The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1895-12-22

something good, Mr.. Lincoln lay back in
then added:
What 1 want and what the people want
Is generals who will fight battles and win
victories. Grant has done this, and / pro-
pose TO stand by him. l permitted this in.
troubled no more with delegations protest.
ing against the retention OF Grant in COM
mand OF that army" Continuing, Lincoln
said:
Somehow or other I have always felt a
leaning toward Grant. and have been in
clined 10 place confidence in him. Ever
since he sent that memorable message to
Buckner at Donelson, when the latter asked
for terms OF surrender-sNo terms but I'M
conditional surrender. / propose to move
Immediately upon your works. have hac
great confidence in Grant, and have felt
that he was a man / could tie to, though
l have never seen him. Ii is a source or
much satisfaction that my confidence in
him has not been misplaced"
The conversation then turned upon other
subjects, the condition of the country, poll
tics, the rebellion, and the prospects of be-
cause Mr.. Lincoln his greatest trouble was
the state of feeling in certain Of the North
Their embittered hostility against the
prosecution of the war;" said he, gives me
more anxiety than the state of affairs at
the front. The enemy behind us is more
dangerous to the country than the enemy
before u.s." He said 1t was Incompetent
sibe to him that men living in the Northern
states In peace, and secure In the enjoy
ment OF every right and blessing of citizen>
ship, should seek by every means in their
power 10 defeat the government in this
great struggle to maintain its own exist
ence.
Once in a while in the conversation he
would cease speaking; then his eyes woulc
spread over his face, lasting three or four
minutes. i. of course, remained silent. TX
occurred to me that during these minutes
the dread consciousness OF the tremendous
responsibilities resting upon him was
crowding upon his mind. What would be
the outcome was the question ever upper
most in his thoughts. At length his eyes
would open and he would resume CONVEX
sation with some pleasant remark or anec>
dote. He would frequently say, II must
tell you story" and his anecdotes were
always pertinent to the conversation.
ON THE MONROE DOCTRINE.
It will be remembered that at this time
Louis Napoleon was attempting to force
monarchy upon our sister republic of Mexi-
CO by the musket, the bayonet and the
cannon. He had fitted the bauble of an em>
pire across the sea before the easily inn
pressible mind of the Austrian Archduke,
Macmillan, and his ambitious consort, the
beautiful Carlotta, formerly Duchess of
Brabant, and sister of the King of the
Belgians. They caught at the bait, ana
Napoleon sent a French army to seat then,
upon the throne. This action of his ana
that of Macmillan were exceedingly Of
fensive to the officers and soldiers of our
armies in the field. 1t occurred to me to
learn Lincoln's views on the subject. SO
said TO him:
Mr.. President, how about the French ar
my in Mexico?"
Struggling up his shoulders and wrinklins
I'm not exactly 'skeered,' but don't like
the looks of the thing. Napoleon has taken
trouble, and has attempted to found a mon>
archy on the soil of Mexico in utter dis
regard OF the Monroe doctrine. My policy
Is, attend to only one trouble at time.
If We get well out of our present difficulties
and restore the Union, / propose to notify
Louis Napoleon that il is about time to
take his army out of Mexico When that
army is gone. the Mexicans will take care
of Macmillan. 1 best illustrate my
position touching this subject by re-
lating an anecdote told by Daniel S. Dlclin-
son, Senator from New York, in a speech
delivered by him a few evenings since In
New York city. He said that in a certain
town Tiers there mad fo lived t two men
ty years. They were pillars in the vii
lage church, one Of them being deacon
After this long lapse of time serious diff
Guilty unfortunately sprang up between
these two brethren OF the church. The feel
ing waxed so warm between them that 1t
grew into bitter feud. Mutual friends
attempted reconciliation, but the men
would not reconcile. Finally Deacon White
became dangerously Ill and drew nigh unto
death. Mutual friends again interposed
their kind offices to effect a reconciliation.
They said to Brother Jones that 1t would
be a sin to permit the sick brother to die
with the quarrel standing. Jones was per-
suaded and called on Deacon White. The
two men talked over their mutual griev-
ances, and. agreeing to let them be buried,
shook hands and exchanged mutual forgive
ness in the presence of death. The deacon
then lay back upon. his pillow awaiting the
Hraol nd N lQ0x
But the visitor reached the door, Deacon
White, with a great effort, raised himself
on his elbow and called out in weak,
fainting voice:
Brother Jones! Brother Jones, 1 want
1t distinctly understood that IL l get we'll
the Old grudge stands. T"
Lincoln laughed at the conclusion of the
story. saying that was about the way he
felt toward the French Emperor. He mani
tested strong feeling on this subject, and
said the coronation of an empire, especially
by force, at our very doors was exceed
ingly offensive, ard could not be overlooked
by the United States. 1t had caused him
great annoyance, he was not in a con-
dition to interfere so as to prevent it. He
expressed himself strongly in favor Of the
position taken by President Monroe in his
celebrated message to Congress, in which
he declared against the acquisition of any
territory on this continent by any foreign
power.
Speaking of the French army and Maxi
milan's being in Mexico, led Lincoln to re-
fer to Benito Juarez, then President of Mex
leo, for whom he cherished a deep SYM
patty and strong regard. He alluded to
the similarity in some respects between his
own case and that of Juarez. Both were
presidents of republics, both were engaged
in deadly struggles for the very existence
of their respective nations. and both were
beset by treason at home. Juarez was COM
PEELED, moreover, TO meet a foreign invader
and TO be the defender Of the very principle
In the maintenance of which Lincoln felt
so deep interest-the violability OF the
American continent against foreign powers.
Both came from the wales Of humility, and
both became great leaders. They were
great lawyers. and they were great states
men and great patriots. Juarez had the
nerve and the courage to be shot to death.
as he deserved, a scion of the royal house
of Austria, and every throne in Europe
was Jared, since the plain republican pres
ident of Mexico was a greater power than
the kings and emperors VINO sought 10 save
the fallen Emperor.
Resides successfully defending his coun-
try against most unpr.nctpled and most un-
scrupulous invaders, JaureZ, IN putting Max
imilian to death. was the vindicator OF
the Monroe doctrine-he was the eXemplar
OF what should be its real meaning, that
any search after a throne or monarchical
foothold on this Western hemisphere is UNI
dertaken at the searcher's peril. IT is full
time the nations of Europe were made to
that the Monroe declaration is
not a string of mere glittering words but
Is a living reality. lincoln was in full SYM
patty with this view, and / am fully con-
WINGED from his own expressions TO me
that IL we had not been engaged in a
gigantic civil war he would have enforced
This view, and neither Napoleons army
nor Macmillan would ever have invaded
NQxiCO