The Washington herald., 1908-02-16
John A. Joyce Recalls Visit
TO Martyred President.
GETS PROMISE OF COMMISSION
Tells Of Taking lunch fn the White
House During stormy Days of Civil
Wnr-Praises Character of Man
Much Worried by Affairs of State.
Name VIII 60 Down in History.
BY JOHN A. JOYCE.

In December, 1854. just after my dis
charge from the United States service. as
adjutant Of the Twenty-fourth Kentucky
"on account Of wounds received ia ac-
ton" at the battle of Kenesaw Noun
tain. I dropped into Washington City from
Lexington. Ky, armed with a number
Of official recommendation for cap
talncy In the regular army. Attorney
General James Speed, Of my State, heart
ily indorsed me. and I felt that all
had to do was to see President Lincoln
and get the appointment
At the age of twenty-five 7 was intro
dueed to Mr.. Lincoln by the patriot
Joe Holt. of Kentucky. 1t was about l
o'clock In the afternoon, at the White
House. in private apartment on the
Cabinet room. A waiter had Just brought
in lunch on a silver tray and placed lt
on the desk of the President, who was
busily examining a stack Of papers and
/ occasionally signing his name 10 official
documents.
/ presented nay recommend 4tions, ear
nestly indorsed by my TeEimental. brigade
division, and corps and army command
ers. The President took the papers.
looked over them carefully, and wheeled
around in his chair, and remarked,
"Adiutant, won't YOU have some Of my
lunch?'
Lunches with Lincoln.
] replied. Thank you, Mr President; I
shall feel highly honored by taking
cup OF coffee and some hard tack for
noticed some very fine cream crackers
on the tray Mr. Lincoln turned 10 the
waiter and said Bring another cup.
and then addressing me. remarked. Il
see you walk a little lame and have to
use "a cane. DO you think your wound is
entirely healed?" 7 replied. no. sir. but
/ it IS healed enough To fght again
! a broad smile came over his face. when
/ he exclaimed
] 1T looks Ike you Keutuckiaus love 10
/ fight" I said that We did not bring on
/ the fight, but as we We're in Il. we were
going 10 stay until the Union was saved
or die 20 the last man on the field Of
battle
He threw himself hack I'm the chair,
/ and with a proud but melancholy Coun-
| tenance said, 'I do not think there VIII
/ be much more fighting. and hope the war
viii De over by the month ~ May but if
! IL should continue and your wound is
/ perfectly healed, come and see me again
and TIL give you a commission in the
army"
Last sight of Martyr.
/ I had finished my coffee and crackers.
and as 7 felt a number Of anxious people
were waiting 90 see him. 7 rose from the
desk. shook hands, and bada good
by 10 the greatest man this republic ever
/ produced.
It was my first and last sight of that
/ glorious and humane character, for in
less than four months the bullet of an
! insane assassin had launched nay friend
/ into eternity.
The bullets that clipped off the lives
/ 0f Lincoln. Garfield. and Mckinley were
! the messengers o. their Immortality, and
/ this moment, from The heavens above
/ the spirits Of these great martyrs look
down from their throne Of glory upon
their old comrades. st.n living in a
land Of freedom, unridden by a tyrant
and uncursed by a. slave.
This Republic may in time perish and
decay. tho granite and marble columns
or tha Library and Capitol may cruhl-
bic TO dust like the ruins or Thebes
I baNA loE. ana IaluFFGs tIe names oi
the warriors and statesmen may be for
gotten, even the stars in their glory
may change. but SO long as there is a
human heart and tongue on the globe
90 pulsate 10 the tones Of liberty. equal
ity and Justice. so long shall echo the
name and fame of Abraham Lincolul
The Emancipation Proclamation ol
Lincoln broke the backbone of tn,
rebellion
Monument to Fame.
! Rooted in the rifted rocks Of age.
shall be his temple of everlasting glory
The mountains Of Columbia. uftinl
their heads into the boundIess blue
and the murmuring rivers Of the Cont
neut shall mingle forever with his fame
but the noblest and loftiest monument Il
his memory are the four million
/ shackles struck from the gauine
limbs of the boudsmen,
Lofty Liuccr, through the ages
Shall endure on golden pages
And his siCTiOus loyal name
ON the Tempted towers of Fams
| Like beacon lFht 20 sea-
Emblem II the brave and free
Shall remain for Liberty