The San Francisco call., 1897-05-14
IN HONOR OF
FAT HER ABRAHAM
Work of the Lincoln Mon.
ument League Proceed
ing Favorably.
Characteristic Letter on the Sub.
iect From Naval Officer
Irish.
How the Philosophy of the Martyred
President l fluanced His
Cabinet.

The executive committee of the Lincoln
Monument League met Wed nesday night
at the headquarters OF the G. A. r.,
President w. w. Stone presiding.
The committee on printing was author
izec to have a second issue OF 20, 600 certif-
Gates in books printed and circulated. On
motion of Colonel G. Mason Klnne, quar-
ter-cards were ordered printed and placed
in various stores with subscriptions books
for the beneht of the general public.
Judge M. Cooney offered resolution to
the effect that, ''In order TO prevent con-
fusion and a possible isconceplion, no
organizations of any kind or nature be
permitted to give any entertainments in
the name Of the Lincoln Monument
League without first obtaining the sane
tion of the executive board of the Monu-
ment League committee"
The resolution was adopted.
The following letter from Naval Officer
John P. Irish was read:
In the apotheosis of Lincoln the actuai man
has been forgotten. Herndon's 'Life of the
Emancipstor" was severely criticized and, l
believe, driven out of print. Yet it was proba-
bly, the best biography that has been pub
lished. 1t represented Lincoln as he was-a
man oppressed by the cares, influenced by the
environment, beset by the passions common
to us al.
Such men are best seen in perspective. 1t Is
then made plain that while they shared in all
the things that are allotted TO men they drew
from the same elements different results. In
our mountains the Mariposa tulip and the
giant Sequoia root in the same soil and grow
under the same sun, but with results how
different! So itseems to be with men. Out OF
common experiences one draws encourage
ment or caution only, while another absorbs
PM losophy.
Lincoln was not spared in his own time.
Criticism and detraction were not left exclu-
sively TO his political opponents, but were
used without stint by leaders of his own
party. The combination of Senators Wade
and Henry Winter Davis and the awful let
ters OF Murat Halstead were only part CT the
thorns planted in his path by hands that
should have plucked the briers out of his way.
During his lifetime nothing more unfavora-
bly, affected his good name and standing as 8
statesman than his reputation for story-tell-
ing. Scarcely q week passed without the cir
culation OF new story attributed to him.
More than twenty years ago, during long
night journey with a gentleman who was u
member of his Cabinet, asked If the Presi-
dent had deserved this reputation In reply
the ex-Cabinet Minister, Montgomery Blair,
said that while the reputation was deserve
the country i'll understood the reason of Liza
coins frequent resort to storytelling. HS said
that, as all men remem Der whose memories go
back to that time OF potent passion, the Civil
War was atmosphere in which all the
greeds and grudges, rival ambitions and COM
petillve spites OF men grew with an orchid
iuxuriance. Avarice, pride OF position, lust
for authority, desire for revenge, all fiourished
in that high and mighty time. alongside of
patriotism and selt-sacrifice. OF sorrow and
|, heroism.
All OF these emotions, good and bad, were to
q peculiar degree focused in the Cabinet. AT
nearly every meeting of that body, from 1861
to 1865, its deliberations took their tone from
the clamor of mixed passions which distorted
the country like an epidemic chorea.
The result was always contention, the
deepening of feeling into refusal to compro-
mise or accommodate, and practically a
cessation OF business. The President never
mixed in these contentious nor sought to con-
clude them by taking sides or suggesting a
compromise, but always sat, his face express
ing The profound melancholy and sadness
and his eyes seeming to look upon scenes lar
off, while his mind was apparently away
among things unseen by those around him,
and he seemed listening TO voices that rose
may be from battles in action or sopbed over
| fields that had been fought. When his
| warning Cabinet had disputed itself into inec-
| tion, and every man scowIed with anger upon
every other, the Pres idents face would begin
to light up, mind and senses would appear to
arrive from their far excursion and smile
! would twinkle in his eyes as he would say,
"N hat Mr.. Secretary - said reminds me Of
| perhaps 1t would be something in Sangam on
| County. but wherever located the story was
| quite sure TO be taken from the lives and lines
OF the plain people among whom his life had
! been. 1t was sometimes risque and always
irres siibly funny, and tickled the ribs OF the
| Cabinet until every member roared In that
| explosion of good humor evil temper evapo-
rated and directly the ma tier that had caused
| the deadlock would be disposed of, usually as
| suggested Dy the PRESIDENT ana MS Onlclal
| family would separate in good feeling and go
| in buoyant spirits to their several duties.
| MIR. Blair said that Stanton was peculiarly
! saturnine man and given to brusqueness in
| his official contacts One Cabinet day he and
| Blair met on the steps of the White House, aud
after saluting Blair said, well, l suppose we
| will get another story to-day" Stanton faced
| him with severe expression, and uttering an
oath said, II have listened 10 the las levity /
will bear from the President. With the CO un-
| try's life flowing to waste from every pore and
the whole land a sepulchre 1 will stand no
more idle Stories"
They entered .he Cabinet-room and when
business was attempted there ensued an un-
usually violent scene, with the President in
his usual neutral attitude and the picture of
profound sadness. When the deadlock came
his face lit up and he began story. Stanton
rose, folded his papers and started from the
room, but paused and stood looking out of the
window across the Potomac flats. AT the cli-