Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1909-02-07

Colfax. who was about to leave for tho
west, and later in the morning the cabinet
met, Friday being its regular day. Gen.
Grant was invited to remain TO its ses-
sion. There was the greatest interest at
the moment in Gen. Sherman's move
ments. and Grant was piled with questions
by the cabinet. The President was least
anxious of ALL The news would soon
Come he said.s and it would be favorable
He had no Houbt OF this. for the night
before he had dream which had pre-
coded nearly every important event OF
the war.
HE said 1t was In my department, it
related to the water Secretary Weles
afterward wrote THAT he seemed to be
in a singular and INDISPENSABLE vessel.
but always the same. and that he was
moving with great rapidity toward dark
and indefinite shore; that he had had this
singular dream preceding the firing on
tam. Gettysburg Stone River. Vicksburg,
Wilmington, etc Victory did not al
ways follow his dream but the event and
results were important. He had no
was about being fought. and Johnson
will be beaten, for 1 had this strange
dream again last night. 1t must relate
to Sherman: my thoughts are In that
direction. and l know of no other very
important event which is likely just now
to occur"
The greater part Of the meeting was
taken up with a discussion of the policy
Of reconstruction. How were they to
treat the states and the men who had
tried to leave the Union, but who now
were forced back into their old rela-
tions? How could practical civil gov
eminent be re-established? How could
trade be restored between north and
ShOlll6 no done WI
who had led the states to revolt? The
President urged his cabinet to consider
carefully all these questions. and he
warned them emphatically. Mr. Welles
says, that he did not sympathize with
and would not participate in any feel
ting OF hate and vindictveness. HE
hoped there would be no persecution,
no bloody work. after the war was
any part in hanging or killing these
men. even the worst of them. Brighten
them out of the country, let down the
bars. scare them off, said he. throwing
up his hands as IL soaring sheep. Enough
lives have been sacrificed. We must
extinguish our resentment If we expect
harmony and union. There was too
much desire on the part of our very good
friends to be masters, to interfere with
and dictate to those states, to treat the
people not as fellow-citizens: there was
too little respect for their rights He
didn't sympathize in these feelings"
X
The impression he made on all the
cabinet that day was expressed twenty
four hours later by Secretary Stanton:
He was more cheerful and happy than
1 had ever seen him. rejoiced at the
near prospect Of firm and durable peace
at home and abroad. manifested in
marked degree the kindness and human
diEnOSitiOn
and forgiving spirit that so eminently
distinguished him."
In the afternoon the President went
for his usual drive Only Mrs Lincoln
was with him. Years afterward Mrs.
Lincoln related to Isaac Arnold what
she remembered of Mr.. Lfncoln's words
that day: Mary" he said. I'VE have
had a hard time of it since we came to
Washington; but the war Is over and
with Gods blessing we may hope for
four years OF peace and happiness. and
then we Will go back to Illinois and
pass the rest of our lives in quiet We
have laid by some money and during
this term We will try and save up more,
but shall not have enough to support us.
We will go back to Illinois and 1 will
open law Office at Springfield or Chi
cago and practice law. and at least do
enough to help give us livelihood"
1t was late In the afternoon when he
returned from his drive, and as he left
his carriage he saw going across the
lawn toward the Treasury a group of
friends among them Richard Oglesby
then Governor Of Illinois. Come back.
boys, come back he shouted. The
party turned and joined the President
on the portico and went up to his Office
with him.
How long We remained there I do
not remember" says Gov. Oglesby.
Lincoln got to reading some humorous
book; think IL was by John Phoenix
They kept sending for him to come to
dinner He promised each time to go.
but would continue reading the book.
Finally he got sort of peremptory order
that he must come to dinner at once.
1t was explained 10 me by the old man