davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The Redwood gazette. [volume] (Redwood Falls, Minn.) 1873-1940, 1908-02-12
Deliverance Ran Thus: Court Martial Con-

not ask pardon. but just reprieve,
SO that medical examination can be
made"
Lincoln replied that that seemed
just. and he sent telegram to Elmira.
N. Y. where the soldier was confined.
delaying the execution. Early the next
morning he sent another message by
different line to another individual in
Elmira, and before the hour set for the
execution had arrived the president
had sent four kilograms to as many
persons by as many different lines in
his anxiety that the reprieve should
reach Elmira on time.
One day visitor who had influence
with the president entered the White
House vestibule and saw poorly clad
young woman who told him that she
had been trying for two days to see
Mr.. Lincoln. but had been ordered
away by the attendants. Her only
brother, she said. had deserted through
bad influences and was sentenced to be
shot The girl was weeping. Mr.. Lin
coin had just stepped out of his office
to eat luncheon. The visitor told the
girl to follow him in, await the presi-
dents return and then go after him.
Lincoln was little surprised to find
the girl in his Office, but he heard her
fearful story. looked at her poor cloth
ing and said:
"Poor girl! You have come here with
no governor, senator or member of con-
gress to plead your cause. You seem
honest and truthful, and with en-
phasis. you don't wear hoops. and I'll
be whipped if l don't pardon your
brother"
Hon. John B. Henderson was Unit
ed States senator from Missouri dur
ing the war. Senator Henderson had
The Redwood gazette. [volume] (Redwood Falls, Minn.) 1873-1940, 1908-02-12

house of William Butler, close friend.
He was practically the same as one OF
the family. Sarah Richard was
younger sister OF Mrs. Butler.
In the summer of 1910. when Lincoln
was thirty-one years Of age. he made
a proposal of marriage to Sarah. The
girl was then only sixteen Years after
Lincoln's death this lady, long mar
ried and a resident of a western state.
reluctantly admitted to Mr. Herndon
that Lincoln had proposed to her, add
ing that she could scarcely see what
good it could do history"
Being nearly twice as old as the girl,
no doubt Lincoln considered himself
quite an ancient person. At any rate,
he seems to have taken that view of
himself in talking to Sarah about mar
riage. He recalled to her the Bible
story of the marriage of the patriarch
Abraham to Sarah This he urged as
an argument for another union of
Abraham and Sarah
"My reason for declining his pro.
posal," wrote the lady "was the wide
dlTerence In our ages. / had given the
subject of matrimony very little if any
thought. | entertained the highest
regard for Mr.. Lincoln. He seemed aEe
most like an older brother. being, as it
were. one of my sisters family
Thus Sarah Richard, with her decli-
nation of the proposal, seems to have
passed forever out of the life Of the
future president. His regard for her
seems to have been little more than
passing fancy.
Possibly Lincoln may have intimated
to Herndon something concerning his
liking for Miss Richard, for the biog>
rapher states that "for many years he
had reason to believe that the girl had
been the recipient of attentions at the
hands of Mr. Lincoln"
The Redwood gazette. [volume] (Redwood Falls, Minn.) 1873-1940, 1908-02-12
Rebuked by Lincoln.

Abraham Lincoln could administer
a stinging rebuke when the necessity
demanded. as thus to General Blunt
for fostering Lynch law Judge
Lynch sometimes takes Jurisdiction of
cases which prove too strong for the
courts, but this is the first case within
my knowledge wherein, the court be-
ing able to maintain jurisdiction
against Judge Lynch, the military has
come to the assistance Of the latter
He was rather milder with Carl
Schurz: Il certainly know that if the
war fails the administration fails and
that | will be blamed for it, whether
l deserve it or not, and ought to be
blamed if could do better. You think
l could do better. Therefore you
blame me already. / think could not
do better. Therefore blame you for
blaming me-"
The Redwood gazette. [volume] (Redwood Falls, Minn.) 1873-1940, 1908-02-12
LincOln's Tender Heart Lincoln at Close RANGE
a Rough Exterior and the Soul of a
Frophet-How He Impressed Greeley. Doug
Las. Cullom. Woodford. VOORHEES, and Others

