Evening journal., 1915-06-17
New News Of Yesterday
The Story of a Famous
Cabinet Meeting
By Holland.

There died few weeks ago the last
survivor of the official householo Oh
President Lincoln. as he was also lne
last of that group of his political fam
rlv whom President Lincoln sum-
moned to the Cabinet room on the i
afternoon of the day when he was as
sassinated- Frederick w. Seward IL
was my good fortune to have an ac- |
1uaintance OF twenty years with Mr..
seward which ripened into fFiend-
shin. He was of modest manner, not
in the least self-conscious, bubblinS
o,,e,. az times with his humorous im-
nulses-which were always kindly
and q vast storehouse of highly inter-
eetine "reminiscences of the days when
he was near Lincoln. Mr.. Seward
told me one day something OF MS
recollection of the last time he or
anv one else sat at President Lin
coins Cabinet table. His father, the
Secretary of State, was convalescent
from an injury he received in run
away accident and he. therefore, re-
INFESTED his son to represent him at an
important Cabinet meeting which was
to be held on Friday, April Ia, 1868.
"I have made a brief reference OF
this final Cabinet meeting said Mr..
Seward TO me. " in my book, but l
could not 90 into it in detail as
can now with you.
"Mr. Lincoln seemed for a time in
unusual good spirits. He spoke OF
his plans for the establishment OF
State governments in the Southern
States. and l was impressed with the
sincerity of his kindly sentiment and
IN his earnest hope that restored con-
ditions would be brought about in
such manner as speedily to end the
sense of disappointment at the failure
TO establish the Confederate govern
ment.
q remember one incident particu-
larly that was characteristic of Lin
coin | had said. as we were discuss
ing the restoration of State govern
ments in the South, that my father
was strongly of the opinion that there
should be no harsh or unkindly action
haken toward those who we're leaders
in the attempt TO establish the Con-
federacy. One of the Cabinet mem
bers spoke up and said that II might
De a good thing if these leaders were
permitted to 20 abroad. and he asked
President Lincoln what he thought
of that. For a minute the President
did not answer but l saw the whim-
sical smile which was so character
site of him when he was about to
say something that had humor in it
come to is lips and there was that
funny little twinkle in his eye Of
which we were all so fond when at
last he said that he thought it was
an excellent idea to let these leaders
go out of the country, but that he
would also be in favor of following
them up very closely so as to be sure
that they did get out.
"Just then General Grant came into
the Cabinet room. There was suberh
dignity as we'll as something like af-
lection manifested by President Lin
coin as he greeted General Grant and
then asked him to tell some of the
circumstances of the meeting at Ap.
pomattox Court House with General
Lee. have since then read Genera
Grants personal memoirs and / was
constantly reminded while reading the
book Of the manner in which Grant
told the story of Appomatox at the
Cabinet meeting. He wrote that book
exactly as he talked.
president Lincoln, | remember
asked General Grant what he did al
Appomattox for the private soldiers
of the Confederate army. and Grant
replied that he had sent word to them
to go to their homes and begin at once
to look out for their families. saying
hat as long as they did that they
would be perfectly protected. Presi
dent Lincoln. when he heard this
nodded his head to signify his thor
)ugh approval of this communication
which Grant made to the soldiers o
he Confederate army"
Copyright. 1915. by E. ]. Edwards
All rights reserved).
Tomorrow Mr.. Edwards will tell o
"A Presidential Candidates Fata
Oversight"