Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1909-01-31

necessity as Il was believed to be b,
his western constituents. In point o.
fact. he apparently apologized for askins
the government to do what, indeed, Shoult
not be done. but because there was {
popular clamor for it among the people
who were not sufficiently Informed tG
Judge. intelligently. Lincoln heard hin
patiently and finally answered him il
these words, which I can never forget
II have always thought that God must
love common people or He would moi
have made SO many of them
The south strangely misunderstood
Lincoln. and yet considering the fierce
sectional passions which came with the
civil war. it is not surprising He had
made no public record before his cleo
ton 10 the presidency. He was known as
a man of infinite jest, and he was re-
garded by the south, in the angry resent
ment Of the period, as jolly boor lack
ing every attribute of craftsmanship. as
an obscene or profane jester. and, during
the war. as a bloody butcher 1t was
not until years after the war that the
south began TO understand how clearly
1t had misunderstood the leading at
tributes of Lincoln character ,,
I saw him many times after the mid
night hour when, with his heart upon
his sleeve. he spoke with freedom OF
the sorrows OF the country, winch Ee
profoundly felt, and of the perils TO
the government but in no single instance
did I ever hear him utter single sen
tence of resentment against any one.
I heard him many times speak or Presl-
dent Davis and of the leading men or the
Confederacy and never In single IN
stance with disrespect He UNDERSTOOD
that they believed in their cause and
that they were offering their lives FOR
their convictions, but he beheVed. also'
that no greater calamity could occur To
either north or south than the success OF
the Confederacy by the dismembermen'
Of the Union.
Fifteen wears after the war had closed
7 hanpened to be journeying In the
south for q season OF rest ana When at
Mobile was invited by President Davis 10
visit him at his home at BeauVoir l was
more than willing to comply. and few
DAYS thereafter / stopped on my way TO
New Orleans and called upon him. / had
known him but casually before the war.
but he was not an especially genial gem
tleman, but always severely courteous.
and nv impression of him then was that
he was an embittered and hopeless old
man. AS I approached the gate of the
large lawn about his house | saw him sit
ting in an orange. grove reading news
paper and two small boys playing tag all
over him. at once concluded that
must be mistaken in the man. as the boys
gave the highest testimony TO some good
and attractive qualities within him. lie
received me with great corclaiity.
spent a most delightful day with him,
and found him. to my surprise. most
genial gentleman and. at my request.
discussed with perfect freedom every
question relating TO the war
In the course of the conversation he
said he desired to know more about the
character of Lincoln. as he understood
I hat I had known him well and seen him
in I'LL the various phases OF the civil con-
fict He inquired very infinitely as 10
his personal qualities. his habits. his
manners his feelings and his actions. and
T was able to give him very minute in
forma ton on all the subjects. When he
had concluded his inquiries as to the
character Of Lincoln, with pathos that