The Randall County news. (Canyon City, Tex.) 1908-1926, 1910-02-11

III keeper oI tue preSiueutS COLI
science"
The youngster with whom we were
joking was to spend four years under
the influence of the patience. the wis
dom and the foresight Of the martyr
president. being trained the while to
execute, after an interval OF forty
years. an important diplomatic work,
and will probably go down in history
as the ablest diplomat the United
States has produced. Though John
Hay possessed the natural ability for
his later work. there can be no doubt
that he imbibed the patience and
learned the methods from his chief
while conducting the nation through
the most perilous period in its his
tory
But to return to my story. While
John Hay was occupying an office
adjoining that Of President Lincoln
his college friend, the Kentuckian.
Clarence Bate of Louisville, had turned
rebel and was fighting for the south.
In the beginning Kentucky was d.
vided state One-half Of its people
were with the Union. the other half
with the Confederacy. 1t is probable
that it was on this account that Bate
became identified with one of those
bands having no Legitimacy as Con-
federate soldiers who We're doing their
best to carry the state out of the
Union. At any rate. Bate was taken
prisoner with arms in his hand against
the sovereignty of the United States,
having neither Il commission nor hav-
ing been enlisted in the Confederate
service.
Later III the war. when one of these
"citiZens.' as they were called, We're
captured and brought before a COM
handing officer. after hearing what
his captors had to say on the subject,
the commander. with Il wave of his
hand, would say: Take him away.
don't want to see any more of him"
This was an order, understood by the
captors, to take the man out and shoot
him. The prisoner was then conduct
ed TO an open space, told to run and
shot down while running
But Clarence Bate was tried by mill
tary court martial and sentenced to be
shot.
Bate belonged to prominent family
in Louisville. He had been engaged to
be married while in college, but wheth-
er he had been married don't know.
There was quick consultation among
his friends. His old friend Hay was
close to the president. the only man
who by exercising the pardoning pow
err could save his life. There was one
chance, and only one. for Bate. That
was to secure Hays influence for a
pardon. But was there time? Would
Hay feel that his conscience would per-
NIT him to ask such a favor? Would
the presidents conscience permit him
to grant it if asked?
Was not John Hay, as he had hui
morously said. 1.-The keeper of the pres
idents conscience"
A friend of the condemned. man sped
carry him. bearing request that Hay
would do all in his power to save the
life of his old friend and brother in the
fraternity of which they were both
members.
The messenger on his arrival at the
capital. having secured an interview
with Hay in his office in the White
House. presented the request
What a singular situation! Two stu
dents have been together in many a
college symposium, have played many
prank in company. few years
pass. Probably they have not met
since those happy college days. Sud
denly one is handed Il request to save
the others life. And more-if he can
not save it his friend must die.
Hay took the letter through a door
communicating with the presidents pri
vate office. leaving the door ajar. The
messenger heard indistinctly some con
versation between the president anC
his secretary; then the words. spoken
! by Hay. All can say is that he /,
my friend
$50 over to the pardOning office re
piled the president, have Il pardon
made out. and will sign it
John Hay at that time could no
have been more than twenty-five o
twenty three years old. for the Incl
dent happened at the beginning of th'
war-1S61 or 1SG2-and Hay was grad
uated at college in 1888 at the age o
nineteen. Fancy a man filed with tn
generous impulses of youth receiving
such a boon. the gift of n life, ant
that the life of his friend. We ca
picture the joy beaming in the youn
mans countenance as he returns I
the messenger with the welcome news
the alacrity with which he seeks til
pardon office and. when the documen
is signed. sends it. with an affection
ate message, to his college companion
President Lincoln when a questio
came up before him for decisio
wherein a strict construction of dut
forbade clemency never hesitated
act on the side of that kindline'
which was n mart of his nature III