The Washington herald., 1914-04-20
THE WAR DAY BY DAY
Fifty Years Ago.
Ap 20 ls6-Predent Lincoln Authorized Meade to Commute to
mpsonment Sentence Of Death the Cases Found Guilty
Of D.rton Army Of the Pnae-Lnens Kindness Of Heart
Toward the Soldiers
written expressly for The Herald,

Fifty years ago today President Lincoln
.u,horized Gen George G. Meade to COM
mute the sentence Of death In the case
81 deserters from the Army Of the Po-
fonac 10 Imprisonment during the war at
Dry Tortugas, a fortress in the Gulf OF
Mexico.
Gen. Meade had asked that the power
20 mitigate sentences in cases OF deser-
tion be given him, and the President
mad RESPONDED at once with an order
granting the generals request. Nothing
could have been more to Lincoin's like
ing. His prompt action in the matter
illustrated, as his many pardons had
done since the beginning of the war. his
tenderness of heart toward the common
soldier.
or all his duties as President, he had
liked least those having to do with the
military executions The hardest thing
he did was to confirm the sentences of
oourts-martial His generals had often
implored him, for the good Of the service,
TO refrain from pardoning men sentenced
for desertion or similar ofenses. His
reply in one instance expressed his atti-
tude in the premises.
There are already too many weep
ing widows" he said; for Gods sake,
don't ask me to add to the number, for
/ won't do it," On another occasion he
/ hope I have not done wrong to al
low it,
Lincoln had hated Fridays because II
was the day on which usually were ex-
ecuted sentences of death. As he turned
TO a heap of papers lying on his desk
one Thursday he said: Tomorrow is
butchers day, and 1 must go through
these papers and see il 1 cannot find
some excuse to let these poor fellows
on"
"what n Heap of Trouble"
The official records show many an or
der from LinDin to generals in the field
committing the sentence OF death. All
these papers were written in his own
hand. He never delegated to another the
solemn duty Of considering the cases
of those condemned to die.
In the voluminous "reminiscences OF
Lincoln by many different writers, some
Of the most touching incidents have to
do with his listening to the stories of
distressed people who came to beg him
for clemency in the case Of some con-
jemned soldier.
When Mary A. Livermore was a visitor
to the white House she noticed that in
the ahteroom, which was crowded with
man, there was only one woman beside
herself. She was poor looking. shah
billy. but neatly dressed, middle-aged,
sunburnt, and careworn, and weeping.
Mrs. Livermore tried to console her,
and learned her story. Her husband
was major in an Illinois regiment. His
colonel, an abusive and drunken man,
aad called him coward before his men.
The major. who was slow to anger, had
borne the insult until it was repeated;
hen he had shot the colonel dead.
The woman was so agitated when she
Entered Lincoln's presence that she
staggered and dropped Imply into a
,hair. She lifted her white face with
oeseeching look to the Presidents and
ler colorless lips moved without utter
ng a sound. Seeing her condition, Mrs.
-ivermore spoke for her.
20 dear, DEAR said Lincoln, passing
his hand over his face and through his
lair. These cases will kill me, / wish
: didn't have to hear about them!
What shall l do? You make the laws"
1e said, turning to number OF Con-
.ressmen present, you have decided
hat if soldier raises his hand against
ais superior officer. as this man has
lone, he shall die. Then, if l leave the
avs to be executed. one of these dis
tressing scenes occurs, which almost
kills me-
he Presidents hand. He read half A
iozen pages. then leaned forward in his
Z hair, and said, with his face brighten
ing, Il know all about it, This case
anne before me ten days ago / de-
.ided it then. l have changed the SEN
:ence of death to two years imprison-