time when the con--ng president was
in his twentieS. I 2e relator. Robert
Wornick. was then a neighbor boy.
He says:
Abe was an ungainly. awkward young
fellow and always ready to do somebody
else a good turn. He wore homespun and
in summer was barefoot. / have seen him
at many a house raising and other gath
ering of the kind. He was always one of
the men picked out to carry up corner.
1t was while laid up with frozen feet
at the house of Mr.. Wornick's father
that Lincoln began the study of law.
As a lawyer one of his colleagues after
ward said of him:
He was as wise as a serpent in the trail
Of a case. but l have had too many scars
from his blows to certify that he was as
harmless az dove.
Concerning Lincoln's ability as a
lawyer Stephen A. Douglas once re-
marked:
When Lincoln is right you can't beat
him: when he is wrong you must be care
full or he'll beat you. This makes a strong
man of Lincoln.
General Stewart L. Woodford recent
~ gave this characteristic description
of Lincoln as a campaigner. 1t was
the occasion of the Cooper Union
speech in 1860:
I can see him today as saw him then
an uncouth westerner, whose coat was
short in the sleeves and whose trousers
did not meet with the tops of his shoes.
The thumb of his right hand was in his
armpit AS he began to get to climax
Of his argument his suspender began to
come out until it gradually worked up to
the level with his ear. He was perfectly
unconscious of the action. When he ut
tered those immortal words. Freedom is
national and slavery is sectional" the
whole hall rose as one man. Lincoln
paused. appeared to realize where his sus-
pender was. flushed and let go. The sus-
pender flew back into it's place again.
President Lincoln was the master of
his cabinet and knew how to take
things into his own hands when nee
The Redwood gazette. [volume] (Redwood Falls, Minn.) 1873-1940, 1908-02-12

"Well, | don't GIVE ME THAT PEN"
believe shooting will do the boy any
good. Give me that pen"
Time and again Lincoln issued par
dons to private soldiers who were to
be shot for some offense against mill
tary discipline One of his biogra-
pliers, who spent six months with him
in the White House, has said that it is
a great pity that Lincoln could not
have had an additional secretary whose
sole duty should have been to make
note of the appeals for soldier pardons
and the presidents action thereon from
day to day. These incidents would
have made a priceless volume. But
many such incidents have been pre-
served, which illustrate the Unborn
kindness and tenderness of Abraham
Lincoln. Sometimes these incidents
had an amusing side owing to the pres
ldents habit of saying funny things
when he was doing serious things.
An elderly woman induced the ia
NOUS Thad Stevens to go with her
to the president and plead for the life
of her son, who had been court mar
tailed and condemned. Mr.. Stevens
strongly recommended the pardon. stat
ing that he knew all the facts. Lin
coin issued the pardon. AS they walk
ed down the hall the happy old lady
said to Stevens, II knew 1t was a
copperhead lie!''
"What do you refer to, madam?
"Why, they told me he was an ugly
looking man. He is the handsomest
man | ever saw in my life!'
A young man in New York regl-
ment had deserted two or three times.
The Redwood gazette. [volume] (Redwood Falls, Minn.) 1873-1940, 1908-02-12
Lincoi-'s last Lines.

During il recent visit t. the White
House former Senator William 81,
Stewart commented on the fact that
he visited the mansion on the night
Of President Lincoln's assassination
and probably received from the mar,
tyred executive the last lines he ever
wrote. Pointing to the portico of the
White House, be continued:
II saw President Lincoln get into his
carriage from those steps the night he
speak to him at the White House. He
wrote me note that night that |
would give 81 900 for If had it now
"Mr Lincoln's calling hour for con-
gressional visitors was o'clock in the.
evening. | was in the senate and call
ed at the White House about 100
o'clock that evening The presidential
offices were located then in the second
story. From there | sent my card to
the president, who wrote upon it these
words: I have an engagement to take
Mrs. Lincoln to the theater, an engage
ment l never break. Call tomorrow
morning at 10 o'clock That. be-
lieve, was the last line Mr.. Lincoln
ever wrote.
ION my way out of the White House
/ met President Lincoln in the lobby
going to his carriage with his wife.
He stopped to shake hands and re-
peated to me that he would like to
have me call the next morning.
stood there until he helped Mrs Lin
coin in the carriage and got in him.
self"
The Redwood gazette. [volume] (Redwood Falls, Minn.) 1873-1940, 1908-02-12
Lincoln and the Ruc.

