Bennington semi-weekly banner. (Bennington, Vt.) 1894-1902, 1895-02-15
RecoIIectIons of Lincoln.

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late G. A r. encampment at BrattleborO,
was an address from ex-GOv. HOlbrook,
Vermonts ulviving war governor. Mr..
Holbrook bears easily his weight of "a
years, and his ''recolections'' of the
Martyr President are particularly inter
esting. He said: l cannot find words,
Veterans of Vermont, to express my sat
isfaction at meeting you once more under
such agreeable circumstances. There is
mystic bond of sympathy between you
and me that is lasting, and indeed ever
growing, as the years move on. hay 9
always regarded you as in a sense my
boys" and many haYe been the cordial
hand-shakes we have had together.
At the solicitation of my friend, Col.
Hooker, concluded to recount some of
my recolections of President Lincoln.
Perhaps | ought not to say it, but l
had the honor of being the recipient of
Mr.. LincOn's confidence and he related
to me some of the anxieties and embar-
easements incident to his official position.
He several times requested me to write
to him fully. and with entire frankness,
whenever thought of anything which,
from my point of view, deemed of i'm
portance to suggest He remarked that,
surrounded as he was by such COLLECTING
opinions and Counsels, he was at times at
loss to decide how to act; that what he
desired above all was to know the views
and wishes of the plain people," as he
liked to call them, and to carry them out
heard directly from them, he felt new
strength for the warfare before him. So
l used to write to him occa Sionally. al
ways receiving prompt reply, thanking
me for my letter. 1 suppose that let
ter of mine to him soon after the drawn
battle of Antietam, was the first prompt
ing to call for 100000 three years vol
unteers, that was made soon after.
urged the calling out of at least 100000
volunteers, emphasizing the, to me, well
known fact that the Presidents "plain
people were everywhere in earnest to
have the rebellion crushed, and that the
loyal states had the men and mears to
offer him to do it, and would promptly
respond to his call for men enough for
Washington hesitated from lack of funds
to arm and equip so many men, then, so
far as Vermont was concerned, the state
would, at its own expense, put her quota
of such call into the field. armed and
equipped to the acceptance of such mill
tary inspector as the government might
appoint, and wait on the government for
reimbursement at such time as it was in
funds. The call came, but was for only
1000 men, and | at once wrote the
president again, thanking him for the
call, but expressing the opinion that it
was for too small a number of men.
Very soon after came the call for 100000
nile months men. These two calls were
effective in closing the war.
President Lincoln was unique aud
wonderful man. of broad commOn-sense,
shrewdness aud sagacity, full to over
flowing of droll wit, and of tenderness
and delicacy of feeling, and of very
large heart, with all these he had broad
mind, with self-pose and self-possession
to give it just balance, and penetration
to detect any sophistry, duplicity or self
righteousness, of individuals or delega-
tions calling on him. The Presidents
many apt maxims and little stories, all
the more effective from being SO unique,
terse and illustrative, were not only wine
to his own spirits under discourage
ment, but were of service to the people,
cheering them when Respondent, letting