The record-union., 1898-04-12

replied, Mr.. President. I have not
come here to argue constitutional law,
but l Will remind you of an historical
incident. When Andrew Jackson fought
the battle of New Orleans he had under
him Captain Mcdonald, who was
brave and fearless, and whose valor on
that occasion contributed much to the
successful termination of that battle.
Time sped on, and General Jackson be-
came President. Captain Mcdonald
meanwhile was overcome with the
curse Of intemperance, and had been
punished in various ways for his
drunkenness, until at last he was court
martialed and dismissed from the serv-
ice. When the Secretary of War laid
the proceedings of his trial before Pres
ident Jackson for his approval, Mr..
jackson inquired if this was the same
Captain Mcdonald who fought under
him at the battle of New Orleans. He
was answered in the affirmative.
Then, said President Jackson, by the
eternal, man who fought as Captain
Mcdonald did at New Orleans has a
right to get drunk whenever he pleases,
and I will set aside the finding of the
NOuL l-IudEI Ildl. NOW, MT. LlHCOlU,
don't you think that a man who has
fought as hard as this old soldier did
at Cold Harbor and who lost a leg in
that battle, has right to pass counter
felt fractional currency notes during
the continuance of the WARP I don't
know what the President thought of
the logic of the argument, but l had
the extreme pleasure of carrying away
with me an order for the release Of the
Lieutenant.
Many poor and unfortunate wo-
men," said Mr.. Coffroth, 'came to
Washington during the time of the
drafts, to implore the President to dis
charge their drafted husbands. For
several successive days / noticed five
poOrly-clad women in the reception
room of the White House. At last [
approached them and asked if they had
come to see the President One replied
that they had, but could not get an
interview. She said that they were
poor: that their husbands had been
drafted, and that they wanted to see
if the President would not discharge
them I took a card and wrote on the
back: -Four poor women have been
waiting for some days to see you
Shall I bring them in?' The mes
senger who took my card returned and
let US into Mr. Lincoln's presence.
told the President that the women
would explain their business The one
who had spoken to me in the reception
room then said: Mr. Lincoln, we have
come here to tell you that our hus-
bands have been put in the war; that
we are very poor and have large fam
lilies. We are out of bread at home,
and have no one to provide for us
but our husbands. have sold my only
cow to procure money enough to come
here and see you, and OH Mr. Lin
coin, we will pray to God, night and
day, to bless you, if you only discharge
our husbands!' The President took
up his pen, wrote a few lines, and
handed it to the distressed wives, re-
marking that he had discharged their
husbands They burst into tears, and
one said. Mr. Lincoln, we hope to
meet you in heaven Tears rolled down
the cheeks of the Commander-in-C Chief
of the Army and the Navy of our
mighty nation, and, turning from the
weeping women, he gazed out at the
surging waters of the Potomac, while
we took our departure
When Mr. Cofroth was asked to
tell something about his connection
with the funeral of Abraham Lincoln,
he remarked that after the assassina-
ton and during the time that the
Presidents body remained at Wash
ington, the excitement was intense.
Day and night people surged up and
down Pennsylvania avenue as mighty
funeral cortege, with sadness and woe
depicted on every face. This demon
stratiOn was not alone on account Of
the tragic death of Mr. Lincoln, but be-
cause he was beloved and respected by
/ all classes Of people.
"At the time" he remarked, Con
! gress was not in session. However,
| there was a large number of Senators
! and members of the House in the city,
and many hastened to the Capitol at
! the hearing of the startling intelli-
/ gence. At noon of the 18th of April,
the Senators and Representative met
in the Senate receptiOn-room. Hon. La
fayette Foster of Connecticut, Presi-
dent pro tempore of the Senate, was
/ called to the chair, and Hon. Schuyler
Colfax of Indiana, Speaker Of the
House Of the Thirty-eight Congress,
was chosen Secretary.
/ On motion of Hon. Charles Sumner,
Senator of Massachusetts, a commit
tee of four members of each house was
| appointed to make the proper arrange
ments for the funeral and ordered to
| report at o'clock p. m.
The meeting reassembled at o'clock
and Mr.. Sumner reported that the COM
mittee had selected as pail bearers, on
the part of the Senate, Hon. Lafayette
Foster of Connecticut, Hon Ira Nor
gan of New York, Hon. Reverdy John
son of Maryland, Hon. Richard Keates
of Illinois, Hon. Benjamin F. Wade of
| Ohio and Hon. John Conness of Cali
fornia; on the part of the House, Hon.
| Henry L. Dawes of Massachusetts,
| Hon. Alexander H. Coffroth of Penn
sylvania, Hon. Green Clay Smith of
| Kentucky. Hon. Schuyler Colfax of In
diana, Hon. H. G.. Worthington of Ne
vada and Hon. Elihu B. Washburne of
| Illinois.
The funeral ceremonies were con-
Quoted by Bishop Simpson in the east