Former Senator Mason of illinois
tells this story of Lincoln: Tie was
driving along the road one dav when
he suddenly stopped the buggy He
saw beetle upon its back at the road
side struggling vainly to regain its
feet. Lincoln got out of the carriage
and turned the bug over. AS he re-
entered the buggy he said: well, l
feel better. / have done a good act.
/ have given that bug an equal show
with all the other bugs on the earth"
The Redwood gazette. [volume] (Redwood Falls, Minn.) 1873-1940, 1908-02-12
! has always seemed to nae, though it

Is a contrary view
to that held by
the majority of
those who knew
h / m, that Lin
coins stories were
never told for the
purpose of raising
a laugh, but were
related solely for
illustration or re-
Duke, and when
the latter was the
c a 8 e the m a n
against whom it
was d ire c t e d
would have pre-
ferred any other
method if he had
sense enough to
comprehend t h g
point. Vulgar and
commonplace peo-
pie. h o w e v e r,
would grasp only
the funny points
of his stories and
would ignore the
lessons they were
intended to teach.
When in his
thirties Lincoln
was a member
The Redwood gazette. [volume] (Redwood Falls, Minn.) 1873-1940, 1908-02-12

essary. Colonel
j. NJ. Scovel tells
this inside his
tory of the move
tn a t insured
peace between
t h e y n j t e q
S t a t e S a n d
Great Britain at
the tim e tina t
Mason and Sill
dell were cap
tured. Without
letting Score
tary Stan ton
know of th e
move Lincoln
wrote directly
to Queen Veto
ria. In reply he
received Il letter
from her assur-
ing him that the
peaceful condi-
ton existing be-
tween America
and En- CLAN d
The Redwood gazette. [volume] (Redwood Falls, Minn.) 1873-1940, 1908-02-12

great men have filed the worlds intel
lect and imagination more than he. but
none in our day has been so loved. It
is the very humanness of the man that
endears him to us. For this reason we
treasure every scrap of personal testi-
mony concerning him.
And yet there is another side of Lin
coin that the touch with his homely
human nature. however intimate, does
not reveal. 1t is a misty. elusive
something, an undiscovered greatness.
q quality that cannot be weighed or
bounded or defined He surprises us
with unexpected depths and beauties
He reveals to us glimpses of outlooks
over undiscovered countries. Behind
his rough exterior we seem to sense the
soul of a prophet. At distance he ap-
pears almost as one of those legendary
divine figures that we are told came to
guide men when the world was young
Surely If in our prosaic age any one
has been sent for work and has been
see Abraham Lincoln was such one.
And to this view even the personal i'm
pressions bear witness.
Horace Greeley in an undelivered lee.
ture published in the Century many
years after his death has given many
glimpses Of Lincoln. Probably none is
more interesting than his first impress
sion.
1t was of the time that Lincoln
served in congress and refutes the idea
that the future emancipation was home
ly, at least at the time in question.
Greeley said:
Lincoln was not quite forty years old
He was genial. cheerful, rather comeiy.
noticeably tall and the only Wing from
Illinois-not remarkable otherwise. to the
best of my recollection. He was generally
liked on our side of the house He made
two or three moderate speeches which at
tracted little attention. He voted gen.
orally to forbid the introduction of slavery
into the territories. but he did not vote
for Mr.. Cats resolution looking to the
immediate abolition of slavery in the fed
eral district. There were men accounted
ADLER our side of the house. yet l judge
that no other was more generally liked
and esteemed than he. And yet had
each of US been required to name the man
among US who would first attain the
presidency I doubt whether five of us
would have designated Abraham Lincoln.
Daniel W. Voorhees, paid this tribute
to the courage of the first martyr presi-
dent:
I was in congress while Lincoln was in
the White House and saw great deal of
him. He was a man who knew nothing
Of physical fear, and, while men about
him used to tell him stories of possible
assassination and the necessity of care.
Lincoln never seemed to pay much heed
to them. He was often seen walking
about the streets or making frequent ex-
cursions to the forts and camps and other
points about Washington. I don't think
he was afraid Of anything on earth.
Ex-Governor Alvin Saunders of Ne
braska when boy saw much of Lin
coin and heard his stories. Of these he
said:
It has always seemed to me. though it
The Redwood gazette. [volume] (Redwood Falls, Minn.) 1873-1940, 1908-02-12


these men don't I DON'T"
behave | shall have to put you in pris-
on for their sins''
A correspondent of a New York
newspaper related that once Lincoln
turned to him and said after granting
pardon to young soldier condemned
to death, his mother having pleaded
for mercy in person, Perhaps l have
done wrong. but at all events / have
made that poor woman happy"
One of the last official acts of Abra-
ham Lincoln--some claim that it was
his very last-was to write a pardon
for Confederate in Missouri who
some months before had gone north
through the Federal lines to see his
family and upon trying to get back to
his command had been captured and
condemned as a spy. R. A. DOW.
The Redwood gazette. [volume] (Redwood Falls, Minn.) 1873-1940, 1908-02-12

