The Wolf Point herald. (Wolf Point, Mont.) 1913-1940, 1924-02-07
Lincoln Was Not
So Mild and Meek
Great Liberator Could Bare
Teeth and Fight When
Necessary
sy PROF. 3. j. cIeRAND, in Chicago
Evening American.

ENStiAAIS
There is a tendency in recent writ
ngs to picture Lincoln so mild and
meek that his red-bloodedness and his
,mnhatic methods of rebuke are lost
and the real value of the giant among
men is destroyed.
Several recent biographies and many
,rations and magazine articles of late
years have given the impression that
Lincoln was not master Of his cabinet.
# is said he often laughed and told
stories when his serious opinion was
needed.
If any president endured intrigue at
the cabinet board, Lincoln did. Not a
single other man who ever sat in the
presidential chair would have per
mitted the bold, personal campaigning
of his personal associates.
But Lincoln seemed to let these men
90 on, gradually disclosing not only
to himself but the public their selfish
personal ambitions and then at the
right time and in an inimitable way he
would grab the official by the coat
collar and bring him back to the
straight and narrow path of Lincoln
Ideas.
Lfncoln's manner of dealing with
men was entirely different from that
of any other president.
He even ran after" General Nc
Clellan and permitted offensive CORE
~spondence and no end of sights to
come to light. But Lincoln, like an
indulgent father, could, when the
proper moment came, call a halt and
take some of the officials Gin the wood
shed and dust their trousers"
Ultimatum to Plotters.
To show he was not inundated, I
give a cop of a letter which he read
at a cabinet meeting during the time
when Stanton, Chase and Seward were
secretly condemning one another and
suggesting removals so that they might
all the better conduct their campaign
to prevent Lincoln's reelection and seat
themselves.
The letter reads:
81 must be the judge how long to
retain in, and when to remove any
VI YOU Olh III pOSAbAOAs NO0AN
greatly pain me to discover any of
you endeavoring to procure an
others removal, or, In any way, to
prejudice him before the public.
Such endeavor would be a wrong
to me: and much worse a wrong to
the country. My wish is that on
this subject no remark be made,
nor question asked by any of you,
here or elsewhere, now or here
after"
One. day early in Lincoln's admins
Mrs. Lincoln said to him:
at is common rumor about the cap
ital that Seward and not you will be
the president-that he will rule you"
He replied:
81 may not rule myself, but certain
" Seward shall not. The only ruler
have is my conscience, following God
in it. and these men will nave to learn
that yet"
At another time Lincoln was visited
by a congressional committee headed
by Thad Stevens, who burst in on Lin
coin with the accusation:
"The way you are running this coun.
try is causing it to be approaching hell
and very fast"
Lincoln asked: "About how far from
that place are we now?"
Stevens sharply replied: Il would
say about a mile"
Lincoln smiled and replied: about
a mile-why that's about from here to
the capitol" And everyone save
Stevens rOared.
Stepped Out of Beaten Path.
Seward, who had for years toiled to
subordinate Lincoln, finally wrote to
his wife: Executive skill and vigor
are rare qualities. The President is
the best of u.s.
On July 80, 1868, Lincoln issued a
public letter, designed especially for
the soldiers and sympathizers of the
Confederacy:
sit is the duty of every govern
ment to give protection to its citi-
zens and especially those who are
organized as soldiers in the public
service. 1t is, therefore, ordered
that for every soldier of the United
States killed in violation Of the
laws of war, a rebel soldier shall
be executed and for every M en-
shaved or sold into slavery, a rebel
soldier shall be placed at hard
labor on the public works"
Promised Glory for All Officials.
1 look upon this order as the least
representative sentence in Lincoln's
life story and doubtless it was
inspired by the usages of war and came
a cabinet measure.
Another message to his cabinet
shows how he guided them and con-
stantly reminded them of broad patri-
1t reads:
ut will require the utmost skill,
influence and sagacity of all of us
to save the republic. Let US for
get ourselves and join hands like
brothers to save the republic. If