Evening journal., 1914-11-25
New News Of Yesterday
How Lincoln Regarded
Hannibal Hamlin
ny HOLLAND.

Lafayette S. Foster was one of the
representatives in the United States
Senate from Connecticut during the
administration of President Lincoln
and a part of that of President An
drew Johnson. Senator Foster would
have been President of the United
States had Andrew Johnson died at
any time in the first two years Of his
term. because Foster was President
pro tempore of the Senate, and by vir-
tue of the law as 1t was at that time
in case of the death of one who had
gone TO the Presidency from the Vice
Presidential chair the President pro
tempore of the Senate would qualify
as President.
Senator Foster was a man of much
personal dignity. always dressing in
the conventional garb of that day,
which in the summer time included
white duck trousers The Senator's
home town was Norwich, Conn, which
also was the home town of Governor
William A. Buckingham. who became
afterwards United States Senator An
impression prevailed among Senator
Fosters friends that he was convinced
during the last half of Lincoln's first
administration that Vice President
Hannibal Hamlin and Lincoln we're
much better friends than the public,
and even some of the Senators, pre-
sumed to be the case. An impression
did prevail In the Senate that Lin
coin took little heed of Vice President
Hamlin and was not disposed to con-
suit him at any time. That was an
opinion that Senator Foster did not
share. He had some reasons for be-
] lieving that Lincoln had made a confi-
dant of the Vice President, probably
in view Of the contingency of his own
death i'm which event Vice President
Hamlin would become President
Not until years after first heard
this statement made from one of
Senator Fosters friends did ! have
an opportunity partially 20 verify II.
II was my good fortune TO spend sew
eral hours in the company of Hannl-
bal Hamlin In the winter of 1892 He
was on his way from his home In
Maine TO New York City. TO take part
IN Lincoln Day memorial meeting.
He was then past eighty years of ago.
I ventured to say to the eX-Vice
President that I had learned in my
early hoyhood that Senator Foster. of
Connecticut was a warm admirer OF
him and that the Senator was confi-
dent that strong bonds of attachment
characterized the relation between
him and President Lincoln.
II know Foster very well. He was a
very able parliamentarian and a man
Of sound judgment" said the ex-VicC
President
what he said Of my relations witt
Lincoln is true. The public did moi
know. nor did any but a few of Presi
dent Linooln's administration know
how often the President called upoI
me for suggestion and counsel In the
last two years of his term we me
many times. ! knew what Lincoln
purposes were. not so much with re
spect TO the management % the wa
, as to what the course of the govern
ment should be toward the people o
the South after the close OF the war
He may have confided his purposes &
others don't know about that.
know that he did explain them to me
Had he lived the country would hav
p known what they we're"
3 Something i'm the ex-Vice Presl
dents manner confirmed the opinio
, which long before had been eXpresse
by Senator Foster-namely, that Lin
e coin had taken the Vice President int
4 his confidence. deeming it expedient {
do that in view Of the contingency {
n his own death.