FTER all. it is
the persona !
t o u c b t b a t
counts. Those
whoclasp hands
with a man,
who look into
his eyes. who
break bre a d
with him. who
see him in daily
life. who hear
his voice and
know his hui
man side-it is
they who can
bring the hearts
of men to him.
Abraham Lin
coin is one of
whom the world
especially de-
mands this in
innate knowl-
edge. for there
is no one. in
modern tim es
at least. that SO
peculiarly ap.
peals to mems
hearts Other
The Redwood gazette. [volume] (Redwood Falls, Minn.) 1873-1940, 1908-02-12

of the Illinois legislature. OF that time
an eyewitness says:
He certainly was one of the leading
members and. think. was regarded as
the equal Of any member of the house in
debate and ability. He was awkward in
manner when speaking. He had a sway
Ing motion of the body and swinging of
his long arms that were somewhat un-
graceful. And remember to have heard
the members laughing and talking about
appointing a committee to hold his coat
tails when he was speaking and keep
them still.
Here is much earlier glimpse Of
The Redwood gazette. [volume] (Redwood Falls, Minn.) 1873-1940, 1908-02-12

toms view. the case being so agra
vated. Finally at IL o'clock of the
night before the execution was to take
place the mother induced a United
States senator to go to the president
and make last appeal on the ground
of the boys insanity. Lincoln was in
bed
''The boy is insane. and it would be
murder" the senator said. I'VE do
The Redwood gazette. [volume] (Redwood Falls, Minn.) 1873-1940, 1908-02-12

When finally re-
captured he tried
to poison his
guards. He was
condemned to
death. twas dis
covered that the
boy had been of
unsound min d.
His mouner went
to Stanton, who
positively refus-
ed to hear her.
She went to Lin
coin, who told
her that he ac-
The Redwood gazette. [volume] (Redwood Falls, Minn.) 1873-1940, 1908-02-12

occasion to call
upon the presi-
dent In March,
1865, regarding
a considerable
number of par
dons for which
his constituents
had reque sted
him to apply. In
Missouri during
the war m a n Y
men had been
arrested by the
tn
The Redwood gazette. [volume] (Redwood Falls, Minn.) 1873-1940, 1908-02-12
A Recon.

Spa" asked Mr.. Eenreck's little boy.
"why did Patrick Henry say, Give me
liberty or give me death?''
''He may have been out five minutes
after the curfew rang the night be-
force Chicago Record Herald
The Redwood gazette. [volume] (Redwood Falls, Minn.) 1873-1940, 1908-02-12

HE SEMI FOUR TELE- feQeral auLnOr-
GRAMS. ties and thrown
into prison at st. Louis and at Alton.
Ill. Some were to be shot for deser-
ton or as spies, others were condemn
ed to long terms of Imprisonment.
while still others were simply in jail
without much prospect Of trial. Sena-
tor Henderson. who knew each case
fairly well, divided his pardon appi-
cations into three lists. In the first
list he placed the names of those as to
whose innocence he was practically as
sured. The second list was made up
be safe and proper under the circum-
stances to turn loose. Those who in
his opinion should be kept in jail he
put in the third list. He presented the
first list to Lincoln, who asked, in some
surprise, if Henderson wished him to
turn loose all these people at once"
Henderson replied that he did and he
thought it ought to be done
II have no time to examine the evil
dence," said Lincoln. 81 am constant
~ reproached for my too abundant
charity, and what would be said if |
should turn loose so many sinners at
once?"
After further argument Henderson
induced Lincoln to pardon the whole
bunch of applicants. he promising to
be personally responsible for their fu-
ture good behavior.
THANK you, Mr.. President" the Mis-
souri, senator said, "but have another
list here"
Il hope you are not going to make
me let loose another lot"
yes | am not SC sure about the
merits of this lot, but it is safer to err
on the side of mercy"
"But. you know, am charged with
making too many mistakes on the side
of mercy protested the president
"The war is nearly over" replied
Henderson. Mercy is and must be,
The Redwood gazette. [volume] (Redwood Falls, Minn.) 1873-1940, 1908-02-12
The Girl
Who Rejected
Lincoln.

