The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1900-02-05
NEW LINCOLN STORY.

Hon. Will Cumback of Indiana Mar
rates an Interesting Anecdote of
the Martyr President.
From the indianapolis Journal
1t was my good fortune to be ac-
uuainted with Lincoln personally be-
fore he was a candidate for president
| 1t was my privilege to take an active
part in his nomination ut Chicago.
had the honor to head the electoral
ticket which was chosen, and my name
was first called at the meeting of the
electors. I cast the first Republican
electoral vote that Indiana gave for
Abraham Lincoln. This I regard as
the greatest honor that has ever come
to me. Indiana had taken an active
and important part in Lincoln's nomi-
nation. AS l remember it, ours was
| the only state. outside Of Illinois, that
on the first ballot gave a solid vote for
Lincoln. He and his friends had most
| grateful appreciation of what Indiana
| had done at the nominating Conven-
ton and at the election.
| Hon. Caleb Il. Smith. of Indiana. had
done most effective service in this and
other states on the stump during the
hot and exciting campaign. Indiana
wanted him to have place in Mr..
| Lincoln's cabinet. Mr. Smith and his
friends selected Hon. Cyrus NJ. Allen.
a friend of Mr.. I.incoln's. and an cleo
tor from the First congressional dis
trict, and myself to go to Springfield
and see Mr.. Lincoln in the interest Of
Mr.. Smith.
| Mr.. Lincoln gave us a most cordial
reception. We had a free and infor-
NAL talk with him, not only in regard
| to Mr.. Smith, but about the alarming
| condition of the country, in view Ot
the prospect of a dissolution Of the
| Union. The meeting was entirely in
formal. Anything formal would be
| the very acme of awkwardness in the
presence and in conversation with Lin
coin. He made us welcome. and there
was no embarrassment He knew we
did not come to interview him for pub
| lication. He felt that We would ask
no promises or pledges out Of him. Rut
| when the visit was over we were con-
fident that Smith would be appointed.
| and so told him when We returned. He
was made secretary of the interior de-
| partment.
AN EDITORS VISIT.
| While we were at Mr.. Lincoln's house
a card was brought into him on which
was the name of the editor of the lead
ing newspaper in the state of New
Hampshire. l do not now recall the
name. He was ushered into the parlor
where we We're. He was a very tai!
man, bony and slender. He had a most
solemn countenance. He impressed me-
| n wi ha haI
any fun. and did not care to have. He
wore a very wide white cravat, which
came up to his ears and was wrapped
round and round his neck. His coat
was buttoned up to his chin. He look ell
more like a priest than an editor. II,
was evidently taking himself and hrs
| life very seriously. He commenced Il
very stiff and formal bowling when in
the presence of his host, but that was
not Lincoln's way. He went to him.
seized his hand and shook 1t In real
Hoosier style, and gave him tho heat T.
est welcome. The editor never smiled
or seemed to appreciate the hoartiress
Of the greeting. The entire lack of for
mality. instead of thawing him our,
seemed to freeze him. He and Lin
coin stood facing each other. and the
|
Yankee friend, you are as tall as am
Let US put back to back and meas
ure." Reluctantly. the editor complied
and I was called on to umpire the
match. which | did by putting large
book on their heads. which showed
that Lincoln was the taller of the two
Mr.. Allen and myself were introduced
to the stranger, When we were all
i nI hn n1i tha
attention of his host, and Allen and I
dropped out of the conversation.
| INQUIRIES BAFFLED.
! AS I said before, 1t had become al
| most certainty that most of the
southern states would secede and form
a confederacy of their OWN, and there
| was, of course, intense interest and
| anxiety to know what course Mr. Lin
| coin intended to pursue--wether he
| would attempt, as chief executive to
coerce these rebellious states with the
army and navy or would attempt to
heal up the trouble by some sort of
concession or compromise. Mr.. Lin
| coin had told us that he would form
no policy, but would be governed by
the circumstances existing at the time
he took the oath Of office.
IT soon became evident rs We listened
| to the conversation that the editor had
come a thousand miles to get enough
out OF the president-clect to form a
policy for him, and so proclaim, even
II Lincoln had formed none for him
self.
The editor was very sharp AMI
shrewd! and exceedingly artful in at
tempting to cover his real motive in
the interview. He had manifestly un-
derrated the ability Of Lincoln. He
had carefully prepared his tactics ana
was following his plan to get the mind
OF the president t-elect on the absorbing
question OF the day. The fencing of
Lincoln was beautiful ard effective.
The president-elect was intensely in
terested in all the editor said, and took
his full share In the conversation. II
was clear that he saw perfectly what
the editor was after. But he gave no
sign OF impatience with him.
After an hours struggle the editor
abandoned the indirect method as
hopeless. All his hypothetical cases
| fo A.