The National tribune., 1900-04-26

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replied that had, many years previously,
and that should be epleased to have copy
Of them in his handwriting, when he had
time and an inclination for such work.
He said, Well, you may keep that copy, if
you wish" ~
\ MORNING CALL ON THE PRESIDENT.
Hon. VIM. d. Kelley, n member of Con-
gress from Pennsylvania, relates that
about the time of the PenfnSular campaign
he called at the White House one morning,
and while waiting to. see the President,
Senator Wilson, of Massachusetts, en-
tered the chamber, having with him four
Englishmen of ripe years and dignified
had an early appointment, and had not
completed his toilet. He was in slippers,
and his pantaloons, when he crossed one
knee over the other, disclosed the fact that
he Wore heavy blue woollen stockings.
1T was an agreeable surprise to learn
that the chief of the visiting party was
Prof. Goodwin Smith, one of the firmest
of our British friends As the President
rose to greet them, he was the very inn
persoDation of easy dignity, notwithstand-
ing the negligence of his costume; and,
with tact that never deserted him, he
opened the conversation with an inquiry
as to the health of his friend, John Bright,
whom he said he regarded as a friend of
our country and Of freedom everywhere,
The visitors having been seated. the magni-
tude of recent battles was referred to by
Prof. Smith as preliminary to the question
whether the enormous losses which were
so frequently occurring would not so re-
duee the industrial resources Of the North
as to seriously affect the prosperity Of in
dlvldual citizens and consequently the
revenue of the country. He justified the
question by proceeding to recite the number
after some of the great battles recently
fought.
"DARKY ARITHMETIC"
There were two of Mr.. Eincoln's devoted
friends who lived in dread of his little stories.
Neither of them was gifted with humor,
and both could understand his PROPOSE
tons, which were always distinct and
clean cut, without such familiar illustra-
tiOnS as those in which he SO often INDUCED;
and they were chagrined whenever they
were compelled to hear him resort to them
in the presence of distinguished strangers.
They were Senator Wilson and Mr.. Stanton, |
Secretary Of War; and, as Prof. Smith |
closed his arithmctical statement, the time |
came for the Massachusetts Senator TO bite |
his lips; for the President, crossing his |
legs in such manner as TO show that his |
blue stockings We're long as well as thick |
said that in settling such matters as that |
we must resort TO 'darky arithmetic.
To darky arithmetic.' exclaimed the
dignified representative Of the learning and |
iliBltI illbbStll pl 'IittL J1Titdtl ana ilGE |
American Dominion. 1 did not know,
Mr. President, that you have two systems
Of arithmetic oh, yes, said the PreSi-
dent; L will illustrate that point by little
story: Two young cOntrabands, as We
have learned to call them, are said to have
been seated together, when one said to the
other: Jim, do you know 'rithmetic?'
Jim answered.: No; what is 'rithmetic?'
Well, said the other, its when you add
up things. When You have one and ore,
and you put dem tqgedder, dey makes
two. And when you subtractS things,
when if you have two things and you takes
one away; only, one remains Is dat
'rithmetic? Yah Well, faint true,
den. It's no good. Here dispute arose,
when Jim said: Now, you 'spose three
pigeons sit on dat fence, and somebody |
shoot one of DEM do 'tother two stay dar? p.
! guess noti dey flies away quickern odder
feller falls And, Professor, triiing as
the story seems, it illustrates the arithmetic |
YOU must use in estimating the actual |
losses resulting FROM our great battles |
The statements you have referred TO give |
the killed, wounded and missing at the |
exhibits a greatly exaggerated total, es-
pecially in the column Of missing"
GOODWIN SMITHS OPINION OF LIN |
COLIN.
The distinguished author and statesman
referred to in the above anecdote, Prof. |
Goodwin Smith, Of Canada, has admir-
ably summarized his impressions of Mr.
Lincoln in "a single paragraphs: "Such
person as abraham Lincoln" said he,
rs quite unknown to our official circles or
10 those Of Continental nations Indeed. |
think his place in history will be unique
He has not been trained to diplomacy or
administrative affairs. and is in all respects
one of the people. But how wonderfully
he is endowed and equipped for the per-
formauce Of the duties of the chief execIi-
tive officer of the United States at this
time, The precision and minuteness of his
information on all questions TO which we
referred was a succession Of surprises to
me-"
MIR. LINCOLN AND FATHER GIDDINGS."
Congressman Riddle relates that in the
early part Of the war he saw Mr.. Lincoln
almost daily, and became quite familiar
with his views and his methods. He
was" says Mr.. Riddle, ''the most approach
able of men. His good nature and pithy
sayings. his power Of endurance, were
eXhaustlesS; and he showed wonderful
tact in dealing with men. whose character
and purposes he usually recognized at
sight. While trying TO avoid being de-
tained by them, ne seldom offended them.
\ little story often sufiiced a -roorI-full
Seemingly, he had no secrets; he made no
enemies. not even Of the rejected. The |
venerable Joshua X. Giddings. whose
services, IN length Of time and value TO his
country, ranked him with the most deserv-
ing who ever sat in the House of Representa-
1ives, had greatly offended Mr. Seward at
Chicago. and had given Mr.. Lincoln no
cause for gratitude. He had lost his
seat in Congress. and was broken in heath
and fortune. The Consulate-General of
Canada had recently been created, with
a handsome salary. Mr. Giddings desired
the position, but was too old and too proud
TO ask it. undertook TO presentthe matter
to Mr. Lincoln. He received me very
kindly, and spoke in the most appreciative
terms of Mr.. Giddings's great services,
saying that his long habit of aggressive
warfare perhaps disqualified him from
apprehending the difficulties of the present
position. Then lie spoke of public affairs:
What will the South do? What will the
Northern Democrats do? AT pinch, what
will the Republicans do? There's still a
distinction between you Abolition's's and
the nass of our side. We have not yet won.
We have gained position where we may
win. I hope we shall. | wish we had
something better to offer Father Giddings.
Go to Seward, and he will fix it for you.
| went TO Mr. Seward. and secured the
appointment of Mr.. Gidthngs, who died in
the Consulate i'll 1SG4,"ft
STANDING BY OhD FRIENDS.
Fidelity to his old fgiends was one of the
strongest traits in Mr.. Lincoln's character.
To serve him once unstlishly was to secure
a claim upon his grateful memory which
aanpnllaI Ac N ill1Ctra