~ NE of Abraham Lincoln's love
q affairs of which but little has
been written was known
- vaguely to William Fl. Hern-
don. his law partner at Springfield and
one of his biographers. Mr. Herndon
has chronicled in an extended footnote
In his biography about all that is
known concerning this instance of Lin
coins lovemaking. The girls name
was Sarah Richard.
For years prior to his marriage to
Mary Todd, Lincoln had lived in the
The Redwood gazette. [volume] (Redwood Falls, Minn.) 1873-1940, 1908-02-12

after all, the pol
icy of peace"
Mr.. Lincoln re-
marked that he
guessed that
Henderson was
right, where
upon the latter
said he W 8
sure he was and
the president
GU ght to sign
the pardon list.
well, I'll be
d u r n e d if L
DON'T" said Lin
coin, taking up
his pen. Now,
Henderson, if
fhoSo mon don,t
The Redwood gazette. [volume] (Redwood Falls, Minn.) 1873-1940, 1908-02-12

RUSH ool. the president quite lndlg-
nantly when protesting against soL.a
pardon or contemplated pardon. Now
and then when he found that Lincoln
was positively determined and he
could not have his way-which was. in
fact. the way of law in time of war
the secretary would boil over with dis
gust and rush out of the presence of
his superior. Mr.. Stanton's notion of
military necessity was identical with
that of the sternest general in the field.
mon sense view of every such situation
and tempered justice with mercy.
Soldiers tried and condemned by
court martial for desertion, sleeping on
sentinel duty or other military crimes
or derelictions never failed to find a
friend in the White House if any of
their relatives or sympathizers could
manage to see the president. The course
of many a soldiers doom or deliverance
ran thus: Court martial condemned.
Stanton approved. Lincoln pardoned.
Mr. Lincoln was seldom able to resist
the I)lliIul pea vi WUHidu III UeudiI
of husband or a son who was to be
shot at daybreak next morning, and if
the woman carried her baby into the
White House the infant had quite as
much effect upon the tender heart of
the president as a baby in court has ON
jury trying a man for murder.
One evening Congressman Kellogg
received a dispatch to the effect that a
soldier boy from his own town in New
York was to be shot the next day on
conviction of serious misdemeanor.
Kellogg rushed to- Secretary Stanton,
who was like adamant. Then he rush
ed to President Lincoln, who had gone
to bed, but the congressman managed
to get into the executive bedchamber.
Lincoln and Kellogg had been in con-
gress together and were old friends.
This boy must not be shot. Mr..
The Redwood gazette. [volume] (Redwood Falls, Minn.) 1873-1940, 1908-02-12

copyright, 1908, by ]. A. Edgerton.l
The Redwood gazette. [volume] (Redwood Falls, Minn.) 1873-1940, 1908-02-12

President. Why.
he is an old
n e | g b b or of
mine. | can't al
low him to be
shot" cried Kel-
logg.
Lincoln was
still in bed. Aft
er briefly consid-
ering the matter
in his own mind
he said:
The Redwood gazette. [volume] (Redwood Falls, Minn.) 1873-1940, 1908-02-12


)WIN VI. STANTON. Lin
coins grim and iron heart
ed secretary of war. fire.
quently had harsh clashes
with his chief because of
the tender hearted presi-
dents inclination to par
don condemned or inn
prisoned soldiers when
ever he could find the
slightest justification for
such clemency either i'll
military regulations or or
binary human mercy. At
times. it is related. Stan
ton would talk back" TO
Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1908-08-11
WILL PLAY AUG. Y
Rock Island and Moline City
Councils Clash on Diamond
on That Date
AT THE NEW ATHLETIC PARk
Occasion Will Be Embraced to For
malIy Dedicate Neishborins
City's New Playground.

The date has been set and the war
riors are girding up their loins and
preparing for the sanguinary struggle
Rock Island and Moline city councils
meet on the field of baseball battle
in our neighboring village the after
rooE of Saturday Aug. %.
Last evening at the meeting of the
Rock Island council a letter was read
asking that the game for which a chal.
lenge was accepted at the previous
meeting, be played at the new Moline
athletic park and that it be the occa-
sion for the formal dedication of that
enclosure. 1t was further asked that
the proceeds at % cents per. be di-
yided equally between Bethany home
and Moline charities in general. The
Pock Island city fathers voted to &C
cept the entire proposition.
One Member BaIks.
Alderman McNealy is manager OF
the Rock Island team and empow
cred to make all necessary arrange
ments. Alderman Ostrom. who was
the bright particular star on the loca
team last year. has declined to WORK
this year on the ground that last sum
mer after the first annual game he
was in the hospital five weeks Not
withstanding his absence there will
be plenty of material and good ma
terial at that. Some exceptionally fas
men are to be found in the other de
partments of the city government anC
doubtless they will be called upon t,
| fill ill.,
Alderman John w. Day is manage
of the Moline team.