The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1895-01-17

the Soldiers Thirty Years Ago. and wha
They Are Doing Now.
| AFTER THE BALL.
One of the SORROWS heroically borne b
Abraham Lincoln, the immortal war President
was the lack of sympathy and support fror
his wife in his effort to save the Union.
Mrs. Lincoln was gay, thoughtless. ant
| wholly blind to the duties and possibilities o
her station. When the Nation was bowed il
sorrow over its freshmade graves, and thu
| wounded were languishing in improvsed ans
| ill-provided hospitals, Mrs. Lincoln kept ul
| the White House levees.
The great. hearted. selfsacrifcing women o
tho country were not only grieved. but angered
Press and people spoke out in no uncertain
tones. How they felt and what they said ii
set forth in the following open letter to Mrs
Lincoln, recently revived as part of the his
tory of that period:
URBAyA o.. Feb. 10. 1852.
MRS. LINCOLN, MADAM: Pardon the liberty
take in addressing YOU but feel II to he my duty
in behalf of my sex. and hope you will take j,
kindly; and II not just give 1t a careful perusai
and hope you may be benefited.
God, in his mercy. has chosen your husband to
occupy the most honorable position that Nation
OF freeman can confer upon mortal man: and he
doubtless feels the responsibility. May God give
him grace and strength TO do his whole duty.
You are the wife of our President, and the repre-
sentative mother of great Republic. and upon
you especially rests great responsibility; aud,
although yon may never have had wisdom to see
it. any assertion is none the less true. wish you
would think This fact after reading my letter.
Man excels in judgment. but woman in instructive
goodness Of heart. She exces In piety, chastity.
and the finer sensibiliies that complete the clinr-
acter of "a model woman. She should share the
burden OF life cheerfuily, but must be accompanied
with unwaverng affection for the accomplish
ment of good in him; for this end she born.
Have Won ever seriously reflected over this part OF
your duty to your husband in his present position
Are you his Tor. his comforter in the hour
of perpexity and trial? Have you discharged nil
your obligations to this Nation his wife in pre-
cept and example? If not, repair 10 your closet,
you in this. and make yon worthy to live in the
hearts of ihe people. once understood that you
were woman Of piety, and was glad. for knew
there had been great corruption In high places.
had hoped that there altar of PRAYER and
offering upon IL for tho country i'm the Govern
ment mansion. I regret that 1 was mistaken.
Ny dear Mrs. Lincoln. you are not aware oil the
opinions Of the people. The people. the press the
pulpit all alike. looking you in amaze
meni. fear YOU neglect 10 inform yourself in re-
gard TO public sentiment. IL SO, you are in very
great error. You are miserably deceived, II you
are battered to believe anything better than now
tell ynn. Tho press Of this country is mighty en-
CINE for veal or for IL annihilate charac-
ter, remove ministers aud Generals. and has often
obliteraled he hopes and day dreams of fame that
gilded the future of men in power. for when they
attempted TO grasp the golden fruit II turned to
dust and ashes, like the apples Of SOdom. Do not
ignore the press IL j. a of glass; and truly
fleets character az seen By the external world. The
press makes and unmskes men. aud sometimes
women. All you claim reputation the people
and the press made yoh. for you were unknown
before. Coz
What excuse can you offer in e1tenuation Of yonr
folly and neglect? Theltumblest mother that lays
her offspring sacrifice upon the altar of Liberty
or the huinbl-st wife who says TO her husband.
~. laiaid hpa
displayed u heroisn and patriotism that will live
ia history. You have work to perform In the
plans Of the Creator for freedom. Can you wash
your hands In innocency as an example OF duty for
the noble women of America Have You practiced
srlf.denia sacrificed anything since your hus-
band pledged himself before uhe people? IL not.
God pity you! for know many who have, and
few who have sacrificed everything.
will say candidIy that the indignation and the
disappointment have daily public expression
against you; a blush of shame nantes the cheek
Of every loyal woman In the land at the manner
In which you conducting yourself You are so
frivolous aud vain! You ought, above all Others,
to strive To exert good Influence in regard TO pub
lie sentiment. 1T has been sniofa hundred times aud,
/ presume. printed often In Southern journals,
that you pro-siavcry is sentiment-that you
favor the South. 1t has also been written with the
finger OF scorn that at least one inmate Of the
White House was disloyai. Is this true? Grave.
