Omaha daily bee., 1909-02-07

thing of a radical in the house, and al
though his radicalism had in a way aided
Lincoln, there were times when it grew too
strong for the good of the cause in hand.
Speaking Of LOvejoy on this occasion MIR.
Lincoln said: HE was one of the best men
in congress. If he became too radical l
always knew l could send for him and talk
it over and he would go back to the floor
and do about as 1 wanted"
Shortly before Mr.. Lincoln was nominated
as a candidate for a second term Salmon p.
Chase. a member of his cabinet. had quietly
undertaken to secure the nomination for
himself. 1 was in Washington when the Sc
cret letter written by Senator Pomeroy urg-
ing politicians to support the Chase candi-
dacy came out, and 1 was among those who
urged that Chase be turned out of the cabI-
net, and 1 SO expressed myself to the presi-
dent. He replied: Let him alone; he can
do no more harm where he is than on the
outside
Bore no Resentment.
That was his way of looking at things.
He was of too kindly a d sp sition, too great
a man, to punish anyone Tor being against
him, but at the same time he was more far
seeing than others. He knew that to re-
move Chase would only make a martyr Of
him; to send him back to Ohio would only
place him In a position to make trouble for
the administration, and 50 he simply let
him alone, which was by far the wisest
thing to do, until Mt. Chase resigned once
too often, and then, one day, much to the
chagrln of his secretary Of the treasury,
he accepted his resignation.
No more striking illustration of Mr.. Lin
coins magnanimty can be given than his
appointment OF Mr.. Chase to be chief JUS
tice Of the United States a few months after
he had accepted his resignation as secre-
tary OF the treasury. 1t so happened that
1 was in Mr.. Nicolay's office when Mr..
Chase came to the White House to thank
the president for his appointment as chief
justice. The door was aJar and l heard the
few words that passed between them. They
were both extremely dignified. Mr.. Chase
thanked him in a few words, and the presi-
dent simply responded that he hoped thdt
Mr.. Chase would do his duty. and so the
interview closed.
The message to congress the year l was
elected was, as l recall II, a marvel of sue
cinctness and ~frankness as to actual con
ditions prevailing in the land. A sunny
and optimistic view of every situation was
taken, however, and IL the people wished
to take a gloomy view Uf even disastrous
war episodes 1t was their own doing. At
the time the message was written Genera
Sherman was attempting his famous march
of 800 miles directly through the insur-
gents region. There were plenty of fore
bodings at Washington as TO the eventful
outcome. Mr.. Lincoln dismissed the sub
ject in his message with these few words
after stating the Undertaking; THE result
not yet being known. conjecture in re-
gard to 1t is not here INDUCED"
Note of Determination.
In other words, Mr.. Lincoln intimated tC
congress that the country would cross M
bridges until they were reached. However
there was contained in that message e
congress when the war was nearly over, 4
note of determination which left no doubI
in the minds of those who read II tina
Lincoln stlll believed the sentiments he hat
expressed In his great speech wherein HI
said, "A house divided against itself can
not stand" a speech which l heard him de
liver, by the way, and ! must confess tina
it was an utterance which was a bulwarl
to me in those trying days when determine
ton only gave way to doubt and fear.
Those were dark days. but how soon wal
: to come vindication of Lincoln's diagnosii
that the Issue could only be tried by wa
and decided by victory. In the early day
{ OF spring came the campaigns around Rich
mond and Lee was driven to the fina
stand, where he accepted bitter and un
: conditional surrender.
r To Lincoln was given but a glimpse 0
/. the promised land. He lived to see tn,
power OF rebellion broken, but was sent 4
his eternal reward before he saw the az
!, thority of the union established In ali tn,
rebeliious states. He was permitted to q
up into the mountain, Nebo, and TO catcl
a glimpse Of the promised land OF a re
stored nation. but his weary feet were no
: permitted TO cross the border that sepa
rated II from the wilderness OF civil war
: With his gentle but firm manner he ha'
led congress to DO his bidding. The risinI
; curtain OF succeeding years has only serve'
. 70 show the soul OF wisdom which that leg
4 islative body had before II during thos
: dark days - q guiding angel