Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1910-02-04


tary court martial andssentenced 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 a 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
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
ident's conscience?"
A friend of the condemned man sped
to Washington as quick as train could
carry him, bearing a 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
a prank in company. a few years
pass. Probably they have not met
since those happy college days. Sud
denly one is handed a 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 and
his secretary; then the words. spoken
by Hay, "AII can say is that he is
my friend"
go over to the pardoning Office" re-
piled the president. have a pardon
made out and 1 will sign it."
John Hay at that time could not
have been more than twenty-five or
twenty-three years old. for the Incl
dent happened at the beginning of the
war-1S61 or 1S62-and Hay was grad
uated at college in 1858 at the age OF
nineteen. Fancy a man filed with the
generous impulses of youth receiving
such a boon, the gift Of a life, and
that the life of his friend! We can
picture the Joy beaming in the young
mans countenance as he returns to
the messenger with the welcome news.
the aIacrity with which he seeks the
pardon office and, when the document
is signed, sends it, with an affection
ate message, to his college companion.
President Lincoln when a question
came up before him for decision
wherein a strict construction Of duty
forbade clemency never hesitated to
act on the side Of that kindness
| which was a part Of his nature. He
did not seem to dread the blame that
would be heaped upon him for inter
fering with what the world calls JUS
tice, or if he dreaded it, he never per-
mitted it to prevent his sparing a life
that depended upon him. Yet all these
acts of mercy on account of which his
general said that it was impossible to
maintain discipline in the army were
exercised in cases of soldiers in the
ranks. Probably the life of Clarence
Bate was the only one spared at the
request OF one near the president, and
no such act has ever been charged
against Mr.. Lincoln for the purpose Of
currying favor with a political mag
nate
His pupil. Hay, retained to the day
of his death that same kindliness for
which his preceptor was so distin-
guished. Doubtless there is not a
friend of the great secretary's early
life who will uot testify TO the fact
that when he was at the height of his
power he felt and acted in accordance
with the words:
He is my friend"