The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1900-02-24
LINCOLN AND STANTON.
New "Reminiscences Showing the Pc
culiar Relations Between Them.
Stanton in an Ugly Mood-How
He Was Smoothmed Down.


Hon. VIII Cumback in the indianapolis
Press.
During the Civil war, while was
stationed at Cincinnati. | received a
letter inclosing a large bundle of COM
mendations from an old Indiana friend
of mine, who then resided in Iowa. He
wanted to be appointed in the com-
missary department with the rank of
captain. and asked my help.
| sent the papers to Senator James
Harlan. of Iowa. and asked him to see
the president and secure the place for
my friend If he could. The senator re-
piled that he would do so. but would
wait until | came TO the caDital. and
we would go together to the White
House. ! obtained permission of the
chief of the department with which |
was connected. and went to Washing
ton. We went to see Mr.. Lincoln and
found him disensaged. and. what was
still better. in one of his happiest
moods. We made the strongest appeal
we could for our mutual friend and
handed the papers To the president for
his inspection. The first paper he read
was my letter to the senator in regard
to the application. My letter was hast
lily written and was not as legible as it
ought to have been. and Mr.. Lincoln
made many humorous remarks about
it and in reading aloud made the letter
appear very ridiculous. 1 made the
best defense I could of my production,
and informed him that I had fac
simile of his great emancipation proc
| lamation and that my chirograph in
/ <,,,,t 20 1,te
| finally asked him If the purpose of
all his criticism was to the end that
| could not write document that could
be easily read.
LINCOLN AND A FABLE
| He replied Il once read fable of
| the lion which invited all the beasts
of the forest to his den, and held a
sort of beastly reception. When all
were assembled the lion called upon
one of the beasts to approach him and
! smell his breath and give his opinion
| Of it to the invited guests. The beast
| did so, and turned away in disgust,
! declaring that his breath was so often
! sive that he could not describe it. The
| lion killed him for his iroudence. He
! then called up another beast for tha
4 Sttilt Iuil"'Nt, anu dltcl Nsti'iu oiiN
! repeatedly testing the breath of the
! lion, he pronounced it delightful and
asked to stay by the side of the lion
| that he might inhale the delicious odor
all the time. The lion killed him for
! his tlattery. The lion then called ur
! the fox. and the sly and cunning Rey-
nard approached with hesitation and
much diliidence. and after a thorough
! testing of the breath of his majesty
said he had a cold and he could no.
tell the condition of the breath of his
! host
"That is my condition." said Lin
coin. II cannot give an opinion to-
| day"
| But afteE the pleasantly was over
| and We came to business again and the
| other papers were examined, anC
| further statements made by the sena-
tor and myself, he put the papers back
| in the large envelope and wrote on tE'
| outside, Let this man he appointed
| A. Lincoln" We thanked him mos
heartily for his patient consideration
Of the application and for the order fol
his appointment.
/ Putting on a very serious and solemn
| look. he said: DO not waste your
| gratitude You have not got the place
yet" We called his attention to the