The National tribune., 1900-04-05
EVERYDAY LIFE OF
ABRAHAM LINCOLN.
CONTINUED from first page.

have resting spell from Mister President.
With all his simplicity and unacquaintance
with courtly manner, his native dignity
never forsook him in the presence of critical,
polished strangers; but mixed with his
angularities and bonhomie was something
which spoke the fine fiber of the man; and,
while his sovereign disregard of courtly
| conventionahtieS was somewhat ludIcrouS,
| his native sweetness and straightforward
| ness of manner served TO diSarm criticism
and impress the visitor that he was before a
man pure. Self-poiSed, collected, and strong
| in unconscious strength. OF him an ac-
| compliShed foreigner, whose knowledge OF
| the courts was more perfect than that OF the
| English language. said: He seems TO me
| one grand GeHtfh0mme in disguise" Mr.
Hay adds that Mr.. Lincoln's simplicity OF
manner was marked in his total lack of
| consideration of what was due his exalted
station. He had an almost morbid dread
of what he called "A scene'-thatis is, demon
stration of applause. such as always greeted
his appearance in public. The first sign
of a cheer sohered him: he appeared sad and
oppressed. suspended conversation, and
| looked out into vacancy; and when 1t was
over. resumed the conversation Just where
it was interrupted, with an obvious feeling
of relief. = Speaking of an early ac-
quaintance, who was an applicant for an
Office which he thought him hardly quail
fed to fill. the President said: We'll, now,
never thought NJ had any more than
average ability, when we were young men
| together; really, did not A pause
| But, then, suppose he thought Just the
same about me; he had reason to, and
| here | ami"
| Another observer, who knew him well,
| furnishes amusing evidences OF the same
tenor: 'Mr. Lincoln's habits at the White
House were as simple as they were at ms
| old home in Illinois. Friends
| cautioned him against exposing himself
so openly in the midst of enemies; but he
never needed them. He frequently walked
the streets at night. entirely unprotected;
and he felt any check upon his free move
ments as great ANNOYANCE. He delighted
to see his familiar Western friends; and he
gave them. always. n cordial welcome.
He met them OH the old footing, and fell at
| once into the accustomed habits OF talk and
storytelling. An old acquaintance, with
his wife, visited Washington; Mr.. and Mrs:
Lincoln proposed 10 these friends a ride
the Presidential carriage. IT should be
stated. III advance, that the two mon had
probably never seen each other with gloves
on in their lives. unless when they were
used rs protection from the cold. The
question OF cach-Mr. Lincoln at the White
House. and his friend at the hotel-was,
whether he should wear gloves. Of course,
the ladies urged gloves; but Mr.. Lincoln
only put his in his pocket, 10 be used or not,
according TO circumstances. When the
Presidential party arrived at the hotel, to
take in their friends, they found the gentle
man. overcome by his wife's pcrsuaSions,
very handsomely gloved. The moment
he took his scat. lie Logan to draw off the
ciinging kids, while Mr.. Lincoln began to
draw his on. No, no. non protested his
friend, tugging at his gloves. 1T is none
OF my doings; put up Eour gloves. Mr.. LIN
coin SO The two old friends were on even
and easy terms, and had their ride after
their old fashion"
Mr.. Carl Schurz SAYS: an the White
House. as in his simple home in Spring
| field. H.. Mr.. Lincoln was the same plain,
unaffected. and unprctcntious citizen. He
won the admiration and affection of even
| the most punctilious of the foreign diplo-
mats by the tenderness of his nature and
| the touching simplicity of his demeanOr.
3 = Lincoln had one great advantage
over all the chief statesmen OF his day. He
| had a thorough knowledge of the plain
people. He knew their habits. their modes
of thought. and their unfailing sense of
Justice and right. He relied upon the
popular feeling, i'll great measure, for his
! guidance"
Mrs. Harriet Beecher Stowe has said Of
the qualities which Mr.. Lincoln. exhibited
| in the White House: Lincoln is a strong
man, but his strength is Of a peculiar kind;
ii is not aggressive so much as passive; and
among passive things, it is like the strength
not 50 much OF a stone DuttreSS rs Ol Il wire
cable. 1t is strength swaying to every in
fiuence yielding on this side and on that,
to popular needs, yet tenaclously and In
fcXibly bound to carry its great end.
Slow and careful in coming 10 resolutions,
willing TO talk with every person who has
anything To show O:i any side OF Il disputed
subject, long in weighing and pontcrIng,
attached to constitutional limits and time
hOnored landmarks, Lincoln certainly was
the safest lcadera Nation could have at a
time when the hrbenS corpus must be sus-
pended, and all the constitutional and
miner rights Of citizens be thrown into the
hands OF their military leader. reckless,
bold, theOriIng, GaShlng man OF genus
might have wrecked our Constitution, and
ended us in "A splendid military dcSpotism."
GUARDING TIE WHITE HOUSE.
The efear lest the virulentencmieso of thcAd-
ministration should attempt 10 assaSsinatc
Mr. Lincoln was 50 widespread that military
measures were enforced 10 protect him from
secret assault. Gen. Charles =. Stone, to
| whom the duty was entrusted Of establish
| ing the necessary precautions, has fur
| nshed a brief report on the subject. From
| the FIRST" says Gen. Stone, Il took, under
the orders of the General-in-Chief, especial
care in guarding the Executive Mansion;
without. however, doing it so ostentatiously
as 10 attract public attention. II was not
considered advisable that il should appear
| that The President of the United States was
| for his personal safety obliged to surround
himself by armed guards. Mr.. Lincoln
was not consulted i'll the matter. But Capt.
Todd, formerly an officer Of the Regular
Army, who was, ! believe, the brother-n-
law Of Mr.. Lincoln, was then residing i'll the
Presidential Mansion, and with him | was
daily and nightly i'll communication, in
order that. i'll case Of danger, one person in
the Presidents household should know
where 10 find the main body OF the guard,
| 10 the officer commanding which Capt.
| Todd was each night introduced. Double
sentrieS were placed in the shrubbery all
around the mansion, and the main body of
the guard was posted III vacant basement
room. from which a staircase led To the
upper floors. A person entering by the
main gate and walking up TO the front door
of the Executive Mansion during the night
could see no sign OF guard; but from the
moment any one entered the grounds by
any entrance, he was under the view of at
least two riflemen standing silent in the
Shrubbery, and any suspicious movement
on his part would have carlsed his i'm
mediate arrest; and inside, the call of Capt.
Todd would have been promptly answered
| by armed men. The precautions were
| taken before Fort Sumter was fired on as
| well as afterward One night, near mid
night. l entered the grounds for the purpose
| of inspecting the guard, and was surprised
| To see bright light i'll the East Room. AS
| | entered the basement. heard loud noise
as Of many voices talking loudly, mingled
with the ringing Of arms, coming from the
| great reception room. On Questioning the
l r. -