Custer weekly chronicle. [volume] (Custer City, S.D.) 1890-1931, 1897-02-20
LiaooIn in the White House.

Harpers Magazine.
Washington in 1851 was essentially
southern In all it's manifestations. In
politics and social life the capital was
decidedly, even sggressively, pro-sIav-
cry. Under these conditions the occu-
pancy Of the White House by a black
republican president and his wife was
a peculiarly hateful event to a large
proportion of its society. Society was,
In fact, torn up. roo and branch by the
impending civil war: everything was
chaos n had to be reorganized from
the foundation.
il was under these adverse clrcum-
stances that Mrs. Lincoln became mis-
tress OF the White House. Every in
genuity Of malice was resorted to TO dis
credit the new regime. Both the presl-
dent and his wife were mercilessly lam
pooned, and yet Mrs. Lincoln was the
peer OF any woman In Washington in
education and character, as vel. as the
barren ideality' OF birth. w. O. Stod-
dard, n OF the private secretaries. and
a keen observer. In his little book, I'm
side the White House In Wal Times"
says that Mrs. Lincoln was prepared to
assume a leading part. As her lieuten-
ant in the official household. he noted
that she was an authoritative mistress,
but listened patiently 20 sensible rep
reservations, and oftentimes yielded her
judgment; that her instructions were
given In a kindly and vivacious manner;
that she was a pleasant looking woman
bright. cheerful. almost merry"
sometimes. The servants always spoke
OF her as "the madam" Says ~Stoddard:
AS you look at her and talk with her
the fact that h has so many enemies
strikes you as one of the moral curiosi-
ties of this venomous time"
She dressed well, wen extravagantly.
In her little book. Behind the Scenes"
Mrs. Keckley, who was Mrs. Lincoln's
dressmaker. speaks OF having made mr..
teen dresses for her I'm three or four
months. This authority says nc queen
could have comported herself with more
dignity than Mrs. Lincoln at all public
functions.
Yet this woman was stigmatized by a
certain class OF Washington society as
low. vulgar and even Recommendations
any qualifications for the high station
10 which she had been called.
The calunhny which wounded her most
deeply was her alleged sympathy with
h rebellion, which had its sole founda-
ton In the fact that her Kentucky half
brothers were confederates. although
she held no intercourse with them since
her childhood. 1t was said and believed
that she hampered her husband in every
possible way In the prosecution OF the
war. In self protection she wished Mr..
Stoddard TO examine all her correspond
ence. 1t IL certain hat she Loyalty de-
sired the success OF her husband and
the great cause he 30 ably directed. In
a printed letter to Mrs. Keckley. Mrs.
Lincoln asserts positively that her SYM
pathies were strongly with the north
during the wal n always. Il have
never failed to urge my husband 10 be
al extreme republican" As Lincoln al
ways consulted and relied upon her
Judgment, 1t Is hardly probable ne would
lave taken the advanced republican
ground against slavery in his house
dlvided-against-itself speech in 1858
without her approval. which strongly
corroborates her claim.