River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1902-10-02
NEW LINCOLN YARNS
They Are ALI Characteristic OF the
Great President.
Union officer Whose Commission was
Signed by "a Rebel Raider
An Amusing Meeting in
Indiana.
[speclal waghlngton Letter.I
((T CALLED on President Linco

GCT CALLED on President Lincoln
to request the appointment
of a chaplain in the army. 1
didn't get the appointment, but l have
always been glad that / took that oc-
casion to see Mr.. Lincoln at the white
house." says a venerable and popular
citizen of the national capitol
81 heard three good stories narrated
by Mr.. Lincoln, and l am quite sure
that they have never been published.
You see it was his custom to receive a
whole lot Of people at a time. de
would have a cordial greeting for all,
talk cheerily few minutes, and then
take one after another privately into
a corner Of the big room and listen to
his individual desires.
"Goy. Cunning, of the territory of
Utah. whose original and permanent
home was in Pennsylvania, was the
first man received personally by Mr..
Lincoln, who spoke unreseryedly so
that all present could hear. He' as
sured Gov. Cunning of his perfest con-
fdence in his integrity, and told him
that although recalling him from
Utah he was going to give him another
appointment, to show his confidence
in his ability. He said: 4 know very
well why all these complaints have
been made against you Gov. Cunning
responded that no governor could be
popular in Utah, without becoming
Mormon.
That's just it, Cunning said Mr..
Lincoln. This Mormon question must
be handled with care just now. 1t re-
minds me of farmer friend of mine
who had a big black gum log in one
of his best fields. 1t bothered him for
years. He said that it was too big to
be moved, too wet to be burned, and
too coarse to be split 1t bothered him
and often kept him from sleeping.
Finally he told his wife that he had
taken the gum log off his mind, and
had concluded, as he ought to have
done at first, to let it be, and just plow
around it. So, Cunning, that's what we
are going to do with the Mormon ques-
ton for long while, just pillow around
it,"
''The next gentleman who had per-
sonal conversation asked if any news
had been received from John Morgan,
whose confederate cavalrymen were
then raiding Kentucky and Ohio. Lin
coin replied: we will catch John,
some day. l admire him, for he is a
bold operator. He always goes after
mail trains, in order to get information
from Washington. On his last raid he
opened some mail bags and took pos
session of official mail. One letter was
from the war department to a lieuten-
ant in Grants army, and it contained
a commission appointing him cap
tain. Right underneath the signature
of A. Lincoln the audaciOus Morgan
wrote, Approved, John MOrgan;' and
sent the commission on it's way. So
there is one officer in our army whose
commission bears my signature, with
the approval of that daredevil rebel
'"Then came Philadelphian, whom
Lincoln knew, accompanied by his
wife. They had just returned from
Lima, Peru, where the visitor had been
making large mercantile investments.
Mr.. Lincoln asked if they had made the
acquaintance of Fred Hassaurek, our
consul to Lima, and the visitor replied:
'Yes, and he says he would rather have
his position than be president, as you
are He is located at Lima, 5000 feet
above sea level, and says he has the
highest office in the gift of the people
of the United States
Having been an editor in Kansas
City, as you know, the people there