The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1897-03-21

nois; whereupon Lamcn remarks: Tim,
proved she was right. as she usually was in
formation concerning their connubial re.
S%nnobles, both, Then. the ract- were all fresh
II his mind; THAT he knew personally was in
for his boob was largely sossir Of questionable
aTthentlcity; In another place he. says:
when All is At last known. the world; DO
AMI his wife" II all he know was ennoblIrR
u, both. where Is the ground for any censure
chimern.
The render will agreo with me that Hern-
don's dclineation OF the greatest and dearest
name in our history Is not nltogether an edi.
iying picture: In some particulars It seems
ticular does he show Lincoln in really at
t%raotiye form, except in his humanitarian
Ism Ism q. Ys s., n h nearly ,Sn every aspect ] think III LII Lin,
the most fascinating personality OF the con-
fury; perhaps OF all the centuries. Hern-
mits a gross Injustice in ascrlbing TO Lincoln
. .ns sh SI..IDc,n # : 6 %DalItle .I migrate; Psrb n,m
with his facts on this head.
The record sho ~ that Lincoln promptly
Offices: He named the unknown David Davis
for the United States Supreme bench. In
snni!s Of storm Of oppos!tion. almost over.
WhelminR. he put Simon Cameron and Caleb
portant services in Tho National at l1" Republican
his friend. ward H.: 'Lamon. Marphai OF tho
District ,gf Columbia. Another. class. Of
Office. were his close advisers II the dispensa-
ton OF patronage TO Others, He rewarded Z.
wallader. a Mnjor.Generai,s and keepins him in
lnd S ON nland; In locking oyer he field.
prizes appear TO have owed It to Lin soln's per-
sonal friendship rather than to any com
don himself was not forgotten, for a noag the
kilograms sent during the rebellion / and tho
hand writings:
WAR DEPARTMENT. WASHINGTON. Fob. 10, 1858.
William n. Herndon, Springfield. iii.
ton at ST. Louis. nro dollars a day and mileage
Answer. A. LINCOLN,
This was not much OF n Job" to DO rure. yet
II Was something. unusual voluntarily ten
which. gave it Important go. There are many
other kilograms among the old dies IN the Wal
lob. was necessary to be done. 1 ind that
Lincoln immediately looked MP some friend to
a the Co Country 4 91 Would ID p aas sGyr Assault Hol His OF ,b 10
charge OF, ineratitude after an examination OF
tho unpublished kilograms and letters in the
After their removal to Washington there is
plonty OF indisputable testimony showing that
very different from what Herndon evidently
believed them To be. He was either grossly
mango islsa in Gy ,b SSs' man or t towsrd w each 2 other, fbSmpl9 Hs
they were then both considerably past the mid
ulo age. lew viii give credence to SO sudden o
transition. Some of this evidence | have re-
Gently .pubiisned: 1t differs materially from
that which comes from SprinEdeld-the mere
OF n country town IL is that OF
eye-witnesses. that of the CORES oondence OF
tho partiesithemselyes. It may be argued from
the Herndon standpoint that In the White
House Lincoln was Obliged to yield his log
caoin habits to the usages OF higher society,
which change. having q softening influence
upon Mrs. Lincoln. would explain the more
state OF feeling that prevailed bstween
them. At any rate. Lincoln could not ride
the circuit" in the White House. and conse-
~luently he was AT home more. and their man
ners and conduct when together came moro
Under public obsersatIon. Whatever: oo-
curred-good. bad. or indlnerent-was actually
seen and noted by n score or more of household
attaches. and not guessed at. as at Springfield.
And II may be taken for granted that the very
worst was known.
But 1t is unnecessary to pursue the subject
Sufficient evidence has been present
d completely to dispose OF Herndon's conclu-
lions upon the relations of Lincoln and his
wife. as we'll rs many Of his errors concerning
he general characteristics of both. Herndon
doubtless would have materially modified his
book In several particulars had he been aware of
'erfaip facts. developed by research Is made long
ince its publication. leaving no doubt Of LIN
'oln's truo relations with his wife. which were
different from this authors Version.
LESLIE J. PERRY