The Sun. — 1866-01-29 (London, England)

THE WIDOW OF PRESIDENT LINCOLN.--The Washington correspondent of the Morning _Herald says: —" When Mrs. Lincoln left Washington she took with her to her prairie home the better part of the furniture, upholstery, and decorations of the White House. Immediately upon the death of the late President, Mrs. Lincoln shut herself up in the Executive mansion, refusing to leave her room, even to attend her husband's funeral. It was at once given out that she was very ill ; that the murder of her husband had prostrated her; indeed it was at one time reported that the most serious fears were entertained as to the result of her sickness. The obsequies were brought to their conclusion ; the assassin had been overtaken by the swift vengeance ho had provoked ; the trial of the conspirators had begun—still Mrs. Lincoln remained in the White House. Meantime President Johnson, unwilling to intrude upon the retirement of a lady w :31 vga an. i griefT Avenue,hsoreeaiappalling, linlvti enhgs attended rpko lo tpehtdeo n'4 l y bachelor'sby hs Mrs. Lincoln was induced to away, yeCutainvde friend,hoavielrhoenlm Preston Pe denwnliYit Mansion to its rightful occupant. She went to Springfield, Illinois. With her also went the bulk of the ornaments and furniture of the White House. These articles —among which were carpets, window-curtain; chandeliers, statuette; &c.—filled, when packed, 94 large dry goods boxes, and their removal to the railway station was effected by means of seven of Adams's great express vans. These facts were hushed up, as well as might be, and it was hoped that they would be forgotten. Congress met, and among the first bills introduced into the House was one offered by Mr. Wentworth, popularly known as long John Wentworth,' of Illinois, appropriating $lOO,OOO for the relief 'of Mrs. Lincoln—that, in the language of the bill, 'being the sum to which Abraham Lincoln would have been entitled' if he had served out his term. As soon as it was announced that such a bill had been offered and ordered to its second reading, a host of tradesmen, small or otherwise, gathered in the lobbies of the Capitol. These patriotic persons displayed an extraordinary interest in the passage of the bill. They proclaimed that it was but a ' proper mark of national gratitude.' In fact, so far did their loyal zeal carry them, that it attracted the attention of the honorable legislators themselves, the most of whom were for sometime at a loss to conceive why the lobby' should be so deeply concerned in the relief of Mrs. Lincoln. Awakened attention led to inquiry ; inquiry brought out all the facts. Wentworth, chancing to go into the lobby, overheard a patriotic shopkeeper enlarging upon the sacred duties of the American people to the widow and children of the martyred Lincoln, and on inquiry Mr. Wentworth found that our loyalist' was interested in the fulfilment of these 'sacred dutie s to an amount a little in excess of $7,000. This fact, with others, became known. When the bill came up for decision it received but one affirmative vote—that, it need hardly be said, of Wentworth, the proposer, himself. A bill which was simply an amendment of the other, andci which gave to Mrs. Lincoln the sum of twenty-five thousand dollars, was then offered and passd by an almost however, will unanimous vote. But a small portion of this sum, but an inconsiderable York tradesmen alone are paid, there will therefore, by her e margin left. Mrs. Lincoln, appropriatedever enjoyed b y Congressbby th ; personfor whenfo r w hobos; use iullws vo it Neww was s eges in the White House—(l will for the extraordinary misconception of thuese dollars; ginallyhas lost seventy-five thousand nature ure strongerof he rpmr misunderstanding, infallibly have been 9A The Chamber has termiBUCHAREST, Jan. 2G.—The named ($100,000) woudletabtuetd tfoorhtehr. having been voted by e of the Prince is satisfactory in nated the discussion ofatnheimAmddernesses,maalljotrhietya.rtiTclhees reply to the Message all respects. At the demand of the Deputies. it will be presented to the Prince by the Chamber in a body, as has been already been done by the Senate,