The citizen. (Frederick City, Md.) 1895-1923, 1899-11-24
LINCOLN IN DESPAIR
THE TINE WHEN HE WAS TEMPT.
ED TO SUICIDE.

An Instance When he Was More Seri
Gus Tha" the Case Warranted
Story Told by Secretary of War
Stanton to Congressman Young.
Mr. Lincoln during the war was
very sensitive of the criticisms on his
administration by the newspaper
press. believing it to be. as he assert
! ed. the true voice of the people. The
| failures of Mcdowell. Mcclellan, Burn
! side and Poe with the Army of the Pc.
tomac and the criticisms made there.
/ on by the newspapers almost crazed
him. Time and again he would free
himself from the Executive Mansion
and seek my little office, the only
place in Washington. he often said,
where he could be absolutely free from
interruption. When he became closet
ed with me on these visits Mr.. Lincoln
would unboSom himself and talk of
his cares and woes. Several times he
insisted that he ought to resign. and
thus give the country an opportunity
to secure some one better fitted to ac.
compliSh the great task expected OF
the President. Or. if he did not re,
sign. he thought he ought TO impress
upon Congress the proprety of giving
the absolute control Of the army TO
some purely military man 1t was dur.
ing one of these moods that he con
ceived the idea of placing Hooker in
command Of the Army Of the Potomac
and OF veSting him with such power
that. in his opinion. he could not fail
OF success He had great idea Of
HCokerS ability as 4 soldier. and in
addition he believed him IL he an hon
est man and a sincere patriot He
wanted him 10 fight What he intended
should be and wha; he felt would he
the closing battle Q: ;hG war Accord
lGSly. when Hooker got under way.
and the news came that n Ctduvel-
louisville he would make his fight MI
Lincoln was in the greatest state OF
mental excitement Fiom the time
tina; Rockers army began lis march
until the smoke a. ed.tle had cleared
from the fatal fed q Charlottesville
be scarcely knew VIVA; il was 10 sleep.
Il will he remembered that the
fight lasted three 6ayS During the
first two days il looked as il Hooker
was about 70 accomplish what so
many generals before MN had failed
- do but early OF the third day the
usual ha't.hOur dispatches began To
-.a.V -..'''s.S ivVA "'.A anu o".lnoIS
9. 0'.S'' ne Nne.e day M LioHo'n
vs. .~'Ss'a''e. ne axe uNthlhS, ana
"N.." S'S NO one '.' iHe A. II grew
go ,-s N.>pa.N'sS ts-SVG Voul'uS al
-, -. NJ, Lincoln "S".a ""-N from me
ne rouse &c NY "saf Iheni ana
a.A'2 rs, INQUIRE ,or news from HOOK
q 81" me sV.-~ GOWN Oh Tue sun
81" aul u.eA.a.-- 'alh SCI H.
W." '"S,su '..o-@. the night Al
-. . N'utA ~. .-.@N''n ceased MS
$50 ~ Ii! "i"' '-s.,',.' ana save or
80 al .-t c-NsN,'.-' -'-'''S'oA '''"' ne
800 sss 10 9'e ..'..''e mo. HIuS, An
- - s,' = = . u. I-Je..il'e
- - -, .e. 80 ga .'oA AooNVt.
az hurried VI. ]. 10 MI Lincoln
: - 80 = +" "'-. '-'StSl ! I""nd
-. - 'N.-e 'uS -.o-' a." MS aeoA-
- -. =. .atSe ;. ,.eI ne lA"t i
~ ,:. .'.' - W. qua, NU..u SpedN-
- '-..:og-l !. g.- $50" NE ne man
patch from NV hand read II ami bis
face sfghtlv bri-hrcuirg remarked,
Stanton. there is hone YER 4, INV
solicitation Mr.. Lincoln accommodated
ne TO the War Department whore he
agreed to spend the night or mill
Something definite was rasrd from,
Hooker. For five hours the loneest
and most wearisoma of nv life 7 vait
ed before a dispatch announcing Inc
retreat Of Hooker was received When
Nj Lincoln read il he rhrew mn bis
hands and exclaimed Nv Cod SIN
ton. our cause i lost We ans rnirod
we are ruined. and such . fearf,,i
loss Of life, Nv God, this is more than
7 can endure He stood trerhling
visibly. his face OF a ghasrlv hus The
PRESENTATION standing orr IN hig snots
on his brow. He mt on his bar sn5
coat and began 10 pace the door. For
FIVE or ten minutes he was silent ana
then. turning 70 NE. he sajd III am
not around early tomorrow. do not
send for HE. nor allow any one 10 lis.
turb NE. Defeated AGAIN. ana so MANY
Of our noble countrymen killed, What
Will the people saya'
A. y. s-;.A.,s l.. .....-,
soo~ -, -. - ''' gu 'o' tne
So1,,.h;,,- :.,,...!1ss, l,e!e Was
p.',.sls ny S'',oaoie ABOUT the
80 auu manner mat
- 49, -. ~ ~ ma uiS eAlel Sholia not
. MlInolt creating suspicion was the