The record-union., 1895-01-30
man who had told him Gertrude's name
AN ANECDOTB OF LINCOLN.
Why He Granted Il Pardon After Hay
ing at First refused 1t.


The Rev. DR.. P. D. Gurley was the
minister in charge of the New York
avenue Presbyterian Church, Washing
ton, ID. c., during Lincolns adminiStra-
ton. DR.. Gurley was Lincoln's pastor,
and In many matters his confidential ad-
wiser, post he was admirably fitted to
HI, Delng strong, robust, honest per-
| sonallty and man OF sweet disposition,
great ability and excellent judgment.
During the meeting Of the first general
assembly Of the Presbyterian Church
alter the war, which convened in St.
Louis, Or. Gurley, who was delegate,
was, says d. II. Mitchell in the hide
pcndeRt, one day the guest of Rev. DR..
Nichols, in whose church the assembly
met, and the following anecdote of Lin
coin was related by DR.. Gurley at dinner,
IN the presence OF a number OF friends,
among whom was the presnt writer:
soon after the outbreak Of hostilities,
hot-blooded, tire-eating young man, q
son of one OF the members of DR.. CUR
ley's church, made his way through our
lines and enlisted in the Confederate
Army. The fortunes Of war threw him
INTO our hands as priEOner. 1t was
doemed best to make an example Of him
ana no was consequently cOurt-martialed
and sentenced to be shot. DR.. Gurley in
teresLcd himself in the young mans be-
hall anu secured Communication of SEN
tencc. a short time after the father of
the boy came TO Dr. Gurley and solicited
his AID to obtain a pardon. DR.. Gurley
strongly advised against the effort. He
LoInled out that the young mans life had
Dceh saved by the President, and that It
would be extremely unwise and imprU-
dent to apply for pardon so soon. Tha
father replied that he felt so himself but
that his wife took on so about her son
that ho feared she would lose her mind if
something were not done. I must
said he, make the attempt on his
mothers account 1t is better to fail than
| not TO try Consequently DR.. Gurley
signed the petition for a pardon and the
father took II to President Lincoln.
Nv hen the father made known his err
| rand the President became very much ex-
cited and tiercely said: L saved the life
OF your son after be had been condemned
10 be shot, and now you come here SO
! soon when you know l am overwhelmed
with care and anxiety, asking for his
pardon. Hou should have been content
with what l have done. Go, and il YOU
annoy me any more l shall feel IL to be
my duty to consider whether / ought not
| to recall what l have already done
| "A few days after the President sent for
! the father, apoIUgiZed for the way he had
! spoken to him, and, to his utter astonish-
! ment, handed him pardon.
Not long after, and before knowing
! what had trauspired, DR.. Gurley met the
! President. Having transacted his busi-
ness he was about to go, when Mr.. Lin
| coin said:
by the way. doctor. you signed the
/ petition Tor Mr. IS sons pardon,
/ didn't you?'
The doctor replied that he had done
30, but explained that ne had advised
/ against making the application at that
/ Llnle anu that he was induced to sign il
| only by the statement Of the father that
! he feared his wife would lose her mind il
/ something were not done to relieve her.
The President then remarked: We'll.
! Mr. - came to me with the petition.
II made me very angry and l dismissed
him roughly. AIterward felt 50 ashamed
OF myself for having lost my temper that
L made out pardon for The man and gave
it TO him.
And then. after a pause and with a
broad smile, he added:
An, doctor! these wives Of ours have
the inside track on Us, don't they p"