II not malignant, charges TO stand uncontradicted
in the face of a rebellious foel II so, "Ichabod"
is written upon the walls in truth. 1t is stigma
upon your character, and an eyesore To- yo' hus
est, and loyal. Your influence, them is but the
dust of the balance against mountain.
Can you delight Ia the house of revery and
wan;on mirth. while I" X chel is weeping for her
children. and will not be comforted because they
are not"? Oh, favored daughter of the Free!
will you sit like Medu-a at this bloody altar.
with folly in your heart and ievity upon your
lips, and shock the sobrieiy of all the mothers
ia Israel by your eXtrnvagance and lack of syEi-
patty? Your indifference when the very exist
of the Nation is threatened Is certainly with
n 4
90 After me, the deluge."
The liberality, energy. and Industry Of woman
are eloquent with sympathy that responds to the
call for help for sick and dying soldiers Trains
are daily laden with some inunfcent Offering Of
some generous Notwithstanding TO alleviate
the sufferings and hardships OF n Winters cam
pagn. II is In your power TO do much. You can
prepare many articles with your own hands to
comfort the remaining days of some dear one whose
seat will be forever vacated at the hearihstone of
home.
Have you, like true Spartan mother. buckIed
the armor dear son and sent him away with a
mothers blessing In defense OF his countrys
rights? IL not. God help you to pray for those
who havel Esteem yourself best that you do not
live 10 picture the mutaied remains Of husband,
father, dragged with gaping wounds from
the chaos and carnage OF the battlefield. The
women of the Nation now sirnining every
TO meet the halfsupplied wants Of our brave
army. VIII yon listen IN vain 10 this pleading
ca!l? Will not you assist them in your labor of
owe? Darkness hangs over the country. Listen
10 the laundering peals OF battle as they vibrate on
and the "faces of The valiant are PALE"
and shrink in horror Mt the thought of this great
Republic in ruins. Tribuiaiions
and universal calamity are now rife In the hearts
aud homes of every family. VIII you, like the
skeleton al the feast. stand and gloat over tile
bloody scene OF ruin and death 1indismayed? Your
Indifference warrants this conclusion. Humble
in sackcl and call upon God for assist
ance lest He will do unto you to others Of old:
- / will put hooks in thy jaw, and then turn thee
and thou shalt know that am the Lord"
How can you array yourself, at the mature age
Of years. in the style Of condemned FASH
Ion-in your silks, satins, plnmes pearls, fbrous
aces, and costly inportniiOns and expend thou
sands OF dollars for one evenings entertainment.
when there is so much suffering within sight Of
your door? The large sum you expended at
your recent carnival would have mitigated u vast
deal OF suffering. Why not have donated that
amount 10 build hospital At Cumberland. where
there are now 500 sick soldiers? II you had done
this the American daughters would arise and call
you blessed. No. you are not the womani Your
< den moments have vanished unimproved. You
could have organized Aid Societies. and earnestly
appealed to the wives oil Cabinet Ministers, Repre-
Senators and nltthe ladies whose htis-
bands clerks In the various Departments I'm
Ia pital to have CO. operated with you; and be-
lieve they would have willingly responded to your
call. IL not. there are more heartless women In
now, than suppose. God knows
there enough at any lime. II Is not too late
yet IL you would but think 1t over properly. III
you will not listen to the voice OF the people.
hey can only say. Let Epbrsim alone; lie Is
joined TO his idols" t.t 'i
Have no more levees. I-think your festivities
inappropriate at this lime. inssmuch as IL
has been said that we are the eve of National |
bankruptcy. Do not frilter away your precious
moments In studying aud arranging your toilet in
compliment TO Queen Victoria. II Is an i'll paid |
ompliment TO Her Excellent Majesty in her deep |
sorrow and bereavement. 1t Is, Madam, mock |
eryi
Did you never look at the character Of Florence |
Nightingale. and admire it? Compare her work |
with yours. Are you not awed into insignifcance
by your supreme seliishness? ALI, her name is
emblazoned on the g!tteriug sheen of famei She \