move
ments getting abroad, and with Colonel
Lamon as his only companion, he started on
the journey to Washington. Early the next
morning we received word that the trip had
been made in safety and that President
Lincoln was in Washington
Governor Curtin early became one of Presi-
dent Lincolns trusted advisers. Their meet
ings were frequent and each soon came to
appreciate the others worth at its full value.
president Lincoln says the Governor,
s'when I first met him did not impress me
as being a great man. His greatness was
then in a measure still dormant. The war de-
veloped and brought out the latent qualities
of aadarShiD within him that would povar
have become manifest save under such trying
conditions. AS judge of men and as a
gauger of public opinion and sentiment he
was almost infalible. His gifts in this re-
spect were truly marvellous and have never
to my knowledge been equaled. Every time
that met him, and for four years was with
him almost weekly, I was more and more
impressed with the grandeur of his character,
brought into strong relief as it was by the
lights and shadows of the war;
Governor Curtin stamps as erroneous the
popular impression that the president in is
suing his emancipation proclamation was not
Influenced by the meeting Of the loyal gov
errors at Altoona to protest against the
further existence of slavery.
CAS- a matter of fact" says the Governor,
"there was a full and complete agreement
between the President and the gentlemen
who took part in the Altoona conference.
That conference had its inception in a dis
patch sent to Governor Andrew, of Massa-
chusetts, early in September, 1862, telling
him that in my opinion the time had come to
give the war definite aim and end, and that
it seemed to me that the governors Of the
loyal States should take prompt, united and
decided action in the matter. Governor
Andrew replied that he shared the same
views, and Q voluminous correspondence