Year: 1870

Presidency, in opposition to himself, he


observed jocosely, !" Oh. it don't disturb
| me in the least. think I shall run the
better for it. never knock, horse fly
Eof one of nv horses; l find he goes faster
for the bite"


| The kindness of heart of Mr.. Lincoln
| is well known, and his intense abhorrence
| of approving death has been frequently
discussed. His Kentucky friend, who has
been mentioned above as "B, man ol


undoubted loyalty throughout the war


used frequently to come to Washington
| to make representations to the President


in regard to court-martial or other de.


cisions where mercy for the condemned
man could be obtained only by the chief.
magistrate, and where he thought such
/ clemency deserved. He rarely failed to
obtain reprieve, and the following gives
an outline of one Of the cases where he
interfered successfully: A very young
man living in one of the southern coun-
ties of, Kentucky was entioed into the
rebenarmy. l After remaining withiit in


Tennessee few months he became dis


gusted or weary, and managed to make


his way back to his home. Soon after


his arrival some of the military stationed


in the town heard of his return and ar


rested him as a rebel spy, and after q
military trial he was condemned to be
hung. His family were overwhelmed by
distress and horror. A sister of the young
man knew Mrs. B., and concluded
TO 90 to her with the sad story
and ask that her husband should make a


representation Of the case to his powerful
friend in Washington. Mrs B. promised


to do all she could, convinced that the


awful death decreod the young man was


undeserved. When her husband came
home from his business she told him he


must 60 to Washington at once to attend


to this case. He said 1t was impossible, as


his business required his immediate and
constant attendance. EYES," she an
swered, "but not when life is to be
saved" and in the next train Mr.. B.
started. When he saw Mr.. Lincoln, and
explain ed his errand, the latter said: ooh,
yes, / understand; some one has been cry


ing to your good wife, and worked upon
her feelings, and you have come here to
work on mine" Mr.. B. then went more
into detail, and assured the President of
his belief in the truth of the story. After
some deliberation, Mr.. Lincoln evidently
scarcely more than half convinced, but
still preferring to err on the side of mercy,
replied: "If man had more than one
life / think little hanging would not
hurt this one !; but after he is once dead
we cannot bring him back, no matter how
sorry we may be, so he shall be pardoned;" )"
and a reprieve was given on the spot, d,


Many are the like instances which could
be given of similar cases. many of which,
it must be admitted, really demanded,
in the name not only of justice, but also
to secure public safety, that man proven
a spy should be shot or hung, when the
same tenderness of heart interfered to save
life The story sometimes went that the
life of the one had been saved at the ex-
pense of the loss of the lives of many
1t was said that it was spy pardoned by
Mr.. Lincoln who gave the information
which led to the horrible death OF Col
Uric Dahlgren. But the sympathetic ma
ture which sometimes erred through the
weakness produced by its own truth and
intensity, was well understood and never
condemned by those who knew the man
best. Here in Washington it was not an
affair of hearsay; the plying heart made
itself felt, and it's influence was potent
even when silent Here Mr.. Lincoln was
truly mourned, not simply as martyr
in just cause, but as beloved friend.
None who had ever come in contact with
him could fail to be convinced of his in
tegrity or. remain unimpressed by his
gentle characteristics. Many had been in
debted to him for some kindness, all had
recognized his willingness to mitigate, so
far as possible, the horrors of war The
cry which went up from the city on that
sad 18th of April was for a man deeply
and earnestly loved and honored.